Prana Bar: Apricot Pumpkin

Prana’s Apricot Pumpkin is part of its organic, vegan line-up of “raw enzyme power” bars. The bar is impressive in its simplicity. It contains only the following: dried apricots, pumpkin seeds, date paste, almond butter, agave nectar, puffed amaranth, and sea salt. Unfortunately the pumpkin/apricot combination does not work well. It tastes almost as though there is a spice to it, though there is clearly no spice added to this product at all. Nutritionally, it delivers 190 calories, 5g of protein and 2g of fiber. The texture is like a fruity paste with some nice crunch to it. The flavor however was not to our liking.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Go Raw: Live Pumpkin Bar

GoRaw Live Pumpkin is definitely one of the healthiest packaged foods we’ve ever eaten. It’s not often that a brand puts its ingredients front and center on the package in large font – clearly, they have nothing to hide. Here’s what it contains: sprouted organic pumpkin seeds, sprouted organic flax seeds, organic date, organic agave nectar, Celtic sea salt. The bar is free of gluten, GMO, Trans-fats, and cholesterol. One of the really interesting aspects to its formulation is that the seeds are technically alive, due to the fact that they were dried at less than 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The bar delivers an incredible 8g of fiber and 14g of protein.  Some of the disclosures on the package, while forthright and honest, are a bit unnerving. The manufacture mentions mold, insects, and small rocks as some of the things that this bar is susceptible to due to the uncooked, unpreserved, unprocessed way in which it was prepared. We feel the folks at GoRaw could have been a little more generous with the date/agave mix, as the bar is a bit dry, but we recognize that date/agave can bump up sugar levels in the bar. Goraw clearly chose to land on the side of less is more.  Overall, this is a product that should have health nuts jumping up and down and, fortunately for GoRaw, it tastes pretty nice to boot.
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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