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Living in Colorado we are blessed with many artisan products in all lifestyle realms. That is exactly what the holiday market at Mountain Soul Yoga in Edwards featured this winter: an array of artisan products that included apparel, books and even food. This is the exact day I was introduced to CARLbar and their amazing products.   

At first, I stopped by to satiate my hunger. Then I found myself extremely interested in Carly Davis’ superfood creation. Not only is it a superfood, but it is infused with CBD. Carly is a very passionate entrepreneur and has a strong “why” behind the creation of CARLbar and its products.   

I was able to sit down and ask Carly a few questions.  

Why did you create CARLbar?

While recovering from a knee injury, I was carefully following the anti-inflammatory diet and spending countless hours reading and doing research for my own benefit. It dawned on me that these nutritional  properties aren’t just beneficial for someone trying to rid themselves of chronic inflammation, but for anyone and everyone! During this time, I was obsessive about drinking my daily green smoothie that I packed full of spinach, sweet potato, berries and turmeric. One day, I wasn’t able to make my smoothie and struggled to find any substantial  snack that I could take on-the-go and actually wanted to put into my body. Hence, the creation of CARLbars and CARLbites!

What are some its wellness benefits?  

CARLbar contains no added sugar, syrups or sweeteners, including the popular zero calorie natural sweeteners such as Stevia and Monk Fruit. They are gluten free, vegan, nut free, soy free, dairy free, non GMO and made with organic ingredients. They are packed full with brown rice, spinach, sweet potato, anti-inflammatory fruits such as pineapple and tart cherries, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds! In order to keep sugar low, I don’t use dates as a binding agent. Instead, I use prebiotic tapioca fiber and sunflower seed butter. This gives the bar a large amount of fiber as well. There are no preservatives but it still maintains a nine-month shelf life unopened!

You use a whole-spectrum turmeric — can you explain what whole-spectrum is and why it is a superior product?  

Whole-spectrum turmeric uses the whole turmeric root. The powder I use is a combination of turmeric, curcuminoids and turmerones, creating a whole spectrum. Curcuminoids are the properties that give turmeric its suggested anti-inflammatory benefits. Turmerones are a fat-soluble property found naturally within the turmeric root. This is essential because turmeric itself is hydrophobic. It needs to bind to a fat-soluble source in order for the body to absorb it. Turmerones allow for a bioavailability up to 300 times more than the popular combination of turmeric with black pepper would allow. Each bar contains 240mg of whole spectrum turmeric and each bite contains 35mg!

With a lot of CBD products on the market today, how does a consumer know what they are buying? Why did you choose the specific CBD you use?

CBD is a very confusing topic at the moment, and one of the main reasons for that is because it can be derived from two different species of cannabis: hemp and marijuana. The main difference is that marijuana-derived CBD has levels of THC (the cannabinoid that gets you high) above .3 percent, whereas hemp-derived CBD has THC levels below .3 percent. You will not get high by consuming hemp-derived CBD, nor will it show up on drug tests.

Within hemp-derived CBD there are two different types: full-spectrum and isolate. A full-spectrum is an extraction of the entire hemp flower, whereas isolate is an extraction of pure CBD. The difference is that a full-spectrum will have trace amounts of THC (still under .3 percent) and other cannabinoids, whereas an isolate is 100 perecent CBD.

CARLbar uses a CBD isolate so that it does not contain any trace amounts of THC, does not have a “hempy” flavor and can provide a better shelf life. The CBD comes from a sustainable-friendly hemp farm in Pueblo called Shi Farms. To give people a further peace of mind, I have added a QR code on the back of each bar and bag of bites that will tell you the exact batch the CBD came from and its lab results.

What makes your products a superfood? There are no added sugars, sweeteners or dates — how are they so delicious?  

CARLbar is made with organic ingredients that have been considered “superfoods” due to their high density of health benefits to food ratio. These ingredients include: spinach, sweet potato, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pineapple, apple, tart cherries, acerola, cacao and turmeric.

CARLbars are sweetened simply with organic fruit pieces and organic natural flavors. Excess sugar in the body leads to chronic inflammation which can be the enemy in a lot of health conditions. Added sugars are in approximately 75 percent of everything we find at a grocery store and should not exceed 5 percent of your daily caloric intake. Although natural sweeteners such as Stevia and Monk Fruit are zero calorie, they still trick the brain into thinking it’s eating something with a lot of sugar and therefore still releases a surge of insulin into the blood stream. Because CARLbar does not use these, they are a healthy option for diabetics as well! By eating less sugar your taste buds can actually adapt to preferring less sugar. Try eliminating sugar in your diet and soon you’ll find that foods and drinks you used to find quite bitter are now quite sweet!

Where can people find  CARLbar  to purchase? 

CARLbars and CARLbites can be found in multiple locations in Summit County including Cool River Coffee House, The Crown, Mom’s Baking Co., Breckenridge Mountain Massage and Mountain River Naturopathic. They can be found in Eagle County at Hovey & Harrison and Village Bagel. You can also order them online at  www.bodyaidbars.com. I ship all across the U.S. and to certain countries as well!

Bobby L’Heureux is the co-owner and Director of Partnerships for CO YOGA + Life™ Magazine. At the heart of his work, Bobby thrives on community and connection. He lives in the Vail Valley where he teaches yoga and runs Big Heart Big Hands, a non-profit that supports mountain safety and awareness. He is an ambassador for Lululemon Athletica Vail, and his yoga classes are always led with a big smile and a relaxed demeanor. www.bigheartbighands.org