Wellthos Health and Fitness box April 2018 – Unboxing and Product Reviews

Health and fitness boxes might not be as exciting or elegant as beauty boxes but they are equally, if not more, important. They allow you to try out health and fitness food items or products that you wouldn’t otherwise know about or want to pay for until you try them out. Keeping healthy and fit can be quite difficult in todays, fast passed, sugar full society and therefore finding products that might help you out or give you alternatives can be incredibly beneficial in the long run.

Wellthos is primarily a health and fitness food box and this month’s Wellthos box was, as always, the typical branded cardboard box with no special design. Wellthos also comes with a monthly little booklet that explains a little bit about each product contained but also has some recipe ideas, using products from the box, and some light workouts.

I’ve also noticed that they included “The Unboxing Wall of Fame” at the back of the booklet which to my surprise also had a picture of my March Wellthos review and the Instagram tag “@bondsofbeauty“! That’s me! What a surprise! Thanks Wellthos!

April’s Wellthos box contained 11 health and fitness products which were, from left to right: flaxseed pasta, porridge, a satchel of matcha mix, a chickpea snack, an energy drink, a chocolate egg, whey powder, a massage and body oil, protein cheese, jam and some stylish ponytails.

PS. You can click on the smaller images to see them larger if you want to read out ingredients, nutritional information etc.

Bear in mind that these are my personal opinions and health, fitness and taste can be very personal things as we all have different taste and biological builds. What worked for me might not work for you and vice versa. If you tried any of these products please leave your comments below!

 

Nomad Health Flaxseed Penne Pasta

It’s always nice to try out different types of pasta, the right type for the right flavour can truly elevate a dish. However, when it comes to fitness many people avoid pasta or see it as a cheat meal. Let me tell you that is nonsense. No matter what your fitness goals are, carbohydrates need to be a part of your nutrition, with the only difference being how much.

You can eat pasta and you can eat normal or whole wheat pasta without getting fat! It doesn’t need to be fancy to be healthy which is why I sort of, wasn’t too enthusiastic about this product. Flaxseed pasta would definitely not be my number one choice but I can see it as being a culinary change for every now and again. It also doesn’t exactly look appealing, it’s way too dark and for me at least, it just doesn’t make me want to eat it. However, it tasted ok, obviously not like normal pasta.

This pasta is gluten free, low in sugar, GMO free, high in protein and salt free. For a 50g one person serving it contains 178kcals, 5.5g of fat of which 1.25g is saturated, 14.5g of carbohydrates of which 0.5g is sugar, 15g of protein.

I can see this product working more for vegetarian meals or those who struggle to get protein in their diet. However, it is low on carbohydrates so you might want to make sure, depending on your diet plan, that you are getting enough of those too! On the other hand, if you are a meat eater and you are adding chicken or mince etc to your pasta you have to be careful not to overeat more protein than needed, as our digestive system can only process a certain amount every 2 hours.

This pasta was a lovely product to try but I just don’t see it in my diet. I can have a healthy meal already, that is also high in protein, using normal and cheaper pasta. When I am muscle building I need carbs that are missing here and when I am cutting (=fat loss) I like to eat meat for protein. This wasn’t for me but let me know if you’ve ever tried this, I want to know what you think! Protein pasta yay or nay?

You can buy lots of other types of pasta from the brand’s website. I like the brand and their products, it’s just this one doesn’t fit in with my personal diet style.

A satchel of 250g of pasta will cost you £3.99 and will last you for 5 servings. It’s not expensive but obviously it is more than normal pasta. SCORE = 8/10

 

Daily Cultures Porridge

Well, right of the bat I wasn’t happy with this product. It doesn’t have nutritional information on it so there isn’t much I can tell you about it!

It tastes ok, like porridge. It needs some addons to be flavourful like fruit or nuts etc but that’s true for most porridges. It was easy to make however, it is still more time consuming and less practical than instant porridge pots as you will need milk and a bowl to put it in!

It apparently contains bacteria which are good for your gut. I personally prefer to have a Fage Greek yogurt (which also contains cultures) with granola or fruit for breakfast but I know that there are many out there who love their porridge!

You can buy a box containing 7 satchels from Holland & Barrette for £3.99. It’s definitely not expensive, in fact for a week’s of servings it is cheaper than buying 7 pots of instant porridge and also cheaper than buying 7 Greek yogurts! SCORE = 7/10

 

Miracle Matcha Health Mix In

This product is a blend of milled Flax seeds, chia seeds, goji berries and white tea Matcha making this powder high in anti-oxidants, protein, fibre, omega-3 oils and disease fighting catechins.

You can put this over yogurt, porridge, cereal, in a smoothie or in a food dish and serve to taste. It’s basically a little health addon, think of it like a supplement or vitamin of some sort.

