D’Vida Pre-made Smoothies: Review and Giveaway!

 

 The D’Vida Corporation was founded in 2008 by owner Mark Kozhin, and opened its first Health Bar location in NYC in 2010. In their Health Bars, the D’Vida Corporation offers customers a truly unique experience, where healthy foods are available as “grab and go” products. D’Vida’s mission is to not only provide healthy food in a comfortable, inviting atmosphere, but also to provide excellent customer service, through face-to-face interaction with nutritionists. Customers will enjoy personalized menus and nutritional requirements that will help them take the steps they need to enjoy a healthier lifestyle. D’Vida, in Latin, stands for “for life”; D’Vida follows this slogan by offering high-quality, highly nutritional foods that will increase vitality, energy, and longevity.

What kinds of food and beverages can you find at a D’Vida Health Bar?

  You will find frozen yogurt filled with probiotics to enhance your digestive system. There are healthy baked goods and shakes which are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You will find your favorite coffee and tea beverages, but with the option of natural flavor shots or super food shots. D’Vida has a large smoothie and juice selection, with any of the following flavor combinations: Apple, carrot, cucumber, orange, pear, ginger, spinach, kale, celery, parsley, beet, or lemon. Certain combinations can help boost immunity, clear your skin, help with digestive health, or even give you an energy boost early in the morning.

D’Vida Health Bar currently has two locations, both in NYC: 11 Madison Ave (24th and Madison) and 357 West 49th Street (between 8th and 9th Ave). If you are NOT living in NYC, like me, not to fear! D’Vida makes some awesome pre-made smoothies which can be shipped right to your house.

I was lucky enough to receive all four varieties of D’Vida’s Pre-made Smoothies for the purpose of this review: 

• VidaPUMP (Banana and Peanut Butter)
• VidaGREEN (Cucumber, Kale, Green Apple, and Spinach)
• VidaBOOST (Pineapple and Coconut)
• VidaSLIM (Strawberry and Banana)

Each D’Vida Pre-made Smoothie is made with all natural ingredients, as well as real fruits and vegetables. They are GMO and gluten free, with a low glycemic base. D’Vida Pre-made Smoothies are packed with fiber and protein. In general, they make a great supplement for breakfast or lunch, or a snack on the go! They are good pre and post-workout, and are a nice alternative for anyone that wants something sweet but wants to remain healthy while doing so.

They are super easy to make in any blender! All you have to do to create a smoothie between 16-20 oz is to add one D’Vida Smoothie packet, 6oz of cold water, and 8oz of crushed ice. Then, just blend for 30 seconds. It’s as easy as that!

The VidaPUMP (Banana and Peanut Butter) Smoothie is great when you need a burst of energy, especially before or after an intense workout. The Bananas are rich in protein and provide energy, while keeping your cardiovascular system, nervous system, and bones in check. The low-fat peanut butter used in this smoothie is loaded with potassium and helps your body with repairs. The whey protein included in this smoothie also helps with the recovery of your muscles.

The VidaPUMP Smoothie has, per 64g package, 240 calories, 8g of fat, 30mg of cholesterol, 87mg of sodium, 33g of carbs, and 20g of protein. It contains the following ingredients:

Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Low (Fructose, Lactose Monohydrate, Sucrose), Sunflower Oil Powder (Sunflower Oil, Inulin, Sodium Caseinate, Mono and Di-Glycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherols), Peanut Butter Powder, Freeze Dried Banana Powder, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Cellulose Gum, and Rebaudioside-A (Stevia)

 The VidaGREEN (Cucumber, Kale, Green Apple, and Spinach) Smoothie can help you feel better from the inside out. The Cucumbers help provide you with radiant skin. Green Apples help regulate blood sugar and are full of antioxidants. Spinach and kale have vitamins and minerals that help with immune system support and bone health.

The VidaGREEN Smoothie has, per 40g package, 130 calories, 5g of fat, 0mg of cholesterol, 77mg of sodium, 29g of carbs, and 3g of protein. It contains the following ingredients:

 Whey Low (Fructose, Lactose Monohydrate, Sucrose), Sunflower Oil Powder (Sunflower Oil, Inulin, Sodium Caseinate, Mono and Di-Glycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherols), Freeze-Dried Apple Powder, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Freeze-Dried Organic Kale Powder, Freeze Dried Spinach Powder, Freeze Dried Cucumber Powder, Cellulose Gum, and Rebaudioside-A (Stevia)

 The VidaBOOST (Pineapple and Coconut) Smoothie is great for when you really need to bring your A-game, whether it be for work, school, or even hobbies. The pineapples in this smoothie have vitamins and minerals that help boost energy and immune system support. The coconut in this smoothie helps with digestion and energy. Whey Protein can aid in muscle recovery and growth.

