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Written by Tammy (T2Nashville), Product Guru
While visiting a new Max Muscle store near my office building with some WLS peeps, I noticed they offered some “new” protein bars that I had never seen before. I thought my Vitamin Shoppe’s “Wall of Protein Bars” was extensive, but I’m always pleasantly surprised to find new bars on the market to taste and review. I picked up 4 new ones, and here’s the scoop.
• First all natural protein bar designed with portion control in mind.
• At only 190 calories, Midget’s delicious Peanut Butter Crisp satisfies every appetite.
• Low sodium
• Gluten free
• Low Glycemic
• High fiber
• All natural
• High protein
• Does not contain sugar alcohols”
Stats are 190 calories, 11g fat, 14g carbs, 3g fiber, 11g sugar, 14g protein. That’s a bit high in sugar for me, but I usually only eat a bite or two of a protein bar each day to curb sweet cravings. I could easily eat all of this one, though, so use caution!
Max Crunch Peanut Butter Perfection Protein Energy Bar – I also bought the Chocolate Rage flavor, and this was my 2nd favorite of the 4. Max Muscle touts this bar as the “1st ever Protein-Probiotic Bar.” Here’s the blurb from their website:
“First and foremost, we engineered Max Crunch to satisfy your cravings for a delicious candy bar, yet deliver the benefits of proteins from multiple sources along with the functional benefits of beneficial probiotics. The key features of the Max Crunch bar are:
• High Protein Energy Bar
• Powered by Ganeden BC30 TM Probiotics
• Ganeden BC30 TM (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086), 250 Million CFU/bar
• Supports Immune and Intestinal Health
• Promotes Enhanced Protein Breakdown
• Amazingly delicious Chocolate Rage and Peanut Butter Perfection Flavors”
This is also much like a Rice Krispie treat. The peanut butter coating (and the chocolate) is only on the bottom side of the bar, whereas the Midget bar is completely coated. It’s not bad tasting, but it does leave me with a bit of a “sandy” aftertaste in my mouth, probably from the soy crisps used. I would buy these again, but not if a Midget is nearby. (Or a Supreme Pro, which is my # 1 favorite protein bar of all time!)
Stats are: 210 calories, 11g fat, 13g carbs, 2g fiber, 5g sugar, 17g protein. Actually, pretty good stats for most protein bars.
Nitro-Tech Hardcore Chocolate Crisp Protein Bar – I’m not sure why they call this Chocolate Crisp. It’s really more like Chocolate Fudge. This is a very chewy texture, truly almost fudgy, with a few “crisps” scattered in the bar. This is promoted as more of a muscle-building protein bar with immediate anabolic effects, and only 6g of net impact carbs. (I always look at net carbs with a skeptical eye, and you should, too!) If you like a fudgy bar, this one fits the bill, but for me, it has quite a bit of an aftertaste, much like I get when I eat anything with agave syrup in it. I looked for agave in the ingredient list, but they use malitol and sucralose. Not really sure where that agave flavor is coming from, but it’s there.
Stats are: 250 calories, 5g fat, 31g carbs (see what I mean?), 4g fiber, 1g sugar, 30g protein. Yes, this one packs a protein punch!
And finally…Zero Impact Chocolate Peanut Butter High Protein Mealbar – I only have one word for this bar – YUCK! I have tasted a lot of protein bars in the past year, and I have yet to taste one that I actually spit out. Doctor’s Carbrite came close, but I did swallow it. NOT THIS ONE! As I bit into it, the texture was actually spongy. Gross! There’s no chocolate to be seen, unless it’s inside the bar somehow. It has a peanut butter color to it, a chewy texture, but it is just so nasty. I chewed about 3 times, and that’s all I could do. Don’t even bother with this one. If anyone out there actually likes this bar, I would love to hear your thoughts on WHY?
Stats are: 410 calories, 17g fat, 35g carbs, 6g fiber, 10g sugar, 30g protein – yeah, I’m GLAD I don’t like it!
And there you have it. There are a lot of protein bars on the market, and you should find one you really enjoy for those times when you need one. Protein bars can be dangerous, though, so use caution in your consumption. Dividing them into bites or baggies always helps me control my intake, but satisfies my sweet cravings when they attack!