New from Pul Foods, Inc: Crunchfuls Savory Snacks

Made from Pulseeds, which are split peas, dry beans and lentils, Crunchfuls new snacks, just like their cereal, offer a host of heart & digestive benefits that taste good, too!

By John Nava

Crunchfuls savory snacks are available at Sigona's in three flavors: tomato basil, chili lime and barbecue.

We’ve carried their cereals for a year now, and as I told you when we first introduced this company, I ate half a box of their cereal on the way home from work, and finished it off with milk and a sliced banana once I got home.

Yes, Crunchfuls cereal is that good. It has just the right amount of sweetness and crunch, plus, it offers benefits that will make your heart, stomach and energetic spirit say “thank you!”

Crunchfuls is made by Deepa Shenoy, Ph.D., of Mountain View, Calif., and we’re excited to tell you about her newest product: Crunchfuls Superfood Snacks. They’re 100-calorie packs of savory bites of lentils and beans that have been steam-puffed into scoops and tossed with herbs & spice for a just-right flavor.

We carry three flavors of Crunchfuls snacks, tomato basil, chili lime and barbecue, and as an introductory special, we’re offering you this week (June 15-21, 2011) three bags for free with your coupon when you spend $30 or more. Plus, we’re throwing in sample packs of Crunchfuls cereal, too!

As the Crunchfuls savory snack package says, good-for-you snacks are hard to find. Most are heavy-laden with oil to make them crispy and the first few ingredients aren’t healthy for you at all. That’s what’s different about Crunchfuls snacks; just like the cereal, the snacks are made with wholesome and nutritious pulseeds (lentils, beans, chickpeas and split peas) that Deepa “pops” (without the use of oil) into scoop shapes for the new snacks.

Among their benefits, pulseeds are gluten-free and low glycemic, and they’re naturally high in protein, antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, B vitamins and gentle, soluble dietary fiber, calcium, folic acid and more. Deepa’s understanding of pulseed benefits comes the 15 years she spent in pharmaceuticals, molecular biology and genetic engineering where she focused research on vegetable diets and how they relate to anti-aging, diabetes and weight management.

Having noted that healthy food choices for people with allergies or dietary needs were limited, and the remaining options were very expensive, and identified pulseeds as an ingredient to use to bridge the gap between dietary needs and options. Deepa knew she wanted to create something to meet this need and recalls July 17, 2007, as the day she and her husband, Sandeep, decided to move forward with her pulseed project out of their home in Mountain View.

Thus, Crunchfuls Premium Superfood Breakfast Cereal was born.

“The snacks came about as a value extension of what we’re trying to do with the cereals,” said Deepa. “I started my company with a goal of promoting a vegetable diet through eating more beans and lentils to help with digestive health. Plus, you can only eat so much salad to get in the recommended amount of vegetables, especially now that the USDA unveiled MyPlate, a new version of the Food Pyramid.

“Vegetables represent the largest sector on MyPlate, and because Crunchfuls is made from beans and lentils with brown rice, it reaches three food groups: vegetable, protein and complex carbohydrates ” said Deepa. “Each of the single-serving packs of Crunchfuls snacks is only 100 calories and is considered to be an entire serving of vegetables.”

As for me, it’s hard to say no to that…I’ve started being more conscious about what I eat and these snacks have been a welcome addition. Especially the barbecue flavor. I mean, barbecue Crunchfuls are fantastic…they’ve satiated my craving for chips during summer cookouts and now I reach for them in the afternoon when I just want a little something more to snack on while I power through the workday. But I digress.

Sandeep and Deepa Shenoy, makers of Crunchfuls Premium Superfood Cereals & Snacks. Sigona's local vendors since 2010.

Crunchfuls cereal is available in two flavors: caramel and chocolate.

Another bonus of Crunchfuls snacks and cereals is that pulseeds are a good source of prebiotic vegetable fiber and complete protein content.

Anyone who’s hip to the latest trends in the health and digestion know, there’s a buzz about the benefits of adding probiotics AND prebiotics to your diet. Probiotics are found in yogurts, kefir and the like, but in order for probiotics to work properly, they need to be paired with the right foods to maintain a good state in the stomach. Those right foods, known as prebiotics, are beans & lentils; they add value to probiotics. Plus, they are a great source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber!

“This is an education for consumers and so far the reception has been good because digestive health is a big concern,” said Deepa. “Our cereals and snacks are also gluten-free and nut-free, so not only are we removing a lot of the oils and sugars, we’ve eliminated some leading allergens that also cause digestive issues. A cup of sugary or salty cereals or snacks can leave you with a bloated belly and aren’t heart healthy, but with Crunchfuls you don’t lose crunch or flavor, and at the same time you have a good belly, a happy digestion system and are keeping cholesterol in check.”

In just under four years, Deepa’s research and the production of Crunchfuls has landed her company numerous industry accolades. They’ve been named a finalist in the Nutracon 2011 Best New Product category, and the company was nominated for the NutrAward 2011 ‘Best New Product’ in the innovation category. Deepa has also been invited to present at many Bay Area investor forums, such as Keiretsu, Golden Seeds and Harvard Angels. The list goes on and on. Additionally, the company will formally change its name from Pul Foods, Inc. to Crunchfuls, Inc. starting July 1, 2011.

Look for the QR code on Crunchfuls snacks.

It’s an exciting time for Deepa and we’re looking forward to seeing what other innovative and beneficial products she has up her sleeve. (We hear it has something to do with bars, crisps or yogurt toppers…remember that combo of prebiotics & probiotics…yea, she’ll make it easier to get that “good belly” balance going for you.)

Don’t forget this week (June 15-21, 2011) to get your three free bags of Crunchfuls snacks (+ cereal samplers) with your coupon when you spend $30 or more. You’ll get one of each flavor: barbecue, chili lime and tomato basil.

P.S. Each bag of Crunchfuls snacks features a Quick Response code (QR code). Scan the code with your smartphone’s
QR reader app for fun facts, tips and info about Crunchfuls!