A Better Bar

I like nutrition bars.

There you have it... a foodie RD who admits an affinity for a non-foodie meal. In many of my professional circles, that makes me an outcast. In fact, a recent discussion on one of my professional listservs confirmed my fear that there are quite a few bar-bashers in my profession.

But the reality is, I'm not alone. Many of you, like me, like them too or at the very least, find yourself in need of one at various times during the day. Whether it's a replacement for the lunch you didn't have time to grab, a quick pick me up in the afternoon or just a day where you want to go a little lighter for lunch because of an impending dinner out, the need for an occasional "nutrition bar" is a real one.

So you can imagine my delight when the folks from Kardea Nutrition contacted me through Twitter and offered me a chance to try their bars.

In flavors like Banana Nut, Chai Spice and Cranberry Almond, these bars are a pleasant reprieve from the faux-chocolate varieties typically offered by bar makers. (I've tried the former and the latter flavors... and looking forward to the Chai middle.)

The texture is a fairly dense, chewy texture... not exactly a "candy bar" replica and that works for me. I'm frankly not looking for something to mimic a candy confection. I just want it to taste good on it's own. And the two varieties I've tried so far do just that.

The thing that really surprised (and impressed) me was that also unlike many of the other bars I've been enjoying, the first ingredient isn't soy... a fact I like. There is so much debate on the health virtues or lack thereof of soy foods these days... I won't delve into that here... but as with anything, moderation is key. If I'm gonna regularly be choosing a bar like this, I'd prefer to vary it's protein source beyond just soy. The Cranberry Almond lists almonds as it's #1 ingredient!! And nuts = nutritional win!

Here's what Kardea lists on their website, in terms of the nutritional attributes:

• Plant Sterols-1 gram
• Total Fiber-7 grams with 5 grams Soluble Fiber
• Heart Healthy Soluble Fiber-3grams
• Protein-7 grams with 3.5 grams Soy Protein
• Vegetarian-Friendly (Chai Spice & Banana Walnut Are Vegan)
• Kosher Certified
• Only 150 Calories/Bar
• No Trans Fats
• Lower Glycemic Formulation

I'm not saying each one of these bullets rings my motivation bell, but on the whole I really dig the total fiber, protein and calories... I put these up against most any other bar out there and come out on top.

So thank you Kardea... not only for the freebies, but for the good taste as well.

Q: Those of you out there who choose nutrition bars on occassion.... 1) Why and 2) What's your favorite?