Joanna McMillan Be Natural Four Interview

Joanna McMillan Be Natural Four

The team at Be Natural passionately believe that simple, natural ingredients are the best. They believe natural foods should be available for everyone to enjoy everyday. That's why, with a passion for real food in mind, they have been busy working on something special and they're excited to introduce their new product - Be Natural Four. These bars are a simple but delicious combination of their four favourite natural foods: fruit, nuts, grains and seeds - so there are now four reasons to enjoy every single mouthful of Be Natural!

This latest introduction to the Be Natural family retains the simple, natural qualities that people have come to expect from the brand. You can be confident that not a single sneaky artificial colour, flavour or preservative has found its way into these bars and that each one contains fibre and deliciousness.

Be Natural Four comes in two unique combinations, both packed to the brim with a delicious mix of good things.

Be Natural Four Coconut, apricot, oats and chia: Fruit: Preservative free apricots
Nuts: Whole roasted almonds, succulent coconut slivers
Grains: Wholegrain rolled oats, puffed rice, wheat bran & triticale
Seeds: Nutritious chia seeds & sunflower kernels

Be Natural Four Currant, berry, oats & pepita:Fruit: Juicy preservative free sweet cranberries & currants
Nuts: Whole roasted almonds and chopped peanuts & chopped peanuts
Grains: Wholegrain rolled oats, puffed rice, wheat bran & triticale
Seeds: Nutritious pepita seeds

"If there's one thing nutritionists agree on, it's that all snack bars are not the same! With so many options on the shelves these days and with so many products claiming to be something they're not, the idea of finding a wholesome on-the-go food option can seem daunting, sometimes just too much trouble. But Be Natural Four bars are full of natural ingredients you can actually see, so you know they're the real deal. I recommend them to my clients and I recommend them to you." - Dr Joanna McMillan Registered Nutritionist & Accredited Practising Dietitian

Be Natural Four
RRP: $4.99 for a pack of six bars.

Interview with Joanna McMillan

Question: What is the concept behind the Be Natural Four bars?

Joanna McMillan: They are an ideal snack bar being full of all natural, minimally processed ingredients. Each bar is a combination of four natural ingredients that you can see and taste.


Question: Why are the Be Natural Four bars so good for us?

Joanna McMillan: Not all snack bars are the same and many are overly processed, have added unwanted additives or are extremely high in sugar and/or added fats. The Be Natural Four Bars combine dried fruit, nuts, seeds and wholegrains and have no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.


Question: How do the Be Natural Four bars compare to other snack bars?

Joanna McMillan: I love the Be Natural Four Bars and rate them amongst the best snack bars available. They also taste great!


Question: Which flavour is your favourite?

Joanna McMillan: I like them both but would have to say the currents, berry, oats & pepita is my favourite.


Question: Can you talk about the benefits of one of the newest superfoods - chia seeds?

Joanna McMillan: I'm a big fan of chia seeds. They are the highest plant source of omega-3 fats - not the same as the long chain variety from fish but beneficial none the less - they are exceptionally rich in fibre, high in antioxidants and provide protein


Question: What is so nutritious about pepita seeds?

Joanna McMillan: Pepitas are high in fibre and are rich in the healthy unsaturated fats that can help to improve blood cholesterol levels. They also provide many nutrients including magnesium that is necessary for energy production and muscle relaxation.


Question: What is triticale?

Joanna McMillan: Triticale is a grain - a hybrid of wheat and rye. Nutritionally it is similar to wheat but always good to have a diverse range of crops in our diets.


Question: What are the most important foods to incorporate into our daily diet?

Joanna McMillan: It's the range of foods that is important rather than any one or small group. We need lots of plant food including veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds, animal foods (or plant protein substitutes), seafood and then whlegrains add valuable fibre and plant calories reducing our need for animal foods.


Question: Heading into he warmer months what should we increase in our diet, that we may decrease during winter?

Joanna McMillan: Certainly we should up our intake of raw veggies and fruit to boost antioxidant intake - this can help to protect the skin during summer in particular. But we also need more fluid when it's hot so more water. Other than that it's really about eating lighter colder foods to help our bodies keep cool.


Question: How important for our metabolism is it to regularly snack?

Joanna McMillan: I'm not a fan of continual snacking, but judicious use of snacks between meals helps to boost your metabolism provided you eat less at mealtime - in other words spreading kilojoules out over the day boosts metabolism more than eating 2-3 big meals. Snacking does also prevent you becoming so ravenously hungry by mealtime that you overeat.


Interview by Brooke Hunter