Nutrition

Almost six months passed since Daily Sunshine was released and when I decided to give it a try. Usually I’ll pick up whatever new product Beachbody releases when it comes out but I forgot about this one and let it slip by.

You’d think I’d be all for a smoothie designed for kids since I have a set of those. My toddlers were 2.5 and 3.5 when Daily Sunshine was released.

I wasn’t intrigued to buy it mostly because of its tagline, “A snack or meal for picky kids and even pickier parents”. My kids and I are neither of those.

I also read in the marketing materials that it was “kid approved”. Let’s take that statement with a grain of salt because Halloween was three weeks ago and my kids would approve of eating candy everyday.

With me being a Beachbody Coach I knew I’d have to try it eventually. Beachbody just so happen to have a sale going on many months ago and I decided to buy the Daily Sunshine sample pack.

There are two flavors. Strawberry and Banana or Chocolate. I tried each sample separately with ice and water in the blender.

My kids looked at me like “ok” after drinking each Daily Sunshine flavor. About the same reaction they give after drinking Shakeology. I had the same reaction.

Both flavors were fine and dandy but we were not blown away.

Don’t Get Me Wrong

Daily Sunshine is a good product. I just don’t see myself buying it. The thought of spending over $200 a month on Shakeology and Daily Sunshine is a no go.

My kids had been having a small cup of Shakeology most mornings for a year when we tried Daily Sunshine. So they were familiar with drinking “shakes” as they call it.

I was not surprised when Beachbody recently dropped the price from $130 to $100 a bag. Even the coach price of $75 is borderline pricey.

My kids are like most kids. Whatever they see Mom and Dad doing they want to do. So when they see me drinking some “shake” they want some “shake” too.

We’re fortunate enough that they currently don’t mind eating fruits and vegetables. Sure, they could eat more vegetables but even Daily Sunshine is mostly fruit so that wouldn’t be solving a very minor issue.

As long as they continue to not give us grief about drinking Shakeology and don’t show any signs of being allergic to one of its ingredients then I see no need to buy Daily Sunshine.

I’d recommend parents trying Shakeology for the family first. And if your kids absolutely hate every flavor then try Daily Sunshine.

If that doesn’t work, then I feel for you. Like, parenting needs to be any harder.

I’ve known about the BEACHBAR for some time now. Beachbody released them in early 2018. And here it is late 2018 and I’ve just finished my first two boxes of each flavor.

I think it had something to do with them selling out before I could put in an order and it took months to get them back in stock. Or I forgot about them. Or possibly both reasons.

But when they did get back in stock and I remembered they existed is when I placed my order. Not to play favorites I decided to buy a box of each flavor.

After my order was delivered I knew I was gonna have to try one of the Peanut Butter Chocolates and the Chocolate Cherry Almond that day. I have a thing for anything that’s Peanut Butter and Chocolate so I went with that one first.

First Impression

Peanut Butter Chocolate – I guess its ok.

Chocolate Cherry Almond – I guess its ok.

Lasting Impression

Peanut Butter Chocolate – I still think its ok.

Chocolate Cherry Almond – I still think its ok.

I really wasn’t impressed with the BEACHBAR.

They were kind of boring. And not satisfying. At only 150 calories they didn’t fill me up nor get me through to the next meal. There was a few times where I ate two and was still hungry.

I could definitely taste the chocolate and peanut butter on each bar but not so much the almond or cherry.

And they’re kind of dry. Like, granola bar sort of dry. But they’re not granola bars.

I knew these were not going to be like the P90X Protein Bars (which I loved) but I wish they were close. Man, those bars were great. I’d always stash a couple in my suitcase before a snowboarding trip and take at least one with me on the golf course.

I can still taste the Peanut Butter one. And they kept me full too. Great tasting and satisfying. It’s probably why I bought the variety pack on auto ship for four years. My Dad use to call them cookies. Why couldn’t we get something like those back?

My best guess is because of trends which Beachbody watches. It’s probably why the BEACHBAR is Gluten Free, Low Glycemic, and Low Calorie. All fancy health terms for boring.

Even with my 25% discount for being a Beachbody Coach I don’t know how often I’ll buy them because it takes two BEACHBAR’s to hit the spot.

Before the discount they are $2.67 per bar. After my coach discount they are $2 per bar. But I eat two so $4 for a happy tummy.

I’d rather eat an Apple, or Banana, or two Apples, or two Bananas, or an Apple and a Banana for half the price for the same effect. With the effect being I don’t remember eating them. Not like how I remember eating the P90X Protein Bars.

I don’t know if making them larger would make up for the lack of wow factor from the taste. Or even if they need to be changed at all. Hopefully Beachbody re-introduces a snack or protein bar similar to the P90X Protein Bars in the future.

I just feel like the BEACHBAR missed the mark when it comes to a snack bar. I don’t hate them. They just don’t do it for me.

I thought it was a great idea when Beachbody consolidated their nutrition line into a premium Beachbody brand name line. No longer would there be P90X Supplements or Body Beast Supplements. There would only be Beachbody Performance.

