Amazing Grass: Chocolate Whole Food

Amazing Grass’s Chocolate Whole Food Energy Bar  is part of its 4 bar Green Superfood line-up. We tried this immediately after a rather unpleasant experience with Odwalla’s Superfood bar, so we were not expecting much. Much to the contrary, this is an excellent product. The fact that it is coated in organic dark chocolate might lead some to say it is cheating a bit, but the chocolate coating helps deliver an amazing list of ingredients. Third on the list of ingredients, after dates and agave nectar, is Amazing Grass’ Green Superfood mix, which contains the following: Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Barley Grass, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Spirulina, Organic Spinach, Organic Chlorella, Organic Broccoli, Organic Acai, Organic Maca, Organic Carrot, Organic Beet, Raspberry, Organic Rose Hips, Pineapple, Green Tea, Organic Flax Lignans, L. Adidophilus, Alpha and Beta Amylase, Protease, Lipase, Lactase, Cellulase, and Organic Peppermint). The bar has a nice chew to it, which a little texture. Frankly, it could use a little more crunch, but overall it is pleasantly smooth. Nutritionally, it is 230 calories, 5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber. The label is easy to read and communicates exactly what you can expect. Given what this bar packs into its insides, we’re fine with handicapping it’s star rating a little, not that it wouldn’t do just fine on it’s own.

5 out 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

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

Oskri Organics: Coconut Bar with Organic Dark Chocolate

Blurring the lines between what we’d consider a “bar” and a piece of candy, Oskri Organics’ Coconut Bar with Dark Chocolate is extremely enjoyable nonetheless. This vegan, USDA Organic bar will be a hit with anyone who likes coconut, for there’s really nothing else to the inside of this bar. The chocolate coating adds a further touch of indulgence, but it’s might lighter than what you’ll find in a coconut candy bar (e.g. Mounds). Packaging has a pretty simple, but earthy look to it. We’d like to see more emphasis on the “with Organic Dark Chocolate” subtext, which is currently much smaller than the “Coconut Bar” text. That would certainly lure in more consumers – and be a more accurate descriptor of what’s actually inside the wrapper. Overall, we’re big fans of this bar, although it’s certainly a product that we’d only have once in a while as a treat.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honey Stinger: Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond Pro

Another Honey Stinger product that has more in common with a candy bar than a nutrition bar, this product contains 20 g of whey protein and a whopping 390 calories. With tasty dark chocolate and a nice spike of chewy dried cherries, as well as the sweetness of honeyed nougat, it’s tough to stop eating. That said, its appearance – and feel – are a bit intimidating. The bar is thick and heavy, almost brick-like, in the wrapper, and while the 20 grams of protein are certainly enough to give it some gym-worthy credibility, bannering it so prominently across the bar’s wrapper doesn’t seem to jibe with the natural honey vibe that is the central focus of the Stinger brand. In other words, if it wasn’t your job to try all the bars on the market, you probably wouldn’t pick it up. Unless you’d heard there was a candy bar in there.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Calories: 390
Fat: 17 g
Carbs: 41 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 20 g

Pro Bar: Koka Moka

We were sucked in by this bar’s subtle but appealing name, but what was inside the wrapper is ultimately what would keep us coming back for more.  The core flavor is quite pleasant, blending raisins, dates, oats, and sunflower seeds with the decadent flavor of dark chocolate.  There’s an occasional crunch from raw almonds and sesame seeds, which helps give the bar its diverse texture.  The addition of other seeds (such as flax, pumpkin, and hemp), nuts, and whole grains help add to the product’s fiber (6g) and protein (9g) content while also rounding out the bar’s earthy flavor.  The only dig as this product is the high calorie (360) and fat (18g) content per bar.  That rules it out as a snack, but certainly makes it a good choice for a meal replacement.  Packaging is good, but when put side by side with other Pro Bars, the brand looks a bit monotonous. Adding something that helps whet the appetite and/or gives the bar a bit of personality would be a nice touch.  Overall, exceptional flavor and nutrition content still make this a very worthy bar to choose.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars