4 New Energy Bars that Pack a Nutritional Punch
Has anyone noticed the explosion of energy bars over the last few months? Maybe it’s just me (and my constant quest for healthy snacks for my 10-year-old), but there seems to be a whole new generation of bars coming on the market.
No longer the sugary, flour-based bars that resemble a soft cookie – the new energy bars are crunchy, chewy, nutritionally worthy, and satisfying. Whether you’re looking for ancient grains or no grains, nut-intensive or nut-free, soy-centric or soy free – there’s a bar out there for you. In fact, the new generation of bars is packed with plant-based protein and highly nutritious ingredients. Most of them are gluten-free, non-GMO, and organic. They’re also devoid of ingredients like artificial preservatives, colors, and mystery “flavors.”
Four new bars caught my attention recently for their high-value supercharged ingredients like whole nuts and whole seeds and three of them contain antioxidant-rich Wild Blueberries, which pack a nutritional punch and always get my vote.
- Clif Bar – Wild Blueberry Almond Bar. Clif has outdone itself with this outrageously good Wild Blueberry Almond Bar. The taste, the crunch, the chewiness, and the exceptional ingredients, like almonds, currants, cashews, and Wild Blueberries make this a top choice of the new bars on the block. And with 5 grams of protein, 11 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of fiber, this bar can honestly claim to offer pure delicious energy. Find a convenient location to purchase this bar here.
- Curate – Sweet & Tart Berry Bliss. This bar company claims to be in pursuit of brilliant combinations and I agree – almonds, quinoa, flaxseeds, pear puree, raspberry puree, chia seeds, and real Wild Blueberries. It’s a great combination and the company takes a culinary approach to making its bars, so they have a beautiful homemade look and feel to them. This bar not only looks and tastes great, but it has 4 grams of protein, 12 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of fiber. Find out where to find these yummy bars here.
- Pure – Organic Wild Blueberry Bar. This bar calls itself “wildly amazing” and we agree! The cashew butter, dates, walnuts, and brown rice protein pack a good punch. The Wild Blueberries add intense blueberry flavor and antioxidants! This one is also certified organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and kosher. Wildly amazing, indeed! You can get these amazing bars right here.
- Caveman Foods – Caveman Bars. Finally, we have Caveman Foods boldly reminding us that a Paleolithic diet – made up of nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables and lean meats – is actually what our bodies are designed to eat. (These guys are actually making meat bars too.) I would have liked their Wild Blueberry Nut Bar even more if it had lived up to its ancestral promise and used the 10,000-year-old original blueberry – The Wild Blueberry. Instead, these Cavemen opted for cultivated blueberries, which don’t qualify as PALEO in my book.
Bottom line: When you’re shopping for an energy bar, check the ingredients and the nutritional panels closely. I always look for high protein and lowest possible sugar. And of course, I always ensure that I am truly getting Wild Blueberries. Because if you’re going to consume a blueberry, then you might as well make it a wild one!