BarsAreFood.com

Think Thin Chocolate Fudge

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:48:48 +0000

Think Thin’s Chocolate Fudge amounts to a fairly standard protein bar packaged in a female-friendly wrapper. The bar tastes primarily like protein, with its advertised flavor, chocolate, fading into the background. The texture, a uniform chewy mush, also fails to excite. However, the bar offers solid nutrition, with 20 grams of protein and zero sugar in 240 calories. It also boasts a significant spread of vitamins and minerals from vitamin-C to copper, delivering 25 percent of the USDA’s recommended daily intake on most. Visually, this bar is inviting and playful, with a muted beige background and a drop of melted fudge dripping down the left side. The brand name, though subdued, also manages to catch the eye. Overall, this bar offers solid nutrition in a nice package, but the flavor could use a boost.
Rating: 3 stars

Raw Revolution: 100 Calorie Spirulina & Cashew

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:39:38 +0000

Since this is a 100 calorie bar, it’s small, weighing in at only 0.8 ounces and having a shape that’s approximately 1 square inch. In terms of taste, the bar’s USDA Organic certified six ingredient formulation tells the story: cashews, dates, agave nectar, almonds, spirulina, and sprouted flax. It’s nutty, but pasty in consistency, with a mellow note of cashews and almonds. The dates don’t have that much of an impact on the flavor, while the spriluna and sprouted flax add a grassy note (and green color) to the mix. It’s not overly sweet or salty, which is nice, allowing the naturally earthy flavors to shine through. Nutritionally, the 100 calorie bar is more of a “bite” than something with a ton of substance to it. However, there are 3g of protein and 1g of fiber in the mix, as well as iron and calcium. Packaging is a shrunken down version of RAW Revolution’s normal wrapper. Despite the reduction in size, they’ve kept more or less the same amount of text on it, resulting in something that’s extremely busy. Moving, or even eliminating, some of the text might help make the product look more appealing. Overall, it tastes pretty nice and we like the 100 calorie portion, but a little visual help would improve the product.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Odwalla: Berries GoMega

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:14:46 +0000

Berries GoMega has a base of ground golden flax and oats bound together with brown rice syrup and date and fig purees. A single bar delivers 1000 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids courtesy of the flax seed. The texture is enjoyable, if not a little grainy. At 210 calories, it is a satisfying serving, though the fact that it has 50 fat calories might scare off some people. Those folks would do well to remember that Omega-3 fatty acids are vital to the diet and good health. So this is an indulgence that makes sense. On a less positive note, the bar could certainly do a better job delivering on the “Berries” part of its title . There is a subtle hint of blueberry and strawberry in the flavor, but like so many nutritional bars, it really tastes more like date and fig. Overall, very enjoyable and a great way to get a good dose of the ever-elusive Omega-3s.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

LUNA Launches First Organic Protein Bar for Women

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:57:40 +0000

BERKELEY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–LUNA®, the maker of the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women®, introduces LUNA® Protein, the first high protein bar for women made with entirely natural and organic ingredients. It is an indulgent treat that satiates hunger and helps women more easily fit protein into their diet.

Protein is an essential part of women’s diets however it continues to be an overlooked nutrient. In fact, according to a recent LUNA survey, nearly 50 percent of women said they are not sure if they are getting enough protein in their diets. Additional survey findings include:

-40 percent of women say it’s difficult to find “portable protein.”
-60 percent of women eat snacks only to “hold them over” between meals.
-Only 5 percent of women currently look to protein as a snack even though protein is a great way to provide satiation between meals.

“A protein snack between meals curbs hunger, which helps women make more nutritious food choices by preventing high calorie and fat snack cravings,” said Tara DelloIacono-Thies, R.D., in-house nutritionist for LUNA. “LUNA Protein is nutrient dense and allows women to get the nutrients they need while satisfying their hunger.”

At just under 200 calories, LUNA Protein® is a nourishing and delicious snack that satisfies sweet cravings with a chocolate coating and nougat texture—the closest consistency to a candy bar that LUNA has ever offered. Additionally, it offers key vitamins and minerals essential to women’s everyday needs, such as calcium, iron, folic acid and vitamin D.

