Pinkberry vs. Red Mango

Posted on January 30, 2010 by kymarie13

In New York it is very common to find a Pinkberry right across the street from a Red Mango. With a product that is almost identical, even down to the flavors, I have always wondered what the difference was. So I decided to find out.

Pinkberry was founded by Shelly Hwang, a restaurateur, and Young Lee, a Parsons-trained designer in 2005 in Southern California. Red Mango was founded by Daniel Kim, a former investment banker, in 2002 in South Korea. Red Mango finally came to the States in 2007.

The biggest difference between the two is the ingredients. In 2007 a law suit was filed against Pinkberry because it did not meet the “California Department of Food and Agriculture’s definition of frozen yogurt because it does not contain the necessary amount of bacterial cultures per ounce.” In 2008 Pinkberry changed their recipe and recieved the Live and Active Cultures Seal from the National Yogurt Association. What are Live and Active Cultures? These are probiotics which are friendly bacteria similar to those that live in our digestive systems.

Pinkberry contains 23 ingredients which includes three kinds of sugar: sucrose, fructose and dextrose and artificial flavors and colors. Red Mango only contains 14 ingredients which does NOT include fructose or any artificial flavors and colors and their first ingredient is water (Ingredients are listed by weight). Red Mango is also the only frozen yogurt place that is “100% all natural, nonfat, kosher and gluten-free frozen yogurt fortified with Ganeden BC30 TM, a natural probiotic that helps support a healthy immune system.” Calories and sugar are about the same for Pinkberry and Red Mango but watch out, the serving size is 1/2 cup and a Pinkberry small is 1.5 servings and Red Mango is 1.2 servings.

I decided to visit each and try out each of the flavors. When I went to Pinkberry I took my cousin and had to take a picture :) . Pinkberry offers original, pomegranate, coconut, and chocolate. Red Mango offers original, pomegranate, tangomonium, and coco. Here is what I thought:

  • Red Mango’s original was more smoother but is very icy. Pinkberry’s original is very tangy.
  • Red Mango’s and Pinkberry’s pomergranate are very similar but Red Mango makes theirs with POM Wonderful® 100% Pomegranate Juice Concentrate.
  • Pinkberry’s chocolate is really good and tastes like chocolate ice cream, Red Mango’s coco is not as good and does not taste very chocolately.
  • Red Mango’s Tangomonium is very sweet, it has a unique flavor that is hard to describe. Not my favorite but not bad.
  • Pinkberry’s coconut is very sweet and tastes like coconut, not much else to say. Not a favorite.

My favorite flavor at both places would have to be Pomegranate. As for prices they vary a little bit, a small at Pinkerry is $2.50 and for about a dollar more you can get unlimited toppings. A small at Red Mango is $2.95 and for $1.50 more you can get three toppings.

So my recommendation is if you are concerned with ingredients and it being all natural go to Red Mango. But other than that go for the one that tastes better to you. Both Pinkberry and Red Mango have “the Live and Active Cultures seal of the National Yogurt Association, certifying that their frozen yogurt contains at least 10 million live cultures per gram at the time of manufacture.” As for my favorite I don’t have a preference.

Filed under: Nutrition/Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

The Book Everyone Should Have

Posted on January 30, 2010 by kymarie13

So I am very excited, I just bought 5 books that I am going to read and review for you but I found one book that everyone needs to have. Food Rules: An Eaters Manual by Michael Pollan should be in everyone’s library.

Michael Pollan “is the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, winner of the James Beard Award, and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which was named one of the ten best books of the year by both the New York Times and the Washington Post. A young readers versionThe Omnivore’s Dilemma: the Secrets Behind What You Eat. He is contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine, Pollan is the recipient of numerous journalistic awards, including the James Beard Award for best magazine series in 2003 and the Reuters-I.U.C.N. 2000 Global Award for Environmental Journalism. Pollan served for many years as executive editor of Harper’s Magazine and is now the Knight Professor of Science and Environmental Journalism at UC Berkeley.“

