Forze GPS: Chocolate Decadence

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

Clif Bar: Crunchy Peanut Butter

Great crunch and chew – no mouth-tiring work. A bit acidic, possibly from brown rice syrup, but with nice chunks of peanut butter. While the peanut bits provide some crunch, the bar could use a few more and the calorie cost would likely be offset by a potential reduction in sugar content. Nevertheless, the classic Clif wrapper and overall utility of this bar, which basically comes out like a protein-dense peanut butter cookie, mean that this product, one of the earliest of the Clif Bar offerings, is still one of its best ones.

Total Calories: 250
Fat: 6 g
Protein: 11 g
Fiber: 5 g

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clif Bar: White Chocolate Macadamia

Given Clif’s facility with all things peanut-y, it would seem that the use of tempting additions like white chocolate and macadamia has the potential to create a totally indulgent, if calorie-rich bar. Unfortunately, it’s hard to make out either white chocolate or Macadamia flavors in this one, and instead the dominant taste note one gets is simply “sweeter than regular Clif Bar.” If you’re going to dangle these other ingredients for us, throw us enough chunks to make them discernible – otherwise, they go in as just so much extra sugar. While the Clif label isn’t known for providing the lightest of products, there’s usually some worth to the exchange of health for flavor and calories. But this has less flavor and fewer nutritive qualities than its line mates.

Total Calories: 240
Fat: 7g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 9g
Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Odwalla: Sweet & Salty Peanut Bar

Odwalla: Sweet & Salty Peanut Of all the Odwalla bars that we’ve sampled, this one is probably the best. That’s the result of heavy peanut and oat flavors, which give the bar a decidedly less processed feeling in your mouth. There’s also a heavy dose of sweetness (from brown rice syrup and sugar) and salt, which make the product have the “Sweet & Salty” flavor that’s promised in the bar’s name. Then again, this bar eats very much like the classic Payday candy bar, which very much makes us question just how nutritious this bar really is. On the nutrition panel, the product has 190 calories, 6g of fat, 2g of fiber, 5g of protein, and vitamins and minerals. It also claims, in the fine print, to be made with 24% organic ingredients. All of this adds up to something that might make for a good snack, but not something that’s offering a ton of nutrition relative to the competition. Packaging is just okay, with a cluttered front label that has text running all over it. There are images of nuts, but they’re off in the corner, while the Odwalla logo still doesn’t seem overly credible to us on things other than smoothie and juice drinks. Overall, it’s nice tasting, but we think they can still do better.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Clif Builder’s: Chocolate

Made with an “entirely natural” formulation, Clif Builder’s: Chocolate delivers a solid dose of protein with a reasonable sugar load and good taste. While the undertone of soy protein emerges in the bar’s finish, the overall flavor resembles a brownie – a feat considering the bar’s mere 20 grams of sugar, 270 calories and absence of artificial sweeteners. From a texture standpoint, this bar offers a mixture of chewy and crunchy achieved by sandwiching a crumbled core between two layers of chocolate. Nutritionally, the line’s 20 grams of protein puts it solidly on the lighter side of protein bar territory. It also freights significant doses of 23 vitamins and minerals – including 100 percent of the FDA’s suggested daily consumption of vitamins C and E – and four grams of fiber. The bar’s brightly-colored packaging catches the eye, with the brand taking top billing above the Clif logo. While the flavor hangs at the far right of the label, each bar in the line boasts a different color, making one flavor easily distinguishable from another. Overall, this is a solid entry, pleasing in both flavor and nutrition panel.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Clif Bar: Banana Nut Bread

While it certainly has a lot more chew to it than real banana bread, Clif has done a great job of creating a flavor that’s an accurate interpretation of the original. There’s a pretty good banana flavor to the mixture, thanks to the use of dried bananas, while the base is the same organic oat and soy crisp base that you’ll find in the rest of this line of Clif Bars. It’s got a fair amount of chew to it, with some light crunch to the finish, which is also aided by some walnut flavor. Nutritionally, this bar has 9g of protein, 240 calories, 250mg of potassium, 4g of fiber, and loads of vitamins and minerals. That being said, it functions as both a nice snack alternative or a light meal. Packaging follows the same template as the rest of the Clif line, with a caramel colored strip along the bottom for the flavor name. It’s honestly somewhat hard to get excited about Clif’s packaging at this point, but since it’s so ubiquitous with the energy bar category, it definitely gives us a certain feeling of comfort when we see it. Overall, it’s not an overly innovative flavor, but it’s a well executed one and, therefore, a bar that we’d have no problem picking up again.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Luna Protein: Cookie Dough

Luna Protein Cookie Dough proves to be a disappointment from a company that otherwise produces good bars. The flavor sounds intriguing and enjoyable – who doesn’t like cookie dough? – but the result falls short of its potential. The taste of the chocolate coating overpowers the hint of cookie dough – reminiscent of that found in ice cream – that emerges only in the finish. Textually, the bar is a mostly-uniform, chewy mush with an occasional crunch from chocolate chips in the filling. It also leaves a syrupy feeling and aftertaste in the mouth. Nutritionally, this is a lighter bar, weighing in at 180 calories. It boasts a smattering of vitamins and minerals at moderate levels, topping out at 30 percent of your daily suggested intake, but it comes up light on the protein front, especially for a product with “protein” in its name. While 12 grams might be significant for someone with an inactive lifestyle, that’s a small dose for most consumers who will reach for a protein product. Overall, Luna Protein Cookie Dough disappoints, missing the mark on flavor and coming up short on protein.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Supreme Protein: Rocky Road Brownie

Supreme Protein Rocky Road Brownie looks, feels and tastes like a candy bar. With a layer of marshmallow over a layer of brownie, all wrapped in a mixture of chocolate and peanuts, you’d be forgiven for confusing this bar with a high-sugar, high calorie indulgence. Instead, it offers 15 grams of protein with just 210 calories and 3 grams of sugar, owing its sweetness to the use of sugar alcohols (which are not readily absorbed by the body). It also boasts an interesting, chewy/crunchy consistency. If it can be criticized for anything, it’s the vitamin panel. The Supreme Protein Rocky Road Brownie bar offers only small doses of your daily vitamins, topping out at 25 percent of vitamin E. But, if you’re just looking for a low-sugar protein bar that doesn’t taste like chalk, you’re not going to do much better than this.

Rating: 4.5

Myoplex Lite: Peanut Caramel Crisp

With a label boasting 15 grams of “high quality protein” and bearing the Myoplex brand name, the promise of this bar is clear. A protein blend (both soy and whey) stands at the top of the ingredient list and that’s reflected in the taste. While its layer of crushed peanuts and caramel over chocolate creates an interesting texture – a mixture of crunchy and chewy – the peanut and chocolate accents only create a distraction from the cardboard undertone common to the protein bar category. The real test, though, is the nutrition panel. The bar’s 15 grams of protein is less than others in the category, but it also weighs in at a scant 190 calories – making it more of a pre-workout snack than a meal replacement. Where the bar really shines is on its nutrient content. It boasts 50 percent the USDA’s daily suggested intake of a suite of vitamins, including A, C, and E. It’s also a significant source of calcium, magnesium and zinc. Overall, the Myoplex Lite bar offers a good source of quick nutrition, even if it’s not the tastiest option on the shelf.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Pure: Cherry Cashew Bar

This bar is made with ingredients that are USDA Organic, raw, vegan, and gluten free, which helps make it live up to its “for all people” tag line. There’s a pleasant base of date and almond flavor to the mix, which has been sweetened with agave and has a slight crunch from small chunks of walnuts throughout. The cherry flavor is subtle, adding a nice tart flavor to the otherwise earthy tasting bar. We’re definitely pleased to see that they didn’t make it too “fruity” tasting. Nutritionally, this 1.7 ounce bar packs a fair amount in, including 400mg of omega 3, 4g of organic fiber, 6g and protein, 200 calories, 9g of fat, and vitamins and minerals. Packaging has a relatively simple style of presentation to it, with a white wrapper that’s decorated with a yellow illustration of a female face. It’s an appealing design that has a definite vibe of health and nutrition to it. The rest of the wrapper has a lot of text on it, but in this case, it all logically fits together as opposed to creating clutter. Overall, an exceptional tasting bar that delivers the perfect balance of flavor and nutrition.

Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Luna: Caramel Nut Brownie

Luna’s Caramel Nut Brownie bar is an especially good one, both in terms of the nutrition content and the bar’s flavor. It’s definitely one of the more indulgent bars that we’ve seen from Clif’s Luna Bar lineup, with a sweet chocolate flavored soy, rice, and oat base (70% organic). From there, they’ve drizzled chocolate and caramel on the top of the bar, while the bottom also has a decadent chocolate coating. As a result, the bar is chewy but has some slight crunch and it’s sticky to the touch — so you might want to eat it directly from the wrapper. Nutritionally, this 180 calorie bar has 8g of protein, 1g of fiber, and loads of vitamins and minerals. Also notable is their promotion of the bar’s “Low Glycemic” index, thanks to the use of brown rice syrup as the bar’s sweetener. So, if you’re looking for a snack that’s more than just empty calories, this is a great choice. On the outside, the new Luna bar look is great, with clean illustrations that give the bar a look that should fit well with the yoga crowd that this bar is meant for. Definitely one of the better Luna Bars that we’ve sampled.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honey Stinger: Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Pro

Part of Honey Stinger’s protein bar lineup, this bar’s most notable selling point is the fact that it contains 20g of protein. Advertised as a having dark chocolate, almond, and coconut flavors, this 3 ounce bar is loaded with enjoyable flavor as well as nutrition. The flavor of this bar can definitely hold its own, with the smooth chocolate center delivering a rich dose of flavor with light coconut and almond notes. If there’s anything we might change, it’s the sweetness of the bar, which is a bit strong, but it does help mask the underlying protein flavor. The bar weighs in at 380 calories, so there’s plenty of substance to it, plus there’s 20g of fiber, 3g of fiber, and loads of vitamins and nutrients. Packaging definitely looks and feels like a protein bar, with a dense 3 oz bar that has bold and colorful labeling. Plus, the Honey Stinger bee logo works quite nicely, emitting a wholesome but aggressive vibe that helps define this product’s niche. Overall, a really nice tasting bar that’s backed with 20g of protein. One of our favorite protein bars to date.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Sun Valley Bar: Goji Lemon

Admittedly, our expectations for this bar were somewhat low. Why? Well, aside from the fact that we haven’t had that many goji flavored bars (or other food products) that taste all that good, it’s the combination with lemon that made us have low expectations (lemon + goji??). Fortunately, what’s inside the wrapper is an extremely enjoyable product, with a perfectly balanced mixture of flavors. There’s a soft base of oats, almond butter, seeds, and nuts, which gives way to a touch of goji and a pleasant note of what tastes like lemon zest. It very much has a homemade feeling to it, which is furthered by the product’s minimalist label design. Nutritionally, the bar has 230 calories, 10g of fat, 7g of sugar, vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron. The ingredient list is mainly comprised of items that are recognizable to your average consumer, which is certainly a plus. So, our only concern for this product is its minimalist packaging, which doesn’t allow you to see in and is completely devoid of any personality. That, in our opinion, might make for a tough sell when it’s going up against more flash competitors. Still, a very enjoyable product.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

NoNuttin’ Granola Bar: Chocolate Chip

Compared to their Double Chocolate Chunk flavored bar, NoNuttin’s Chocolate Chip bar has far less chocolate flavor. However, it’s still plenty to satisfy and it also leaves more oat flavor in the mix. Plus, there’s a note of what tastes like brown sugar and/or brown rice syrup (kind of earthy, hint of molasses). All of these flavors combine to give the bar just the right amount of each flavor, with a mild level of sweetness to complement the oats and chocolate. It has a definite high quality feeling to it, which is definitely a plus for this bar. From a portion point of view, this bar is definitely on the lighter side, having only 130 calories and 5g of fat per bar. However, being a gluten and nut free formulation is something that should definitely give this bar some added marketability. On the packaging front, this 1.06 ounce bar has a pastel green wrapper that’s pretty busy as far as text elements are concerned. While the name itself is clever, we’re not huge fans of the logo (they’ve got a yellow character blocking the “o”), plus something just feels disjointed about the way that things have been arranged. Our eye was circling around looking for the focal point and trying to absorb everything that’s on there. Still, the flavor is great and if they can tweak the label we think this bar would be perfect.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