“Women shouldn’t have to struggle with finding portable protein sources when they’re on-the-go,” said Paula Connelly, LUNA Brand Director. “LUNA Protein offers women a convenient, portable, natural and delicious protein option to toss in their purse.”

LUNA Protein comes in three indulgent flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cookie Dough and Chocolate Cherry Almond.

Nutritional Benefits for LUNA Protein

-12 grams of soy/whey protein
-Under 200 calories
-Entirely natural and made with organic ingredients
-Women-specific nutrition
–A good source of Vitamin D to support calcium absorption
–High in folic acid and calcium
–A good source of iron
–Rich in antioxidants (Vitamins A, C and E)
-3 grams Fiber
-Low glycemic
Product Pricing & Availability

LUNA Protein is now available at grocery and natural food retailers nationwide. It is also available online at www.lunabar.com with a suggested retail price of $1.39.

Additional Multi-Media Assets

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6205211〈=en

About Clif Bar & Company

Clif Bar & Company is a leading maker of nutritious, all-natural, organic foods and drinks, including CLIF® BAR energy bar, LUNA®, The Whole Nutrition Bar for Women®; and CLIF Kid®, Nourishing Kids in Motion®. Focused on sports nutrition and healthy snacks, the company is committed to sustaining its people, brands, business, community and planet. (www.clifbar.com)

Clif C: Apple

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:28:46 +0000

Clif C’s Apple is a 9 ingredient bar that is made with dates, almonds, apples, macadamia nuts, apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, sea salt, and natural vitamin E. From a flavor point of view, this bar is soft and chewy, with a heavy note of apple and date providing the base flavor. Plus, the addition of chopped nuts and a touch of salt provide a savory note and a light crunch to round things out. All in all, it’s a very balanced flavor that’s easy to devour quickly, especially at the bar’s smallish 1.4 ounce size. Nutritionally, the bar has 130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 4g of fiber, and 2g of protein. Like the rest of the Clif C line, the bar uses a clear wrapper which allows you to see the bar before opening the wrapper. Put all of this together and you’ve got a bar that’s visually appealing and very enjoyable to eat.
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Soy Joy: Berry

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:10:20 +0000

This is definitely one of the better tasting SoyJoy bars that we’ve reviewed. It has an almost home baked flavor to it, that’s probably best compared to cinnamon raisin bread or something similar. However, instead of raisins, it has dried wolfberries (aka goji) as well as what tastes like a slightly spiced mixture. The consistency of this bar is soft and slightly chewy, with a rather thin shape that’s best compare to a piece of a Twix candy bar. At 130 calories, it’s easy to chow this bar down in a flash, which left us reaching for a second one quickly. The bar has 4g of protein, 3g of fiber, and trace amounts of various vitamins. We’re left feeling like this is a good choice for a quick snack, but it’s not likely to provide sufficient sustenance to tide you over for too long. Packaging is polished and clean, with a shiny silver wrapper that has images of berries and of the bar itself. It’s definitely one of the more professional looking bars out there. Overall, extremely enjoyable, but a bit too light for our liking.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Zing Nutrition Bar: Chocolate Peanut Butter

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:10:10 +0000

Zing’s Chocolate Peanut Butter bar is, according to the front of the wrapper, a “deliciously different” bar that’s high protein and gluten free. What’s inside the wrapper is a very chewy, chocolate coated bar that’s big on peanut butter flavor. It’s sweetened with agave (a low GI sweetner) and xylitol (a natural sugar substitute). It’s got some decent crunch to it, thanks to the addition of whey protein crisps, but otherwise, it’s a soft and chewy center. Flavor is quite good, although there is a slight note of something that tastes like coffee (which isn’t an ingredient in the bar) towards the finish. Still, for a 210 calorie bar that’s packed with 13g of protein, 3g of fiber, and what’s otherwise enjoyable flavor, it’s not that big of a deal. Packaging for this 1.76 ounce bar is fairly basic looking, with script fonts used for the logo and some of the other text that’s on the front of the wrapper. It’s not the most engaging design, but it’s effective for now. In the future, adding some personality to the look and making the “Deliciously Different” easier to read would be an improvement. Overall, we really enjoyed the flavor and nutritional side of this bar.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Forze GPS: Chocolate Decadence

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:09:18 +0000

Forze GPS Chocolate Decadence promises to help the consumer curb his appetite through a scientifically-formulated combination of fats, protein, nutrients and fiber. While that efficacy may be difficult to pin down, the bar still satisfies on taste, appearance, texture and nutrition. The bar’s top layer of chocolate chips and chocolate drizzle give it the appearance of an indulgent treat. Its taste resembles that of a brownie, though muted, with undertones of protein powder. Its texture pleasantly mixes chewy and crunchy, though it is perhaps a little scratchy on the throat. Nutritionally, the bar offers 8 g of protein, 5g of fiber and 10 g of sugar in 150 calories – a notable mix considering it makes no high-protein, high-fiber or low-sugar claims. Its vitamin suite is a little scant – just 10 percent of your daily need for vitamins A, C, and E as well as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid- though it also packs 40 percent of one’s daily need for calcium and 6 percent of one’s daily need for iron. Overall, Forze GPS Chocolate Decadence achieves a lot within its 40 grams and 150 calories.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Reliv International Expands Its Relivables Line

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:11:09 +0000

PHOENIX, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Reliv International, Inc. introduced three new products to its Relivables line at the company’s national conference here today. The products represent the first extension of the Relivables line since it was introduced last August. The new products are:

– Relivables soy nuts
– Relivables snack bars
– “r” body revitalizing moisture plus

The Relivables products complement Reliv International’s main line of nutritional supplements that address essential nutrition, weight loss, heart health, joint health, energy and performance among other areas.

Soy nuts

“These soy nuts are a pure product of dry roasted and lightly salted non-GMO soybeans,” said Dr. Tom Reynolds, Reliv’s director of research and development and technical affairs, a Ph.D. in food science. “This snack packs the benefits of soy, such as bone health, menopause relief and disease prevention,” Reynolds said.

Snack bars

The new snack bars come in two flavors: cranberry granola and chocolate-coated granola. They differ from average snack bars because they include both fiber and protein; most snack bars have one or the other, but not both. They also contain Pycnogenol, a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Body lotion

The new “r” body moisturizer features an anti-aging nutritional complex containing patented ingredients clinically proven to create smoother, firmer, more youthful-looking skin.

With these new products, the Relivables line now includes 10 products including personal care items for men and women, an all-natural sweetener, sunscreen and fortified soy milk. All products are available through Reliv distributors throughout the United States. To find more information, please go to www.relivables.com.

About Reliv

Reliv International, Inc., based in Chesterfield, Mo., is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of a proprietary line of nutritional supplements and skincare products. Reliv supplements address essential daily nutrition, weight loss and targeted solutions such as energy and performance enhancement, digestive health, women’s health and anti-aging. The company sells its products through an international network marketing system of approximately 68,000 independent distributors. Additional information about Reliv International, Inc. can be obtained on the Web at www.reliv.com and at www.relivables.com.

NRG BAR: Chocolate Coconut

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:38:41 +0000

When we saw the name “Chocolate Coconut,” we were fully expecting a bar that’s sweet and indulgent. After all, using chocolate in a bar is something that’s rarely done with restraint. Fortunately for NRG BAR, their Chocolate Coconut bar is not that, with chocolate chips and cocoa delivered as an accent to the bar’s core oat flavor. And of course, there’s the coconut, which, through the use of unsweetened coconut flakes, adds a very subtle crunch and note of flavor to the bar’s finish. One of the other flavors that’s in the mix, but not marketed on the label, is cinnamon, which adds a natural note of spice to the finish. Otherwise, the bar is soft and chewy, but feels slightly dry in the mouth. At 270 calories, the bar has some substance to it, as well as 6g of protein and 5g of fiber. On the outside, they’ve created a visually appealing label, with a cool looking logo and good use of color. While you can’t see inside the wrapper, it certainly has a vibe of sportiness to it, which seems to be what they are going for. Adding USDA Organic certification would be a plus in the future, but otherwise, we wouldn’t really change a thing about the look. Overall, a very enjoyable product that’s well executed.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars