I was contacted to review both Carol Cottrill’s book French Twist and Drink Chia, I received no compensation and the opinions expressed are my own.
For years I struggled with my weight and self image, and although I am not at my “ideal” weight currently, I am not as bothered by it as I once was. French Twist is an amazingly well written book that blends food common sense with anecdotes taken from her life and practice. I real enjoyed reading the about Carol’s theories on French women and why they are so thin and happy about it, they simply don’t stress. They practice common sense and sensible eating. These are two concepts I can definitely stand behind. The book is short and easy to read but can have a profound effect on how you think about food and yourself.
As I was finishing up my reading I decided to relax with a Drink Chia drink. Admittedly I was a little nervous because I have seen other Chia drinks at the health store that look, to put it blatantly, like mucous. Drink Chia is not that type of drink. If you didn’t look at the drink before swigging you wouldn’t even notice the Chia seeds going down – which is a shock because their drinks are chock full of Chia. Drink Chia uses stevia, a sugar alternative, and although their flavors are very sweet – they do have a little of that stevia aftertaste that you need to get used to. Drink Chia is rich in Omega-3, not from fish oil, has only 40 calories and 4 grams of sugar and is made of all natural ingredients.
It was definitely easier to Drink Chia than it has been to eat it. I have reviewed Chia products in the past and found them less palatable, I’m not a fan of the taste of Chia but Drink Chia has no Chia flavor since you don’t have to chew the seeds, they simply slide down with the sugarless liquid – a double bonus!
Read more from Carol Cottrill, author of French Twist, on why less sugar in our drinks is a better choice!
Toxic Sugar: It’s Worse Than We Thought, But One Company is Taking a Stand
by Carol Cottrill, CNC for Drink Chia!
It is no secret that sugar isn’t good for us. We all know that it is a relatively empty calorie source that provides little in the way of nutrition. New research, however, suggests that it could be much worse than that. In fact, in the quantities in which most Americans consume it, it could be toxic.
In a recent 60 Minutes piece, reporter Sanjay Gupta paints sugar in a very dark light. According to his report, and based on the research of Dr. Robert Lustig, a California endocrinologist, sugar can be linked directly to obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Further, up to seventy-five percent of the occurrences of these diseases are preventable.
Regardless of its form, whether it be simple table sugar or the often-vilified high fructose corn syrup, the overconsumption of sugar is toxic to our health. Worse yet, it is found virtually everywhere. Processed foods, even those that might not seem obvious, contain loads of it. So much so, that Americans consume an average of more than 130 pounds of sugar per year! Unlike naturally-occurring, balanced sources of sugar, like whole fruit, these processed foods don’t contain the essential vitamins and fiber that our bodies require.
Many of the worst offenders when it comes to sugar in the American diet are liquids. Soda, energy drinks–even sports drinks marketed to health-conscious consumers are all loaded with sugar–and Americans seemingly can’t get their fill. One can hardly turn around without being bombarded with their billion dollar ad campaigns.
“It’s the real thing?” “Is it in you?” “Gives you wings?”
Hardly. If advertisers were more truthful, their slogans would read:
“It’s the toxic thing.” “Is sugar in you?” “Gives you heart disease.”
Some of these drinks have upwards of 40 grams of sugar per serving! Yikes! As Dr. Lustig tells us, American’s don’t have to tread down this dangerous path. When it comes to what we put in our bodies, we hold all the cards. Nobody is forcing that neon-orange liquid sugar bomb down your throat. There are much healthier alternatives.
That is why it is so refreshing to see local companies making a positive impact when it comes to our health. Altamonte Springs based Drink Chia! is one such brand.
Developed by a trio of health-conscious entrepreneurs in search of an alternative to sugary sports drinks, Drink Chia! is an all-natural chia seed superfood drink with only 40 calories and 4 grams of sugar per 8-ounce bottle. Infused with whole, soft, organic chia seeds, the drink is rich with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and B-complex vitamins. I dare you to compare those stats with those of their big-budget competitors!
Their product is so low in sugar, in fact, that it was recently chosen by Dr. Mehmet Oz himself to be the exclusive beverage productof his upcoming Journey to Oz HealthCorps Gala in Sacramento, California. Dr. Oz chose Drink Chia! specifically because it contains less than 5 grams of sugar while delivering a healthy dose of plant-based omega-3.
As a nutritional consultant, I urge everyone who reads this to take charge of what goes into our bodies. Remember that everything should be taken in moderation. Combined with a healthy diet of whole, real, unprocessed foods, a little dose of sugar here and there isn’t going to kill you. However, if you are one of the millions of Americans who consume mainly artificial and processed foods and drinks, chances are good that toxic sugar could lead to your ultimate downfall.
The choice is yours. Make it a good one. Ban processed foods containing toxic amounts of sugar from your daily routine, and start living a healthier lifestyle today!
About Carol Cottrill, CNC
Carol Cottrill is a Certified Nutritional Consultant with a degree in holistic nutrition from the Clayton College of Natural Health. She runs her nutrition practice out of her Midtown Manhattan (10023) and Winter Park, FL (32789) offices and is a resident of both. She is a frequent contributor to Dr. Oz’s ShareCare website, as well as The Daily Buzz’s Body Checklist, and has been featured on a number of news outlets including foxnews.com, Shape Magazine Online, Livestrong.com and has a piece coming out in April in the New York Post. Carol is a published author, as her book,The French Twist, with a NYC publishing house is now on sale on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
About Drink ChiaTM
Drink ChiaTM is the all-natural omega-3 superfood drink infused with whole organic chia seeds. Designed for those who live an active lifestyle, Drink ChiaTM promotes enhanced hydration, endurance and recovery, heart health, and mental focus. At just 40 calories and 4 grams of sugar per serving, Drink ChiaTM offers a healthy alternative to sugary, caffeine-laden energy drinks and sports drinks loaded with artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and B-complex vitamins, Drink ChiaTM is the perfect performance beverage for those who choose to shake up their lives. Just shake it baby!…with Drink Chia!TMFor more information about Drink ChiaTM, please visit their website: www.drinkchianow.com.
May 2nd, 2012 | Tags: antioxidants, Book, chia, diet, Drinks, Health, omega-3, Reviews, weight loss | Category: Fitness, Food, Review | Comments Off
’s right we now have the insanely effective Tiger Balm in the studio for you to sample. Please grab a sample after your workout or yoga class. 