Beachbody put time and effort into making one premium pre-workout, during workout, after workout, creatine, and before bed formula to be used with all Beachbody workouts. Before Beachbody Performance they were all over the place with P90X only products, a intense Beachbody line for Body Beast, and then a bunch of low priced Beachbody alternatives.

Now its all Beachbody. I like the simplified approach. I have been using the Beachbody Performance line for a year and that means its time for a review.

Before I get into the review there are two things you need to know.

1. I don’t get all into the molecular levels of the ingredients. That sounds insane. To check out the ingredients in each follow the link provided.
2. I am a “this works” or “this does not work” person. I don’t nibble at the edges for perfection in things I don’t make.

A fun fact about Beachbody Performance is it was developed by a Harvard trained PhD in exercise and nutrition. Beachbody wants you to know this as its on the packaging of each item and inside the System Guide pamphlet.

The lineup includes: Energize, Hydrate, Recover, Creatine, and Recharge. The best way to approach this is by in the order in which you use them.

Energize

A pre-workout powder with a lemon flavor. I like Energize more than the now extinct Energy & Endurance. Why is it that all pre-workout drinks are lemon? I am not sure but for the 10 seconds it takes to mix the powder in water and slam it is a non issue.

The tingles set in 15 minutes after consuming and tail off in an hour. One thing I have not liked about other pre-workout drinks is some have a chemical taste. Energize does not. Activities I’ve used it before include Beachbody workouts, a swim, and a long bike ride. Each time I take Energize I feel it gives me that little boost to get through those first 15 minutes.

Hydrate

A during workout powder is a new one to me. This one is citrus flavored. Beachbody has not made a during workout drink before and it fills a space in the workout. Using Hydrate is something I tend to forget about. Usually I slam Energize then fill the cup with water forgetting about Hydrate.

The times I do remember to use it is before heading out for a bike ride or to play softball. Sometimes I’ll mix it with Energize before going to the pool for a swim but in most cases I only use it when I’m doing something where I bring a water bottle.

Recover

Replaces the popular P90X Results & Recovery Formula. Recover is available in two flavors, Chocolate and Orange. I prefer Orange and its what I order when I am out but Chocolate tastes good too. Orange reminds me I just did something athletic. Chocolate reminds me of a dessert.

Recover tastes less sugary than P90X Results & Recovery and has a more powdery taste when mixed than the granular taste you could get with Results & Recovery if not mixed well.

Recover hits the spot after a intense workout. This is the item in the Beachbody Performance line I use most. I use Recover after every workout, swim, bike ride, and even hours of yard work.

Creatine

Beachbody had a creatine in their Body Beast Supplement line before. Like the other items in the Beachbody Performance line I feel this is better than their previous attempt. It has a lighter taste and is less granular.

I only take Creatine after resistance training including swimming. It takes me longer to go through a tub of Creatine as I’m not to keen on taking it all the time. I usually take half a scoop of Creatine mixed with Recover and that works for me.

Recharge

A before bedtime formula is another new one for me. I am not sure if Beachbody is reaching on this one but man is it good. It says Vanilla flavored but it tastes like cotton candy. Very smooth fluffy like texture.

I am not sure if Recharge helps me recover faster when I’m sleeping or not. Usually I forget to use Recharge before I go to bed. I feel this is one of those things that can marginally help if you are working out a lot. Otherwise an additional scoop of Shakeology might work just as well.

Trial Pack

If you are not sure which one you want to try then I’d suggest the Beachbody Performance Trial Pack.

For $20 you get six sample packs covering all five items. You get the Orange and Chocolate flavors of Recover.

This is the best way to try the Beachbody Performance items out.

All or Nothing

As stated at the top there are no more P90X supplements and Body Beast supplements. Sadly, the regular Beachbody supplement line got the ax too. What made this supplement line popular was its cost and simplicity.

There was a Beachbody Meal Replacement Shake, Beachbody Whey Protein Powder (Vanilla and Chocolate), Beachbody Strength & Muscle Mens Formula (after workout drink), and Beachbody Joint Support Formula (Glucosamine).

Over the years I had bought all of them at least twice and would buy the Beachbody Whey Protein Powder twice a year to keep at the house and take when wanted.

When Beachbody released Shakeology it included a lot of the ingredients in those products and Shakeology came in multiple flavors. My guess is Beachbody thought it would be overkill to have all of those.

From a Beachbody Coach point of view, this line of products was an easy recommendation for people who didn’t want to or could not afford the $120 for Shakeology. A 30 day supply of the Beachbody Meal Replacement Shake was $40.

I understand the desire and probably the cost effectiveness of eliminating the workout specific supplements (P90X Recovery Drink, Hardcore Base Shake, etc.) but it would be nice if Beachbody brought back a non-performance line of supplements. They could call it “Beachbody Regular Performance” or “Beachbody Average Performance”.

Summary

In my “works” or “does not work” I would say Beachbody Performance works. With that I don’t think you need to be using them all the time. The ones I use most are Energize and Recover followed by Creatine, Hydrate, and Recharge.

Beachbody knows this and is why they offer items ala carte or in combo packs. I typically buy Energize and Recover every three months and Creatine, Hydrate, and Recharge every six months.

