Best New Healthy products in Israel: The New Quinoa

I spend a lot of time in the grocery store. It’s true. I dislike shopping online, I have a family of six and I live in Israel where there is a culture of fresh food and home cooking. I also spend a good portion of time thinking, writing, posting and shopping for food because I am a Holistic Health Coach here in Israel.

One of the questions I get a lot, is what brand do you use? What do you buy? Because you see, us Western Olim are used to brand loyalty. We grew up in Western countries that educated us about the importance of brand and marketing from the time we were old enough to watch TV. Commercials to kids

When we enter the foreign grocery stores of Israel we have no idea what to buy. This can be a blessing. In the video above you will see how we are manipulated into buying a lot of junk food for our families in America  (my home country) and now we can begin with a clean slate. Or can we?

In my workshops, speaking events and one on one consultations, I have seen so many Olim who just buy food as they did in America, whatever looks good on the package. This adds up in cost since manufactured products are more expensive than fresh here in Israel; and in medical costs that result from unhealthy choices.

Quinoa has come on the market as a trending healthy food that is taking over Pinterest. I dare you to find a recipe for something that can not be made with Quinoa on Pinterest.  Here in Israel Quinoa is 20 NIS a bag.

photo courtesy Lily Aronin

So we buy it since we want to eat healthy and that is what the online marketing campaign is telling us to do. What if I told you, that in any Israeli supermarket their is a product that is as healthy as Quinoa but half the price?

Millet. Millet or דוחן   in hebrew does not have a sexy ad campaign yet, but it costs the same as white rice 7-10 NIS a bag and has all the same health goodies as Quinoa.

This Amazing superfood comes from India and Africa, specifically Ethiopia. So you can feel very multi-cultural Israeli when eating it.

Millet Super Food super powers:

Helps to prevent Childhood asthma

Lower cholesterol

Lower blood sugar

High in Fiber

Gluten Free

Complete amino acids like Quinoa

Eat responsibly ! No one food is good to eat every day in great quantities. Try subbing Quinoa for Millet and save enough money for an unhealthy iced coffee this summer.

For recipes and ideas on how to cook Millet, check out one of my favorite cooking sites, The Kitchn.com.

For more shopping tips and my favorite Israeli products, keep following me here and let me know what products you are interested in from my shopping cart in the comments below.