PetSugar

Lunafest Film Festival Supports Breast Cancer Fund

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:30:36 -0700

Luna, maker of the sports bar for women's nutritional needs and super stylin' biking gear, also dabbles in the arts. Every October to coordinate with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, for the past nine years Luna has put on Lunafest, a festival of short films, by, for, and about women; the proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Fund.

Last night I was lucky enough to attend the premiere here in San Francisco. It was inspirational - both creatively and health-wise. The Breast Cancer Fund's mission is cancer prevention through educating women on environmental factors, including household cleaners and beauty products, that might play a part in the disease, as well as how healthy living - diet and exercise - help prevent it.

The cool thing is, you can host a Lunafest event, too, to raise money for the Breast Cancer Fund as well as a local nonprofit - more details on that later this month. There are already 110 screenings of the festival planned across the nation. Here's the calendar of events so you can find when the festival will be coming to a theater near you. One of the 10 films features Laura Dern (it's nice to see her again) in Courteney Cox's directorial debut, the charming 19-minute film Monday Before Thanksgiving.

I highly recommend this evening of films. How often do you get to raise funds for a good cause while sitting in the dark eating popcorn?

Food Review: Luna Berry Pomegranate Cookie

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:00:00 -0700

There are times, mostly in the afternoon, when I just need a cookie. Although I am craving a sweet treat, I often need my 3 p.m. snack to do more than satisfy my taste buds; I either need something to help me make it through until dinner or to fuel an after-office workout. I just tried a Berry Pomegranate Luna Cookie ($1.29) by Lunabar to see if it was up to doing double duty. The chewy cookie contains 9 grams of whole grains - not bad for a cookie. As you can tell from the photo, the cookie is fairly small and easily divided in half, making it easy to eat half prior to working out and the leftover half after.

To see what I thought of the taste and texture, read more.

I liked this cookie, and after eating half before a swim, I shared the second half with my girls and they gave it a thumb's up too. It is not too sweet, and the berry flavor is just strong enough. The chewy consistency works with bits of oats providing texture. The half cookie I ate before working out helped me power through; I feel the second half would quell the post-workout hungries that often arise while making dinner after a session in the pool.

Here are the ingredients and nutritional details.

Ingredients: Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Oat Flour, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Dried Blueberries (Organic Blueberries, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Syrup, Organic Sunflower Oil), Organic Fig Paste, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Syrup, Organic Pomegranate Juice Concentrate, Organic Flaxseed Meal, Organic Icing (Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Rice Extract, Organic Vanilla Extract), Organic Goji Berries, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavors, Baking Soda, Citric Acid, Sea Salt.

Luna has fortified its cookies with extra vitamins. One cookie provides 25 percent the recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium and 50 percent of folate, the B vitamin that helps protect against birth defects. You can find the Luna cookies at Whole Foods and other health food stores. Has anyone tried the other two flavors, Peanut Butter Chocolate and Chocolate Mint? I'm interested to hear how they taste.

Luna Sport Moons: For Long Workouts

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:00:00 -0700

If any of you are training for a marathon, or you just love running long distances for fun, you're going to need more than your trusty sneakers and your tunes to keep you going. To move you need energy and fuel, and if you're on the move for over an hour you'll start to run out of juice. Carrying around food will just weigh you down, and you most likely won't have the appetite for it anyway. So Luna, the makers of those energy bars we all love, has created the first organic energy electrolyte chew designed for women, called Luna Sport Moons. These chews were designed for female endurance athletes: cyclists, runners, skiers, mountain bikers, triathletes, and hikers.

To hear more about Luna Sport Moons, read more.

Luna Sport Moons are like the fruit snacks you ate as a kid. They're an easy source of quick carbohydrates, and each flavor offers different functional benefits. Watermelon Moons are full of B vitamins. The Blueberry Moons contain antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, and the Pomegranate Moons are loaded with half your daily value of vitamin C. They can be eaten 15 to 20 minutes before an activity to increase blood sugar levels, and then every 20 to 30 minutes during your workout to maintain your energy levels. They affect blood sugar levels slower than those gooey gels because they're semi-solid. Each packet of chews contains 100 calories, so it's easy to keep track of your caloric intake.

Fit's Tip: Most gear shops sell Luna Moons for about $1.30 each, but REI has them on sale right now for $0.89 per packet.

Found! Famke Janssen and Licorice Love Luna, Too!

PetSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:10:55 -0700

OK, I admit it, I am officially obsessed. Don't get me wrong, I loooooooooove lil Licorice. BUT, do you recognize that tote bag? (Hint: it was one of my March Must-Haves.) It's Luna! Looks like Famke Janssen also decided she must have this cute tote, and I couldn't agree more. In addition to the classic design seen here, onetensullivan sells a couple other Luna-rrific items, too. Smooches to Licorice and Luna!

Source: WENN.com

Energy Bar Breakdown

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 07:30:00 -0700

When I walk into the grocery store, I must admit I get a little overwhelmed by the vast selection of energy bars. I made a nutritional break down comparing some of the popular choices so the decision is easier to make. If you want to see it then read more

1 Bar	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Clif Bar (Crunchy Peanut Butter)	250	6	250	40	5	18	12
Clif Nectar Bar (Lemon Vanilla Cashew)	160	6	5	27	6	17	4
Clif zBaR (peanut butter)	140	5	170	20	3	11.7	3
Luna Bar (Peanut Butter Cookie)	180	6	150	23	3	12	10
Luna Sunrise Bar (Vanilla Almond)	180	4.5	95	29	5	10	8
Power Bar Performance Bar (peanut butter)	240	4	200	42	2	22	10
Power Bar Pria (Chocolate Peanut Crunch)	110	3.5	85	16	1	10	5
Balance Bar (peanut butter)	200	6	230	22	1	12	14
LARABAR (cashew cookie)	210	12	0	23	3	14	6

Food Review: Luna Protein Bar

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:58 -0800

The folks over at Luna did some field research before creating the brand's new protein bar, simply named Luna Protein. After researching women's snacking habits, Luna found that women want snacks to keep them full, but that the female snacker often overlooks the filling properties of protein. So the company created a new bar chock-full of 12 grams of the filling macronutrient. The Luna Protein bar comes in three flavors: chocolate peanut butter, cookie dough, and chocolate cherry almond.

To see how the Luna Protein bars taste and if they're truly filling, read more.

All three bars are reminiscent of candy bars, yet without being too sweet. And they all definitely satisfy the craving for chocolate. Luna sent me all three flavors to try; the chocolate peanut butter is my favorite, because I'm kind of a peanut butter fiend. I tested out the filling qualities of the bars by using them to ward off hunger during long stretches between meals, and the added protein seemed to help. I like pairing the bars with a piece of fruit. I wouldn't use this bar (or any bar for that matter) as a meal replacement, but the Luna Protein bar is a great post-gym treat. It certainly tides me over while cooking my dinner.

At 180 calories a pop, these bars are better for your waistline than a Snickers and have about half the sugar too. Plus, Luna products are fortified with nutrients most women need: iron, folic acid, and calcium. I will be keeping a stash of the peanut butter flavor in my gym bag for sure.

Food Review: Luna Sunrise Bars

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:30:00 -0700

We love Luna Bars on FitSugar; in fact, you guys voted them your favorite energy bar for '07. So have you tried Luna Sunrise Bars? Though you can eat them anytime of day, these bars are made for breakfast, and I definitely recommend them if you're looking for a snack before your morning workout.

Sunrise bars come in four flavors - Blueberry Crisp, Strawberry Crumble, Vanilla Almond, and the new Apple Cinnamon - all of which are very breakfast friendly, unlike some of the regular Luna Bars. (Not that I don't love the S'mores!) Also, like regular Luna Bars, all of the Sunrise bars contain fewer than 200 calories. For my opinions on them, read more.

