The Creator of a Gut-Friendly, Prebiotic Candy Bar Shares Her Go-To Healthy Snacks

The Expert Edit features interviews with specialists about the products they swear by in their chosen field. For the latest installment, we spoke with founder of Harken Sweets and food science researcher Katie Lefkowitz about her tips for healthy snacking and her top product recommendations in food and lifestyle. Katie Lefkowitz began her career in the biopharma space, where she helped to launch drugs specifically aimed at treating chronic diseases , until she had a personal health scare in 2018 related to colon cancer.

"That moment made me realize that while pharmaceuticals play a pivotal role in our health, we often overlook an equally powerful tool for health: what we eat," she tells PS. "I dove deeper into nutrition, looking at how food can help prevent and even treat chronic conditions." Her journey ultimately led her to focus on the power of better-for-you foods, which Lefkowitz believes have the ability to transform bodily health.



First, she operated as COO at Caulipower, where she engineered the world's first cauliflower-based pizza crust. Then in 2022, Lefkowitz turned her expertise to a passion project: candy bars. Lefkowitz wanted to invent a formulation that could be considered a gut-friendly product , pushing past manufacturers and retailers who shut down her initial ideas.

"Building something from the ground up that's so personal in such a competitive industry and staying true to my mission has been so fulfilling. I'm helping people make better choices and giving them an option that sparks joy — that's the ultimate win for me," she says. Today, Harken Sweets is a small but agile company that offers a transformed, plant-based prebiotic candy bar that utilizes the superfood power and natural sweetness of the date, rather than refined sugar.

It also gives Lefkowitz a platform to continue educating people on how food can play a key role in their overall health journey. Ahead, she shares some of her favorite everyday products that she relies on in the kitchen and the home, including everything from her favorite Harken Sweets flavor to pantry staples to dinnerware and glassware that makes serving food easy and more enjoyable. Cauliflower Pizza Caulipower Cauliflower Thin Crust Margherita Pizza ($7) Lefkowitz started her journey in the industry as COO at Caulipower, where she helped create the world's first cauliflower-based pizza crust and learned how upstart brands can transform traditional comfort foods by utilizing the power of superfoods.

"I left Caulipower in 2022 because I found myself craving my once go-to comfort food: candy bars," she explains. "This is the best, easiest dinner on the planet," Lefkowitz says of the Caulipower pizza. "Pop it in the oven and in less than 15 minutes you get the best pizza that's PACKED with veggies and is 100 percent gluten-free! What's not to love?" Gluten-Free Vodka King St.

Vodka by Kate Hudson ($26) "Living in New York, I have grown to love a good 'tini, and this is the only vodka I will use. It's unbelievably clean-tasting and also gluten free," Lefkowitz says. "It's in the freezer at all times for when a day has been a day.

" This vodka is crafted in Santa Barbara, CA, by master distiller Ian Cutler using GMO-free corn and alkaline water. It has a hint of sweet vanilla flavor and is distilled seven times before being filtered for that super-smooth, clean taste. Prebiotic Soda Olipop Prebiotic Lemon Lime Soda ($36) "You know I am a huge gut health girlie, and these are pretty much the only beverages I drink, apart from water and coffee," Lefkowitz says.

"Just the right amount of midday boost with no junk — and nine grams of fiber!" This high-fiber drink is made with prebiotics, plant fiber, and botanicals that are meant to support digestive health, according to the brand. It's also gluten-free, vegan, paleo- and keto-friendly, and non-GMO, with no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. Read about our editor's experiment swapping coffee for Olipop for a month.

Healthy Candy Bars Harken Sweets The Nutty One Candy Bar ($40) The Harken Trio includes The Nutty One (above), The Gooey One, and The Crunchy One. "Our objective is to push back against conventional candy bars and use healthier ingredients that still taste just as great," Lefkowitz explains. It's available on major retailer shelves from Walmart to Amazon.

