Despite the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat, meaning it is gluten-free! This superior grain is high in fiber and provides all the essential amino acids making it a complete protein. It is also low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol. This Eden Organic brand is great because the buckwheat is milled to remove the hard hull but the whole grain remains intact. Buckwheat can be used as porridge, in salads, soups, as a stuffing for peppers or tomatoes, or just as a simple whole grain entrée. This is a very versatile, mild flavored whole grain that takes approximately 20 minutes to cook. Eden Organics is independently owned and the oldest organic and natural food company in North America!

At The Whole Journey we are constancy upgrading our clients from dairy products to dairy alternatives. So Delicious has created a product that is a fabulous milk substitute to both dairy and soy milk. It's tasty in smoothies, cereals, and and especially in desserts. We always suggest unsweetened when it comes to any milk substitute. Per 1 cup serving, this unsweetened coconut milk has 0g of sugar and is a good source of Vitamin B12. Surprisingly, coconut milk is a good source of manganese as well as iron. The naturally occurring Lauric acid found in coconuts builds our immune system to fight infections. Try this coconut milk in a the healthy homemade ice cream recipe on our site.

When it comes to high heat cooking, grapeseed oil is a Whole Journey favorite. This oil has a mild flavor and a high 'smoke point' making it a smart choice for any hot heat saute, baking, cooking or grilling. Grapeseed oil is the oil extracted from grape seeds, a byproduct of the wine making and jam/juice industries. It is a polyunsaturated oil, which normally would mean that it isn't suitable for cooking. But grapeseed has less impurities, and therefore less volatility, than other polyunsaturated oils. It's important to note that not all grapeseed oils are created equal.  Because grape seeds contain very little oil, grapeseed oils are rarely expeller extracted (which is the preferred, non-chemical method for extracting oils when cold-pressing isn't an option.) Instead, a method called hexane extraction is often used. (Hexane is a solvent that many people would prefer not to be used in their food production.) Look for for expeller extracted grapeseed oils if you wish to avoid hexane. La Tourangelle is a brand we trust that does use the expeller press method for their grapeseed oil. Originally, the production of these gourmet oils started in France where each village had a mill which roasted and extracted the oil from nuts gathered by local farmers. La Tourangelle is one of just a handful of these remaining mills that keep this tradition alive, and has successfully recreated the spirit of this traditional French mill in Woodland, CA. We appreciate this companies quality and tradition of producing such fantastic products.

These tortilla chips are unique in that they have added plant sterols. Plant sterols, also known as phytosterols are actually the the plant’s cholesterol which occurs naturally in fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole-grain products and most vegetable oils. Plant sterols can help reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine by up to 50%, which in turn can lower LDL blood cholesterol. We like the fact that this company has made a tortilla chip that is an upgrade to the typical brands you would find in your grocery store. It's important to note that the corn flour used is not organic, which means there is a good chance it is GMO corn, which lowers their rating by 1.5 stars. According to the USDA in 2012 approximately 70% of corn grown in the US is GMO. These chips are fried in sunflower or safflower oil.

Simple and delicious. Lydia bars are raw, vegan and gluten-free. They are made with sprouted buckwheat. Buckwheat is not actually wheat and contains no gluten, thus it can be eaten by people with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivities. Other ingredients include agave nectar, sprouted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, sprouted quinoa, cacao powder, cinnamon, original Himalayan crystal salt . We love that they use sprouted grains as it is much easier for the body to digest grains that have been sprouted. We would love to see this bar sweetened with a better sweetener such as brown rice syrup or honey. These bars are tasty and very nutritious.