I was
recently sent samples of the “Perfect Bar” for me to taste and review on my
blog. The company sent me the variety pack of bars which included peanut butter, carob
chip, almond coconut, almond acai, and a few others. Before I wrote a blog, I wanted to
sample most of them to have a fair impression of the product before I jumped to
conclusions.
Overall,
these bars taste fine, though I probably have a biased taste perception as I am
more open to healthy products and don’t find many healthy foods offensive.
However, I did give out a few samples and most people said that the bars
were just okay- which is to be expected of something made from quality
ingredients as opposed those made with brown rice or corn syrups. These bars do
have a lot going for them, as they are certified organic and made from all
whole foods, which I definitely advocate. They are rich in vitamins, minerals,
and protein, though also very high in calories. In fact, many of the bars are
over 300 calories (most are over 250), which for many of my weight loss clients, I have their meals
around 300-350 calories and snacks around 100-200. I would not recommend this
bar as a meal replacement since it is primarily healthy fat and protein, with
no whole grains nor vegetables. So, as far as eating for it as a snack, I would
recommend eating 1/3-1/2 bar at a time if you are trying to lose or maintain
your weight. For people trying to put on weight, these bars are PERFECT for
you! They are small and calorie dense, and made up of relatively high quality
ingredients, so much better than eating most other protein bars or shakes on
the market. Below I have listed the pros and cons of these bars:
CONS
·
They
have to be refrigerated, thus not good for travel.
·
They
are expensive, averaging about $3/bar.
·
They
are high in calories, not making them ideal for people trying to lose or
maintain their weight.
·
They
are high in sugar, though “natural sugar” from dried fruit, most bars contain
18-20 g sugar- so you would definitely want to eat one prior to or right after
intense exercise.
·
The
taste is just okay, and for many people, probably not worth the calories.
PROS
·
As
far as bars on the market, these bars are made of high quality, natural,
organic ingredients.
·
Most
of the bars contain at least some protein, which make them better than other
bars which are solely a source of carbohydrates and fat.
·
For
clients with food allergies, these are gluten-free, vegan, and soy free. For
people concerned about GMO’s- they are certified GMO free.
CONCLUSIONS
As a
dietitian, I only recommend bars like these in a last-resort scenario like you
are hiking and don’t have access to keep real food on you (though I would
prefer you eat an apple and almonds over a bar). The problem with these bars
are that they are supposed to be refrigerated, so they are not ideal for those
hiking or traveling. While these bars are made of exceptional ingredients, the
calories tend to be high and it is always preferred to eat real fruit and nuts
over the processed form. They do add “nutrient dense super foods” like dried
kelp and spinach, though the benefits are unclear and not nearly as
good as eating those foods in their natural form. As mentioned previously, I
would be okay recommending these to clients who want to put on weight or mass,
as they are much healthier than other options or drinking milkshakes to put on
weight. So, for people looking to add more healthy calories to their However, for most of the public, I would say buying a bar like this is
not necessary and probably not ideal.
