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Clif Bar: Black Cherry Almond

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:23:44 +0000

Clif’s Black Cherry Almond is part of its energy bar line-up. It’s a substantial 2.4 oz and 250 calories. The product has a whopping 10g of protein and a respectable 5g of fiber. The bar is organic rice syrup mixed with soy, oats, almonds, cranberries and cherries. The mix is moist but crunchy. Almond flavor really comes through, although we didn’t taste much cherry. It should be noted that this bar also manages to hold a large mix of supplemented vitamins and minerals without it adversely affecting the flavor. The label indicates that Clif is part of 1% for the Planet, which means that Clif donates 1% of revenues to green charities (note: this is total revenue, not just profits). This means Clif is a company that puts their money where their mouth is. We love this product and we admire Clif.

5 out of 5 stars

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Post tags: bar, black, cherry almond, clif, energy, Protein

Kelp Crunch – Sesame Ginger

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:06:19 +0000

Despite the somewhat unappealing Kelp Crunch name and “seaweed energy bar” tag line, their Sesame Ginger bar is rather enjoyable. Made with sesame seeds, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, kelp, ginger, cayenne, and vanilla, the bar has a distinct flavor that you won’t find in other bars. The base, which is almost entirely sesame seeds, is crisp and crunchy, while the added ginger and cayenne give the product some heat to its finish. In the middle of all of this, there’s a light amount of sweetness and the kelp, which give the product a slightly Asian inspired taste. Nutritionally, the bar has 124 calories, 8g of fat, 3g of fiber, 3g of protein, calcium, iron, and small amounts of Vitamin A and C. Based on the 1 oz size and the nutritional content, this bar is definitely the right portion for a snack. Packaging is a simple foil wrapper that has been decorated with an illustrated image of a whale jumping out of the water. While it certainly has a vibe of authenticity to it, it’s not an image that’s overly appetizing in our opinion. However, we do like the placement of the “100% organic gluten-free vegan” badge, which will certainly help with their target consumer. Lastly, they are donating a portion of the proceeds to Allied Whale – that’s something that might be worth more prominent billing. Overall, a nice tasting product, but the current look of the label isn’t going to help sell bars.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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Post tags: cayenne, ginger, kelp, Protein, sesame, vanilla

Gatorade G Series Pro: 01 Prime Pre-Game Fuel Nutrition Bar: Chocolate Chip

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:33:45 +0000

Part of Gatorade’s new “G Series Pro” line, this bar is designed to be “pre-game fuel”, thanks to it being fortified with protein (10g) and carbohydrates (39g). From a flavor perspective, the bar is quite is enjoyable, having a chocolaty base of rolled oats and crisped rice. There’s also an occasional chocolate chip for good measure, creating something that has just a touch of indulgence. Aside from the protein and carbohydrates, the bar actually has a fair amount of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, iron, B vitamins and more. The bar’s wrapper mostly uses black, white, and grey, but the familiar orange lightning bolt and G logo should help catch the consumer’s eye. To that extent, we think that this product will have instant credibility in the marketplace. Otherwise, they’ve presented a pretty technical looking design that goes with the “G Series Pro” name. Overall, we think that Gatorade has done a nice job of marrying flavor, function, and the power of its brand into a bar offering that definitely has potential.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Post tags: bar, gatorade, oats, Protein, rice, vitamins

Power Crunch: French Vanilla Creme

admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 13:17:20 +0000

Featuring 14g of protein and only 5g of sugar, the French Vanilla Crème bar from Power Crunch is a very enjoyable and nourishing bar. Inside the wrapper, the 1.4 ounce bar is light and crisp, with a wafer bar style bar that has a creamy layers in the middle. There’s also a light vanilla coating around the bar itself, which adds a nice note to the bar’s finish. Functionally, the bar features a proprietary form of dietary protein, Proto Whey, which the manufacturer claims is designed specifically for the human metabolism. Regardless, the bar’s 14g of protein is sure to have appeal to certain consumers. Packaging is clean, but feels slightly devoid of its own identity, with stock imagery and standard type treatment used for all elements of the design. Further highlighting the “Proto Whey” logo might be a good starting point. Otherwise, figuring out some way to make the package memorable or fun would help this bar a lot. Overall, really enjoyable flavor and function, but needs some work on the packaging.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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Post tags: bar, crunch, french vanilla, function, power, Protein, whey

