For years I have suffered from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and constantly felt tired, bloated etc. A doctor friend of mine (who also is a Nutritionist) suggested that I try eliminating gluten and dairy products from my diet. The results were pretty instantaneous and it felt like a fog had lifted. Not only did I feel more alert and energized but my weight massively reduced by over 20Kg. At this stage my wife (also a doctor) became massively concerned and so I went for several tests. Interestingly my heart rate, cholesterol and blood pressure were really low. However, the biggest surprise was that I was diagnosed Coeliac.
It is fair to say that most shop bought gluten free products are not that healthy. Infact, a recent UK TV programme called the ‘Food Detectives’ recommended staying away from these alternatives unless it was absolutely necessary. They determined that as well as being more expensive than wheat based food they also contained less nutritional value. Obviously this a generalization to illustrate a point and doesn’t apply to all brands on the market. Certainly there are a lot of specialist micro companies that are an exception to this rule.
Recently I have noticed that Paleo and raw foods are becoming increasingly more popular. Even my niece has established a successful raw confectionary catering company in the UK. Originally the title of this article was going to be ‘The Paleo Revolution’ but I didn’t want to compartmentalize or negate the achievements of the small Australian food producers featured in this review. Ultimately all of these brands have the same philosophy and that is to use minimal natural ingredients to achieve the maximum taste.
Here are some of my favorite Australian natural food companies that have created some delightful breakfast solutions for the whole family.
Byron Bay Muesli
Byron Bay Muesli is an award winning food brand that was established by Gary Sharman in 2001. The company produces a range of healthy muesli’s crammed full of mouth watering healthy ingredients. I personally tested products from the Gluten Free and Paleo range. Certainly these Granolas are absolutely superb and either work as a stand alone breakfast or energy packed supplement.
For more information about the company visit their website: http://byronbaymuesli.com.au
Paleo Pure
Even though Paleo Pure was only established 3 years ago in 2014 they have rapidly expanded and now supply over 550 Australian retailers. The company is the brainchild of Emma Risvanis and Nicole Di Pietro-Case, who has a passion for healthy living. I was fortunate enough to try a range of their products like a delectable almond butter, energy boosting paleo bars and a scrumptious handmade paleo mix.
For more information about the company visit their website: https://www.paleopure.com.au
Forage
Forage is a high quality food manufacturer located just outside Melbourne, Australia. The company was established by Naturopath, Nutritionist and Chiropractor Damian Kristof. All of their breakfast products contain the healthiest ingredients that are completely gluten free. I got to test their Forage Paleo, which is crammed full of sunflower seeds, almonds, macadamia nuts, currants, pepitas, dates, pecan nuts, cranberries, and coconut. It is absolutely sensational and a small bowl will energize you for many hours.
For more information about the company visit their website: http://foragecereal.com
Brookfarm
Brookfarm is a family owned business located in the picturesque Byron Bay hinterland region of New South Wales, Australia. The company pride themselves on producing an exceedingly delectable range of products designed for healthy living. As well as high quality oat based cereals they also have some fantastic gluten free and paleo options. Certainly the perfectly balanced combination of ingredients like Macadamia nuts, quinoa and bush honey really is hard to resist. I would also recommend trying Entertainer Brothers Blend if you are a nut fanatic like me.
For more information about the company visit their website: https://brookfarm.com.au
The Monday Food Co.
The Monday Food Co. is based in Byron Bay, which is rapidly becoming a gourmet hotspot. This brand was established out of frustration because at the time there was a lack of healthy breakfasts available on the market. Within the range there are four phenomenally tasty paleo granola varieties (hazelnut, fig & cardamom, pecan, apricot & vanilla, macadamia & cranberry and walnut, medjool date & spice). After trying each one I would be very hard pressed to say which one was my favorite because they were all sensational.
For more information about the company visit their website: https://themondayfoodco.com
