My Review of "Perfect Bars"

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.