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual is a very small book that would fit in a purse and is about 140 pages. On Amazon you can buy it for only $5.00. I read it last night and it took me about 40 minutes to read. It is an extremely easy read with a lot of amazing information. The idea behind Food Rules is a collection of Food Rules that Michael has learned through his research and also rules that were submitted to his blog. If you wanted to lose weight and feel healthier all you would have to do is follow the rules of this book. Will you be able to do it, it is possible but it would be hard. We are surrounded by so many amazing food choices and restaurants, we are crunched for time, and we are multi-taskers. These thing will make it hard. So I don’t think it will be possible to follow all these rules to a “T” but if you started incorporating some of them into your lifestyle and made little changes each day you will see a difference and you will feel better. This book is very simplistic and is a great read for anyone. You will learn a lot of great information. So if you are thinking about buying any diet books, buy this one first it is only $5.00! Below are some of the rules you will read in the book:

  • 54. Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, Dinner like a Pauper.
  • 36. Don’t Eat Breakfast Cereals that change the color of the Milk.
  • 20. It is not food if it arrived through the window of your car
  • 17. Eat only foods that have been cooked by humans.
  • 12. Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle.
  • 1. Eat Food.

Filed under: Books | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Review: Bootcamp at 360Fit

Posted on January 30, 2010 by kymarie13

I think I am still out of breath! I had read about a Bootcamp class on Fitness NYC and I thought I would give it a try. I have never taken a Bootcamp class and this morning the owner of 360Fit was holding a fundraiser for Haiti, so what a perfect time to try.

360Fit is located on 43rd street and 3rd Avenue. Right by Grand Central Station. 360Fit is founded by Shanna Farrar. Shanna Farrar is “certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant (LWMC) and Personal Trainer (CPT). Additionally, she is certified through The Sports Club/LA as a Pre/Post Natal and Integrated Flexibility Specialist and has earned her AED/CPR certifications from the American Red Cross.”

360Fit is a small studio. Shanna Farrar teaches all of her classes and there are about 6 students per class. I loved the studio, it was very clean and had all the equipment you need. Shanna was very nice and welcoming, I was the first to the class and she didn’t make me feel awkward at all. She answered all my questions and got to know my fitness level. There was a total of five people in my class including me. Three of which had taken the class and one other that had never taken her class. It felt like it was a semi private session.

In the class you use resistance bands, 4 pound core balls, gliders, and free weights. The class started off with the resistance bands doing a series of different lunges then we moved into push ups. So far I was doing pretty good but I could feel my legs start to shake from my Core Fusion classes. After the resistance bands we moved to a series with the core ball and then we moved onto… THE STAIRS. The stairs was my “ah ha” moment, she told us to go to the 19th floor (note we are on the 11th floor) so eight flights later and carrying the ball over your head, I was not doing so well. I was the youngest in the class and I had to stop! I had never felt so out of shape. I finally made it back down and immediately we went into an ab series. I did well there, I could tell my core was a lot strong from all the Core Fusion classes. After abs we used gliders which you use to do “v-ups” and mountain climbers, they allow your feet to glide across the floor which activates your core much more. I was starting to feel more conformable again until she told be to go to the 20th floor. I am sure the look on my face was pure terror. I am happy to say I made it all the way up to the 20th floor and back down (I may have been the last to get back but I finished). The class from there on out was not bad and even though the dreaded stairs scared me I really enjoyed the class.

I loved that Shanna teaches all of her classes, I love that it is like a semi private class, and everyone I was in the class with was very supportive. Right now she has buy one class get one free so I got a pass to go back. After I try to workout on the stairs at my apartment building I will definitely be going back, it was a great class. If you have never tried a Bootcamp this would be a fun class to try, just take it at your own pace and prepare yourself for the stairs.

Her classes are $25.00 each and she offers class packages. She also offers a Glide, Extreme Core Cardio, and a Full Body Definition class. Bootcamp is only offered on Saturday and when the weather is nice she does her Bootcamp in Central Park instead of the studio. I can’t wait to try a Bootcamp class in the Park!

Filed under: Workouts | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

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    Hello! My name is Kristine and I live and work in New York City. Since I have been here I have realized how hard it is to maintain a healthy balance while living in the City. Work starts to consume your life and you can get lost in everything around you.

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