Nutrition Bar Review: Bonk Breaker Bars

March 4, 2015 ~ Anna Busby

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

• 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

• 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.