CRUNCH TIME
Ever since Adrienne Lufkin was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in her teens, she’s had to be more conscious about the food that she puts in her body. In general, those with Crohn’s disease are recommended to stay away from “trigger foods,” which can include foods high in insoluble fiber, high lactose-containing foods, sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, high-fat foods, spicy foods, caffeine and sweetened beverages, among others, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
These restrictions, in tandem with Lufkin’s background in the culinary arts, led to the creation of Struesli. “I had been making [the granola] for myself and my family and my friends for years. And I thought, this is something that boosts my health and wellness. It always was something that was my go-to blend that was delicious and a boost of nutrition,” Lufkin, who summers on the island in Squam, says. “I thought maybe other people might benefit from it, too.”
And she was right. The granola, which launched in January of this year with the original and cacao + coffee flavors, has become recognized for both its taste and simple ingredient list (tiger nuts, pecans, walnuts, coconut flakes, hemp hearts, black chia seeds and flaky sea salt). Just one serving of Struesli provides a meaningful amount of fiber and healthy fat content, all while being plant-based and sweetener-free. The traditional granola oat base was also swapped for sliced tiger nuts, making it grain-free and prebiotic. “That’s what sets us apart nutritionally: our fiber content, our healthy fat content, our prebiotics and just really the amount of micronutrients and antioxidants that you’re getting from this particular combination of ingredients without any fillers or unnecessary sugar,” she says.
Being different is a good thing—leading Lufkin and the company to gain enough traction that Struesli is now carried locally at Nantucket Meat & Fish Market, The Green Market and Sconset Market. On the mainland, it can be found at Erewhon, Amazon and an abundance of other stores around the country. “It’s like the universe opened up and said, this is going to be a thing,” she adds.
The granola is 100 percent USDA certified organic, non-GMO, grain-free and certified gluten-free—a complete 360 from the traditional, sugar-filled boxes bought at the grocery store. “I always buy the best coffee I can find, because it’s something that I drink every day—I want it to be organic, shade-grown and pesticide-free, because I’m putting it in my system every day. So I felt like that’s the same as granola. It’s something that you eat every day. It’s a pantry staple. It should be made with the highest quality ingredients. And I can’t say that that’s true for most granola,” she explains.
Aside from being nutritionally dense and well received by consumers for its taste, the product also fills a gap within the health community as one that’s safe for those with autoimmune disorders like Lufkin. “It was really important to me to have a product that a multitude of people with varied lifestyles and dietary restrictions could eat,” she says, noting that the granola is also good for those with diabetes, celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Lufkin adds, “That was my goal: to make it a food that many people could incorporate into their day, into their lifestyle, seamlessly. Because I know what it’s like trying to find a product that checks all the boxes.”
Struesli launches its third flavor, savory + seed, this October.
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