"Harken Sweets's mission has always been to democratize wellness to all consumers and ensure that even those who don't shop at premium grocery stores will still have access to better-for-you foods that don't compromise taste. We're already achieving that even at the beginning of our journey," she says. Lefkowitz describes the taste of The Nutty One like a Snickers bar.

Eating two a day provides roughly your recommended daily intake of gut-healthy, prebiotic fiber , according to the brand. What's behind the name? Harken is meant to inspire consumers to "harken" back to the good old days when we could devour a candy bar and not feel like garbage right after, or experience an inevitable sugar crash. By utilizing the superfood power of the date, instead of butter and sugar, the brand is able to prioritize real ingredients — which are 100 percent plant-based.

At-Home Gel Manicure Kit Livi Beauty The Gel Manicure System ($62, originally $83) "As a mom and entrepreneur, I rarely have an hour free, and when I do I certainly don't want to waste it at the nail salon. But, as a certified hand-talker, I do like having nice nails," Lefkowitz says. "Livi Beauty has this at-home gel manicure kit that applies like stickers (no polish) and cures like gel, which has been my go-to for a manicure these days.

" You can shop colors from the core collection or fall-friendly colors. The kit comes with two gel manicures, a mini curing lamp, cuticle oil for easy removal, a travel bag, and tools, including scissors, clippers, a cuticle wand, and file. Granola Butter Oat Haus Original Granola Butter ($74) "There is a jar of this in my cupboard at all times — it's amazing to use if you ever want to make a recipe for folks that have allergies and it has a nice, slightly thinner consistency versus regular peanut butter, making it a DREAM to work with," Lefkowitz says of Oat Haus.

The product also comes in other flavors such as vanilla, brownie batter, and cookie dough, all of which she says are delicious enough to eat straight out of the jar. Washable Blouse Laws of Motion The Delta ($165) "You know that top that you literally always look good in and goes with everything!? Well, this is it, and the folks at Laws of Motion have this magical app that finds your exact right fit," Lefkowitz says. "It's also washable, which is essential for the mess I typically make experimenting in the kitchen.

" This reversible blouse is offered in a total of eight different colors and can be worn 22 different ways. You can style it as a mock-neck, tie it at the front, or create a beautiful bow at the back. Eco-friendly shoppers will be delighted to know it's made with zero waste in New York City.

12 Fidget Toys For Adults That'll Help Ease Your Nerves Immersion Blender Vitamix Immersion Blender ($170) This Vitamix immersion blender measures 18 inches and is crafted from stainless steel. It's compact with an ergonomic handle, and Lefkowitz uses it for whipping up new concoctions on the fly, without the need to get out the bigger blender. "I also like that I can keep things in stainless bowls to blend, versus plastic," she says.

Shatterproof Glasses Fable Glassware Set ($188) "I live for these glasses," Lefkowitz says of Fable, which is produced in Japan using an ion-toughening technique for durability. "They are literally 100 percent shatterproof and I use them for WAY more than just drinking. They serve as small bowls when cooking up a new recipe, and also clean up much easier than typical vessels used in cooking.

" This set comes with eight pieces — four tall glasses and four short — and the tall glasses conveniently stack into the shorter ones for easy storage. Washable Rug Ruggable Martyn Lawrence Bullard Isla Natural Cream Rug ($419) "I have a 5-month-old baby and a boisterous labradoodle, so I do not know how I lived before having a Ruggable. Throw it in the wash when one of these guys invariably gets something gross on it and voilà — good as new! Also, you would be certifiably insane to have any rug other than a Ruggable in your kitchen, which happens to be where I spend all of my time!" Lefkowitz says.

Ruggables are famous for being made with spill-proof material and being super-easy to wash. Just remove the cover from the pad, and throw it in the washer and dryer. The covers are also interchangable, so you don't need to buy a new pad if you want to switch up the decor in your home.

Sarah Wasilak (she/her) is the associate director of Shopping at PS. With plenty of experience in the commerce market, a keen interest in SEO, and 10 years as an editor at the brand, she enjoys writing across the lifestyle and health-and-fitness categories. She has bylines at PS, InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The Quality Edit and aims to amplify minority voices in all her work.

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