Good afternoon everyone! So I've decided to make this blog more review-based for the time being, as it'll help me to get to grips with what I actually like and what is considered 'healthy' within this category. So I'm going to be doing a series of reviews on the snack bars which are currently on the market. Not your Nutrigrain bars and the like, however. I'm looking at the kinds which you can buy in health food stores (as well as supermarkets) - ones which are more targeted at people who are trying to eat healthy and watch the ingredients which they are putting into their bodies.
These reviews are solely my own opinion so don't take them as a concrete rating - just because I don't like something, it doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try! I'm going to rate each bar on a series of categories to make it easier for you to decide if you'll like the bar or not:
-Taste
-Texture
-Price
-Ingredients
-Nutritional values
So there you have it! I'm going to start off the series of reviews by looking at bars from across the pond - the Clif and Luna bars. Why? Because you can buy them in the US, but they are also available online in the UK and in some running/bike shops too.
The Clif Bar:
Clif bars are something which I've only recently discovered - I purchased a few different flavours after trying to replace cakes and brownies in my diet. I follow the Tone It Up nutrition plan (www.toneitup.com) and Karena said that she microwaves her Clif bars for a few seconds to make them more 'cake' like, which sounded appealing to me. I haven't tried all of the flavours might I add, however I have sampled a few and here are my thoughts on these bars.
Taste
In terms of taste, I really enjoyed the Clif bars that I tried! I have tried Chocolate Almond Fudge, Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin Walnut (I'm yet to try the Peanut Butter one - it's hiding in my cupboard!) and although not the best tasting cold, they are delicious when heated up in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds! They go nice and chewy like a brownie almost, and have enough sweetness to satisfy me for a while. My favourite flavours have to be the Chocolate Almond Fudge and Chocolate Chip since I LOVE chocolate, but if you are less of a chocolate lover then the Oatmeal Raisin Walnut is also lovely. 7/10
Texture
As mentioned above, they go lovely and chewy when heated up! However on their own the bars can be a bit tough - I would have loved them to be a bit more light. Taking into account that these bars are designed for trekkers and long-distance exercisers, I'll give them an 8/10 for texture since they are more filling with the denser texture.
Price
Again, this is a tricky one. Because these bars are made in the US, they are going to have an inflated price in the UK due to shipping and the like. These bars range in price, however compared to the Luna Bar they are much cheaper considering that they are bigger in size. For that reason, I'll give them a 6/10. If you want a more affordable bar, then I'll be giving reviews of more options in the near future!
Ingredients
Now, these bars have a substancial amount of ingredients. Sure, they are better than a chocolate bar - but bear in mind that they are not the best if, like me, you do not partake in intense exercise and need the fuel to keep going. They also contain Soy (I'm looking at the ingredients for Chocolate Almond Fudge - see their website for the other bars and their stats) which is worth bearing in mind if you aren't a fan. For that reason, I'll give them a 6/10.
Nutritional Values
Now I just want to state that I am NOT a nutritionist or anything, so have no broad knowledge of what these values reflect. I'm just going by my basic understanding of what values are pretty good, and what ones aren't. There is 252 kcals in a bar, and 10g of protein - pretty good I'd say! Especially if you are using these bars as fuel for exercising. They are quite high in sugar, however, with 23g. All in all, they aren't the worst values I've seen, so I'll give them a 7/10.
Total: 34/50
Overall, I'd definitely recommend these bars - just not as an everyday snack. I would save these for an occasional treat or as a pre/post-exercise snack as you'll definitely benefit from the protein and calories this way. Depending on your needs, these bars could be great as a frequent inclusion to your diet - and they taste pretty good as well!
Next time, I'll be reviewing the Luna Bar :)
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