The 6 Best Plant-Based Products of the Week, From The Editors

Every week there are new, delicious and enticing plant-based products hitting the shelves, from kombucha to ice creams, healthy snacks, and not-so-healthy indulgences. What to buy? If you're trying to eat more plant-based and follow a healthy diet, the choices are endless. (Get ready to fall in love with lupini beans, the highest protein legume on the planet!)

Check out our recommendations for the latest plant-based or vegan products to add to your grocery list or cart this week, from Lucy Danziger, Stephanie McClain, Hailey Welch, Caitlin Mucerino, Max Rabb, and Louisa Richards – aka the editors of The Beet –– since we are living the plant-based life and want to make it easier for you to do it too! Have a great, healthy plant-based week, from our kitchen to yours!

What's your current favorite plant-based product? Let us know on our Facebook page.

Straight from Italy, Lupini Beans could be your diet's secret weapon, with more grams of protein per ounce than chickpeas, almonds, or even the mighty soybean. Lupini beans, a common food in Italy, Spain, and throughout the Mediterranean, have 26 grams of protein per cup. They are also full of fiber, which keeps you feeling satiated long after you eat, and are low in calories and carbs. So why hasn't anyone in America ever heard of them?

Brami, the snack company, is out to change all that. Founded by Aaron Gatti, Brami began as an idea when he spent time in Italy working with relatives and he realized these beans should and could come to America and take the country by storm. Now Brami offers the beans in several flavors and as a hummus-like spread product. But the key to its success is that Brami has taken all the work out of eating lupini beans.

Lupini beans are one of the most nutritious plant foods on the planet, but also one of the most painfully time-intensive to prepare. They require days and days of soaking, rinsing, flavoring with salt to remove the bitter taste – and then you have to squeeze the little pillow-shaped bean out of the thin skin (which is how they are often served as bar food in Spain and other Mediterranean countries). Luckily, Brami has taken all the work off our hands. The snack company with roots in Italy understands that when we want our snacks, we want them now.

Brami's lupini beans are absolutely delicious. The slight hint of bitterness under the salt and vinegar or the garlic and rosemary flavoring reminds you that this isn't a terrible-for-you chip, but has healthy roots that harken back to places you may have visited once on vacation. To me, they are like a reminder of lunch outside after a dip in the salty water of the Amalfi Coast on a beautiful bright summer's day. Other than reminding me of Italy, Brami's beans are going to now be an afternoon staple in my office, to keep me from seeking other unhealthy calories that find their way into our cupboards, thanks to a husband with a penchant for potato chips.

Brami sells lupini beans in ready-to-eat pouches that make it convenient to bring them on the road or camping or hiking or anywhere else you might want to reach for a snack with 4 grams of protein and only 35 calories per serving. Serve these as a snack, take them on a road trip, or share them plated as an elegant offering instead of cheese and crackers or carb-loaded pretzels when guests come over.

Work your way through all the flavors which are familiar to potato chip lovers: Sea Salt & Vinegar, Chili & Lime, Garlic & Rosemary, and Hot Chili Pepper. Order them in the variety pack which has two of each (one for you and one for someone you love a lot.) The Brami lupini bean spread is a great substitute for hummus or avocado on toast or layered on your favorite sandwich.

Buy the Brami beans and the spread here.

These days it's all about appreciating the little things for me, and one of my favorite self-care rituals is treating myself to a GT's Synergy Kombucha after I successfully knock the errands off of my to-do list. When I saw that the shelves of my local market were now filled with bottles of GT's seasonal fall flavor, I couldn't help but grab a few.

While this limited-edition autumnal flavor isn't new for GT, it is just as delightful year after year, because this blend of apple, turmeric, carrot, and fall spices is only around for one season. It reminds of me an apple cider, but this kombucha is loaded with anti-inflammatory benefits and has billions of good-for-your-gut bacteria to help make you healthier.

Although I am a self-proclaimed GT stan, even those without such deep biases can't deny the deliciousness of this flavor– no other kombucha brand matches up in my opinion.

You can find GT's Living in Gratitude Fall Edition Raw Kombucha in most grocery stores. 