NoNuttin’ Granola Bar: Double Chocolate Chunk

For a bar that’s named “NoNuttin,” this bar sure has a lot of flavor. Using a gluten free and nut free granola base, it has a pleasant oat and crisp rice flavor with a slight crunch to the finish. Otherwise, the bar is soft and slightly chewy There’s also a pretty heavy note of dark chocolate, which gives the bar a slightly indulgent – and very satisfying – flavor. We love the very lightly processed feeling to the bar, which is a testament to the product’s simple list of ingredients. What’s also nice is the bar’s relatively low amount of calories (130), making this a great choice as a light snack or supplement to a meal. There’s not a whole lot in this bar in the way of nutrition, with 2g of fiber, 2g of protein, 2% calcium, and 6% iron Packaging is decent, although the logo is somewhat hard to read and the placement of the flavor name requires your eye to search a bit. Prime placement of the product’s nut and gluten free recipe is smart and opportunistic. Overall, we really love what’s inside the wrapper, but the design needs a bit of work.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clif Bar: Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch

While there’s not a ton of crunch to the bar, there’s a nice dose of peanut butter flavor to this bar. The addition of peanut butter also adds a fair amount of chew to the bar, while oats, soy crisps, and a touch of chocolate chips give the bar some crunch on the way out. We can’t help but feel as though there should be more to the chocolate flavor – it’s really muted in its current form. So really, this bar is like a more chewy version of your typical Clif Bar. That’s not a bad thing, but more a question of preference. In terms of substance and nutrition, this bar has 260 calories, 6g of fat, 11g of protein, 5g of fiber, and a bevy of vitamins and minerals. Plus, it does a nice job of satisfying hunger and a sweet tooth craving all in one shot. On the outside, it looks just like every other Clif Bar wrapper, which, in our opinion, could use a few more visual differences than just a color change in the mountain graphic. Overall, another solid bar from Clif – but not one that’s going to get anyone overly excited.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kashi Golean Roll: Oatmeal Walnut

Kashi’s “GoLean Roll” line is an interesting one and their Oatmeal Walnut flavor is definitely one of the better flavors. This bar is very chewy, almost to the point of being difficult to eat (it will give your jaw a workout), and there’s a slight amount of crunch to it from the puffed rice coating. The center of the bar has a pretty decent “oatmeal” flavor, although it was hard to distinguish anything that really tasted like walnut. Ultimately, our biggest issue with this bar is how processed it tastes (and looks). The same can be said for the long ingredients list, which, despite being “all natural,” will require a food science degree to decipher. Nutritionally, the bar has 12g of protein, 6g of fiber, and 190 calories. It claims to be developed for an “optimized glycemic response” (slow release carbs to balance blood sugar and protein/fiber to help you keep satisfied). On that front, the bar seems to work as advertised – it definitely satisfied our hunger. Packaging is good and takes advantage of the popular Kashi brand, but we can’t help but feel like the concept of a “roll” is somewhat unappetizing. Overall, a decent bar, but we’d like it more if it were easier to chew.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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Clif Bar: Maple Nut

Maple Nut is one of the more enjoyable Clif Bar flavors that we’ve sampled. It tastes like exactly what the name implies, with a soft but slightly crunchy body that has just the right amount of maple flavor to it. There’s also a touch of salt to the finish, which gives the product a slightly savory note that helps balance everything out. In terms of ingredients, the bar’s key ingredients are organic oats and soy rice crisps, which help to add some substance and nutrition to the bar. They also account for the bar’s soft, but crunchy texture, which is quite pleasing and further adds to the sense of substance. Nutritionally, the bar has 10g of protein, 5g of fiber, 240 calories, and an ample dose of over a dozen vitamins and minerals. It’s a great choice if you need a snack before a workout or something to help get you through a long afternoon. Packaging is clean and appealing, although we’re not sure why the color purple was chosen to go with a maple and nut flavored bar. Still, the overall product is extremely good and we’d definitely reach for it again.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vega Whole Food Energy Bar: Berry Flavor

Like the other Vega Whole Food Energy bars, this one is made from “raw, alkaline, plant based superfoods.” You’ll find dates, hemp protein, almond butter, agave nectar, sprouted whole flax seeds, cranberries, raisins, almonds, sesame seeds, organic sprouted mung beans, organic wheat grass, and a few other ingredients for flavoring. It’s a soft but chewy bar, with a slightly dry texture, especially at the finish. Flavor is really enjoyable, with notes of the fruit and nuts throughout. There’s also a slightly earthy note of flavor to the bar, which is likely from the wheatgrass, mung, and flax. Nutritionally, the bar is a winner, with 10g of raw protein, 250mg of potassium, 6g of fiber, omega 3 and 6, vitamins, and minerals on top of 240 calories. The bar is great as for snacking before a workout – or to help supplement a meal with something that’s sweet but nutritious. Packaging is probably the only area that we’d like to see some improvement, with a look that feels technical rather than inviting. To a degree, the label made us expect a bar that didn’t taste good, which is fortunately not the case. Overall, it’s a very enjoyable product, but kicking up the packaging a bit would definitely help.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lifeway Kefir Probiotic – Sweet n salty peanut

