Review: NuGo Slim Roasted Peanut Flavour

Taste: Like the previous NuGo Slim bars I have reviewed, this bar has the same premises: not as sweet, dark-not-milk chocolate coating, and a flavored inside. While the taste is remarkably similar to the Crunchy Peanut Butter flavour I have previously reviewed, I felt like there was something lacking. I'm just not sure what.

Texture: Okay, this is what is hit-or-miss for the NuGo Slim line, and unfortunately this time, the bar was a miss. Wayyyyyyy too chalky and too even throughout. I really wish that there were at least some peanut bits or something other than dry, chalky soy crisps. Yuck.

Nutrition: Overall, the nutrition profile is great and it's vegan friendly, which is a plus for all those vegans out there trying to get enough protein. 15 grams protein, 19 grams of total carbs, 7 grams of fiber, 6 grams fat, 190 calories.

Ingredients list: Protein Mix [Non-GMO Soy Crisp (Non-GMO Soy Protein, Tapioca, Calcium Carbonate), Non-GMO Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Non-GMO Rice Protein], Chicory Root, Vegetable Glycerine, Bittersweet Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Vanilla), Peanuts, Chocolate Liquor, Peanut Flour, Rice Bran, Salt, Peanut Extract, Natural Flavors and Almonds.

My final thoughts: 5/10 - Definitely not a bar I enjoyed. Would I buy it again? No. While the nutrition profile is great and the price is justifiable, there are other more enjoyable flavours in the line I'd rather be eating.

Review: ThinkThin High Protein + Fiber Bar Chocolate Almond Coconut Flavour

Taste: Think of an Almond Joy bar, but less sweet, and that's basically what you have got. Now, I'm not particularly too big of an Almond Joy fan (though I love Mounds for the dark chocolate coating), so for me, this bar didn't exactly do it. Still, if Almond Joy is something you enjoy, then you'll definitely like this bar.

Texture: As with all of the ThinkThin High Protein + Fiber line, it's a chewy bar with a thin chocolate coating and a relatively chewy inside that is reminiscent of the whipped nougat that is inside a Three Musketeers. In addition to the typical texture though, there are a few bits of coconut flakes, one, maybe two pieces of almonds, and a small scattering of soy crisps for additional texture. I really do wish that there was more textured "stuff" inside though.

Nutrition: There is a good amount of fiber and protein, but if you are watching your artificial sugar intake, there are 9 grams of sugar alcohols. 13 grams of protein, 23 grams total carbs, 5 grams fiber, 6 grams fat, and 180 calories.

Ingredient list: Protein Blend (Soy Protein, Whey Protein, Casein), Coating: Maltitol, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Sodium Caseinate, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Salt, Brown Rice Syrup, Maltitol, Chicory Fiber, Soy Protein Crisps (Soy Protein, Tapioca Starch and Salt), Glycerin, Alkalized Cocoa, Almonds, Canola Oil, Coconut

My final thoughts: 7/10 - It wasn't unenjoyable, but I don't think I'll buy this particular flavour again. I like the texture of the whole line, and the nutrition profile + price are nice as well, but I think I'll stick to the Peanut Butter Toffee flavour only.

Review: Think Thin High Protein + Fiber Bar Milk Chocolate Toffee Almond Flavour

Taste: The almond flavour is strong and that's what hit me the most. It's not like almond-y, nut almond, but more of that artificial, almond extract flavour: not what I was expecting, but thankfully I enjoy artificial almond extract, so it was nonetheless good. I mention this because I know a lot of people can't stand that type of flavour. Everything else was pretty standard. The chocolate tasted like regular chocolate and it was on the sweeter side, just like the other Think Thin bars I have tried.

Texture: I feel like this bar is not as chewy as the chocolate peanut butter toffee bar I previously reviewed, but it still had that whipped nought chew to it. There was a very slight, almost unnoticeable crunch that was supposed to mimic toffee.

Nutrition: Pretty decent as always. This is sweetened with sugar alcohols though (9 grams to be exact) in case you are watching that intake. 13 grams of protein, 23 grams of total carbs, 5 grams of fiber, 6 grams of fat, 180 calories

Ingredient list: Protein Blend (Soy Protein, Whey Protein), Coating: Maltitol, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Sodium Caseinate, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Salt, Brown Rice Syrup, Chicory Fiber, Maltitol, Almonds, Glycerin, Soy Crisps (Soy Protein, Rice Flour, Salt), Canola Oil, Sea Salt

My final thoughts: 6.5/10 - I definitely like the Think Think High Protein + Fiber line, but I don't think I'll get this flavour again.

Review: Ab Cuts Smart Bar Chocolate Fudge Brownie Flavour

Taste: It's straight up chocolate. Not too sweet, but nothing like dark chocolate either. There is nothing really special or especially delicious about it, but sometimes the plain and simpler things are just what I need.

Texture: This bar is one of those "crunchy" bars, meaning tons of soy crisps. While it's not chalky like the NuGO bar I was so utterly disappointed in, I just don't think I'm a fan of the soy crisp crunch. Soy crisps, it's not you. It's me. I'm sure there are plenty of people who enjoy you, but I'm still Team So-Chewy-It-Hurts-My-Jaws. Another thing I want to point out is that (and maybe it's because of the CLA in the bar), the chocolate coating (which might I add is a tad too thin for my liking) melts extremely quickly and under pretty low temperatures. This could make eating the bar messy if you are on the go.

Nutrition: Mehh. While I do understand that this isn't particularly marketed as a protein bar, I am eating it as one. The sugar could be lower, especially if there are already sugar alcohols. The protein is not super high, but this is also on the lower end in terms of calorie count. I do like the amount of fiber though. 9 grams of protein, 22 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fiber, 5 grams of fat, 150 calories.

Ingredient list: Soy Protein Nuggets (Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, and Salt), Inulin, Dark Chocolate Coating (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, cocoa processed with alkali, lactose, palm oil, soy lecithin, and vanilla), Chocolate Layer (maltitol syrup, modified palm kernel oil, skim milk powder, chocolate liquor, water, glycerine, cocoa, soy lecithin, disodium phosphate, salt, carageenan, vanilla extract), Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Glycerin, Gluten Free Rolled Oats, Cocoa Powder, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (safflower oil, glucose syrup, sodium caseinate, silicon dioxide, soy lecithin, tetrasodium diphosphate, mixed tocopherols), High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Organic Gum Acacia, Natural Flavor, Cocoa Extract, Sea Salt, Vanilla Extract, Soy Lecithin (as emulsifier) 

My final thoughts: 7/10 - It's a good bar to have if I want something with more fiber and lower calories. However, I don't think I would buy it again because it's a bit pricy for a box four bars + it's not too travel friendly.

Review: Detour Lower Sugar Whey Protein Bar Chocolate Chip Caramel Flavour

Taste: I like it and I don't like it. The bar is sweet, almost two sweet and lacks the bitter depth that I love about chocolate. While the caramel is deliciously rich and tastes just like caramel should, the chocolate comes off as artificial and just a tad bitter (in the artificial, not chocolately way). The closest thing I could say this bar tastes like would be a Twix bar...just not as good.

Texture: Texture is spot on in terms of a chocolate bar. Gooey caramel + chocolate that melts at just the right temperature. A little bit of chew (think nougat), a noticeable crunch. Can you tell that I'm extremely please with this texture?

Nutrition: Not bad, but not superb either. In terms of affordable protein bars, this definitely ranks high up, but it's nothing compared to Quest Bars. One thing I might add is that the actual sugar content of these bars are pretty low, but they have been replaced with a lot of sugar alcohols. 15 grams of protein, 17 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, 4.5 grams of fat, 170 calories.