PowerCrunch: Triple Chocolate

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:48:16 +0000

PowerCrunch’s Triple Chocolate “protein energy bar” is a very unique product bar that’s both enjoyable to eat and functional. The bar is a “crème filled wafer bar”, which is something that we’ve only seen in cookies and candy bars. Compared to other protein bars that have a really tough chew to them or eat like cardboard, this bar is light and flaky with a crisp crunch to the finish. The bar is sweetened with a blend of sugar, fructose, and stevia, which keeps the carbs low (4g of sugar) and the flavor still on point. It also features 13g of protein from ProtoWhey, which the manufacturer claims is designed exactly to the specifications of human metabolism. Otherwise, the bar has 210 calories, 13g of fat, 195mg of potassium, 80mg of sodium, 5% RDA of iron, and 1g of fiber. The wrapper is clean, but feels slightly generic, which might result in this product not being overly memorable or standing out from the crowd. However, if a consumer does try it, we’re pretty sure they’ll be hooked. Overall, one of the best protein bars that we’ve ever sampled.
Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

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Post tags: chocolate, crunch, energy bar, iron, Protein

Betty Lou’s Nut Butter Balls: Peanut Butter

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:47:29 +0000

Betty Lou’s Nut Butter Balls are some of the more interesting bars that we’ve come across, starting with the product’s shape, which is more of a “clump” than a “ball.” Inside the wrapper, there’s loads of peanut butter flavor (it is the second ingredient after all), which, when combined with the other ingredients, makes for an extremely chewy bar. Added protein crisps give the bar some crunch and variety of texture. Overall, it’s quite enjoyable to eat. Nutritionally, the bar has 190 calories, 8g of fat, 3g of fiber, 15g of protein, vitamins, and electrolytes. On the wrapper, they promote a gluten free formulation with electrolytes. Not mentioning the product’s protein content seems like a missed opportunity. Also, there’s the design of the wrapper, which looks more like a snack food than a functional product. We’d say the same for the name Betty Lou’s and its associated wrapper design. Updating the design and messaging to something that looks functional and like a sports product would likely improve the marketability of the product. Nit picking aside, Betty Lou’s Peanut Butter ball is a very unique and enjoyable bar.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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Post tags: bar, betty lou, nut butter, Peanut Butter, Protein

Full Bar: Cinnamon Roll

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:06:20 +0000

Full Bar’s Cinnamon Roll bar is a 100% natural bar that markets itself as being “inspired by weigh loss surgery principles” and “developed by a leading weight loss surgeon.” On our beverage industry site, BevNET.com, we’ve seen lots of marketers try to position themselves as being people with M.D.s, but it hasn’t worked so well (what’s so wrong with a food scientist anyway?). That, combined with this bar’s massive size and light weight (1.59 ounces) made us very eager to give this product a try. Opening the wrapper, we noticed that the bar was sticky and difficult to remove. Scissors were required to get it out. The bar uses puffed wheat (along with soy crisps and soy protein) and honey, agave, and brown rice syrup provide the sweetness and coating. The flavors are further enhanced with natural flavors, salt, and cinnamon. However, it seems a bit far from being a replacement for a cinnamon roll. All in all, it’s a tasty bar that has a taste that’s reminiscent of a sweetened breakfast cereal, so we think that it’s pretty likeable. Nutritionally, the bar has 150 calories, 2g of fat, 6g of protein, 5g of fiber, calcium, sodium, and iron. Drinking it with water, the bar certainly makes you feel full – so in that sense it works. As for the packaging, they’ve done a nice job of cleanly arranging the elements on the front of the wrapper. However, showing an image of a cinnamon roll on a product that’s geared at people who are trying to lose weight seems a bit much. We’re also not convinced that a weight loss surgeon’s ability to perform medical procedures bears relevance to their ability to formulate shelf stable food products. Overall, we like the concept and like the flavor, but the visual execution could use some refinement.
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Post tags: agave, bar, cinnamon, fullbar, honey, Protein, soy

