Nice & Natural Protein Nut Bars Salted Caramel Flavour. Photo / Supplied
Finding a snack bar which is low in sugar yet tasty enough that your children will eat it is a major task for most parents.
These bars use the healthy sweetness of the herb stevia to help keep the sweet taste and also pack them full of nutritious nuts and seeds.
Ingredients (greatest ingredient first):
Peanuts (56%)
Peanuts are a great snack so it is good to see that more than half of this bar contains them. Peanuts are a great source of protein, carbohydrates and fibre as well as containing good levels of vitamin E, folate and minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium.
Superseeds (10%)
(sunflower seeds (7%), pumpkin seeds (2%),chia seeds (1%)
Seeds are nutritional powerhouses packed with good stuff. Sunflower seeds are high in beneficial fatty acids, protein, vitamin E and minerals. Pumpkin seeds have good levels of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, zinc, and protein, and are particularly rich in the amino acid tryptophan. Chia seeds are are high in iron, folate, calcium, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fibre.
Glucose syrup
This is a form of sugar but these are not at all high in sugar. For every 33g bar you will get just 1.3g.
Soy protein crisps (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, soy lecithin, salt)
These are a common ingredient in bars like this as a filler but also a protein source. In this case they also provide a bit of crunch. Soy protein isolate is basically protein which has been isolated from the soybean. Tapioca starch is similar to cornflour but obtained from the tapioca or cassava root. Soy lecithin is a natural emulsifier. Salt will be in the crisps for flavour.
Chicory fibre
This will be added in here to increase the amount of fibre in these bars which is nice and high. You will get 4.5g per bar which is a good start towards the 25g for women and 30g for men we are advised to eat daily. Chicory is plant in the dandelion family. It's roots are often used to make a coffee substitute.
Sunflower oil
These do contain nearly 40 per cent fat which will be found in the nuts and seeds but also in this oil. It is mostly good fat though, with only 2.1g being saturated.
Glycerine
This is a natural product and most likely in here as a humectant which keeps the bar moist.
Salt
Not too high in salt at 97mg per bar.
Natural flavour
Good to see some natural flavour in here.
Soy lecithin
As above
Caramelised sugar syrup
This will be sugar which has been heated until it caramelises.
Stevia
This is a South American herb which looks a bit like mint and is currently being used in many processed foods because it provides a natural sweet taste without the calories. This will be the reason this bar is so low in sugar.
I love these bars and have been enjoying eating them. It's good to incorporate nuts and seeds in our diet for their nutrition but also for the fibre they give us. This bar is low in sugar but doesn't taste like it and the flavour tastes natural. I would highly recommend these as a lunchbox addition as they will give your kids a natural protein boost during the day.
• Low in sugar at just 1.3g per bar.
• High in fibre at 4.5 g per bar.
• Natural flavouring.
She never told them the five-course meal was vegan. So a cousin decided to act.