Since my last bar-hopping post, I’ve had several months to taste-test my way through the bar aisle even further. See below to read about my latest discoveries:
Odwalla
Mocha-walla
Odwalla has been cranking out the new flavors lately, for which I am genuinely appreciative—I am always looking for new flavors to carry around as my “emergency snack.” One of the latest additions to the Odwalla family is the Mocha-walla bar. As you might surmise from its name, the Mocha-walla bar features a coffee flavor with a dose of chocolate. While I am not a fan of coffee itself, I always enjoy coffee-flavored items (makes total sense, right?). Anyway, I was anxious to try this new java-infused bar, and I was not disappointed. It has a distinct coffee flavor, and the occasional chocolate chip adds some welcome sweetness. One caveat: this bar gave me serious coffee breath—I had some java-burps during my run as a result.
It was tasty and a good way to add some variety into my bar repertoire, but I am not sure I’d recommend it as a pre-workout snack due to the unfortunate coffee breath side effect. The protein content is a little puny (4 g), but each bar is fortified with a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Nutrition Information: 210 Calories, 4 g fat, 1.5 g sat. fat, 90 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 15 g sugar, 4 g protein. Also contains 22 mg caffeine.
The ingredients list is also a tad long for my taste, but at least they are partially organic (36%).
With all that said, my favorite flavor will always be Superprotein.
YouBars
A few months ago, the folks at YouBar were kind enough to send me a sampling of their products. While all of their products are fully customizable, they also offer some pre-made items, including uniquely flavored bars.
Great Date with Chocolate
Dates? Chocolate? Yes, please. Any marriage of two of my all-time favorite ingredients is likely to be a hit. However, I was a bit disappointed by the too-subtle cocoa flavor. The dates lent significant sweetness to the bar, however, and the texture was soft and a little chewy, much like a Larabar.
The only ingredients are dates, whey protein, honey, and cocoa. Due to the whey protein, these bars are not vegan, but they do boast an impressive protein count.
Nutrition Information: 140 Calories, 1.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat. fat, 15 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 24 g sugar, 8 g protein, plus 35% RDA for calcium, and 10% RDA for iron.
Honey Cashew
Considering my love of honey-sesame cashews, I was pretty excited to sample this flavor as well. The taste? A+. It reminded me of a shortbread cookie! Very sweet and very satisfying. The texture? Uh, C-. In accordance with its cookie-like nature, this bar was on the crumbly side, making it inappropriate for eating on the run. I suspect that most bar-eaters are interested not only in its flavor but also its ease of transport; the Honey Cashew bar fails to meet the portability criterion. Take note that napkins a re required for optimal consumption of this bar.
The ingredients list is pleasantly short with only cashew butter, honey, whey protein, and nutty rice cereal. Each bar is a bit deficient in fiber, but there is a low sugar count and high protein content.
Nutrition Information: 220 Calories, 13 g fat, 2.5 g sat. fat, 25 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 10 g protein.
Clif
Cranberry Orange Nut Bread
As you are probably well-aware, I am a Clif bar devotee. I’ve tried and reviewed every single flavor, including the seasonal varieties. Clif’s balance of protein and carbohydrates provides the perfect pre-run nutrition, plus their variety of tasty flavors prevents taste bud boredom. Given my enthusiasm for all things Clif, I practically squealed with delight when I spotted a new seasonal flavor at my on-campus convenience store. This flavor features the ingredients of holiday nut breads: cranberry and orange. While I typically enjoy this combination of flavors, the bar version failed to impress me. The orange flavor seemed a bit artificial, and the bar was generally over-sweetened. While not inedible, I much prefer the other Clif bar seasonal flavors.
The ingredients list is relatively long, as are those of most Clif bars, but some components are organic, and many of them are vitamins and minerals added for fortification. Warning to the soy-averse: the protein content in this bar is derived from soy protein isolate.
Nutrition Information: 240 Calories, 6 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 70 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 9g protein.
Amazing Grass
Green SuperFood Whole Food Energy Bar (Original)
I’ve had good luck with Amazing Grass products in the past; their hemp-blend protein powders make for an excellent smoothie, and I buy their Amazing Grass Kidz (chocolate!) in bulk. Thus, I had high expectations for the bars produced by the same company…and my expectations were met and surpassed! These bars are composed of dried fruits, nuts, and a variety of superfoods, such as wheat grass and spirulina. The taste was pleasantly sweet, and no, you cannot taste the “greens.” The texture was again, quite similar to that of a Larabar, perhaps a bit denser. This made for a satisfying snack, as it held me over during several hours of shopping.
The ingredients list is long, but none of the components are of the “mystery” variety, that is, they are all easily pronounceable and healthful to boot. I quite enjoyed scanning the list for interesting ingredients—there’s everything from organic rose hips, to pineapple to pumpkin seeds in there. Way to pack maximum nutrition into a tiny space, AG!
Nutrition Information: 220 Calories, 8 g fat,1.5 g sat. fat, 25 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 25 g sugar, 5 g protein.
I hope you’ve all enjoyed this edition of Bar-Hopping. So tell me, which bars should I try next?
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Hello and welcome! I have created this blog for people who love food, especially healthful, vegetarian food.
I currently attend college in North Carolina, where I am studying English and psychology, although I plan on pursuing an additional degree in nutrition after I graduate. Ideally, I would like to combine my love of food and the written word someday as a health writer.