At $215 for all five it can seem pricey. You can sign up as Beachbody Coach for the 25% discount and get them for $162.

I have been buying supplements and nutrition products from Beachbody for 7 years and I feel they continue to improve on their products. If you have questions about the Beachbody Performance line of supplements feel free to contact me or leave a comment below.

Mark Sisson got me good. Basically gives away all of his outstanding content on his blog and then writes up one of the best comprehensive yet simple books about health and fitness in The Primal Blueprint.

When I finished The Primal Blueprint I was like “how does Mark make money when he’s giving away the knowledge for free”. Sure as shit up pops an email mentioning the Primal Kitchen with a 15% discount and a bunch of freebies on my first order.

I have been buying from the Primal Kitchen for a year now starting with the Whole 30 Kit. Instead of writing reviews for each item from the Primal Kitchen I decided it would be best to dedicate one page to all of them. Reason being is there is only so much you can say about Mayo.

At the time of this writing I have almost tried them all and will add in the last ones as I go. With that, I’ll start with my favorite and work my way down.

** Click any link to the Primal Kitchen and use Coupon Code: BRAD to get 10% off site wide.**

Chipotle Lime Mayo

Holy fucking shit is this stuff delicious. I am not joking. This is by far the best mayo I have had in my entire life. I cannot put this shit down when I get it. I have bought 4 jars so far and rarely does it last a week in my house.

The Chipotle Lime Mayo is so good that there have been times where I’ll grab a fork, go to the fridge, open the jar, and start eating away. I get 6 swipes with my fork in before I show some restraint and put it back.

I do not know how Mark and his team made this shit but its amazing. I’ll put it on eggs, throw a scoop in salad, or use it as a dip. It is pricey at $9.95 a jar and it goes quickly. It would be nice if they sold it in a much larger tub with hopefully some sort of a discount based on volume.

Its hard to justify buying the Chipotle Lime Mayo all the time because of the price. There is one of those fancy health food stores near me that keeps it in stock which I pop into every other month or so when I am in downtown Royal Oak. It costs the same to buy it in the store as it does via the Primal Kitchen website as they do free shipping.

Primal Fuel

Available in Vanilla Coconut and Chocolate Coconut. I tried Vanilla first followed by Chocolate. Both flavors are scary good with me favoring Vanilla just a little. After opening the tub up you can really smell the coconut.

My first try of Primal Fuel I mixed it with water and slammed it. Not bad at all. On the second try I blended it with a banana, blueberries, and strawberries. Thats where the Primal Fuel shines. It was awesome.

It does not have the amount of ingredients Shakeology has and that is ok. There are only 21 servings in Primal Fuel and for $50 is a fair price. For that reason alone I do not see myself writing a Primal Fuel vs Shakeology post as they are not similar in price or ingredients.

I will say that both flavors of Primal Fuel taste better than just about every flavor of Shakeology. My guess is because of there being less ingredients so the Vanilla, Chocolate, and Coconut really pop.

This is one of those items I could see myself complimenting Shakeology with but not replacing. A backup meal replacement shake or even as a post workout drink. I see myself buying Primal Fuel every once in awhile.

Collagen Fuel

If there was one Primal Kitchen item I was curious about trying it would be Collagen Fuel.

If you are following the Primal or Paleo diet and consume a lot of meat then you may put yourself at risk of living a shorter life.

If you supplement your meat intake with collagen as it is high in Glycine than it is supposed to counteract those effects.

Collagen also supports joints, connective tissue, hair, skin, nails, and the gut. What interested me the most was how it helps the joints and connective tissues. Years of playing sports has done a number on those.

I tried Chocolate Collagen Fuel followed by Vanilla Collagen Fuel. My first impression after opening each was the coconut smell (which seems to happen with all Primal Kitchen products) and how clumpy it was. My second impression was how the tub was half full. I hate when that happens. The picture you see here had had 8 scoops taken out of it. I am also not liking how there are only 12 servings or 24 scoops.

I tried Collagen Fuel three times before blending it with other items. It tastes very good. Didn’t notice anything immediately or the days after. It is far too early to tell what Collagen Fuel is going to do for me.

I know I am supposed to take two scoops at a time and probably should since I am using two scoops of Shakeology for Andrea and I. But Collagen Fuel is a little pricey and ordering it every two weeks is kind of a pain in the butt. So I am sticking with the one scoop for now and will order every 40 days or so. I like Vanilla just a little bit more than Chocolate.

What intrigues me the most about Collagen Fuel is the long term affects of taking it and what it can do for my knee and elbow injuries I have been dealing with for a decade now. Will update over time.

Collagen Peptides

When I received the email announcing the fine people at Primal Kitchen are now selling Collagen Peptides I wondered why they didn’t sell these first. I mean, its the same collagen thats in Collagen Fuel.

I’m sure there is a good reason why but to me its a no-brainer. You get the same grass-fed collagen peptides that are in Collagen Fuel but without the coconut flavor. These are unflavored collagen peptides that you mix in with whatever you want.

The best part of the Collagen Peptides is the price. You get 41 servings for $35 versus 12 servings for $40 with Collagen Fuel. Why even buy Collagen Fuel (unless you like the taste) when all you want is the collagen peptides.

At the time of this update I have finished two tubs of Collagen Fuel and one tub of collagen from Sports Research. Taking collagen on a day to day basis has been apart of my routine for nine months and I’m seeing the benefits of doing so.

I am almost finished with my bag of Primal Kitchen Collagen Peptides and I don’t feel they have the same “kick” as the ones from Sports Research. They both have Type 1 & 3 collagen in them but Sports Research has 11g per serving versus 10g per serving with Primal Kitchen. I doubt 1g makes a difference but it kind of feels like it.

I have been mixing the unflavored collagen peptides in my morning coffee and daily Shakeology. Since these came out I see myself buying these over Collagen Fuel because of price and because I’m not getting rid of Shakeology.

Mayo

Regular old boring delicious mayo. As you can tell from above, I have a thing for the Chipotle Lime Mayo. The regular Mayo is good, not as good from a taste point of view as Chipotle Lime, but good.

The Avocado Oil is a nice touch and the simplicity of the quality ingredients makes it so much better than your run of the mill mayo you get at a grocery store.

Again, $9.95 a jar is on the expensive side but if its quality you want then thats what you get. It is available to be purchased in a gallon sized tub.

Garlic Aioli Mayo

When I received the email from Primal Kitchen mentioning the new Garlic Aioli Mayo I was eager to try it.

The regular Mayo and Chipotle Lime Mayo are two products I continue to buy and never disappoint.

Unfortunately I was not impressed with the Garlic Aioli. My tastebuds were not liking it. I don’t know if it was the Garlic, Aioli, or Rosemary but I was not feeling it.

This Mayo is not going to be one I buy again.

Ranch Dressing

Wow, just wow. This is some good tasting stuff. It reminds me of ranch dressings I’ve had at fancy restaurants.

It does not glob (you know what I mean) out when poured. The right amount of creaminess when applied to a salad.

Avocado Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar give it a unique taste over big box grocery store ranch dressings.

Again, at $7.95 it is pricey and it goes quick. It is only available to buy in one size. The Ranch Dressing is my favorite Primal Kitchen dressing but like the other items I wish it was available to buy in bulk.

Vegan Ranch Dressing

Introduced in 2018 the Vegan Ranch Dressing was made for all of those…well…Vegans. I am a big fan of Vegan food but am not one in the least bit.

And just like the regular Ranch Dressing you cannot go wrong with the Vegan one. It is really good.

The two share almost all of the same ingredients outside of this dressing being egg free.

I have to put this one up higher on my favorite Primal Kitchen dressings because Ranch is the best dressing. Its not even up for debate. You know it to be true.

Dreamy Italian Dressing

Another dressing introduced in 2018 the Dreamy Italian is a twist on a dressing I rarely use in Italian and one I use all the time in something that looks like Ranch.

That’s the best way I can describe Dreamy Italian. And this stuff is excellent.

I’d put up up higher in my favorites but I still have a thing for Ranch. But after trying it for the first time I thought why hasn’t somebody made this before? Maybe they have but I haven’t had it.

This is one dressing I’d recommend for those wanting to try a new sort of dressing from Primal Kitchen.

Caesar Dressing

This is one of the last dressings I got around to trying and I am going to rank it in second place behind the Ranch.

Avocado Oil continues to make all the difference in the Primal Kitchen dressings and does so in the Caesar. Tastes very good and might be one of the best Caesar dressings I’ve ever had. Not one particular ingredient sticks out over the others.

Hopefully Mark Sisson and his team will start making these dressings in larger quantities soon. There is something not so financially friendly about spending $7.95 on a salad dressing and maybe getting three servings out of it.

If it wasn’t for the price I would probably cycle Caesar along with Ranch into the items I purchase more often.

Italian Vinaigrette

Also introduced in 2018 was a good old fashion Italian Vinaigrette. Nothing is old fashion from the Primal Kitchen people and their take on Italian is no different.

I always have to be in the mood for an Italian dressing or it comes with whatever I ordered. And thats the case with this one.

Its good. I like it. But I don’t see myself buying it all that often as I prefer Ranch or crazy sorts of dressings. And with the Dreamy Italian available I’d buy that one moving forward.

Using it as marinade is a little out of my price range too. I can find two or three marinades for the same price.

Green Goddess Dressing

Applied some of it to a salad I had and did not know what I thought about it. Decided it would be best to take a shot of Green Goddess to get the full effect. And that’s what I did.

Its somewhere in-between a dressing and a Vinaigrette. Not creamy like a dressing but not runny like a Vinaigrette. The combo of Avocado Oil and its spices make it interesting to say the least.

Green Goddess is a good dressing but I was not overly wowed with it like Ranch and to a lessor extent Caesar. Not sure if I will be buying Green Goddess again because like the other Primal Kitchen dressings it is expensive at $7.95 a bottle.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

A first for me. I have had Honey Mustard and Vinaigrette dressings before but not at the same time.

My initial thoughts of the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette were it was going to be thick like the Honey Mustard dressings I’ve had before. As you can tell from the picture it is not. It is more Vinaigrette than Honey Mustard.

