Navitas Naturals Launches Organic ‘Powerfood’ Powders

07/03/08 Navitas Naturals is taking consumers for a healthy culinary journey with the launch of five new power food powders: Mesquite Power, Goji Power, Yacon Power, Lucuma Power, and Camu Power.  Although these five exotic ‘power foods’ are new to North America, ancient cultures in Asia and South America have enjoyed these nutritious foods for many centuries as a key part of their diet and traditional herbal medicine.  Mixing the powders into drinks and other recipes is an easy and delicious way to help achieve optimal whole food nutrition.  Lucuma, Yacon, and Mesquite are also enjoyed as diabetic-friendly alternative sweeteners.

Market research has shown that consumers are actively seeking new taste and nutrition experiences.  This appetite for international food combined with the growing trend for healthier organic options is fueling the popularity of organic ‘power foods’ from around the world.  By reintroducing ancient, natural foods to the Western world, Navitas Naturals is expanding the functional food category and providing options with more bio-available essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals than most supplements and chemical extracts. 

New Organic Powerfood Powders from Navitas Naturals are available in 8 oz. and 4 oz. re-sealable retail pouches, as well as in bulk quantities for sale to manufacturers.  Navitas Naturals products are widely available at retail locations throughout North America.  Below is a summary of each of these new products, including the interesting origin, nutrition profile, recommended culinary use and other information. 

Mesquite Power (vegan, raw, organic, gluten-free): Mesquite is a traditional food of desert-dwelling indigenous Americans.  The flour made from Mesquite seed pods has a slightly nutty sweet flavor and is known for its high protein content.  Mesquite is of great value to diabetics because it contains fructose which does not require insulin to digest, and it metabolizes slowly which prevents extreme highs or lows in blood sugar.  Mesquite is also a good source of lysine (an amino acid), calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc.  Use as a spice; add to cookies, cakes and breads; mix into smoothies and yogurt; use to bread fish and chicken. 

Goji Power (vegan, raw, organic):  The ultimate power food, goji berries have been prized for millennia in Asia for their superior energy-boosting properties.  Navitas Naturals’ berries grow in the sublime valleys of Ningxia Province in China, where they are vine-ripened, shaken from the plant, and then dehydrated at a low temperature to protect the vast array of nutrients.  Goji berries are one of the highest known sources of antioxidants and they contain 18 amino acids and all essential amino acids.  The Goji berry is known to help foster a long life, strengthen the immune system and support the eyes, liver and kidneys.  Rich in beta-carotene, polysaccharides, riboflavin and carotenoids, they are also believed to promote happiness due to their superior adaptogenic properties.  Goji Power Powder has a delightful exotic cherry flavor.  Blend it into smoothies, juices, water or herbal tea; mix into granola, oatmeal or yogurt; add to muffin, cookie and pie recipes; sprinkle on soup, salad and rice dishes; or blend into jams, sauces and chocolates.

Yacon Power (vegan, raw, organic): The Yacon powder offered by Navitas Naturals is derived from the tuberous root of a perennial plant that grows in the rugged Oxapampa region of the Peruvian Andes.  Yacon is an excellent source of antioxidants and is known to help strengthen the immune system and to improve the quality of life for people suffering from chronic liver disease, kidney ailments and the symptoms of diabetes.  ‘Lemony’ and mildly sweet, Yacon is a wonderful alternative sweetener because it contains inulin, a complex sugar that breaks down slowly in the digestive tract, and it helps promote healthy prebiotics in the colon.  It is an excellent source of fiber and nutrients including bio-available protein, potassium, vitamins A and C, calcium, iron and phosphorus.  Use as an alternative sweetener and nutrient boost in drinks and other recipes (cookies, cakes and breads).

Lucuma Power (vegan, raw, organic, gluten-free):  Cultivated since ancient times, Lucuma is a nutrient-rich fruit that grows in Peru on large evergreen trees that are native to the sub-tropical Andes Mountains.  Its unusual ability to produce fresh fruit year round combined with its deep, drought-resistant roots, have helped make it a legendary ‘tree of life’ within the local culture.  Naturally sweet, but low on the glycemic index, Navitas Naturals’ Lucuma Power Powder is a delightful alternative sweetener.  It is high in iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamin B3, and it is a great source of beta carotene, fiber and bio-available protein.  It’s a popular ice cream flavor among Europeans.  Mix into milkshakes, smoothies, and yogurt; sprinkle on cereal; add to baked recipes (cakes, bread, cookies); or use in a wide variety recipes to replace other sweeteners. 

Camu Power (vegan, raw, wild-harvested, gluten-free):  Camu-camu fruit is picked from a low-growing shrub found throughout the Amazon rainforests of Peru and Brazil.  Navitas Naturals’ Camu is wild-harvested and grown without the use of herbicides and pesticides.  Camu contains more vitamin C than any other food source that has ever been discovered.  It is also a great source of potassium, calcium, protein and beta-carotene, as well as serine, thiamin, leucine and valine – powerful phytochemicals and amino acids that are known to have a wide range of therapeutic effects.  Sprinkle on cereal; mix in drinks; blend into smoothies and yogurt; add to recipes (cookies, cakes, breads); or use as an alternative vitamin C supplement.

In addition to the new Power Foods Powders, Navitas Naturals offers a wide range of organic power foods including Maca Power (powder and capsules), Cacao Power (beans, nibs, paste, butter, and powder), Golden Power (Goldenberries), Mulberry Power (berries), Cashew Power (Raw Whole Nuts) and three varieties of Trail Power snack mixes. The Goji Power line also includes dried berries, and the Yacon Power line also includes dried sliced fruit and syrup in addition to the powder.