Tasty little chocolates
This is a bag of chocolate sweets, each containing a bit of BC30 probiotics. BC30 is short for GanedenBC30® (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086), a patented strain of Bacillus bacteria. The bacteria forms endospores, giving the spores a tough outer shell that can survive extreme conditions. This is the basis for the claim that the probiotics in this product survive stomach acids better than many other forms of probiotics. Other ingredients in the product are: dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), maltodextrin, soybean oil, confectioner's glaze (shellac, coconut and canola oil), acacia gum, and corn syrup; thus, this product should not be consumed by people with soy allergies or gum sensitivities. According to the package, one nugget constitutes one serving, and contains 30 calories, with 1.5 g fat, 2 g sugar, and 0.36 mg iron. The package is a foil bag that includes a plastic zip for reclosure (the plastic zip on my bag malfunctioned from the start).<br /><br />I was quite impressed with the taste of these little chocolate nuggets. If you let them melt in your mouth, they compare to middle-of-the-road chocolate truffles, such as Lindt. There is certainly no indication from the flavor that this is supposed to be a nutraceutical. I tried taking one a day for a month. I didn't notice any differences in my digestive tract or immune system during the month. But then, I also eat a bowl of natto (fermented soy) every day, which contains additional probiotics. What I did notice when I first started taking these chocolate nuggets was chocolate-indigestion after each dose. I'm sensitive to dark chocolate, which tends to give me gastroparesis if the chocolate is strong enough. So yes, there is plenty of actual chocolate in these nuggets. Fortunately, after about a week, my belly adjusted to the daily dose of dark chocolate, and I was able to eat the rest of the nuggets without problems. In any case, if chocolate tends to give you indigestion, gastric reflux, or gastroparesis, this is not the right probiotic product for you. Also, if you have control issues--if you open a bag of chocolates or cookies and can't stop eating until the bag is empty, this product is not for you. What's going to happen if you eat the whole bag? Nothing-- GanedenBC30® has been thoroughly tested for safety, but at $0.52 and 30 calories per nugget, you're going to wish you hadn't brought them into the house. Better to stick to another probiotic formulation that is easier to take just one of.<br /><br />Overall, this is an easy way to incorporate probiotics into your daily routine. Just be aware that these nuggets contain real dark chocolate, and may be habit forming.
Rating: 4 stars