It is good but not my favorite. Probably due to me thinking about Honey Mustard being something used to dip stuff into and occasionally used on salads.

The same $7.95 as the other dressings with no chance to buy in bulk.

Greek Vinaigrette

A very good vinaigrette that met my expectations. Kind of spicy and tangy. I think I might be sensitive to one of the ingredients. There were a couple of times when my tongue swelled up. Nothing crazy but enough to get me thinking something strange is going on.

I am not a big fan of vinaigrettes in general so that is why this one and Honey Mustard are on the bottom of the list.

$7.95 for a bottle with no opportunity to buy in bulk. I might have poured a quarter of the bottle out the first time I used the Greek Vinaigrette on a salad. Made me sad seeing $1.98 in dressing pour out all at once. This is the only dressing I will not buy again unless they are giving a sweet deal.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This dressing was released a few months after the others. I’ve never really been a fan of Vinaigrettes. There is something kind of boring about them. Plus, I think I have a mild sensitivity to Vinegar which makes me tongue puffy. Its weird.

Not to wuss out I bought the Balsamic Vinaigrette when it came out. Like the other Primal Kitchen dressings a lot of it poured out when I tipped it over my salad. I hate seeing that.

Like the Greek and Honey Mustard Vinaigrettes I’d say the Balsamic is OK. I know its a quality Vinaigrette from the ingredients and because the people at Primal Kitchen made it. I’m just not a Vinaigrette fan. I’d only buy it again if its apart of some package deal.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

Another vinaigrette introduced in 2018 was Sesame Ginger. As I stated above with the other Vinaigrette’s I tend to forget about these when looking to put something on a salad.

And that’s what happened here. It was too Ginger-ey for me.

This just isn’t a flavor I am going to go for again. It also doesn’t help I dumped out a quarter of it which tends to happen with the Primal Kitchen dressings.

I understand it can be used for a Marinade also but that is a pricey $7 Marinade for me when I can get three for that price at Krogers.

Lemon Turmeric Vinaigrette

Rounding out the dressings, vinaigrettes, and marinades introduced in 2018 is Lemon Turmeric.

I understand there are health benefits to Lemon and Turmeric helps lowering inflammation but I cannot wrap my tastebuds around this one.

And using it for a marinade seems kind of like a waste due to cost. It is unlike anything I’ve ever tried and I do not see myself buying it again. This is just not my style.

Avocado Oil

Primal Kitchen makes two Avocado Oils, California Extra Virgin Avocado Oil and regular Avocado Oil.  I prefer to use this on a salad versus the vinaigrettes. I am guessing the “Extra Virgin” is what makes this Avocado Oil so thin.

It is noticeable how much clearer and thinner it is than the regular Avocado Oil or Olive Oil. I have used it to cook with and to drizzle on salads.

This is my first time buying an Avocado Oil and possibly using it. The only oils I have used up to this point are Olive Oils.

Avocado Oil plays a big part in the Primal Kitchen lineup as its an ingredient in all of the items above. They really like their fats.

At $12.95 each it seems like a fair price due to the quality of the ingredients. The difference is the extra virgin comes in a 250ml bottle and the avocado oil is in a 500ml bottle.

Each of the avocado oils are available to buy three at a time for a savings of $2 per bottle.

Primal Kitchen also makes an Avocado Oil Spray. Cooking with it was a little tricky as I never felt like it covered the pan all that well and I seemed to burn the food more often.

But the spray did work well for salads which is what I used it for most often. I don’t see myself buying the spray all that often because I typically include an Avocado in most of the salad’s I make. Maybe when they have a buy one get one sale.

Ill probably buy regular avocado in the future due to getting twice as much for the same price.

Protein Bars

The Grass Fed Collagen Bars are definitely a new one for me. They are not a protein bar or a granola bar either. I have not had something like these before. Primal Kitchen really pushes the collagen part of these bars. From what I understand it is 100% protein.

They get their collagen from grass-fed cows in Germany and Brazil. All four of the bars have 15 grams of protein.

If collagen is is the protein that holds everything together in our bodies then its also what holds all of the ingredients in the bars together. They have a taffy type texture after you take a bite.

What surprised me the most about the bars was on the nutrition label. They have less than 12 grams of carbs and 3 grams of sugar. Most protein bars I’ve had over the years have 30 grams of carbs and 16 grams of sugar. Not so with the Primal Kitchen Protein Bars. These have simpler and healthier ingredients in these grass fed collagen bars versus your typical protein bar.

You can definitely tell the Primal Kitchen team has put some effort into making these protein bars unique.

The Macadamia Sea Salt Bar is my favorite. Its the only one where I went back for a second bite during my taste test. And its probably the only one I would buy again unless there is some package deal going on.

After the Macadamia Sea Salt flavor I’d go with the Coconut Cashew, Chocolate Hazelnut, and Dark Chocolate Almond. I just feel the Macadamia Sea Salt is that much better than the other flavors.

I will say they have been able to come up with some unique flavors with their protein bars. You get 12 bars for $36 which I feel is a little on the high end for a snack bar.

