Our key ingredients explained by a Dietitian and Nutritionist!

Here at KOJA, we pride ourselves on choosing only the most ethical, wholesome and flavoursome ingredients to fill our products with. It is our priority that we deliver a snack that is accessible, affordable and just as importantly; nutritious and delicious

Everything we use is carefully selected based on the benefits it can provide our bodies and our planet, and of course importantly, on deliciousness!

Keep reading as we delve into the goodness that is KOJA and why we choose the ingredients we do. 

Nut Butters

Nut butters are one of the main ingredients found in our bars, so it is no doubt we are nuts about nuts here at KOJA! Nuts as a whole are an excellent source of plant protein, unsaturated healthy fats and fibre; sounds like quite the nutritional powerhouse to us.

Nuts provide a nourishing protein source and healthy fats in our products to help keep you feeling satiated, manage your blood sugar levels and nuts have even been proven to assist with the health of your heart. You might also be surprised to learn that one serving of nuts has the same amount of protein as one egg, that’s good news!

We also only use nut butters that contain 100% nuts, meaning they exclude additional salt, vegetable oils, sugar and preservatives (there’s no need for that!). Being a source of fibre, they keep our tummies happy and healthy too, helping us to absorb the nutrition from our food. 

Our Peanut butter is made in Melbourne using Australian grown peanuts from Queensland. Locally sourced and locally made. 

Organic Dark Chocolate / Organic Cacao Nibs / Organic Cacao Powder

Aside from the obvious reason of including chocolate in our bars, (it’s delicious!) cacao actually has an excellent antioxidant profile. These buds of brilliance are all hand-picked because cacao pods all ripen at different times leaving no room for mechanical procedures. How special!  

Unfortunately, we aren’t giving you free rain to go and indulge in endless blocks of chocolate, but this favourite ingredient of ours has benefits far beyond just the taste. The antioxidants in dark chocolate and cacao nibs are called flavonoids, very powerful compounds proven to fight off free radical damage and reduce inflammation in the body. No surprise here, eating dark chocolate can also help you produce endorphins, make you smile and reduce stress. What’s not to love?! 

Organic Buckwheat Kernels

Buckwheat falls under the category of a ‘pseudo-grain’. What is that you ask? It’s a food that mimics the nutritional, flavour and appearance profile of a grain, but isn’t. Buckwheat is actually a fruit seed, and being a seed means it has one of the highest protein contents out of all ‘grains’ on the market, falling a close second behind our beloved oats. It doesn’t stop there though, buckwheat is also a source of essential fatty acids, slow-burning carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It has an irresistible nutty flavour and is also gluten free which makes all of our bars appropriate for those with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance. The kernels also give the bars an extra crunch which will always leave you wanting more. 

Organic Maca Powder

Did you know that Maca belongs to the root vegetable family? As strange you might think it is that we have added an ingredient part of the broccoli family into our bars and pancakes, maca actually has a malty/nutty flavour and is home to so many wonderful vitamins and minerals. The research into the benefits of maca powder is still a very new area, but we love what we see so far. Regardless, maca is also a protein source, contains high levels of vitamin C and small amounts of iron, which we know are all essential for optimal health and wellbeing. 

Organic Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are harvested from ‘Salvia hispanica’ a plant that belongs to the mint family. These nutrient-dense seeds are grown in as little as 2 days and pack in a whopping amount of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids, making them a ‘superfood’ within themselves. Omega 3’s host a number of health benefits, most commonly their role in reducing inflammation, improving mood, cognitive function and cardiovascular health. Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 10g of fibre; a third of our daily requirements. 

What a line up! As you can see, we truly do only choose the most sustainable, nutritious and tasty ingredients to make up our products.  We always stand by our mission of including only wholefoods in our range and the benefits really do speak for themselves! Happy snacking.