Beauty from the inside out and the Good4U snack that will get you there
The Sligo-based family-owned snack producer’s mission is also to ensure every schoolchild in Ireland will benefit from the energy-boosting magnesium and brain-boosting thiamine found in its basket of sprouts, seeds and pulse-based snacks.
“We have [won] a big contract with a distributor to schools in Ireland, so we’re actually going to be in all the lunchboxes in Ireland for children, which is really important,” said Emma Brennan, registered nutritionist, Good4U.
“Healthy snacking for kids can be tricky, so we try and overcome that with our healthy, functional, healthy snacks, which provide 21% of a child’s RDA of calcium. We also use a seaweed extract [to provide the protein content], which is quite innovative.”
Nutrilab
Apart from its range of better-for-you snacks – including sprouted seeds, veggie protein snacks, energy balls, salad and breakfast toppers and a childrens' range – the company is actively pursuing its goal to “be that voice for nutrition information and wellbeing,” said Brennan.
“As a nutritionist, I go to schools [and businesses] to do nutrition and wellbeing talks.
“We’re not just providing these snacks, we’re also providing this information in terms of nutrition, health and wellbeing.”
The company’s website also hosts a wealth of health and fitness information, ranging from blogs like ‘Top 10 Fact You Need to Know about Protein’ to ‘8 Top Tips for Eating Well in College’ to recipes to the Nutrilab section that hosts info, food facts and brain training sessions.
Health trend here to stay
“People are much more interested in their health than they were before – there’s more people out cycling, out running – and people are looking for a healthier snack because snacking has become such an integral part of our diets,” added Brennan.
"There's also a lot more research, particularly on brain and mental health, and gut (microbiome) health.
“I don’t think the health and wellbeing trend is going to peter out, I think it will evolve and … companies will have to [become] very responsive to what the consumer is looking for … being very clear about what’s in your products [and] about the function of your products," she said.
Good4U's basket of products
Sprouts: A living food and one of the healthiest foods on the planet, providing fibre, antioxidants and protein. Research by the University of Ulster has shown that regularly eating sprouts has a protective effect against DNA damage, which is associated with cancer risks.
Veggie Protein: Naturally seasoned, high-fibre, gluten-free snacks made from edamame, fava and black beans, peas, corn and raisins, available in three variants, including Tandoori Crunch, Smoky BBQ Crunch and Salt N Pepper.
Energy Balls: Made from milled seeds and fruit, these snacks are nut, dairy and gluten-free and come in two flavours, including Mint & Cocoa and Cocoa & Orange.
Protein Balls are made from soya protein crispies, milled seed and natural flavorings, that are nut, gluten and dairy-free. Available in Vanilla Crisp & Orange Crisp.
Breakfast Boosters to add to porridge, yogurt and in smoothies that are gluten and nut-free, with no added sugar. Available in Focus Apple & Cinnamon (good source of thiamine), Recharge Coconut & Berry (high in Vitamin E) and Energise Cocoa & Orange (a boost of magnesium, which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue).
Kids Nutriballs: made from milled seed and fruit to provide a filling, nutritious snack, which contains 21% of a child’s RDA of calcium – time to stock up
Kids Energy Balls: developed with babies and toddlers in mind, these portion-controlled snacks contain 100% natural ingredients, fibre and calcium, and no added sugars.
