Healthy Options at Shangri-La MallΒ carriesΒ aΒ terrific selection of nutritious and delicious snacks,Β drinks, supplements, and nice sundry items that make for a pleasurable shopping experience. It was the first timeΒ my momΒ and my sister haveΒ visited this branch. They’re happy to findΒ so many amazing local, natural, organic, vegan, and gluten-free products in different categories (well, especially my mom whose life isΒ pretty much centered around herΒ quest to feed usΒ well and keep usΒ healthy). Healthy Options is aΒ natural food purist’sΒ shopping nirvana! π
We canβt argue the fact that prices at SM Supermarket, Hypermarket, Savemore, Puregold, and otherΒ mainstream/average groceryΒ chainΒ stores are cheaper. However, goods offeredΒ atΒ Healthy Options are incomparable in terms of valueΒ they provide. Ultimately, it all comes down to making healthier choices a top priority.
In this post, I’m sharing the products we purchased this month plus a tour around our favorite sections in the store.
Healthy Options Shopping Haul (April 2016)
Personal Care
Do you believe that taking the best care of yourself and the environment doesn’t have to be a sacrifice? We do. Personal care products at Healthy Options are formulated with premium quality natural and organic ingredients. From essential oils for aromatherapy, shampoo and conditioner for thinning hair, body and hand lotion, soaps, and cosmetics, these natural personal care products are good healthy alternatives to synthetics.
The Personal Care sectionΒ was our first stop and we felt like being a kid in a candy store. There’s so many scents and variants to choose from! In the end, we gotΒ Nature’s Gate Revitalizing, Jojoba + Sacred Lotus Shampoo (18 fl oz/532 ml), Nature’s Gate Enriching, Biotin + Bamboo Conditioner (18 fl oz/532 ml), A La Maison Sweet Almond Solid Bar SoapΒ (8.8 oz), andΒ Herbatint – Herbal Haircolor Permanent Gel 4N ChestnutΒ (4.5 oz).
Nature’s Gate Revitalizing, Jojoba + Sacred Lotus Shampoo was a repurchase. I bought my first bottle last November and it lasted about three months. Nature’s Gate is a trusted brand and this shampoo is ideal forΒ thin/dry hair. What I love most about it is thatΒ just a little bit canΒ create great foam. It smells so good and cleans well. Highly recommended! It’s vegan, paraben-free, soy-free. It does not contain chemicals such as sodium lauryl/laureth/coco sulfates, phthalates, butylene glycol, artificial colors.
Nature’s Gate Enriching, Biotin + Bamboo ConditionerΒ is the best-selling conditioner with a mindful blend of conditioning botanicals. Biotin helps strands of hair feel thicker, fuller and more abundant. This product is also vegan, paraben-free, soy-free, and does not contain chemicals mentioned above. It has a nice peppermint smell and it gives the scalp a cool fresh feeling after washing. Think of it as the feeling of leaving toothpaste in your mouth. π
We choseΒ A La Maison Sweet Almond Solid Bar Soap because of its pleasing scent. It’s absolutely heavenly! Unlike other organic soaps in the market, this one lathers well and indeed attracts moisture to the skin as it’s made with olive oil and shea butter. It’s quite pricey at PhP 200+, but the bar is about the same length and width as a normal bar of soap but twice the height or thickness. It’s also okay to use for those who have sensitive skin.
Completing our Personal Care selected items was the Herbatint – Herbal Haircolor Permanent Gel 4N Chestnut that’s specially formulated from herb extracts. Herbatint has been the undisputed market leader for more than 40 years. This permanent hair dye uses rosemary, cinchona and walnut husk to gently deposit color.Β It’s worth to note that it’s ammonia free. I’m excited to try this one and post a review of it as well. π
Supplements
Ah, this is my mom’s favorite section. Healthy Options, I think, is most famous for supplements. Mom has been experiencing difficulty to sleep these days. Taking melatonin supplements is not enough. Hence, she took interest in trying theΒ HOS Ultimate Sleep FormulaΒ (50 c) to help maintain calmness and relaxation and overall support sleep quality.
She also has a problem with bowel movement.Β To aid with constipation, she researched on the best available food supplement for adults and foundΒ Solgar Advanced Acidophilus Plus which contains 500 million microorganisms per serving. Suggested intake is one capsule two times daily preferably with meals. I hope this product will be effective in making herΒ intestinal flora healthier.
