Bulletproof - Double Chocolate Collagen Bar - Nov. 6, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Bulletproof
"Double Chocolate" Chocolate Dipped Collagen Bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 14.82 oz. (420 g.) in box of 12 bars
Calories: 150 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $9.99 (estimate) for 1 box of 12 bars
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. 

Today's "Double Chocolate" chocolate dipped collagen (bar) that contained MCT (coconut) oil was from Bulletproof 360, Inc. (Seattle, WA).

This "keto friendly" bar contained 7 grams of protein and only 1 gram of sugar. 

Aroma notes included: chocolate (sweet cocoa, with a faint trace of green/botanical (vanilla, oxalic acid, sweet green nut)).

A creamy chocolate-y outer layer surrounded a denser, chewy-almost crunchy core filling.

Flavor notes included chocolate...double chocolate, as there was chocolate-y flavor in both layers. This bar did contain coconut oil as part of an MCT blend; but there was no real detectable coconut flavor from this highly refined coconut oil. The cashew butter (#1 ingredient) added extra protein and a very mild, naturally sweet nut flavor.

This bar was not too sweet (thank you!). The stevia sweetener used didn't have an artificial taste and supplied just the right amount of sweetness to this bar. 

Ingredients: Cashew butter, chocolate coating (unsweetened chocolate, inulin, erythritol, cocoa butter, vanilla extract, stevia leaf extract), inulin, hydrolyzed collagen, MCT oil powder (caprylic and capric acid triglycerides from highly refined coconut oil, tapioca dextrin), cocoa processed with alkali. Less than 2% of: safflower or sunflower oil, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, organic stevia leaf extract, natural flavors, vanilla extract.  

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Cashews, milk."

Core Bar - Peanut Butter Chocolate bar - Apr. 11, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Core Foods
Core Bar - Peanut Butter Chocolate 
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: FarmFresh to You, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Peanuts Theme Week.

Today's Peanut Butter Chocolate Core Bar distributed by Core Foods (Brooklyn, NY) had a satisfying chew and authentic flavors.  

This refrigerated, plant-based nutrition bar had a pleasant nut (peanut and cashew) baked good (cookie) aroma, and a natural date sweetness balanced by nutty flavors, unsweetened chocolate and salt. (The bar contained 31 Total Carbohydrates, and some of that was fiber.)

Ground oats and fiber gave it some heft. (The bar contained 7 g. of protein, 7 g. of fiber, probiotics, prebiotics, Vitamin D and C, zinc.)

Ingredients: Organic gluten free whole grain oats, organic peanuts, organic dates, organic prebiotic starch (IMO), organic unsweetened chocolate, organic fiber (inulin), water, organic natural flavors, organic chia seeds, sea salt, bacillus coagulans GBI-30 6086, organic almonds, organic cashews, organic coconut. 

Allergen-related information: Contains peanuts, cashews, almonds, coconut. Manufactured in a facility that also processes milk, tree nuts, soy, egg.

Eat Like a Woman - Love Chocolate Brownie - Jan. 26, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Eat Like a Woman, Inc.
Love Chocolate Brownie
Good 
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1 bar
Cost: 2 bars for $1 (sale)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate Brownie Theme Week.

Today's Love Chocolate Brownie was distributed by Eat Like a Woman, Inc. (Burbank, CA).

The company targets their nutrition bars, shakes and books to women, who, they point out, have different nutritional and health requirements. (Women develop heart disease differently than a man might, or metabolize food differently, have different digestive needs, experience different life phases, experience stress differently, etc.)

The look and feel of today's "customized women's nutrition bar" was a cross between a compressed energy/protein bar and a thin brownie.

Ingredients that provided the chocolate brownie flavor included 85% cacao chocolate chips, almond butter and coconut oil, and "cocoa natural flavors."

This bar was slightly chewy, with finely ground ingredients like brown rice protein (#1 ingredient) chicory root fiber, and seeds (chia and hemp) adding some texture.

The sweetness level was relatively balanced. Sweeteners included brown rice syrup, clover honey and stevia leaf extract. 

NuGo Nutrition - Chocolate Banana bar - Sept. 23, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

NuGo Nutrition
(Lifestyle Evolution Inc.)
Chocolate Banana (bar)
OK+
Weight: .44 oz. (12.5 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 47.5 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $1.89 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Banana bar was manufactured for NuGo Nutrition (Oakmont, PA). "NuGo" is short for "Nutrition To Go."

This chocolate-drizzled banana nutrition bar had a crispy, chewy texture (think crisped rice bar meets protein bar), and contained 15 grams of protein (from soy protein isolate). The bar also had added vitamins and minerals, and a faint somewhat artificial flavor. (It was hard to tell if this was a product of the soy protein, the vitamins and/or the banana flavor.)

The NuGo Chocolate Banana bar was labeled as Gluten Free and Non-GMO (they don't source ingredients with GM ingredients).

Zing Bars - Chocolate Hazelnut Vitality bar - March 9, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Zing Bars

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Vitality bar

Good

Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in 1 bar

Calories: 210 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $2.19 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, Menlo Park, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Hazelnuts Theme Week.

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Vitality bar from Zing Bars (Seattle, WA)

This chocolate covered bar was a combination of chopped hazelnuts, almonds with a "hint of coconut and dark chocolate." It had a slightly chewy, substantial texture; and it contained 10 grams of plant-based protein (primarily from rice and pea protein). And it wasn't too sweet (thank you).

All Zing Bars are certified gluten free.

Off The Farm - Chocolate Fudge - July 17, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Off the Farm
Dark Chocolate Fudge
Good
Weight: 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 290 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.35 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Market, Pebble Beach, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Fudge bar was from Off the Farm (Palo Cedro, CA), a company created by a group of family and friends interested in producing a line of healthy bars and offerings that would be good for the planet.

This nutrition bar was packed with fruit (dates and apples), nuts (almonds and cashews), and four different kinds of seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and chia.

The dark chocolate in this gluten free, vegan and Non-GMO bar came from chocolate chunks and cocoa powder; and slightly chewy fudge bar contained 7 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber.

Quest - Nutrition Bar - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - Oct. 12, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Quest Nutrition, LLC
Quest Bar - Protein Bar - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Flavor
Good
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total package
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Halloween wEEKs. We're exploring health and nutrition bar alternatives these last few days. While the notion of health bars may offend some traditional Halloween candy fans, there are alternatives for all in the U.S.

Typically nutrition and health bars have contained added nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and/or added protein.

Today's (full-size) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar contained 21 grams of protein.* That's a lot of protein

Most popular, full-size chocolate candy bars contain about 4-8 grams of protein and lots of sugar/carbohydrates. This bar boosted the protein and reduced the sugar and fiber.

Despite the sweet-sounding cookie flavor name, the gluten free Quest bar contained only 1 gram of sugar (and 4 grams of net carbs); it was sweetened with Sucralose, Erythritol and Stevia. The bar also contained 14 grams of fiber.

This protein bar had a caramel color and flavor, with a dense/compressed, chewy texture. The embedded chocolate chips were more obvious after taking a bite and they contributed some chocolate flavor.

*This bar contained a protein blend: milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate