By Heather Posey
Staff Writer
There’s a new nutrition bar out there and it’s making its debut at three local It’s A Grind locations. Whether as a snack to go with one’s coffee or tea, or as a healthy solution to a much needed energy boost, local Long Beach resident Linda Ikeda has got what she believes is a great “jumpstart” to anyone’s day.
Dissatisfied with the tastes of most energy bars, former nurse and current graphic designer and artist Ikeda developed a nutrition bar for her own consumption.
“About 10 years ago, I started getting sick and was diagnosed with lupus. After I did some research, I found out that wheat was bad for me,” she said. “I couldn’t find anything that I liked, so I just decided to make my own snacks.”
Now, after more than a year of research, Ikeda has branched out her creation with the community and decided to make Jumpstart Bodyfuel nutrition bars. The bars offer an anytime healthy indulgence to snacks and baked goods that mostly lack beneficial nutrients.
“I wanted to share it with those who want to change the way they eat,” said Ikeda. “Most go for things like cookies if they want a snack. [But now they can] go for a bar and some fruit.”
Made from ingredients such as organic oats and apple sauce, Jumpstart doesn’t use any wheat or egg products. Its two brands, “Cranberry The Bar” and “Raisin The Bar” are cholesterol free, have zero trans fat and are sweetened with molasses and raw cane sugar. Both bars are also less than 150 calories for each 2-ounce bar.
“It doesn’t even seem like a bar,” said nutritionist Carol Sloan. “It almost looks like a baked good.”
“They hold just the natural basics that Mother Nature intended for people to consume without all the chemicals and preservatives that are in so many of the other energy bars currently on the market,” Ikeda said.
The all-natural, no-preservative bars are now available at It’s A Grind coffeehouses in Bixby Knolls, downtown and east Long Beach. The product seemed to come at the perfect time, according to company store operations director Jerry Cox.
“I was already searching for a grab-and-go item that we could offer as a healthier snack alternative when Linda contacted me,” said Cox. “I was impressed with the list of ingredients and great taste of the bars right away. I thought they had potential to be a product that customers could get excited about and that this was someone It’s A Grind wanted to do business with.”
Ikeda is currently developing a Web site for Jumpstart, where she can share her insights on health and personal well-being. She is also working on new flavors for her bars as well as distributing her products in local spas and fitness centers.
Jumpstart Bodyfuel nutrition bars can be found at these It’s A Grind locations: 5933 East Spring Street in Long Beach, 4245 Atlantic Avenue in Bixby Knolls and 247 Pine Avenue in downtown Long Beach.
