Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Nutrition Bar Review: Bonk Breaker Bars

March is here and that means lurking warmer weather (at least here in north Florida), college basketball play offs and of course, National Nutrition Month! This being said, I decided to ramp up my contributions to the nutrition spirit starting with a few nutrition product reviews. The variety of nutrition products out on the market is mind blowing and for many very confusing. What does this do? When should I eat this? Is this even good for me? Especially for those performance-oriented folks, it’s easy to be bombarded by the differing options available to optimize recovery, energize you for a ‘perfect’ workout or improve performance during your workout. Well, hopefully starting with this review, I can help to make things slightly less confusing.

First up, Bonk Breaker Bars. As the official bar of the Ironman Triathlon Series, this bar has a strong presence in the endurance nutrition market. Bonk Breaker strives to provide a product made from whole foods, with easily recognizable ingredients. Offering both energy bars and a protein bars in variety of flavors, these bars are rather dynamic.

Pros:
  • whole food ingredients, no artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, GMOs or unnatural dyes
  • most are gluten and/or dairy free, good options for those with intolerances
  • higher protein and lower protein options for different workout settings
Cons:
  • higher calorie, should be used appopriately for those trying to reduce or watch their weight
Nutrition Profile:

Energy Bar: 220-280 calories, 2-4g fiber, 7-8g protein, 34-41g carbohydrates
Almond-ButterHoney-600x441
  • Carbohydrate Base: Brown Rice Syrup, Gluten Free Oats
  • Ideal for: Pre-workout fuel or fuel during your workout. This bar provides a great source of carbs, and is relatively low in protein and fat making it a great choice to top of your fuel stores before a long or hard workout or to keep you going during a long bike or run. (May not be suitable for some during running depending on personal tolerance and tendency for GI issues).
  • Flavors: Coconut Cashew, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Almond Butter & Honey, Peanut Butter & Banana, Espresso Chip, Blueberry Oat, Apple Pie, and Fig.

Protein Bar: 240-270 calories, 25-34g carbohydrates, 3-5g fiber, 13-15g protein
Cookies & Cream
  • Protein Source: Rice Protein Isolate
  • Carbohydrate Base: Brown Rice Syrup, Gluten Free Oats
  • Ideal For: Post-workout or meal replacement. This higher protein option is a great option to get you back into the building and repair state and to promote muscle recovery and glycogen replenishment after a you finish your workout. No time for a meal? This option works well for meal replacement when you don’t have time to sit down for a complete meal.
  • Flavors: Cookies & Cream, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Almond Cherry Chunk.
Overall, the Bonk Breaker bars are a great choice for the professional or recreational athlete. This whole-food based option is a great alternative to some of the other protein and energy bars out there that can be loaded with chemicals, dyes, artificial sweeteners and a slew of unrecognizable ingredients. By offering options appropriate for both pre- and post-workout nutrition timing and a wide array of flavors, this choice suits many as a part of their performance nutrition regimen.

*No compensation was received for writing this blog post.

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