Green Foods True Vitality, Chocolate, 25.2 Ounce

Like most of you I have been looking for years to find a meal replacement that is nutritionally balanced and vegan. No I am not vegan or vegetarian, but if I am going to have animal based protein I would rather enjoy a steak etc than in a shake. Personal preference.My biggest issue with any replacement shake bar etc has been even the "original", "natural" or "unflavored" versions always add sweetener. I am not a fan of anyone making the decision for me that my meal replacement should be sweet. I am an adult I can choose if I want a savory meal replacement if I want it. I could be the minority on this since I have only been able to find 2 meal replacements this one and (garden of life raw fit which is way more expensive) on the market who agree if the customer wants it sweet they can add something sweet to the powder.Before I decided to try this shake I was using Vega One natural which still had sweetener in it which was not as strong as others but still too much for some one who wanted to make a veggie smoothie for a more savory replacement. Long story short I found this product for less cost than Vega and decided to try it.While this does have some natural sugars in it the sweetness is very slight making it perfect for a more savory smoothie which is something I need a few times a week to keep up usage.Is this powder yummy- NO! Is it palatable for someone who understands plant based protein has certain flavors( grassy "healthy" "green") and textures(gritty) YES! If you are looking for something creamy and smooth with no real healthy flavors your really not going to find it in an unflavored meal replacement and certainly not in a vegan meal replacement powder.That being said this is one of the easiest to deal with powders I have tried.I drink it straight with a few oz of water most of the time- (you just need to get it down there is no savoring with most meal replacements you need to drink them shortly after mixing for their full benefits most powders say less than 10 minutes. personally I try to get it down in 5 before any real texture changes.)I have made savory veggie smoothies with it which come out greatI have mixed it in yogurt ( one way to get around gritty texture and having to "drink" your meal) with greek yogurt it gets very thick and you should eat it pretty quick.I have also made semi- sweet smoothies using fruits and berries and in a bind a splash of fruit juice running out the door.So far I have not found anyway of taking this that has not been decentHealth benefits. Looking at the label you have close to multi vitamin levels of nutrients which is excellent.I can tell if I miss a day taking this and the Raw fit ( I take one serving of both a day) If I am in a rush and will be gone all day I will put both in the same shaker( the cyclone is my favorite) with water and a dash of juice and chug it down. Not super tasty but i found the combo of both with 9ish oz of water and maybe an oz of orange juice has a hint of orange creamsicle to it .SO to sum it up.If you have never tried vegan protein or meal replacements and your looking for a cheaper way to try them and decide if you are able to handle the textures and flavors associated with them. Try thisIf you already know about the textures and flavors and want something you can go savory with. Try thisIf you need to get more vitamins in your diet. Try thisIf your Vega habit is getting too expensive. Try this

I purchase True Vitality as a meal replacement shake. I had been using various powders available from local stores but none of those are vegan and I wanted to give it a try. The taste took some real getting used to. The word Chocolate is more of a suggestion, the product has only a hint of coca powder. That said, I was otherwise impressed with the product. The vitamin content is excellent, and the product is vegan and soy free. It mixed well with water, would have liked to try it with almond milk but did not get the chance. It had a bit of sandiness to the shake and there was a definite dusty smell to the product. I was not trerribly impressed witht he size. I am used to drinking a double-sized shake, at that rate of consumption, a tub only lasted a week. I tried adding spenda, which helped, and once mixed it 1/2 and 1/2 with a soy powder, which improved the flavor, but adds soy. At the end of the week, I found I just drank it straight up with water. I probably would have been happier if the product was not labled "chocolate", had I expected an unflavored product, I would not have been surprised when I tried it.I may buy it again to use in coinjunction with another product.

Bottom Line:Everyone's needs are different, but this product is for anyone who needs a quick office meal, a jolt of proteins when exercising, or is too busy to figure out if they're eating enough of the right things.------------------- My Story --I searched for a product to give me all the things I needed - proteins, omega 3s, great vitamin content, lots of greens, enzymes, probiotics - without having to spend my whole day in the kitchen. I transitioned to a mostly raw, vegetarian, grain free/dairy free diet. I was even juicing all sorts of veggies 3 times a day. But lately my life doesn't allow for that much time.I went to the health food store and tried the brands they offered, but I didn't especially like anything so when the container ran out I would try another brand. (My kids tried one of each - except the truly horrible tasting - and didn't like any of them.)Then I came across the True Vitality in a local shop and immediately recognized the Green Foods label from their barley grass juice powder. I bought it, made it and loved it. My kids love it. Even their grandfather has started using it - and he's pickier than the kids are. (Note: I typically drink it with water, but my kids take it with Dark Chocolate Almond Milk.)Key Benefits For Me:* Amount of green thingsI love that it has more green foods than I could get my kids to eat. My kids like when we juice kale, beets, etc., but it takes a *serious* time commitment and is impossible to maintain when traveling with children. With this, I know we are getting all of the phytonutrients and vitamins they'd get from juicing. We can still feel amazing and healthy even when the week is too hectic.* Vegan protein / no soyMilk bothers my daughter and soy isn't really good for small kids because of the phtyoestrogens. Also, the kids don't like the texture of a lot of meats. An egg has 6g of protein, deli meat has 2-3g per slice, but this has 15g of protein in 1 glass and they like it.* TextureIt's not gritty or too think or chunky but really smooth. Again, texture is really important to my kids.* Completeness of the nutrientsIt has the proteins, veggies, vitamins, omega 3s, enzymes, probiotics - everything we need from regular foods but, if we're honest, are not actually getting from the regular meals we eat.-----------------PS- To be sure there is no confusion, my kids are not on any sort of diet. Here's how my family uses it:* My kids will take a shake for basics - protein, greens, omega 3s and vitamins - then they also eat lots of produce throughout the day, coconut milk yogurts, chocolate almond milk, and they do still eat a fair amount of less-than-ideal foods... like bacon... or the toast I smell being made in the kitchen right now...* I take this, with water, and supplement between with fruit, veggies or salad throughout the day whenever I feel like it and feel awesome. I'm mainly vegetarian, raw foodist, gluten and dairy free, BUT I'm not legalistic about it; if I am visiting family or friends, I eat whatever they serve me.* My dad has been an insulin dependent diabetic for some time. He is taking these shakes, eating unlimited non-starchy veggies and some fruit, but having a dinner with meat and things at night. After only a week of shakes and produce, but still eating dinner, he took his blood sugar before dinner last night and it was 140 (pretty normal) and he said he has not taken insulin in the last few days. He'll be staying with this as his body heals.

I've used this stuff for years. I only get the vanilla, and i mix it with ice and vanilla almond milk in the blender. Its incredible.