Nutriversal
Each of our products are backed by the Nutriversal difference. Wherever you see the Nutriversal Seal of Promise or one of the Nutriversal symbols shown here, you can rest assured our products have met the most stringent guidelines and high quality standards in the food services industry. The Nutriversal seal indicates the blending of sound nutrition with ingredients that have a universal appeal. It also carries our promise that each package delivers the finest food available.
The Nutriversal Seal consists of three key elements:
- Quick Fix: We promise our meals are quick and easy—just add water to rehydrate the food! Our true Quick-Fix line provides packets of complete meals that can be served in less than 20 minutes.
- Extended Shelf Life: We promise our products are storable for up to 25 years.
- Daily Use: We promise that all of our products can be served daily.
Detailed Descriptions
Cholesterol Free
Where possible, GoFoods recipes are cholesterol free to insure a healthy diet low in cholesterol. Many foods such as fruits and vegetables are naturally fat-free and offer you a wide variety of essential vitamins and minerals. Adding naturally fat-free foods to your diet allows you to eat more food without increasing your calorie and fat intake. Some cholesterol-containing foods like whole milk products, butter, red meat, and egg yolk may raise your blood cholesterol level when you consume them. Cholesterol-free is essentially the same as fat-free—foods that are low in saturated fats.
Good Source of Fiber
A diet high in fiber has been recognized for many years as an excellent way to lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and diverticulitis, while improving the absorption of nutrients into the system through the intestinal tract. Water and fiber work together to improve your digestive process, and the fiber content of dehydrated fruits and vegetables does not change from that of regular products. Therefore, in order to get the full benefit of the fiber, you should consume water with your dehydrated fruits and vegetables. Foods high in fiber include whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes (dried peas, beans, and lentils), fruits, and vegetables.
No Trans Fats
GoFoods products do not contain trans fats, also known as trans fatty acids, which are natural fats found in milk and meat products but are most commonly produced during food processing. Fats are required in everyone’s daily diets, but too much trans fat can be bad for your health. Some of the detrimental effects of diets high in trans fatty acids include elevated levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increased blood insulin levels in response to glucose loads, and decreased immune response.
No Hydrogenated Oil
GoFoods products do not contain any hydrogenated oils. These types of oils undergo a chemical composition of the fats are changed by forcing hydrogen into the fat molecule. Originally thought to be healthier than unsaturated fats, hydrogenated oil actually contains trans fats, which are not good for the body. In some highly hydrogenated oils like margarine, trans fats can make up almost half of the total fat content.
No MSG
While MSG can occur naturally in foods that contain sources of free glutamates, GoFoods does not add MSG to any of its products. Monosodium Glutamate is a sodium salt of glutamic acid, a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid used as a food additive and is commonly marketed as a flavor enhancer. Today MSG is primarily made from bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates, and several studies indicate a number of health concerns associated with MSG including obesity, migraine headaches, food allergies, and hyperactivity in children. Other studies show some association between MSG and asthma.
Vegetarian
All GoFoods products are suitable for vegetarians as they do not contain any meat products. Instead, the company uses textured vegetable protein (TVP) to provide the taste and texture of meat. Vegetarian is a term that mainly describes a person that does not eat or believe in eating meat, fish, or fowl. Vegetarians can enjoy health benefits such as lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis. However, protein is still required in their daily diet and can be obtained from alternative sources such as legumes, grains, and nuts.
Excellent Source of Whole Grains
Where appropriate, GoFoods formulates their recipes with whole grains. Studies show that eating whole grains instead of refined grains lowers the risk of many chronic diseases. For example, stroke risk reduced 30–36%, type-2 diabetes risk reduced 21–30%, and heart disease risk reduced 25–28%. In addition, people can also experience better weight maintenance, reduced risk of asthma, lower risk of colorectal cancer, and healthier blood-pressure levels.
Balanced Sodium
GoFoods prescribes to a balanced-sodium approach in formulating their recipes for a healthier diet. Sodium is a required nutrient for the body to function property, especially in emergency situations. Dietary experts recommend—on average—a maximum daily sodium intake of 2,4000 mg for healthy adults and 1,500 mg for middle-aged individuals or those with high blood pressure, kidney disease, or diabetes. Recipes classified with Balanced Sodium are formulated with less than 20% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), meaning that based on 1-cup servings, an individual could have one serving three times per day (60%) and still remain well under their 100% RDA. Please note that your RDA is best decided between you and your doctor.
Not Genetically Modified (GMO)
GoFoods goes to great lengths to insure none of its ingredients come from sources that use GMO techniques. The term genetically-modified organisms (GMO) is most commonly referred to a process where genetic engineering techniques have made specific changes to the DNA of a crop plant grown for human or animal consumption. These modifications are intended to introduce traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. Typically, genetically modified foods are transgenic plant products such as soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil.
Natural
The designation of Natural simply means we do not add any ingredients in our products that are not naturally occurring—you will not find any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives in any of our recipes. The dehydration process itself is one of extracting moisture from the natural ingredients thereby extending the shelf life of the product. We do not add additional flavor enhancers or colors to make the products appear more appetizing, except in very few cases where flavor cannot be naturally enhanced by spices. Look for the Natural icon to insure you are getting the best ingredients in your storable food supply.
Extended Shelf Life
Our greatest concern is for the nutrition you receive from your food, whether you use it for recreation, everyday meals, or in preparation for emergencies/security. Under ideal conditions, the extended shelf life of most of our products is 15-20 years. Some companies claim to get 25+ years of shelf life, but frankly, that’s not possible. In terms of flavor and nutritional value, all of our products are best when used within 25 years of storage time, although use after 15 years has no safety concerns. Shelf life is one of the foundations of our business; learn more details about the truth on shelf life.
Lactose Free
GoFoods does not formulate its products with lactose, which is a disaccharide (meaning double sugar) found in milk and other diary products. Eating a lactose-free diet means eating foods without this disaccharide. Dairy products containing lactose have been associated with a risk of breast cancer, diabetes type I and II, prostate cancer, obesity, high cholesterol and heart disease. Look for the lactose-free icon on many of the GoFoods products including the delicious whey milk.
Gluten Free
Gluten is a type of complex protein found in wheat, rye, oats, barley, spelt, and related grains and is present in most types of breads, cereals, pasta, and many processed foods. For the millions who have been diagnosed with celiac disease—an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the intestines, eating gluten can mean a life of painful stomach cramps and severe digestive problems. Recent studies indicate that gluten-free diets may be beneficial for individuals experiencing osteoporosis, autism, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological and auto-immune disorders. Many of the GoFoods products are gluten free, so look for the icon if gluten is a concern in your diet.
Soy Free
In 1999, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a health claim for soy, which states that “Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease.” There are, however, a number of studies that link soy to health risks that GoFoods recognizes as a valid customer concern. Although GoFoods does use soy in some of its products including the textured vegetable protein (TVP), it also offers products that are soy free so customers can make a choice. Watch for the soy free icon if you are interested in products that do not contain soy.
Oxygen-Free Packaging
The presence of oxygen in a food packaging process decreases the shelf life as bacteria thrives in an oxygen-rich environment. In the packaging process GoFoods flushes each mylar pouch with carbon dioxide to carefully remove all oxygen and be impervious to sunlight. With sunlight, moisture, and oxygen out of the picture, our meals can be stored in a cool, dry location and retain their flavor and quality for up to 25 years.
Irradiation Free
While there is much controversy on the topic of irradiation, GoFoods takes the position that good, clean food does not need to be irradiated in any way. Irradiation is a method used to treat fresh produce with the intention of destroying microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, and insects. The dehydration process can accomplish this same process naturally without excessive cost. Food irradiation is potentially damaging to the long- and short-term health of consumers as the process can delay the ripening of food as well as result in loss of nutrients; vitamin E levels, for example, can be reduced by 25% after irradiation, and vitamin C by 5–10%, and when added to a long shelf life, consumers may be left with product containing empty calories.
Date-Stamped for Freshness
GoFoods believes the customer comes first, and therefore all of our packaging is date-stamped for the day the product was manufactured. In the food storage industry it is not uncommon to find food that has already been produced for years. For example, the industry manufactured an enormous amount of storable food in preparation for the anticipated demand relating to the catastrophe hype surrounding the turn of the century. Much of that food is still in circulation today. To ensure you are getting the full shelf life you are paying for, GoFoods stamps the date the product was manufactured on every package.
Made in USA
All of the raw ingredients found in the GoFoods line of products (with the exception of tropical fruit) are grown seasonally in the United States of America and follow strict quality control standards established and audited by the US Department of Agriculture. We source ingredients from growers who follow Good Agricultural Practices and are GAP Certified, which means that they are audited frequently to ensure that they do not use harmful insecticides, pesticides, or fertilizers during cultivation. When the ingredients arrive at our FDA-registered, certified-GMP facility, they are carefully tested for chemical and microbial contaminants like salmonella and e-coli. We strictly adhere to HCAAP standards for food handling and manufacturing safety when blending ingredients into our exclusive formulas.
Enriched Complex Carbohydrates
Enriched Complex carbohydrates are the preferred food for the brain and body. They serve as a storage form of energy in plants and when you eat those plants, your body breaks down the carbohydrates for your own energy needs. Complex carbohydrates should supply about half the calories in your diet and the best complex carbohydrates come from legumes, vegetables and 100% whole grain bread, cereal and pasta products because they contain fiber and a variety of nutrients that refined flour has lost.
Kosher
A “coveted seal of approval,” OU (Orthodox Union) Kosher is the world’s largest and most widely recognized kosher certification agency, certifying more than 500,000 products produced in over 6,000 plants located in 80 countries around the world. The Orthodox Union database contains information on more than 250,000 food ingredients. OU does much more than ensure the highest standards of Kosher Certification. Operating as a non-profit organization (founded in 1898), the Orthodox Union ensures its ability to maintain the highest degree of integrity and evaluation.