The VidaBOOST Smoothie has, per 65g package, 260 calories, 13g of fat, 30mg of cholesterol, 84mg of sodium, 33g of carbs, and 15g of protein. It contains the following ingredients:

Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Low (Fructose, Lactose Monohydrate, Sucrose), Sunflower Oil Powder (Sunflower Oil, Inulin, Sodium Caseinate, Mono and Di-Glycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherols), Shredded Coconut, Freeze Dried Pineapple Powder, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Multivitamin Premix (d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, biotin, folic acid, niacinamide, calcium d-pantothenate, riboflavin, thiamin HCL, cyanocobalamin, pyridoxine HCL, ascorbic acid, chromium chloride, ferrous sulfate, magnesium chloride, sodium molybdate, sodium selenate, zinc sulfate, maltodextrin), Cellulose Gum, and Rebaudioside-A (Stevia)

The VidaSLIM (Strawberry and Banana) Smoothie is great for helping burn fat and hastening your weight loss journey. The bananas in this smoothie help boost your energy while also aiding in nervous system, cardiovascular system and bone health. The strawberries in this smoothie help with skin health, aging, and cognition, as well as providing a great source of fiber, calcium, and potassium.

The VidaSLIM Smoothie has, per 44.05g package, 140 calories, 5g of fat, 0mg of cholesterol, 65mg of sodium, 32g of carbs, and 3g of protein. It contains the following ingredients:

Whey Low (Fructose, Lactose Monohydrate, Sucrose), Sunflower Oil Powder (Sunflower Oil, Inulin, Sodium Caseinate, Mono and Di-Glycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherols), Freeze Dried Banana Powder, Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Fat Trim Blend Powder (d-alpha tocopheryl acetate, niacinamide, calcium d-pantothenate, ascorbic acid, chromium chloride, acetyl L-carnitine HCL, acai powder extract, coenzyme Q10, green coffee bean extract, green tea extract, guarana, hoodie hordoni cactus 20:1 extract, irvingia gabonenese, yerba mate, maltodextrin), Cellulose Gum, and Rebaudioside-A (Stevia)

You can purchase the D’Vida Pre-Made Smoothies at a Health Bar in NYC, or online from Amazon, here. The D’Vida Pre-made Smoothies come in boxes of seven individual packets, and range from $31.99 – $34.99 per box. If you are an Amazon Prime member, shipping will be free. D’Vida offers a lot of promotions, so make sure to check out Amazon before ordering to save!

I contacted D’Vida because I had heard so many good things about their Pre-made smoothies, as well as their health bars in NYC. I went to college near NYC, but unfortunately I did not find out about this company until after graduation, and I am now living in Southern Maine. I hope that their business will expand into other states, because I would love to have one of their health bars around the corner! I will be making a trip back to NYC soon to visit some college friends, so finding a D’Vida location is on my list of things-to-do once I get there. Obviously, I was very pleased with D’Vida’s line of Pre-made smoothies. Smoothies that you make you make at home can be very hit or miss, but these were all hit. My boyfriend helped me taste test each variety. His favorite was the VidaPUMP, which had a very rich, peanut butter and banana flavor. We both agreed that VidaPUMP would be the perfect drink before or after a workout, or in the morning before enduring a long day of class or work. He wants to buy VidaPUMP in the future, as we are both getting back into working out.

My personal favorite was the VidaBOOST, in terms of taste, but the VidaSLIM was a close second. I could really see myself bringing VidaBOOST to class in my new bottles to help keep me awake and focused during long hours of classes. It had an awesome “tropical” taste and was definitely gone the quickest! I have always been a sucker for anything strawberry and banana, also, so it was no surprise that VidaSLIM piqued my interest and my taste buds. I couldn’t believe how low-calorie this drink was — it is something that I could DEFINITELY add to my new diet as either a substitute for breakfast/lunch or as a power snack in between meals, to keep me away from other unhealthy choices. This drink really had a great taste and nutritional value for something that helps with weight loss.. much better than Slim Fast or some of those other brands! The VidaGREEN had an interesting blend of fruits and veggies — while it wasn’t really my taste, I could see how people could fall in love with it. My boyfriend stated that he would rather drink VidaGREEN to get his daily dose of vegetables, so there’s a plus!

All-in-all, I thought the D’Vida Pre-made Smoothies had an awesome flavor and were jam-packed with positive nutritional content. I love when I find something that is all-natural, made with real fruits/veggies, AND tastes good…it’s a win/win in my eyes! I felt like the texture of these smoothies was not too thick or too thin, but that could be modified with the amount of cold water you add. I did not get any sort of grainy texture with my smoothies. I love that they are sweetened with Stevia.. this way you get a bit of flavor to make your sweet tooth happy, but you don’t have to worry about artificial sweeteners like Aspartame, which I am currently trying to wean myself from (too much Diet Pepsi!). These smoothies are an excellent snack or meal replacement for anyone — whether you are looking to cut down, build up before a workout, or just to enjoy a healthy and refreshing beverage! This company was awesome to work with, and was very patient with me while I worked through school and a hectic schedule.

Interested in learning more about D’Vida and their products? Check out the links below:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

 One lucky reader will win their very own 4-pack of D’Vida Pre-made Smoothies, courtesy of D’Vida! All you need to do is enter on the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to U.S. readers, 18 and over, unless you have permission from your parents. Please be honest when submitting Rafflecopter entries — remember, I DO check all of your entries for verification, and I will throw them out if they are false. If the form has a spot for you to enter information, please provide me with the appropriate username, link, etc so that it is easier for me to verify your entries! I am not responsible for the shipment of the prize, that is the company’s duty. I will contact the winner via email (so make sure to use one that you check) and you will have 48 hours to respond with your shipping information. If you have any questions or if the Rafflecopter is not working properly, you can always contact me via Facebook or email (links on the sidebar). Good luck!!

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