Being aware of the nasties in antiperspirants such as aluminum and parabens, I've tried many natural deodorants but never really stuck with them as they fail to do the trick when it comes to feeling fresh. That's until I tried Wild deodorant, which definitely lives up to its promises, and I don't think I'll be swapping it anytime soon.

Wild deodorant is a natural, vegan deodorant that is cruelty-free and sustainable. They don't believe in stopping the natural process of sweating and avoid adding aluminum salts found in most antiperspirants which have been linked to adverse health effects. Instead, they use tapioca starch to absorb perspiration and add delectable natural fragrances such as bergamot, orange zest, and sandalwood. Based on a subscription, you get a starter pack with a reusable case and receive compostable refills as often as you require. It's a great idea to reduce plastic packaging.

Don't think that this natural deodorant will let you down when you need it — I've sweated through enough spin and bodypump classes this week to know it works (and still have gym buddies!). I tried natural cotton and sea salt which applies and dries in seconds and doesn't stain clothes. Some other available options are coconut dreams, mandarin and orange blossom, and rhubarb and raspberry, but they update and add new fragrances often so you can have fun choosing your refills!

Order your Wild Deodorant here.

MadeGood's chocolate banana granola allows you to indulge in sweet, savory tastes without feeling guilty, or sluggish. Each small bite is extremely satisfying and tastes just like a chocolate chip banana cookie minus the calorie and sugar overload. This product is made with organic gluten-free oats, bananas, chocolate chips, vanilla, and vegetable extracts from spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, and shiitake mushrooms. All of the products, not just this one, are allergy-free, gluten-free, and completely vegan – the perfect snack for all kinds of eaters.

I came across these goodies at the airport when I was looking for something chocolatey, vegan, and low-calorie. I'll admit, I could've finished the entire bag on the flight but each ball is satisfying and extremely filling, so just a handful did the trick. I recommend this snack for anyone who loves granola, has a sweet tooth, is conscious about healthy snacking, or has food allergies.

To give MadeGood's chocolate banana granola a try, visit their website.

Lately, whenever I go to make avocado toast or a veggie sandwich, I've been swapping bread for brown rice cakes, specifically Lundberg Family Farms Organic Thin Stackers. This low-calorie swap has made my lunches even more satisfying and leaves me feeling lighter. Lundberg Family Farms Organic Thin Stackers are brown rice thins that are made with only 1 simple and clean ingredient: Organic brown rice. These thins are the healthiest brown rice cakes I have ever tried and have 100 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein for 4 cakes. The thin stackers are plant-based, gluten-free, non-GMO, and certified organic.

Add any sweet or savory topping such as hummus or peanut butter and banana, to these rice cakes for a filling breakfast or snack. On the days you are craving something sweeter, add this hazelnut spread and strawberries on top. Lundberg Family Farms makes the Organic Think Stackers in a variety of flavors including Cracked Pepper (my personal favorite), Basil & Thyme, and Red Rice & Quinoa.

You can buy Lundberg Family Farms Brown Rice Thins on Amazon here. 

The Afia Foods falafel products make for the perfect snack or an easy dinner. The company's most recent addition to its product line is its Sun-Dried Tomato Falafel Balls, featuring a blend of cayenne, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs to provide an extra flavorful garbanzo-based product. The affordable falafel balls provide easy vegan options for multiple Mediterranean dishes and can be prepared quickly for any meal of the day.

My personal suggestion is to use the falafel balls for a pita sandwich complete with cucumbers, tomatoes, pickled cabbage, and vegan tzatziki. I could eat this sandwich with the afia falafel products any day of the week. If you don't want to fashion a sandwich or get all the necessary ingredients together, the falafel balls can be dipped in hummus or babaganoush as the perfect mid-day snack.

The bag of falafels contains 15 balls total and can be prepared either in the oven or in an air fryer. I personally recommend the air fryer to get the full crunchy effect. Packed with 15g of protein and 10g of dietary fiber, the Sun-Dried Tomato Falafel Balls provide the base of a nutrient-rich meal for anyone craving Mediterranean food.

You can buy 6 bags of the afia Falafel Balls on the company's website here for a bulk price of $54.99 or at several retailers and supermarkets nationwide.