This is one of those you get what you pay for things. There is no doubt the Primal Kitchen Protein Bars are good and more than likely good for you. For me, these are a once in awhile purchase because they are somewhat expensive.

Coupon Code

Click any link on this site and it will send you to the Primal Kitchen website. Select the items you want and put in BRAD for the coupon code to get 10% off site wide.

Where To Buy

As you can probably guess, the best place to buy Primal Kitchen products is at the Primal Kitchen website. Shipping and customer service are excellent. Upon making your first order you will be added to their mailing list.

About two weeks after you receive your order you will probably get an email asking for you to review your purchase. Do so and you will receive a 20% off coupon for your next purchase of something you have never bought before. Its a clever way to get you to buy and try more Primal Kitchen products.

You may also see Primal Kitchen products at your local grocery store. Mark Sisson and his team are going mainstream with the Paleo way. I was surprised to see the Chipotle Lime Mayo and regular Mayo on the shelf at the Kroger near my house.

Summary:

The Chipotle Lime Mayo is awesome. I lied when I said I could not write that much about Mayo. The regular Mayo is very good too. Ranch dressing is my favorite followed by Vegan Ranch and Dreamy Italian. California Extra Virgin Avocado Oil is great to cook with or use on salads.

The Macadamia Sea Salt Collagen Bars are awesome and I will be ordering more of them.

Vanilla Coconut Primal Fuel is excellent. This will be something I buy every once in awhile as it does not have the same ingredients as Shakeology which I am used to.

Collagen Fuel is excellent but you’d be better off buying the Collagen Peptides as you get the same ingredients with four times as many servings for roughly the same price.

There are still a couple more items I will be purchasing to try out and will update them with a review when I get them. I do buy both Mayo’s every couple of months regardless of price. For the rest of the items I wait until there is a buy one get one free or 20% off coupon in their monthly newsletter.

One of my only gripes about buying Primal Kitchen items is the packaging. There is a lot of waste. My guess is because they use glass for almost all of their items. Each item gets its own box.

And every single one of the items is wrapped like a burrito. It looks very cool but man does it seem like quite a bit of waste. My recycle bin is nearly full after opening my order up and putting everything away. Hopefully they figure something out or start shipping in plastic.

If you want to ease your way into the Primal Kitchen I recommend getting a Free Box of Dark Chocolate Almond Bars. You only pay for shipping. This also puts you on their list where you will be sent coupons.

The price of the Primal Kitchen items is only a hang up because of the quantity. If they had an option to buy in bulk at a discount I probably would not mind.

There is one thing in common with all of the Primal Kitchen items. You get what you pay for. The ingredients are top notch and well put together.

Most items are Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Soy & Canola Free, Dairy Free, and Paleo Approved. Pretty impressive how they achieved those and made good tasting items in the process.

I see myself being a customer of the Primal Kitchen for quite awhile. Not every month. Probably not every other month either. Definitely every third month though.

For the better part of six years I had not seen a need to buy health supplements. Reason being is I have been using Shakeology daily the entire time. It has done a great job of keeping me healthy along with filling in the missing gaps of nutrition.

If there is one constant in life it is change is inevitable. With me getting older I continue to look for things to help improve my life. One thing I found was the Primal Blueprint.

After reading the book I was eager to try this way of living including a more Paleo way of eating. At the time of this post I am eight months into it and the results have been great.

With changing to more of a grain free diet I have introduced items from the Primal Kitchen along with some Primal Blueprint supplements.

Much like my review of the Primal Kitchen I am dedicating one page to the Primal Blueprint supplements. As I try each one of them I will update this page.

Its funny how I came into buying the Primal Blueprint supplements. I read the book and started practicing it. Along the way I started researching things to buy to help me with some things (which I describe below) and the Primal Blueprint supplements kept popping up in the results.

I have lived in Michigan most of my life. The Polar Vortex winter of 2013 – 2014 broke me. Record snowfalls did me no good as there was record cold temps which made going snowboarding not so fun. It was the first time in my life where I was wishing for spring to come.

I have noticed a change in my attitude once the temps get into the 30s. Every winter since 2013-2014 has been a drag. I decided to see if there was something I could change or take to help. Off to the Google I went and the first thing I read was how I probably needed more Vitamin D.

With little sun shining during a Michigan winter coupled with me being indoors the entire time it makes for very little chance to get those free rays of Vitamin D. Went back to Google and searched for Vitamin D supplements. Sure as shit up pops Primal Sun from the Primal Blueprint. I had come full circle.

The savings on buying the Primal Essentials Kit was too good to pass up and is what I bought.

**Click any link and use Promo Code: BRAD to get 10% off site wide.**

Primal Sun

A high potency Vitamin D which boosts the immune system, supports strong bones, and helps reduce inflammation. All things I am concerned about. I have been taking Primal Sun almost every day for 4 months now and this is what I can report.

I needed it.

A lot less moody than previous winters for sure. I still have a day here and there (mostly due to the winter and two toddlers) but not nearly as many grumpy days as before.

Within 10 minutes of taking Primal Sun I feel a boost of energy that lasts for an hour and gradually tails off throughout the day.