Optimum Nutrition: Peanut Butter (Diet)

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:35:54 +0000

This bar delivers a significant protein load with a decent flavor and minimal calories and carbohydrates. The packaging, while a shade bland, invites the eye with its image of peanuts with peanut butter and clarifies the product’s claims with minimal text. The brand name encapsulates its proposition (optimal protein) and the call-outs under it – 180 calories, 20 g of protein and 1g of net carbs – back up its claim. Texture-wise, this bar is uniform and pasty, but its strong peanut butter flavor mostly covers the underlying notes of soy and whey proteins. Its nutrition panel doesn’t offer much for vitamins – 6 percent of your daily need of iron and calcium – but, unlike other protein bars, Optimal Protein Diet doesn’t claim to be anything other than a low-cal, low-carb protein delivery vehicle. Overall, Optimal Protein Diet is a solid choice if you’re trying to add protein to your diet while limiting calories.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Post tags: bar, diet bar, low cal, Peanut Butter, Protein

Honey Stinger: Chocolate Coated Peanut Butter Pro

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:55:48 +0000

This is one of those bars that really “tastes too good to be true” (Or, in bar terms, it tastes too good to be good for you). The flavor of this bar is just plain awesome, with a candy bar like flavor that is extremely palatable and has no protein flavor. The peanut butter flavored base and chocolate coating make it extremely pleasant to eat, with an almost indulgent feeling in your mouth. This bar, which has 10g of whey protein, is also offered in a 20g of protein format as well (which we’ve also reviewed). In addition to having less protein, this bar is 1.5 ounces versus the 2.85 ounces of its counterpart. It’s soft, but less chewy than its counterpart, which makes it easier to eat. Ingredients are pretty straightforward as well, with honey, milk chocolate, peanut butter, whey protein isolate, and vitamins & minerals giving the bar its flavor and nutrition. Packaging is wholesome, but has energy, with the aggressive looking Honey Stinger logo providing a nice splash of personality. Overall, a very well done product.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

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Post tags: chocolate, honey, Peanut Butter, Protein, protein bars

Zero Impact: Chocolate Peanut Butter

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:54:36 +0000

VPX Sports Zero Impact High Protein Meal Bar boasts a large dose of protein and interesting functional claims, but possesses such an unpleasant taste, texture and appearance as to make it inedible to any but the most dedicated gym rat. The product’s bright blue package and bold text attracts the eye with minimal up-front claims. Its side and back panels build expectations – promising to deliver a low-glycemic dose of nutrition with “fat burning fats” – but peeling away the foil reveals a monotonous brown brick. The bar delivers a dry and crumbly texture and a taste that is so paste-like as to turn the stomach. Compressing a chunk of the bar between the tongue and the roof of the mouth squeezed out a hint of peanut butter, but no chocolate notes. Nutritionally, this bar is something of a bomb. At 410 calories, it’s one of the heftiest bars we’ve ever reviewed, and its calorie to protein ratio is higher than that of more popular protein bars. It also doesn’t add much for vitamins and minerals, including only 4-6 percent of your daily recommended consumption of vitamin A, Vitamin C, and iron as well as 10 percent of your suggested daily intake of calcium. Overall, this bar is difficult to choke down, but, if you can handle the taste and buy into its fat burning nutraceutical claim, this bar may be for you.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars

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Post tags: chocolate, Peanut Butter, Protein, protein bar