The Kashi Corporation makes natural cereals, snack bars, crackers, cookies, protein shakes, and frozen meals. The company began in 1983 in La Jolla, Calif., to produce foods without refined sugar and by using minimal processing and a unique blend of seven grains and sesame. Kashi now has 12 kinds of hot and cold cereals, with some directed toward heart health and weight management. Athletes and dieters are prime consumers of Kashi’s high-fiber, high-protein shakes and snack bars.
Kashi is one of the few food companies that allow its products to be scientifically tested for weight control effectiveness within peer-reviewed journals. Studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the International Journal of Obesity, and several presented at the American College of Nutrition Annual Meetings compared the weight loss and health measures of people who went on a Kashi meal replacement diet to those on conventional low-calorie regimes. The Kashi group lost more weight. In one study, the difference was 16 pounds compared to 13; in another, the Kashi group lost 7 to 8 percent of their body weight compared to 3 to 7 percent in the control group. The Kashi diet also resulted in better reductions of blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Created:
1983
Categories:
Fad
Website:
Meetings:
No
Books:
No
Sample Menu:
To its credit, the Kashi Corporation does not advertise a meal replacement diet on its website. However, the Kashi Diet is available all over the Internet in several versions:
Version 1
BREAKFAST – Bowl of Kashi GoLEAN cereal (one cup has 110 to 200 calories, depending on the type), one cup skim milk, and one fruit (banana, apple, or pear)
LUNCH – Bowl of Kashi GoLEAN cereal, one cup skim milk, and one fruit (banana, apple, or pear)
DINNER – 3 oz. lean meat, one cup steamed vegetables, and green salad without dressing
Version 2
BREAKFAST – Kashi GoLEAN Crunch (one cup equals 200 calories) or regular Kashi GoLEAN cereal (one cup equals 140 calories) with one cup soy or skim milk
SNACK – One Kashi health bar in any of the five flavors (120 to 180 calories)
LUNCH – Either a GoLEAN powdered shake or a GoLEAN ready-to-drink shake (220 calories)
SNACK – One Kashi health bar in any of the five flavors
DINNER – A small healthy meal of your choice or use one of Kashi’s frozen entrees such as Black Bean Mango, Pesto Pasta Primavera, or Lemongrass Coconut Chicken (350-400 calories per serving)
SNACK – Some versions allow another Kashi health bar after dinner