Ingredient list: Protein), Calcium Caseinate], Milk Chocolate Flavored Coating [Maltitol, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Cocoa Powder (processed with Alkali), Soy Lecithin, Salt, Vanilla], GlycerLean™ [99.7% USP Glycerine, Taurine, L-Leucine, CLA], Sugar Free Caramel [Maltitol Syrup, Water, Cream, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Milk Protein Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Salt, Butter, Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Disodium Phosphate, Lactic Acid], Soy Protein Isolate, Gelatin, Water, Milk Chocolate Chips [Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate Liquor, Milk, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor], Whey Protein Crisps [Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Rice Flour], High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Inulin, Natural Flavors, Cocoa Powder processed with Alkali, Soy Nuts, Potassium Sorbate (as a Preservative), Cellulose Gum, Salt, Natural Cocoa Extract, Sucralose, Neotame.

My final thoughts: 7/10 - These bars are great if I want a huge sugar fix and the amount of protein they provide is respectable. Would I buy it again? Perhaps. If I need protein bars and am trying to save a few bucks then sure, but the artificial taste is definitely off-putting.

Review: Quest Bar Dark Chocolate Chunk Flavour

Taste: I will preface this review by saying that double chocolate chunk is one of my favorite Quest Bar flavours and I have already bought two boxes. The chocolate tastes really real as opposed to the chocolate brownie flavour. It's not quite milk chocolate, but not as bitter as dark either, which I'm not too sure how I feel about. Though this bar definitely satisfies my sweet tooth and chocolate craving, I do miss the bitter depth that extremely dark chocolate provides. Then again, this balance of sweet and bitter does cater to the general population better. I'm just a slight freak of nature who enjoys bitter things.

Texture: The double chocolate chunk bar is a bit stiffer than other flavour Quest offers. Actually, I've noticed this will all of their chocolate-based bars. It's oh-so-gloriously chewy and offers a slight bit of crumbliness. Once again, as with most Quest bars, this is a jaw workout, which for me is a good thing. When it comes to the chocolate chunks, they do offer that wonderful melt-in-the mouth quality, but the quantity of chunk porn is a bit of a toss up. Some times I get a bar overflowing with huge chocolate chunks while other times I'm only met with small, unsatisfying ones.

Nutrition: As always, Quest doesn't disappoint when it comes to macros. 20 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbs, 16 grams of fiber, 6 grams of fat, 160 calories.

Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate), Isomalto-Oligosaccharides* (Prebiotic Fiber), Erythritol, Water, Unsweetened Chocolate, Almonds, Cocoa, Cocoa Butter. Contains less than 2% of the following: Sea Salt, Caramel Color, Stevia, Natural Flavors.

My final thoughts: 9.5/10 - Like I said before, DCC is one of my top Quest Bar flavours and being that Quest Nutrition makes my favourite protein bars, of course I would rate this extremely high. Would I buy it again? Already have.

Review: Think Think High Protein + Fiber Bar Chocolate Peanut Butter Toffee Flavour

Taste: This bar is sweet. Not cloyingly so, but sweet enough for me to enjoy as a candy bar alternative. Keep in mind that I do have a major sweet tooth and so the sugar level may be a little too much for people who are not fond of sweet things. The peanut butter flavour reminds me a lot of Jiff or Peter Pan brand peanut butters and lacks the intense nuttiness of organic or all natural brands. Still, it is also strong and spot on  - not at all wimpy like other bars (I'm looking at you, Quest), but I didn't detect any toffee flavour. Then again, I'm not too sure what toffee is supposed to taste like anyways, but from my impression, I just tasted chocolate and peanut butter. Not bad, not bad at all.

Texture: The bar is slightly dense, but airy at the same time, sort of like the mousse inside a Three Musketeers bar. There is a good amount of chew, but nothing at all like Quest or Pure Protein. Enough chew to satisfy me, but it certainly won't hurt any jaws. There are also crunchy bits, which I take to be the soy crisps and are supposed to mimic the texture of toffee. They weren't too noticeable, but did make the bar a tad more interesting. Overall, a very satisfying texture.

Nutrition: The macro profile is good, but not fantastic. 13 grams of protein, 23 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber, 6 grams of fat, 180 calories.

Ingredient list: Protein Blend (Soy Protein, Whey Protein, Casein), Coating: Maltitol, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Sodium Caseinate, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Salt, Maltitol, Chicory Fiber, Brown Rice Syrup, Peanuts, Glycerin, Soy Crisps (Soy Protein, Rice Flour, Salt), Canola Oil, Peanut Flour, Sea Salt

My final thoughts: 7/10 - While the macros on this bar could be better, I really enjoyed the flavour, so this bar would definitely fall into the "treat" category. Would I buy it again? YES! Should I buy it again? Maybe.

Review: NuGO Slim Raspberry Truffle Flavour

Taste: Upon first bite, I thought that the bar lacked sweetness, but after a second and third, the sugar level seemed perfect. Now I have to say that I am a dark chocolate lover and the only thing that makes dark chocolate better is either coffee or raspberry, so this flavour is right up my ally. That being said, the taste is just as the name implies - raspberry infused dark chocolate. Delish. Love. Yum. And no weird aftertaste. LAG approved!

Texture: Coming into this, I knew that I would not like the texture of this bar as much because they are more crunchy than chewy. If it was just crunchy, I could forgive it and assume that people who enjoy crunchy would like it, but the texture was a bit too chalky for me.

Nutrition: The macro profile is definitely pretty great. 17 grams of protein, 19 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fiber, 4.5 grams of fat, 180 calories.

Ingredient list: Protein Mix [Non-GMO Soy Crisp (Non-GMO Soy Protein, Tapioca, Calcium Carbonate), Non-GMO Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Non-GMO Rice Protein], Chicory Root, Vegetable Glycerine, Bittersweet Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Vanilla), Freeze Dried Raspberries, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Powder, Natural Flavors, Salt, Citric Acid.

My final thoughts: 5/10 - I don't think I wasted my money on this, but would I buy it again? Probably not. The flavour is great, but the texture is just too off-putting for me. While the macro profile is respectable, there are other better tasting/textured alternatives.

Review: Cinnamon Roll Quest Bar

One thing you may or may not know about me is that I have a thing for protein bars. While a lot of people may find them to be too dense, hard, chewy, or have a funny aftertaste, I just really enjoy them. True, some of the bad ones do have a strange aftertaste, but as for the dense and chewy aspect, that's actually one of the reasons why I love them so much! As a side note, I am definitely a chewy girl - chewy noodles, gummy candy, chewy granola bars, chewy cookies (oh gosh, heaven forbid the soft and cakey things people call cookies), the list goes on the on. Because I am always trying out new protein bars, I figured, why not just review them as I eat?

My favorite protein bar company/line thus far has been Quest Nutrition, so today I bring to you my review of the Cinnamon Roll Quest Bar. I am reviewing it on three criteria: taste, texture, and nutrition value.

Taste: The bar definitely has a cinnamon flavor, but alas, it is missing that cream cheese icing. It is just sweet enough (for me at least) to qualify as a wonderful dessert and satisfy any sweet tooth. I do wish that the cinnamon flavor was stronger though or it had some of that wonderful yeasty element that I associate with cinnamon rolls. Nonetheless, the flavor is delicious and one of my favorites. Oh, and no strange aftertaste!

Texture: As with all Quest bars, this one is dense and chewy, but I do find that it is one of the softer ones. Unfortunately for me, I like them super chewy, so I found this bar a bit too soft for me. I have tried it both microwaved and broiled and I must say, I do prefer it raw. As with any Quest bar, microwaving it makes it nice and soft while broiling it gives it a crunchy exterior and soft interior, but like I said, I just want my bar to be chewy! Oh, and there are small nut pieces scattered throughout, but I really didn't understand them and they aren't really noticeable.

Nutrition: As with any Quest bar, the nutrition content is fabulous. 20 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbs, 17 grams of fiber, 6 grams of fat, and 170 calories.

Ingredient list: Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate), Isomalto-Oligosaccharides* (Prebiotic Fiber), Almonds, Water, Erythritol. Contains less than 2% of the following: Sea Salt, Stevia, Lo Han Guo, Natural Flavors, Cinnamon.

My final thoughts:  8/10 - Not the absolute best, but still delicious and worth a try! One of my top 5 favorite Quest flavors.