(NAPSA)—Whether heading from one office meeting to the next or taking a lengthy road trip, health-conscious individuals who are constantly on the move often resort to junk food for its sheer convenience. With every checkout aisle and vending machine riddled with chips and candy, the options for alternatives are often few and far between. Fortunately, one of the latest trends benefiting on-the-go snack- om ers is the resurgence of trail mix. Why now? With the heightened awareness of the health benefits of nuts, which contain mostly heart-healthy unsaturated fats, plus the quest for trans fat-free food and the wider array of savory and sweet ingredients for manufacturers to choose from, theclimate is just right. As a result, what was once relegated to the rural camping and hiking communities is now making a play to be part of the accelerated lifestyle of the latte and laptop crowd. Leading the pack is Diamond Foods’ Emerald brand with its lineup of flavor-first trail mixes. Adding a new twist to the old formula, all three of Emerald’s new trail mixes contain granola— which, surprisingly, has not been used in many trail mix items— and also include the company’s proprietary glazed nuts. In addition, the mixes themselves each have unique touches that set them apart, such as Emerald Breakfast Blend Trail Mix, which includes crunchy apple cinnamon-glazed walnuts and almonds, dried Deskside dining and on-the-go eating can include healthful snackslike trail mix. apples and cranberries; Emerald Tropical Blend Trail Mix with its sweet and crunchy glazed walnuts and natural cashews, dried mango and pineapple, banana chips and shaved coconut; and Emerald Berry Blend Trail Mix that contains sweet and crunchy glazed walnuts, roasted peanuts, yogurt, raisins, dried blueberries, cranberries and strawberries. Because nuts are a great source of antioxidants and, like fruits, are nature’s perfect fuel food, it was only a matter of time before trail mix made the transition from backpacks to board rooms.