Each Sunrise bar has 5 grams of fiber, versus 3 grams for a regular Luna bar, as well as 8 grams of protein (compared to 10 grams for the regular Luna). The added fiber and whole grains are designed to keep you full until lunch, and the vitamins, particularly vitamin D, help you start the day eating healthy.

The iced bars have a chewier texture than regular Luna bars, which I like, and the flavors are evocative of fruit, yogurt, and cereal. My favorites are the Vanilla Almond and Apple Cinnamon, because they taste more real and less sweet. The Blueberry Crisp is also good, with its creamy berry taste, but the Strawberry Crumble is probably my least favorite. It just tastes a little too artificial.

Have you tried these yet? If so, which flavor is your favorite?

Source

Get Outside and Play With Team Luna Chix

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

If you love working out in the great outdoors, but don't like going it alone, then check out Team Luna Chix.

There are 27 Luna Chix teams in over 20 cities in the US dedicated to biking (both mountain and road), running, swimming, and racing. The teams are diverse groups of women, including weekend warriors and serious competitors, who come together to train in a supportive environment and have fun doing it. As well as all the fun fitness activities, each independent chapter of the Luna Chix raises money for the Breast Cancer Fund.

Although these teams are the brain child of the company that makes Luna Bars, these teams are more like grass roots organizations. Team leaders organize group trainings as well as fundraisers, from 5k races to silent auctions, that benefit the BCF. Talk about a double incentive to exercise.

Find links to a handful of teams when you read more.

Arizona
Atlanta, GA
Austin, TX
Boston, MA Cycling
Madison, WI Cycling
Montana
New York Mountain Biking
Seattle
SF Bay Area Cycling
Washington, DC

You can find more teams listed at the Luna Chix website. Like their motto states: Get outside and play!

Source

Luna Tea Cakes: Vanilla Macadamia

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 08:45:00 -0800

Have you guys ever tried Luna Tea Cakes? Since you all are such big fans of Luna Bars I thought I'd give these a try. Although the package claims the snack is good "for mood balance," since it contains a lot of antioxidants from the Rooibos Red Tea and some omega-3s, I am more interested in how it tastes. Really, I am more interested in how my energy bar measures up nutritionally instead of psychologically.

Interested in those details too? Then read more.

This tea cake tasted like a healthy cookie, chewy and sweet. I liked that whole goji berries were visible in the bar. Not that I believe all the hype about this fruit, but those berries remind me of The Inappropriate Yoga Guy that GiggleSugar introduced me to.

Anyway, I posted the nutritional info for a regular Luna Bar as well, and as you can see there isn't a huge difference. They both tasted pretty good, but if I had a choice, I'd probably go for a regular Luna Bar instead since it has more protein and fiber, and less sodium. If I wanted to eat a healthy cookie, I'd probably just make some myself like these Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Gear Review: Luna Cycling

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:31:18 -0700

Cycling gear is rarely cute and hardly ever flattering. It often feels like sized-down men's apparel. The first time I slipped on the Epiphany shorts ($160) by Luna and glanced in the mirror I was amazed. Even with a chamois, these shorts looked great on. The fabric is thinner than most shorts I have worn and slightly textured, in a good way, as well.

They felt great too - styled and sewn to flatter and move with the female form. Luna Bar, makers of energy bar created for women's nutritional needs, now offer cycling gear designed for and by women. From the cut of the shorts and capris to the detail designs (contrasting zipper colors, splashes of flowers), this gear is fun to wear and great for biking. It washes well and keeps its fit as long as you line dry it. My only gripe is that they apparel is sized small. I am a classic medium top and bottom, and I take a large in the bottoms, which bruised my vanity a bit. The tops, however, are well-sized - so keep this in mind when ordering.

Check out the gear in action.