Which bar do you typically grab when you need a boost or to replenish your nutrients?
We invited some of the biggest brands in the industry – and some smaller ones – to participate in this review. All the bars (and bites) are plant-based, available for purchase in Canada and striving to be your new go-to favourite. So, get adventurous and pick up a bar you’ve never tried before. It might even elevate your game.
1Vega
www.myvega.ca – Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Snack Bar
Chocolately yet crunchy, packed with 15 g of multisource, plant-based protein, 2.5 g of BCAAs and 2 g of glutamine. Clean and wholesome supports post-workout or energy recoveries.
Nutrition facts per bar: Calories 190; protein 10 g; fat 8 g; carbs 20 g; sodium 85 mg.
2Bonk Breaker
www.bonkbreaker.com – Almond Cherry Chunk Nutrition+ Bar
Convenient square-shape pops easily into any pocket. GMO and dairy-free. “Bonk” is a play on words referring to when you ‘hit the wall’ and your glycogen stores are depleted. Contains soy.
Nutrition facts per bar: Calories 200; protein 9 g; fat 8 g; carbs 26 g; sodium 40 mg.
3Skratch Labs
www.skratchlabs.com – Ginger & Miso Anytime Energy Bar
WINNER: BEST FLAVOUR
If you prefer savoury to sweet, this bar’s your best choice and this review’s biggest surprise. A spicy combination of sesame, miso and ginger. Gluten- and dairy-free, vegan and kosher.
Nutrition facts per bar: Calories 210; protein 5 g; fat 10 g; carbs 27 g; sodium 210 mg.
4Genuine Health
www.genuinehealth.com – Double Chocolate Chip fermented veganproteins+ Bar
Each bar grants 15 g of protein. Fermented, vegan, gluten-free, no artificial flavours or sugars. A bit dry in texture and notably bitter, but 14% of daily iron makes this a super-healthy choice.
Nutrition facts per bar – Calories 210; protein 15 g; fat 10 g; carbs 25 g; sodium 140 mg.
5KIND
www.kindsnacks.ca – Apple Chia Strawberry Pressed Fruit Bar
Sugar-free and 2 servings of fruit per bar, with 16% daily fibre.Nut-free and chock-full of chewy dried fruit makes these bars pleasantly unsweet and delightfully nutritious.
Nutrition facts per bar: Calories 110; protein 1 g; fat 0.5 g; carbs 25 g; sodium 3 mg.
6Manitoba Harvest
www.manitobaharvest.com – Cinnamon Hemp Heart Bites
Wee bite-sized nuggets of hemp hearts, organic sweeteners and a touch of sea salt. Each crunchy bite contains 10 g of both protein and omegas. Comes in Original, Chocolate and Cinnamon flavours.
Nutrition facts per 10 pieces: Calories 230; protein 10 g; fat 15 g; carbs 15 g; sodium 130 mg.
7Hammer Nutrition
www.hammernutrition.ca – Oatmeal Apple Raw Energy Hammer Bar
WINNER: EDITOR’S CHOICE
Cashew butter and dates are added to the title ingredients. These raw energy bars are super moist and chewy and not too sweet. We saw “Excellent!” on the score cards.
Nutrition facts per bar: Calories 200; protein 4 g; fat 1.5 g; carbs 30 g; sodium 2 mg.