I thought I was getting enough Vitamin D with Shakeology’s 50% Daily Value but it appears not. Primal Sun has 500% Daily Value alone. On most days I have Shakeology in the morning and a late breakfast or lunch followed with one Primal Sun capsule to get me through the rest of the day.

I have noticed better results when I take Primal Sun an hour after eating. There’s a tingling sensation throughout my body and my eyes start opening up like I was just staring at the sun. I have not felt a need to try two capsules in one day and occasionally I’ll skip a day if the sun actually shows itself.

$24.95 for 180 capsules is a deal. I’ll probably get a year out of one bottle.

Primal Probiotics

Since I do use Shakeology which has a number of probiotic ingredients I feel this is overkill for me. The two share one ingredient (Lactobacillus).

To be honest I cannot tell if it did anything more for me or not. I finished the bottle over two months using it every other day along with Shakeology. Maybe if I went off of Shakeology for a week and only used Primal Probiotics I could tell something different.

With me not currently having any gut problems and Shakeology doing its thing I do not know if I will buy it again.

At $30 for 30 capsules it might be an efficient way for those people who do need some help in the gut area. Even if taken every other day or only when needed.

Primal Omegas

A high potency fish oil that supports a healthy immune system, boasts anti-inflammatory properties, helps alleviate joint pain, and promotes brain and nerve health. Of course I want those.

Like the probiotics I felt like I was getting enough healthy ingredients with Shakeology and the Paleo friendly diet I was now consuming. Many of my lifelong aches and pains started going away just by reducing grains.

Out of the things Primal Omegas claims it does the one I lean towards it doing something for me is brain and nerve health. What I have learned is I cannot take Primal Calm, Primal Probiotic, and Primal Omegas at the same time. It makes me feel like I’m all over the place.

Primal Omegas is an hour after dinner supplement for me. It starts doing something up there in my noggin within thirty minutes after taking it. I seem to sleep better and feel fresher in the morning when I take Primal Omegas at night and on its own.

At the time of this last update I just finished my first bottle of Primal Omegas (took 5 months) and ordered another one. This is a once in a while supplement for me. Typically when my joints are achy which usually comes from a couple of days going off the Paleo diet. The Primal Omegas seem to get me back on track faster.

I do experience the fish burps within ten minutes of taking the Primal Omegas and they seem to go away in fifteen minutes. Nothing too crazy but it happens.

At $30 for 90 capsules I feel this is a fair price.

Primal Calm

This one surprised me the most. I bought Primal Calm separately from the three above. To be honest I bought it after once again searching for supplements to help fight stress. This past Christmas was hard on my family with my dad passing.

Anything besides pills was my goal. Rhodiola Rosea kept popping up. It’s a root that grows in Siberia and the people who live there have been taking it for centuries to deal with their hardcore way of living.

When searching to buy some sure as shit I am directed back to the Primal Blueprints supplements page and to Primal Calm. Of course one of the ingredients is Rhodiola Rosea.

So far I have taken 8 capsules total and only one at a time. A combination of my babysitter (mom) being in Cancun for a month and said month (January) being one of the gloomiest of all time led to some stressful days. WTF Michigan!! Only 2 days of sun the entire month. Taking Primal Calm over boozing it up was a better decision.

What I noticed was within an hour of taking it I felt very chill. Calm if you will. Every muscle relaxed and on one occasion I fell asleep on the couch while toddlers did their thing near me. Primal Calm claims to reduce stress, and promote relaxation in a non-drowsy formula. It did just that.

30 capsules for $30 seems fair because this is not something you take every day. It is in my opinion far better to take Primal Calm to deal with stress versus going to a Dr. to get pills. At the very least, start with these to see if it works and if not, then go to your Dr.

Primal Damage Control

Its Jan. 2018 and winter has taken over here in Michigan. I had a 20% coupon to use at the Primal Blueprint store and decided to pick up a bottle of Primal Damage Control to cycle in with my regular supplements. At $50 a bottle the discount helped.

I am a third of the way through the 180 capsules that you get and I don’t think these are going to be replacing anything I already take. Reason being is I get so much of what comes with Damage Control in Shakeology. I just do.

It almost feels like overkill taking Damage Control. The most I have taken in a day is two capsules. Most days I took one.

My takeaway from using these is listening to the advice listed on the sales page for them.

“And it’s perfectly acceptable to skip a day. Take Primal Damage Control whenever you need it—during times of stress, intense exercise, poor sleep, a bad diet day, etc.”

This is what they mean when they say on the directions that Damage Control is a “fractal” formula. Each capsule represents a percentage of a serving.

Basically, if things aren’t hitting on all cylinders that day then take a Primal Damage Control capsule. Did one not do the trick? Than take two. Or three. But not more than six. Feeling good, then don’t take one.

And that’s how I’m going to approach these since I take Shakeology daily. Thing is, these might be sitting in my cupboard a while.

Coupon Code

Follow any link on this site to the Primal Blueprint supplements and put BRAD in for the coupon code. You’ll get 10% off anything you buy.