You can mask its taste in the food item you add it in, if you don’t like it. I thought it was pleasant and a nice addition to protein smoothies. This was just a sample satchel, so it didn’t come with the full nutritional info but you will be using so little of it that no matter how high or low it is in calories, fat, carbs, protein, fibre etc it probably doesn’t really matter.

You can buy a big bag of this powder from the brand’s website or even Amazon for £7.99 for 300g or cheaper if you buy a bigger package. SCORE = 8/10

 

Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs

These are a light and crunchy snack made from organic chickpeas. It reminds me of those cheesy crisps that look exactly like the picture at the front of this item.

The actual chickpea puffs in this snack also look exactly the same, light orange, puffy and smell really yummy. They taste gorgeous and they are very addictive. It feels like eating a naughty crisp snack and not like something healthier meaning that this is the sort of snack or alternative option that you might want to have around to satisfy those crisp cravings without doing too much “unhealthy damage”.

This snack is organic, contains no MSG, is vegan, gluten free, contains no trans fats, is high in fibre and a source of protein. One bag contains only 90kcals, 3.8g of fat of which 0.4g are saturates, 11.2g of carbohydrates of which 0.7g are sugars, 1.6g of fibre, 2.9g of protein and 0.3g of salt.

The brand donates to Farm Africa for every bag sold.

It is an absolutely delicious treat and you will never know that it is not traditional crisps! You can buy these from the brand’s website or you can also buy a bigger bag that contains 3.5 servings (78g) for £1.79. That’s not a bad price at all.

I absolutely loved these! SCORE = 10/10

 

Tenzing Natural Energy Drink

Like most energy drinks, this energy drink contains a lot of caffeine. About as much as one strong cup of coffee! It also contains Himalayan rock salt, green coffee, lemon juice, guarana, green tea and beet sugar.

One can contains 250mL and would provide you with 55kcals, 12.25g of carbohydrates of which all are sugars, 0.25g of salt, 0g of fat and 0g of protein. It is vegan, non-GMO,, made of 100% recyclable can and 5% of the profits are invested in environmental projects.

The can is standard quality and even though the design stands out, there is something about it that I personally don’t like. Maybe it’s the giant triangle in the middle (meant to be mount Everest), who knows.

The drink itself is pleasant and it has a subtle sweet smell and taste. It is nowhere near as sweet as traditional energy drinks, which in my opinion is a plus. Sometimes you want to have an energy drink when you are also thirsty and having an overly sweet drink can be an overkill. This one is very subtle though and more refreshing when served cold.

I wish I could describe the flavour but it’s really nothing specific. I guess the closest would be sweet lemon but it’s not that either. If you are looking for a refreshing, not so sweet energy drink, give this one a go.

One can retails somewhere between £2.49-£1.19 depending on how many you buy from the brand’s website. You can even get a year subscription! SCORE = 8/10

 

Cocoa+ Protein Easter egg

I love the Cocoa+ chocolates so, so, so, so, so MUCH. Wellthos has included a few of them before and please can you include more in the future!

I have yet to find one that is not absolutely gorgeous. They all taste like a normal nice creamy chocolate but they also all contain a large amount of protein! You can satisfy your chocolate cravings while packing in some protein!

I love that they included an Easter egg, even though Easter had passed before the arrival of the box. Perhaps it would have been better if this item was in the March Wellthos box but that’s just details.

One egg contains 10g of protein which is about as much as you will find in a real chicken egg! Who said that you can’t pack in some protein over Easter! I can’t really tell you what the rest of the nutritional stats were because we ate this egg so fast that I completely forgot about it and threw away the outer box! It was that good that I didn’t even think about reviewing it, I was totally lost in chocolate.

This was a limited edition egg and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It contained a fair bit of chocolate too, the egg walls were not too thin. All I can say is, more Cocoa+ please! SCORE = 10/10

 

Whey’d Protein Powder in Chocolate Flavour

This Whey’d protein chocolate powder is sourced from Irish grass-fed, hormone free cows and contains 85kcals, 20g of protein, 5.3g of BCAA’s (2.2g of leucine, 1.6g of isoleucine and 1.5g of valine) , 0.2g of sugar and 0.4g of fat of which 0.2g are saturates in a 24g serving. It also contains 0.6g of carbohydrates of which 0.2g are sugars, 0.4g of fibre, 0.3g of salt, 127mg of calcium, and 270mg of potassium.

It tastes like chocolate and is made from hydrolysed whey protein isolate from milk. Like with all protein powders, it dissolves easier in water than milk and it tastes better in milk than in water. It all depends on your dietary requirements and taste as to which type of serving you prefer.