So, two different callouts of probiotic on the label are probably one more than necessary. But the real necessity is actually putting some salt into the product to justify the use of the name “sweet n’ salty” on the bar. Not to be too literal or anything, but it would help, as would some bigger peanut chunks. Underneath a fairly pedestrian yogurt coating – nothing to make one think Kefir in the flavor here – lies a slightly chunky nougat, but not much beyond that, except an exceptionally large number of calories for a bar this size. Make it healthier, or make it better, guys.

Calories – 240
Fat – 13 g
Protein – 7 g
Fiber – 3 g
Total Carbohydrates – 25 g

Rating: 2 of 5 stars

KIND Bar: Fruit & Nut Delight

This is sort of Kind’s catch-all dried fruit and nut bar and its mix of peanuts, almonds, brazil nuts and walnuts, the nut part is certainly up to snuff, although we’d like it if there was a bit more variety to the fruit beyond raisin and apricot. Also, the Kind folks really overdid it with the honey/pectin coating on this one – it glistened and gleamed dangerously, and we were a bit worried we’d lose a tooth. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case, and the flavors were all pretty distinguishable in the mix. On a packaging point, the blue trim on the wrapper is absolutely gorgeous.

Calories: 170
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 3 g
Fat: 11 g
Carbs: 16 g

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kashi GoLean Roll: Caramel Peanut

We can honestly say now that the success Kashi had with its earlier Roll bar was no fluke – the caramel peanut is as formidable as the chocolate in terms of taste and ability to satisfy. Its flavor can’t be beat in terms of caramel notes, although the nuts and rice are a bit bland. Texture is an issue, however, as the “nougat” center of the role – quotes used because very little nougat is used in the making of this bar – is resistant enough to yank out fillings or whole teeth, especially when your jaw is already tired from cranking through most of this bar. Still, it’s well worth the trouble, especially with 12 g of protein and 6 g of fiber sitting around to soothe the pain.

Calories: 190
Fat: 5g
Protein: 12 g
Fiber: 6 g
Total Carbs: 27 g

Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Vega Whole Food Energy Bar: Chocolate Flavor

As the label states, this bar is made from “raw, alkaline, plant-based superfoods.” So what’s in this bar? Key ingredients include dates, sprouted flax, cocoa powder, almonds, sprouted mung beans, and wheat grass. The resulting product has a decidedly earthy but fruity flavor to it, with a soft but dry base that’s has big notes of cocoa, dates, and sprouted flax. The bar has a nice balance to it, with just the right amount of chocolate to level out the other flavors. It’s really easy on the palate, making it a pretty easy bar to scarf down in a hurry. Nutritionally, this 240 calorie bar has 6g of fiber, 10g of protein, vitamins, minerals, potassium, omega 6, and omega 3. It’s enough to help tide you over in between meals – or to give you a boost before a workout (our preferred use). Packaging is clean and easy to understand, but it lacks in the “biteability” department (meaning it doesn’t whet the appetite). Regardless, this is a bar that we’d pick up again and again for both flavor and to satisfy our hunger.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Larabar Jocalat: Chocolate Coffee

Like other Larabar products, this one is made with simple, understandable ingredients, including dates, walnuts, hazelnuts, cocoa, cashews, and coffee (all are USDA Organic). The resulting mix is quite good, especially since the flavor of the nuts helps mask the flavor of the dates, which can tend to overwhelm other flavors. The use of cocoa also helps quite a bit, with a touch of indulgence added to this nutritious tasting bar. And speaking of nutrition, the bar has 4g of protein, 5g of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and 190 calories. So, there’s some substance to it, but not too much, and just the right amount of vitamin content to make this a worthwhile snack. Last, but not least, is the packaging. It’s dark colored theme seems like the right choice for a chocolate and coffee flavored bar, while placement of the USDA and Fair Trade logos are a plus. On the other hand, the “JOCOLAT” text seems to make it hard for the eye to find the flavor of the bar – just something to consider. Overall, a very enjoyable bar.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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