Summary

**Feb 2018 Update – Its been almost a year since I published this post. I have tried everything besides the Primal Master Formula.

I take one capsule of Primal Sun in the fall and winter and a Primal Omega if not everyday than every other day and I feel they are making a positive difference. My mood is much better and inflammation feels like its down too. Primal Omega started out as a once in awhile supplement to an every day one. I will continue to buy both when I run out.

I don’t see a need for Primal Probiotics or Primal Damage Control as I get both of the ingredients in those in my daily Shakeology. Maybe Damage Control in the winter months occasionally but thats it.

Primal Calm is going to be a once in a while purchase as it took me six months to go through the 30 capsules. It’s not an everyday supplement for me.

As I stated at the beginning of this post my goal in trying the Primal Blueprint supplements is to see if they help improve my life.

What I can tell so far is Primal Sun is definitely working for me. I should be taking Vitamin D every winter. It has helped with my mood in general and that is what I sought when buying it.

It is too early for me to say if Primal Omegas is making a big difference in the long term. Changing my diet to a Paleo friendly one high in protein and fats might be having a similar effect. When taken at night it appears to help me sleep better along with feeling fresh in the morning. I’ll continue to take it.

I will be keeping Primal Calm around for sure. Hopefully I will not have that many stressful days ahead allowing me to get a year out of a bottle. It did work and when those stressful days come around I will definitely use it.

The Primal Blueprint supplements I have tried address individual needs and its up to you to decide which one works best for you. In addition to that I feel the quality of ingredients are top notch and the prices are very reasonable.

Time to time I buy supplements and gear from a particular company. Instead of writing separate reviews for everything I bought from them I prefer to put them on one post. And that is what we are going to do for the Sports Research Company.

Collagen Peptides Review

A couple of months ago I was looking for a new collagen powder. The Primal Kitchen Collagen I had been using was very good but it did not last long. What I really wanted was something I could add into my morning Shakeology. A quick search and I found the Pure Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides from Sports Research. There were a lot of positive reviews. So I bought it.

The main difference between what I was taking and the Collagen Peptides was this one was unflavored. It was designed to be mixed or taken on its own in a glass of water or coffee. This was what I had in mind.

What I also liked was it was Paleo Friendly, Keto Certified, Gluten Free, and was made from Grass-Fed Pasture Raised Cows.

Those are all great and were expected. But I liked how it had 41 servings for $30 instead of 12 servings for $40 with Primal Collagen. Its not fair to compare them straight up like that but I wanted just the collagen supplement, not protein and everything else. I was getting those in Shakeology.

So What Happened?

Before taking the Sports Research Collagen Peptides I had been taking my previous collagen in half doses because I didn’t want to go out of it quickly. So while I had been taking some doses of collagen for thirty days prior I don’t know if its enough to make a difference. From what I had read it takes one to two months for the effects of taking collagen to kick in.

Lets say I was on day 15 before taking these collagen peptides which took me sixty days to finish.

For the first week, I put a scoop in my morning Shakeology and would slam another scoop an hour before bed. At the end of the first week I could tell I was feeling fuller. So I scaled back to just one scoop everyday.

It was around the half way point where I noticed my finger and toe nails looking much thicker and longer. I read this might happen but was surprised how they looked. Sorry, no pictures. Feet are gross.

A week later I noticed I was not noticing my elbow and knee injuries that I have been dealing with for years. This is exactly why I started buying collagen supplements in the first place. To help with my joints. The pain was not gone but my joints felt looser.

And this is the funny part. I swear I could feel my hair growing. No joke. There was this tingling sensation on top of my head that started on day 20 of taking the collagen peptides. It kind of scared me so I saw a Dr. and told them about the tingling. I was told there was nothing they could see wrong.

Some seventy days later, my hair has never been so fluffy. Its out of control. Its like it got so fluffy that I skipped the “I should probably get a haircut” to “I have long hair.”

Its been three weeks since I finished the Sports Research Collagen Peptides and I feel it did what it claimed to do. It made a difference with my joints and I noticed my nails and hair growing more than before. I didn’t notice that much difference with my skin. The tingling sensation on my scalp went away a week after finishing the tub.

I did not buy another tub after finishing it because I had a 20% coupon at the Primal Kitchen and they finally had the Vanilla flavor in stock which I wanted to try. When I finish it I might buy the Sports Research collagen again.

At a minimum, I feel at the age of 37 it would behoove me to continue taking a collagen supplement.

Vanilla Bean Review

Its been two years since I started buying collagen peptides from Sports Research and it appears they are doing what they are intended to do. It wasn’t until 2019 that I noticed they had a new flavor in Vanilla Bean so I decided to try it.

Basically, its the same product with some flavor. And to keep this as simple as possible I can tell you that the Vanilla Bean does taste like Vanilla Bean. Its quite good. I’ve been mixing it in with coffee or my daily Shakeology and it spices it up a little. So if you want some flavor with your collagen than give the Vanilla Bean a try.

What Sports Research has done with their collagen peptides is they have given people an option to save money on a very good product in a large quantity by merely removing flavor. Add flavor on your own with Sports Research or pay a premium for a similar product with flavor and less servings.