Even though this was a one use satchel, I like the simplicity of the design and the way it looks. I love the name and it will actually be one I will remember.

This protein is gluten free and suitable for vegeterians. You can buy it from the brand’s website in different flavours, sizes and prices. SCORE = 9/10 

 

Tisserand Muscle Ease Massage and Body Oil

Well who doesn’t love a good massage, especially after a long session at the gym. Massage oils can elevate a massage so much and of course make the process easier and more practical.

This massage oil comes in a cute and very easy to use bottle with a pump so that you can control exactly how much to use. No spillage mess!

It has a ginger, lemongrass and rosemary scent with the lemongrass being a little stronger than the rest. It feels nice on the skin and not overly oily. It gets absorbed quickly and while it is not horribly sticky afterwards, your skin will feel like you used an oil and not a cream for example. Nevertheless, it is still on the less oily oils if that makes sense. It is made of 100% natural essential oils.

You don’t have to wait for your significant other to give you a massage to use this item, you can use it when needed to subtle, support and revive sore muscles.

This oil lasts 12M, is vegan and it contains a nice mixture of nutritional oils. It will not only relax your mind and body it will also nourish your skin.

You can buy this 100mL bottle from the brand’s website for £9.95. SCORE = 9/10

 

Eatlean Protein Cheese Shaker

This cheese contains a whopping 66g of protein per 100g of cheese. That means that 66% of this cheese is protein! If you are a vegetarian and/or struggling for protein this might be an excellent option for you!

The shaker is very easy to use and practical. The cheese inside has the texture of Parmesan cheese, white, a little hard and powdery. It tastes like cheese and you would never know it contains that much protein. All cheeses have their own unique taste and so does this one. Whether you like this cheese or not is just a matter of personal taste.

It is 100% natural and it apparently contains 45% more protein, 85% less fat and 40% less kcalories than normal cheese. I wonder how the brand calculated this as each cheese is different…Nevertheless, it is high in calcium and is suitable for vegeterians.

In 100g, this protein cheese contains 5.4g of fat of which 2.3g are saturates, 0.5g of carbohydrates of which all are sugars, 66g of protein, 3.6g of salt and 1780mg of calcium.

It contains cows milk and is usable within a month of opening. This 80g shaker retails for £3 from the brands website. If you like cheese you have to check them out, they even do cheese hampers! SCORE = 9/10

 

Cham Fruit and Chia Seed Jam

The brand, Cham, is trying to revolutionise the traditional sugar packed jam and as a fitness junkie that likes sweet things, I love the idea!

This jam is vegan, pectin, refined sugar, additive and preservative free as well as dairy and gluten free. You can have it on toast or with scones or however you enjoy jam and it tastes delicious. This jam is made of raspberries (59%), apple juice concentrate (32%), chia seeds (9%) and vanilla. It is definitely on the healthier side but do not get carried away, fruit still contains sugar and everything should be in moderation! In 100g in contains 161kcals, 0.4g of fat of which 0.3g are saturates, 39.5g of carbohydrates of which 26.6g are sugars, 3.5g of protein and 0.1g of salt.

I love the cute little glass jar, even if it doesn’t contain much of it to last long!

A 200g jar costs £4 from the brand’s website. It is a jam on the expensive side but it is also healthier. This little sample was only 30g but I thoroughly enjoyed it! SCORE = 9/10

 

Active In Style Ponytail

This was an extra item and a useful one. If you are active and have long hair, you are probably going trough pony tails really quick and you wish they would be some options out there that allow you to look good and feminine while you work out. Or is it just me?

I love these hair bands they look really cute, they are thin and they look stylish. They have different patterns and phrases on them with my favourite being “You’ve got this”.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, my hair is too long and too thick for these to hold a proper high pony tail so I was only able to use them for lower, tidy at the back pony tails. I also loved using them as wrist bands/bracelets.

I especially like that they are black with gold writing meaning that they will match pretty much most outfits! SCORE = 9/10 

 

 

Overall, this month’s Wellthos box was great. It contained some lovely products that I thoroughly enjoyed and a heavenly protein chocolate egg! I was honoured to be part of this month’s Unboxing Wall of Fame and I also thought that including multiple brand discounts (15-20% off), for the ones contained in this box, was a nice little touch.

Initial box score, in terms of products and first feelings = 8/10

Overall box score after product testing (a sum of product scores) = 8.7/10

Star product = Cocoa+ Protein Easter egg

 

Did you get this month’s Wellthos? What did your box contain? What did you think of the products? Have you tried any of the products listed? Let me know your experiences! For a general  review on Health and Fitness Boxes click here otherwise for a general review on Wellthos click here.

I am not affiliated with any company or brand. These are my views and experiences.

 

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