Do you enjoy mushrooms? I do. I love all different types of mushrooms, cooked in different ways (sauteed with a little butter and garlic – YUM!). I eat some types of mushrooms raw on my salad too.
I’ve known for many, many years that mushrooms have health benefits, but I never really gave it much thought. I just love how they taste. Even as a child I loved mushrooms.
My husband and children will not even entertain the thought of eating a mushroom. They won’t even attempt to try one. I keep telling them that if they tried eating mushrooms once or twice, they might enjoy them. After all, my husband never liked Chinese food until he gave it a try (now he loves it) and my kids didn’t like shrimp and salmon until they finally gave it a try, now that is all they want to eat when we go to dinner at restaurants (of course we wish they would opt for an inexpensive burger over the pricey salmon).
My husband always refers to them an “fungi” (which they are) and how they grow in the shade of trees, and how “gross” that is. He thinks that is gross.
Mushrooms have many health benefits, depending on the mushroom. Some can promote energy, promote better sleep, support heart health, aid in digestion and boost your immune system. Some mushrooms are considered “functional mushrooms,” which mean they have even more health benefits than your average mushroom.
If you don’t like the taste of mushrooms, it’s hard to reap their health benefits. Thankfully there are ways you can get the benefits of mushrooms without having to deal with the taste and texture (if you are not a fan of either).
The brand UMBO is transforming the way people view mushrooms and how they are consumed with their potent functional mushroom supplements and foods that fuel focus, endurance and sleep!
Their products are made with 100% certified organic mushrooms, acting as adaptogens to help the body adapt to stress and to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes, they are the perfect addition to your diet.
UMBO has different ways to consume functional mushrooms. You can take them in the form of vegan capsules, or you can enjoy them as a granola-like bar.
UMBO’s Functional Mushroom Bars contain 2,500mg of five functional mushrooms for that extra boost of energy to keep you going throughout the day. The rich flavors of pure honey, California walnuts, golden pecans, and toasty sunflower kernels add a satisfying crunch and naturally sweet finish.
I was sent some of UMBO’s Functional Mushroom Bars to try out for myself. They are available in a box of 12 bars.
Here is the nutritional information about these bars.
These bars are PACKED with different mushrooms which provide different benefits.
Lion’s Mane
The king of the mushroom jungle. An adaptogen, this fluffy, globe-shaped fungi helps with sleep cycles after dark and focus and creativity during the day.
Cordyceps Militaris
This powerhouse mushroom energizes at a cellular level, giving you that extra boost without the crash or jitters of stimulants.
Reishi
A first-round pick for immunity. This potent mushroom strengthens the immune system, alleviates stress, and supports healthy sleep.
Turkey Tail
Trust your gut. Gut health is where this phenol and flavonoid-rich polypore does some of its best work by improving overall flora.
Shiitake
A little food for thought. This powerful brain booster has high concentrations of B vitamins and folate (aka energy makers) that sharpen mental clarity and cognitive performance.
Pure Honey (Not a mushroom, but does have health benefits)
Four generations of love and care go into every drop of the antioxidant-rich honey we use; responsibly sourced by Colorado’s oldest honey company.
But how do they taste?
To be honest, the first time I tried one of the bars I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not. There is a bit of a “Earthiness” to them. With the pecans and sunflowers, as well as the honey, I was expecting more along the lines of the kind of energy-like bars you buy in the local grocery store. That is not the case. These bars as not as sweet, which is fine. But I think they might be an acquired taste for some.
These DO NOT taste like mushrooms! So for all you non-mushroom eaters because you don’t like how they taste – no worries! These do not resemble the taste of mushrooms in any way. They don’t even look like they have mushrooms in them. If no one told you about the functional mushrooms, you would never guess that these were made with mushrooms (no kidding!).
My daughter tried one of the bars, not knowing what they were made of. She saw them in the pantry and wanted to “grab and go” a little something to hold her over until dinner time. The first thing she said to me was “Are these healthy bars?” I asked her why she thought that and she replied “Because I have a feeling they are. They taste like they are healthy.”
I’m not 100% sure what she meant by that comment, but I guess that goes along with what I said, they might be an acquired taste for some.
I tried a second bar. Then a third. They started to grow on me. Now I enjoy them.
If you are looking for a traditional energy-like bar, like the kind you get in the store that are sweet and filled with things like berries and chocolate chips, these might not be for you. If you are looking for a “better for you” snack idea, or you want to reap the benefits of functional mushrooms without having to purchase and prepare different mushrooms, or the need to swallow capsules, then you’ll want to check these bars out.
As far as the benefits, it was hard to tell with just eating a few bars. Knowing that I am consuming the functional mushrooms, and that they have health benefits, is enough for me. It’s better than eating something high in fat and calories with no benefits whatsoever.
If you are interested in learning more about UMBO, visit GetUMBO.com. You can also find the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Those links are found on the bottom of the brand’s website.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.