Because of aging, my mom now has to take calcium supplements but these won’t work when she does not have enough Vitamin D in her body. WeΒ learned online that Vitamin D3 is the form of Vitamin D that stimulatesΒ the absorptionΒ ofΒ calcium and helpsΒ build strong bones. She gotΒ Healthy OptionsΒ Vitamin D3 400 IU.Β Suggested intake is one soft gel daily with food.
My sister and I have high stress levels and our hemoglobin levels are normal butΒ quite low. To have more iron in our blood stream, we needΒ SolgarΒ Gentle Iron (25 mg) for tissues and muscles to function effectively. IronΒ plays a role in normal red blood cell production and supports energy utilization.Β ThisΒ as a dietary supplement supporting women’s health and primarily menstruation.Β I
Farm Produce
Making a commitment to healthy eating with these natural farm produce is a great start towards a healthier life. Beyond eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and good fats, there is the question of food safety, nutrition, and sustainability. Healthy Options promotes food that are free of pesticides and hormones. The farm produce section offers organic vegetables that do not have chemical additives. Mom was delighted to find wheatgrass and also other beautiful fresh veggies.
Groceries
The Grocery section looks soΒ colorful it’s almost tempting to get everything that catches our fancy. The shelves are filled with products that range from breakfast cereals, chocolate and chips, condiments and sauces, whole grains, nuts and seeds to ground coffee, teas, milk, juices, and more.Β It will be worthΒ to spend time reading the food labels (nutrition facts). Need help? The staff are accommodating to provide tips and recommendations to suit your needs. Healthy Options has bountiful of ingredients that you can combine into tasty, good-for-you meals. Its YouTube channelΒ features recipes that you can follow for healthy cooking.
We like snacking on chips that are not overly salty and thought Good Health Glories Kettle Sweet Potato Chips (1 oz) would satisfy our craving. These sweet potato chips have a nice crunch, not too greasy, and they are GMO-free. We also got my super-favoriteΒ Popcorners Snack Cheesy JalapenoΒ (1.1 oz) which I have repurchased for the fourth time. π These corn chips were popped with real corn, no trans fat, and no cholesterol. Every bite makes me guilt-free. The cheddar flavor meets with heat of jalapeno. Yummy!
Mint and chocolate make a great match. Nothing steals my heart away quite like thisΒ combination. Salem Cookie Moravian MintΒ (8 oz) is a must-try for fans of chocolate cookies with mint. Angel who sits beside me in the office has already finished two packs! π I can’t blame her though.Β Featuring a delicate natural mint flavor with artisan chocolate, these thin cookies are addicting.
If you like interesting flavor of pop corn, Pop Art’s Thai Coconut Curry Popcorn is an awesome grab. Made withΒ a unique blend of savory spices mixed with creamy coconut milk, theseΒ buttery, bright yellow popcorn are crazy good. The list of ingredients includes curry powder, lemongrass, coconut milk, curry spices, mustard, lime, turmeric, and more.Β A handful canΒ quench your thirst for theΒ taste of Thailand, as it achieves a total food sensation and somehow makes you feel as if you are really eating curry.
From the beverage section, we just wanted to try theΒ Dream Latte CaramelΒ (11 oz). Coffee and almond must taste good together. π
Frozen
My sister and I were still looking for personal care items to put in our shopping cart when we heard our mom almost screaming with delight from the other end of the store. Turned out, she saw frozen vegan products in the refrigerators. The Frozen section consists of poultry, meat, vegetarian, vegan, ice cream, yogurt, etc. The imitation meat by Vegetarian Plus are made with 100% vegan ingredients. Just to appease our curiosity,Β we got theΒ Frozen Veggie Chicken OrangeΒ (10.5 oz). If this one tastes good, we will for sure buy the other variants month after month.
Wrap Up
After over anΒ hour, we filled ourΒ cartΒ with productsΒ we’re all thrilled to bring back home.Β We certainly donβt expect everyone to always chooseΒ organic this or grass-fed that, but it can happen one step at a time. To wrap up,Β I think one key takeaway from this post also for readers is that Healthy Options does not only sell supplements but also grocery, personal care items, and a lot more.Β Healthy Options has a vision of a healthier world where people enjoy longer, richer, more fulfilling lives by taking control of their health.Β Thanks to theΒ product allowance we’re privileged to have monthly, I am able to shareΒ the value Healthy Options delivers. π
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
Healthy Options has always been one of my favorite shops to buy health items. Being health buffs, my husband and I always look forward to new items that we can try. You’ve featured here some very interesting items that we plan to head to Healthy Options soon.
Great! In the store, you can find healthy everyday food which are wholesome alternatives to refined ingredients. Healthy food now have a broad appeal, from parents looking for new and healthy recipes to eat with their family, to the modern foodie, who is well travelled and places just as much importance on their health, as they do on taste.
hello, I’m interested w/supplements.,,do they have a herbal medicine for women who’s planning to have a baby & also multivitamins for men..thankx
Yes. π Please ask for the assistance of the customer advisors to help you find the right products.
I love love shopping in Healthy Options and I’m glad that they’ve started to offer more products that are usually difficult to find. I get my vitamins & supplements from Healthy Options.
Glad to hear that! π Apart from supplying a good variety of supplements, Healthy Options satisfies the ever-increasing demand for food that is not just beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, but good for you too.
Who said that we have very few choices for healthy food! There’s just so much to choose from, from organic ingredients to snacks! That’s really amazing. It pays to switch to a healthy lifestyle, but it’s definitely worth it.
Right. People now are also becoming more conscious about food labels. If you’re not sure about the ingredients, the customer advisers can be of help. π
I tried buying a soda in Healthy Options once. I drank it without eating anything. It didn’t make me feel so good. I vomited the next day. Got to skip my first class. Maybe it was because of the flavor. Haha. Maybe I’ll stick to their skin products next time.
Oh no, haha. It’s really bad to drink carbonated drinks on an empty stomach. π
Sincerely there are thousand of healthy food out there. This makes lives worth living. Though some healthy stuff are somehow odds my body system. Thanks for this healthy orientation post.
It’s my pleasure. π
I’ve bought some products at Healthy Options when I was based in Manila. But as I moved back to Bacolod, I found a wide array of healthy natural and organic products in our province – from fresh foods, to snacks, to ingredients, to skin care, and other products. I agree that we should make sure that the things we use must be good for our body.
People in the provinces have the advantage of getting cheaper food supplies that are straight from the farm.
So many great options here. I have tried almond soap before and it as just lovely.
Yup, I love it. π I’m also addicted to anything almond now, including almond drinks!
I have never tried to check this place, but I have seen a lot of posts already about this over social media. I think this is such a good idea. I wanna buy some healthy snacks from there.
Great. Visiting a branch of Healthy Options is a good starting point if you want to start living and eating healthy. π
Now this is interesting. I’m a vegetarian and constantly in look out for products (food/skincare etc) that have no animal derivatives…
This store has a lot of products that are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. We are thrilled to try them all out. π
Wow this place has EVERYTHING!! I would love to visit here because I would be in there all day. BTW I’ve never thought of that option of popcorn that you have in your pic. I wonder how that tastes.
Interesting, right? There’s a lot more! The snacks section is relatively huge and I bet you can spend over two hours here without getting bored. π
ive never really looked at the healthy options for beauty products. theres a lot of stuff there!
Yes, beauty products and personal care items that are made of organic and safe ingredients are must-buys. π
I love Healthy Options. They remind me of a small version of Whole Foods Market back home, without the fresh produce. Butttttt they are so overpriced! But then again most healthy food and ingredients are ?
When you come to think about it, the cost of items here are more expensive than others in leading supermarkets, but the products are unique and not found elsewhere in the country. This brand has its own following and that makes it special. π
It’s always great to have healthy options when it comes to shopping for food. I don’t like having to pay higher prices but sometimes it’s necessary to do just that. It looks like they also offer a wide variety of options as well.
This branch of Healthy Options is one of my favorites because it offers a lot more than the smaller stores. There’s also a sofa inside where you can just chill and relax while reading books or waiting for your family. π
Healthy Options can really give us a lot of great meal ideas that’s better for our system. You are lucky to have an allowance for purchases at healthy options.
Yup, that’s one of the perks of being an Healthy Options angel. π
I need to see if I have a Healthy Options store close to me. It looks like they have a lot of products that I would love. Eating healthy and keeping my body (as well as my family’s) in good shape is important to me.
You may check this link for the list of branches of Healthy Options stores.
Wow, what a post! I love all the ecofriendly options. Green beauty is my favorite. I would love to try Herbatint or anything by Nature’s Gate?βοΈ
Nature’s Gate unique combinations of natural, safe and innovative ingredients deliver effective results for your everyday beauty care regimen. π
Looks like a great store! To find these items we have to drive to several different stores. Not one has them all. Our daughter using Natureβs Gate shampoo and loves it. She also uses the all natural soap, and soap nuts to wash her cloths. They work great. No need for harsh chemicals. I would love to shop for better quality produce, but we have to drive pretty far to find it.
I think we can all buy more stuff when they are available online. Delivery to our homes will make purchases hassle-free. This also saves us travel time. π
Many people try, nowadays, to choose healthy products. From beauty products to food, there are numerous options – indeed, more expensive. But it’s good to see a supermarket dedicated to these healthy options!
When looking for gluten-free, organic, vegan, lactose-free products, Healthy Options comes top of mind. π
I wish that we had a store like Healthy Options where we live. Both my husband and I want to live a more healthy lifestyle (especially me since I have to be gluten free), but we are limited to a heaping helping of subpar options here. I’m so jealous that you get a place this to shop at!
Healthy Options is a blessing for those who have lots of food allergies as well. Products are well categorized and arranged in shelves accordingly.
I like looking around Healthy Options because of its very interesting products. Unfortunately, the prices tend to be so high, we cannot really buy everything we want to try. I was so happy to receive a big box of HO products last Christmas and finally got to try a lot of goodies!
Wow! I have a friend who wished for a Healthy Options gift certificate from her Secret Santa (me). I gave her the PhP 500-gc and her smile was plastered on her face upon receiving it. π
I would totally have a hard time not buying everything in that grocery area. And you’re bang on – we don’t need to switch everything to organic or grass fed right away, but taking small steps and experimenting with different products within our budgets is something we should strive for. Sounds like a fun haul!
Yup, I enjoyed writing this post as much as we did shopping for these items. Sharing these great finds can hopefully inspire more of you to try them and see if you can also be “converted” to patronize the healthy/earth-friendly stuff. π
Holy cow! Nature’s Gate is my all time favorite shampoo. What a coincidence that you have it in your store, too. I love the scents.
Yes, we have been using Nature’s Gate shampoo and conditioner even before I became part of Healthy Options. π
I have never heard of Healthy Options but I am sure that we have similar retailers to them in Chicagoland. I’m so glad that it is becoming more affordable to shop at places that have healthy options but I always struggle with finding beauty products that aren’t crazy expensive. Thanks for putting Healthy Options on my radar.
You’re welcome, Amanda. As more of us like to take control of nutritional choices on the often-challenging and confusing road to wellness and high performance, Healthy Options is a must-visit store.
I like to go for a healthier choice or option whenever I can. Thanks for sharing this and I will check it out.
You’re welcome, Kelly. π
I’m in love with this place!!! I love how they have so many different products…and all in one space! I think I would be there every day…and probably spend way too much money too!
Haha. When I first came to Healthy Options’ branch in Glorieta 2, that was exactly how I felt. Looking around made me overwhelmed even more. There’s just way so many products that I wanted to bring home and have my family to try, too. π
So much too buy!! Loved this shop…many varieties of products. I always try n buy healthier food for my family.
Good to hear that, Shubhada. π When you visit a Healthy Options store, you will be amazed just how you can prepare real food that powers everyday life using safe ingredients.
That looks like such an awesome place! I wish that we had something like this near me because I would be there seriously all the time. I love all the selection.
What’s not to love, right? There’s also so many spices and condiments that can serve as great addition to your kitchen. π
I’ve never even heard of Healthy Options but I want to try them now. With all the chemicals in our environment right now, some healthier more natural products get more important to buy. Thanks for filling us in.
You’re welcome, Carol! π
Love everything that you got! The Poprcorners Cheesy Jalapeno is suuuuuper good, glad to have seen this one on your haul. I can’t wait for your thooughts on the vegan frozen orange chicken you got, sounds yum!
Thanks, Phia. π We haven’t tried to cook it yet, but surely I will post even a short snippet of review on that.
Everything looks so awesome. Making a choice on varieties of products to shop may be a grid-lock. However, it pays to ensure a healthy lifestyle in all ramifications.
Glad to know we’re on the same page, Leke. π
It’s great that more and more companies are putting a lot of thought and concern for the Earth and the environment when manufacturing products for us humans to use. I don’t mind paying a little bit more for healthier choices for the food and products I consume.
Right. Ultimately, choosing foods that meet the dietary guidelines within your budget is the best way to shop. So happy shopping!
Do you have Milupa Baby Cereals available?
Hi Jean, there are baby cereals available at Healthy Options but by different brands. For more details, please feel free to ask assistance from the customer advisers. π
Hi. IM interested in pure essential oils. Do they carry it?
Hi Grace. Yes, there are many scent variants. Please feel free to ask help from the store assistants.