GoMacro: Inspired by Macrobiotics

At GoMacro we believe in feeling good about what we eat, how it tastes, how it's made, and how it sustains the environment. We believe in the power of a macrobiotic diet as a lifestyle for healing and happiness. GoMacro MacroBars are macrobiotic, vegan certified, USDA Organic, gluten free certified, kosher certified, and Non GMO Project verified.

The GoMacro Story

In 2003 GoMacro co-founder Amelia Kirchoff was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a lumpectomy and brachytherapy, Amelia declined tamoxifen treatment in favor of a macrobiotic diet and lifestyle. Her decision was inspired by an aunt who successfully overcame stage 4 lymphoma through alternative treatments and a macrobiotic diet. GoMacro co-founder and CEO Jola Sonkin, Amelia's adult daughter, also dedicated herself to a wholesome macrobiotic diet and together they gave up eating meat and animal products, eggs, dairy, refined sugars and flours, hydrogenated oils, processed foods, additives, artificial colorings and preservatives. Amelia started baking up delicious vegan treats with fruits and grains grown and harvested on their family farm in Viola, Wisconsin. With 120 acres and a beautiful family farm, there was no shortage of inspiration. Soon Jola introduced some early GoMacro desserts to Sherwyn's, a local health food store in Chicago, and they became GoMacro's first customer. The barn was converted into a commercial kitchen and GoMacro was born. Amelia continues to feel well as she runs the family owned business from their small rural community. Read more about Our Story.

The Macrobiotic Lifestyle

Balance is the key ingredient in macrobiotic living. Living a macrobiotic lifestyle means eating in a way that is in balance with our bodies, minds and the environment. Being in harmony and in balance is achieved when eating with the seasons. Macrobiotic means eating as many organic, homegrown or local fresh vegetables as possible and saving fruit for special occasions. Choosing local produce that's in season is the best medicine. Eating macrobiotic is vegan for the most part, with limited use of fish, fruit and desserts.

At GoMacro we support a macrobiotic lifestyle that is achievable and flexible. Each of us needs to determine what works best for our lifestyles, our bodies and our health within the environments we live in. Following a strict macrobiotic diet will not work for everyone, but the principles of balance, harmony, and being in tune with what you put in your body and knowing where it comes from will have a positive effect and increase your vitality.

At GoMacro, we believe in eating with awareness of the big picture by looking at long-term health benefits and protecting our environment. To do this, you can choose foods that make a positive impact on the world such as USDA certified organic, non-GMO, Equal Partner Program, local whenever possible, and made in the United States.

How to Begin a Macrobiotic Diet

If you'd like to start a macrobiotic diet first start by cutting these things out of your diet, gradually and gently:

refined and processed foods
refined sugars and artificial sweeteners
processed grains and flours
dairy products
eggs
meat and poultry

After eliminating these items from your diet in a way that works for you, move toward eating organic local produce, whole grains, and only the occasional meat or dairy product. If you're comfortable with going completely vegan (no animal or dairy products) that is the traditional macrobiotic path. We also stress the importance of eating beans, nuts, seeds and sea vegetables (for protein) and some fermented foods (for probiotics). It's also key to avoid ingesting herbicides and pesticides, growth hormones and heavy metals—so choose organic and non-GMO whenever possible. We cannot all afford to eat organic all of the time, but we can all become more knowledgeable about the source of our food and where it comes from.

Let us know how it's going! We'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Edited Aug 2021