Tiny Isle has always been motivated by a desire to produce delicious foods using ingredients produced by our local farmers. Our ingredients are carefully chosen with flavor, nutritional, and ethical considerations in the forefront. We're proud of every single ingredient we include in our products!
On this page, we describe the provenance of each ingredient we use and include a brief summary of the health benefits.
Macadamia Nuts
The macadamia nuts we use are grown using natural methods on a family farm in the Kona district of Hawaii island. These nuts offer several health benefits and have an excellent nutritional profile:
- Rich in monounsaturated fats, good for controlling LDL cholesterol levels
- Low in lectins, making them easier to digest than other nuts
- Low in carbohydrates; high in fiber
- Contains omega-7, which is anti-inflammatory and good for lowering the risk of diabetes and heart disease
Kona Sea Salt
The salt we use in our all our products come from a salt farm near Kona on Hawaii island. This premium-grade culinary salt is made from sun-dried deep sea water. In addition to having superior flavor, this unique Hawaiian sea salt has several nutritional benefits:
- Low in sodium: Kona sea salt is composed of several different mineral salts, lowering the amount of sodium in the salt (table salt is only sodium chloride)
- Contains a wide spectrum of trace minerals dissolved from ancient rock
- Completely pure: the deep sea water that this salt is made from is at least 900 years old (due to the very long circulation cycles at those depths), and so is free of any industrial contaminants.
Kauai Vanilla
The vanilla we use in our products is produced on our own vanilla farm, The Vanillery of Kauai. This vanilla is grown using strictly organic methods and is cured by hand using a modified Bourbon method, developed especially for Kauai. Vanilla is mostly known for its wonderful flavor and aroma, but it also offers several health benefits:
- Shown to reduce cholesterol levels
- Rich in antioxidants, which have wide-ranging health benefits include cellular repair and reducing the risk of cancer
- Known to be an effective mood-elevator
Kauai Honey
The honey we use in our macadamia nut butters is wholly sourced from bee colonies on the east side of the island of Kauai. This area has not seen industrial agriculture for decades, and so these bee colonies are amongst the healthiest in the country, yielding a honey that is pure and free of agricultural chemicals. Honey is so well-known as a healthful sweetener, we barely need to list the benefits:
- Naturally contains several antioxidants such as flavonoids
- Prebiotic: as a fermented product, honey supports a healthy gut microbiome
- Low glycemic index, won't spike blood glucose
Organic Cacao Powder
The cacao powder we use is sourced exclusively from organic producers in Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. These cacao powders (as distinct from "cocoa powder") are simply powdered whole, raw cacao beans. The health benefits of cacao are widely known by now, but here are a few:
- Proven mood elevator: cacao contains anandamide, neurotransmitter associated with feelings of bliss or joy
- Contains multiple anti-inflammatories such as flavonoids and polyphenols that are helpful in the prevention of heart disease
- Contains MAO inhibitors that help control appetite: chocolate is perhaps—counterintuitively—good for dieting!
- High in magnesium, an essential mineral for the prevention of osteoporosis, diabetes and hypertension
Organic Agave Nectar
The sweetener we use in our chocolate products is sourced from organically-certified producers in northern Mexico, where the blue agave (Agave tequilana) plant is native. Agave nectar is the first stage in the production of tequila and mezcal, and is still produced using traditional methods. Agave nectar is a sugar, but as a raw, whole extract of the plant still confers several nutritional benefits:
- A low-glycemic alternative to sugar, won't spike blood glucose
- Boosts your immune system with fructans and saponins which are also anti-inflammatory
- Contains inulin, and important prebiotic that feeds your gut microbiome
Cacao Butter
The cacao butter we use in our chocolate truffles is sourced only with certified organic producers from Peru and Ecuador. Cacao butter is cold-pressed from whole, raw cacao beans, and so contains many of the nutritional benefits of cacao. Cacao butter is the lipid component of cacao, and so concentrates the fat-based health benefits of cacao:
- High in essential fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6
- Contains phytosterols have been shown to decrease harmful LDL cholesterol levels
- Has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes