It’s the start of the weekend once again! Aside from the proverbial cheers of getting a time-off from work, this is also the time we dine out with friends or simply spend time with the family at home for a hearty meal. Continue reading →

I have loved the Smart C+ beverage since it first came out in the market. In fact, I already blogged about Smart C+ highlighting its Vitamin C content way back in 2011.

Smart C+ Everyday!

Until today, Smart C remains to be my favorite ready-to-drink juice. I like that it is not similar to the usual juices we have in the market nowadays which are just overly-hyped and overly sweet.

A few days ago, we got another surprise from Oishi  emphasizing Smart C+ as a healthy drink to boost the immune system for everyday drinking. It  is also the company’s first venture in the ready-to-drink category.

Slater Young of PBB

“…refreshing way to boost your immune system – Smart C+ Fruit Drink. With 500mg of Vitamin C in every 500ml bottle, you can cope with the daily demands of your life which then makes you unstoppable and ready whenever, wherever.“

They also introduced Slater Young, the latest Pinoy Big Brother Big Winner, as their newest celebrity endorser.

Smart C+

Smart C+ comes in three thirst-quenching flavors – Lemon Squeeze, Orange Crush, and Pomelo Grapefruit – the last one is my favorite!

One 500ml bottle’s 500mg Vitamin C is equivalent to either 11 lemons, 8 oranges, or 4 grapefruits! Vitamin C also enables the body to produce collagen, a protein essential to every cell of the body.

Moreover, Smart C+ contains no added preservatives, zero artificial coloring and zero artificial sweeteners. It also comes in 350 ml PET bottles and soon in 1 liter bottles. How about you, have you tried Smart C+?

They suddenly came and so it was – a package of Oishi snacks and Smart C+ juice drinks that is. 🙂

It came as a surprise and seemingly sent anonymously but obviously from Oishi. 🙂 Perhaps it’s a gesture of gratitude for my write-up on Smart C+ a few months ago.

Baconette Strips from Oishi

I was also glad as the snacks include one of my favorite snacks – Baconette Strips. It’s bacon-flavored but is non-meat. It’s a fitting snack for those observing the Lenten season.

Marty’s Cracklin' Vegetarian Chicharon

Next is the Marty’s Cracklin’ Vegetarian Chicharon. It’s chicharon goodness that is healthy.

And of course, the Smart C+ juice drink which I wrote about before.

Thanks Oishi! It was a delicious surprise!

With a number of ready-to-drink juices around, from tea-based concoctions to natural fruit juices, consumers are faced with a lot of choices like C2 Green Tea, Yin Yang Cooling Tea, Minute Maid Pulpy, and the new Smart C+.

This could be confusing sometimes, but it could also be good since there are more options.

But Smart C+ health drink, a newcomer, focuses on providing one particular aspect – Vitamin C. A box of Smart C+ was sent to our house a few days ago and so I tried it.

Smart C+ Juice Drink

Vitamin C

Mind-breaking school work, stressful jobs, intense sports, late night parties, and the toxins such activities produce is what SmartC wanted to address with its high content of Vitamin C. Just like me who wear multiple hats as a college instructor, online PR consultant, and professional blogger, 24 hours a day is lacking. With a few hours of sleep amidst all that, I certainly need a good dose of Vitamin C. Add to that Smart C+ as well. 🙂

Read the Label

But I’m not the type of person who easily submits to advertisements and gives the nod. Read the label. A quick read reveals its “Vitamin C 320%“. It means that each 500ml bottle contains 500mg of Vitamin C or more than three times the recommended daily allowance (RDA)- I believe that’s more than enough. 🙂

SmartC+: Reading the Label

The Science Behind

We all know that Vitamin C can protect the body and help the immune system recover with the provision of anti-oxidants. But going a little deeper into the biological and chemistry side of things, a low vitamin C in the body means weaker collagen. Collagen provides our cells with strength, flexibility, and resilience to bind tissues, skin, muscles, and other areas. Vitamin C then helps the body to produce and maintain the needed collagen to assist cells recover from it’s daily and usual functions.

Smart C+ Flavors: Lemon Squeeze, Orange Crush, & Pomelo Grapefruit

Other nutrition facts include 110kilo energy calories. Those on a wight-monitoring frenzy would be happy about the zero fat (both saturated and trans fat) content as well. Oishi’s Smart C+ has natural fruit juice and no preservatives added, no artificial coloring, and no artificial sweeteners.

3 Flavors

Smart C+ natural juice drink comes in three flavors: Lemon Squeeze, Orange Crush, and Pomelo Grapefruit. The Lemon Squeeze flavor is indeed on the citrus side. But if you prefer something fruity, choose  the Pomelo Grapefruit flavor. This is also my favorite among the three.

The Orange Crush flavor is somewhere between the two. 🙂 Best when served chilled, the 500ml bottles in the photos are good for two glass servings each. Check out www.keepupwithsmartc.com for more details about Smart C+. They’re also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/oishi.smartc.

Check out this Smart C+ TVC video in YouTube:

So don’t just take in the overly-sweet juices just because it tastes delicious. Ask your self if it’s actually beneficial or will it just overload you with sugar. Be ‘smart‘ with what you put in your body, consider and try Smart C+, I did. 🙂

ManilaQ's Corned Beef Pansigang

The Ultimate Taste Test 4.0 was concluded a  few hours ago – May 14 – at the NBC Tent in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

I’m usually slow in publishing my stories taking a few days or more. So, I’m first releasing some of the photos I took earlier in the Ultimate Taste Test 4.0 foodie event organized by Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet and hosted by foodies Ivan Man Dy and Spanky Enriquez.

Marty's Baconette Strips Snack (chichirya)

A lot happened and so much food consumed within the three solid hours of food tasting by more than 1000 foodies being served by about 50 food suppliers.

There’s even a voting / ranking system of the best tasting food in the UTT.

For now, feel free to feast on some photos of the Ultimate Lamon, este, Tasting event:

Main Courses / Entrees

Denim Kitchen

Ultimate taste Test Lechon

The Fruit Garden (leftmost top), Happy Green (Right bottom)

Ultimate Taste Test 4.0 - ManilaQ

Empanada Avenue

Roast DucK Siopao

Desserts:

Chocolate Moist Cake

Purple Dough Desserts

Frozen Meringue by Tina Raines

Divinr Drsserts (Leftmost Top ); Dulceline Gourmets (Leftmost Bottom); Monterey (Upper Right)

Kraze Kitch Bakeshop

Ultimate Taste Test Desserts (I forgot the dessert place name) 🙂

More Brands

ManilaQ, Crave Burger, Muscovy, Swirls

The People / Crowd

Mombloggers (upper left); Performers (lower left); Bobby Yan (lower right)

Arpee Lazaro of Aqua Health Alkaline Water

Ella Ganda's Liempo (upper left); college orgmates (upper center); Crave Burger (upper right)

Ivan Man Dy of Old Manila Walks (night's host with Spanky Enriquez)

Ultimate Taste Test 4.0

The stories behind the photos and my recommendations of the Ultimate Taste Test 4 will follow in a few days so visit this blog again to check out which servings made it to NomNom‘s top list. 🙂