Healthy Ediballs sells sweet snacks made from whole foods without refined sugars.

A brand new local producer is looking to put the fun into ‘clean eating’ with her range of raw food treats, made from nutrient-rich natural ingredients, and packed full of energy.

For Lisa Grove (who works for West Suffolk councils) the beginnings of her fledgling business Healthy Ediballs, were entirely personal, and she never imagined today she’d be running her own stall, taking orders from eager food-lovers keen to stock up on her goodies.

“I’ve eaten like this for a long time,” Lisa says, “because I have Crohn’s disease. I had an operation in 2001 and resolved from that point onwards to try and stay well and stay off medication. Everybody is different and it’s a bit of trial and error but over time you know your own markers and triggers. For me, I have to stay away from high protein dairy and spicy foods.”

Initially Lisa followed the GI (glycaemic index) diet, which encourages cutting out refined sugars and process foods. “This became normal for me, and when I went on to have children, I learnt so much about nutrition which piqued my interest again. I started making these treats and taking them in for lunch at work, and people started asking me questions about them. That was the start of it.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

But what exactly is a Healthy Ediball?

“At the very heart of them is good quality nut butter,” reveals Lisa. “You can make your own but to keep the costs down for customers I buy these. When you start getting into whole nuts you see the price go up.”

The balls range in price from £1.25 to £1.90, and are all hand made, hand rolled and hand packaged.

“I started with two entry level products. There’s the Bountie Power Ball which tastes of chocolate and coconut and is very unctuous and gooey and decadent. If you’re a chocolate lover wanting to reduce your refined sugar intake, that’s the one for you and it’s my best seller.

“It’s basically peanut butter, cacao, honey, coconut and sesame seeds. Just five ingredients. My second product was the Spiced Chia Flapjack Bites. They’re a real comfort thing with honey, dates, chia seeds, mixed spice and raisins. I like those because you get the inherent sweetness of the fruit but with the warmth from the cinnamon and spices. Those are nice with a cup of tea instead of a biscuit!”

Lisa’s newest releases come just in time for Christmas. Dreamy Peppermint Cacao is loosely based on a truffle recipe, but made with honey, cacao, real peppermint extract and other naturals. “It’s got lots of nuts in it and has a chewy texture with a minty hit. It’s designed for someone who usually goes for an after dinner mint and wants to break the habit.”

The Vanilla Cranberry ball is, says Lisa, creamy, smooth and indulgent.

And coming soon is Gingerbread Glory, which will be on sale for the first time at Wyken Farmers’ Market on November 17.

“I just love making them, and hope they bring as much to my customers as they do to me,” Lisa adds, saying her products have become so popular she’s starting to outgrow her kitchen.

You can find Lisa at Wyken Farmers’ Market on the third Saturday of the month, at Curry with Love in Ixworth and at the café within Abbeycroft Leisure Centre in Bury St Edmunds, as well as online at the Healthy Ediballs website.