TFS Review: Vega Whole Food Energy Bars (Berry Flavor)
Posted December 9th, 2006 at 3:36 PM by Jenna Sumara
Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Supplements, Product Reviews, Vegetarianism, Special Features, TFS Reviews
Below you’ll find TFS’s review of VEGA’s Whole Food Energy Bar. Vega is made by Sequel Naturals and was founded by Ironman Triathlon Champion and vegan athelte, Brendan Brazier.
Product: VEGA’s Whole Food Energy Bars (Berry)
Price: $2.95 (each)
Rating: Very Good 7.7/10.0
Pros: Clean and green; high in fiber & essential fatty acids; no refined sugars or oils; gluten free; easy to digest
Cons: Acquired taste, grainy consistency, too expensive
Overall: These bars took some warming up to and can be costly, but overall they are a very good choice for athletes, dieters, vegetarians, vegans and/or anyone looking for a healthy, all-natural supplement bar.
The berry flavored Whole Food Energy Bar by Vega is the most popular variety. The bar also comes in chocolate and natural flavors. These bars are not just the run-of-the-mill supplement bar; setting themselves apart by using 100% plant-based ingredients.
Vega’s asserts that, “Raw plant-based whole foods foster an alkaline environment within the body, an ideal platform upon which optimal health can be built.” Our own research into the benefits of plant-based food confirmed their claims and we found that the extra enzymes did aid in the digestion process. Many supplement bars can be rough on your stomachs, but that wasn’t the case with Vega’s product.
In addition, it should be noted that plant-based supplements are not just for vegans and/or vegetarians (although they obviously are ideal for such individuals), but rather can provide the same health benefits for people on any diet. That’s why we had the bar reviewed by our team member that are both herbivores and omnivores. This review is authored by one of the before-mentioned team members by is the culmination of the entire groups’ trial.
Below is the nutritional label for the Whole Food Energy Bar. Some things that we were impressed with and wanted to highlight are the inclusion of essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6), low saturated fat (only 1 gram) and a solid 6g dose of dietary fiber.
Effectiveness - 8.5 - The Whole Food Energy Bar’s 6g of fiber really served to fill us up and leave us satisfied. This can be ideal for anyone looking to maintain or lose weight because it won’t leave them hungry and ready to binge before their next meal or snack. In addition, as we mentioned earlier, the bar was actually pretty gentle on our stomachs. This seemed counter-intuitive to us at first; initially believing that the alternative protein sources (such as hemp and flax seed) might be hard on our stomachs. Not only were we wrong, but the bar was actually easier on our stomachs then most mainstream energy bars (i.e. - Myoplex Lite, Balance Gold, etc.).
In terms of nutritional value, the Vega bar has comparable calories, protein and unrefined sugars to Clif Bars (the most popular organic supplement bar). Although Vega bars have a higher fat content (10g as compared to Clif’s 4g), they only have 1 gram of saturated fat and contain what most people refer to as good fat. Although that term is often thrown around incorrectly, it definitely works here as the Vega bars were the only nutritional bar we could find that contains essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Overall, we found the Vega bars to be an above average choice in terms of effectiveness and nutritional benefit for anyone; including athletes, dieters, vegetarians, vegans and just about anyone looking to improve their overall quality of health.
Taste - 6.5 - We’ll warn you up front that in terms of taste, this product does take some getting used to. Personally, I disliked it at first. However, as I continued to try it over the ensuing weeks, it actually grew on me. The consistency can be a bit grainy at first and there can be a slight aftertaste. Other team members had similar initial impressions. However, the texture and the overall taste is better than those protein/energy bars that have that chalky taste that we all dread. If you are a just a little patient, we think you’ll catch onto the acquired taste (we did) and find the nutritional benefits make it worth the wait.
Value & Convenience - 6.5 - Vega bars, like most protein and energy bars, are incredibly convenient. They are, as we have mentioned in many past articles, one of the healthiest options for snacking on the go. However, the Vega bars lose serious points here because they are just too expensive for the average person. They cost about $2.95 a bar as compared to the $1.25 price tag on Clif Bars. Vega is a relatively new company and as they begin to take hold in the U.S. (as they have in Canada) - we hope the price will go down. Their above average nutritional composition did save them a bit here and gave them a bump for the overall value rating.
In the end, we were impressed. If you can afford them - then go for it. This bar is packed full of important vitamins and nutrients that other bars ignore - and plus - you have the comfort of knowing that they are all-natural. In addition, the fact that they are easily digestible make them a good choice for endurance athletes, especially distance runners, who can really benefit from the prevention of gastroenterological issues during training. If taste is your number one concern then maybe try the chocolate flavored Vega bars. However, if you aren’t the pickiest and/or you are serious about your nutritional goals (or are a veggie) - then we highly recommend Vega’s Whole Food Energy Bars.
Further reading on Vega products and/or Brendan Brazier:
- TFS Interview: Brendan Brazier, premier vegan athlete
- Veggie or not to veggie: Can athlete’s really be vegetarian?
- VEGA nutritional products: Leading a healthy revolution
Editor’s note - The overall rating was calculated by weighting Effectiveness as 60%, Taste as 20% and Value & Convenience as 20%.
Hariz Siddiqui, Martha Jones, Jeanie Rebb and Rick Jacobs also participated in this review.
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: alkaline environment, brendan brazier, dietary fiber, digestion, energy bar, enzymes, essential fatty acids, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, omega 6 fatty acids, organic, plant based, plant based food, product review, review, vega, vegan, vegetarian
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The Final Sprint
[…] There are many wonderful alternatives for your fill of essential fatty acids. These include: flax-seed oil, canola oil, soybean oil and walnuts. In addition, several packaged foods that can be found in health food stores and even your local grocery outlet are loaded with omega-3’s, such as:Vega’s Whole Food Energy Bars (check out our review of the berry flavored variety!) and Smart Balance’s Omega PLUS Buttery Spread. […]
March 1st, 2007 at 11:30 am[…] Value & Convenience - 9.5 - CLIF is absolutely unbeatable in the value category. At its individual retail price of $1.40, CLIF is in the same ballpark as mainstream competitors such as PowerBar and Balance. However, I can usually find CLIF Bars for less-than-retail, as low as $1 at marathon expos and grocery store sales. And CLIF blows the doors off most of its organic and natural foods competitors. Most organic products are more expensive than non-organics, but CLIF is actually less. For comparison, Vega bars run about $3 for one, which can become cost prohibitive very quickly. […]
May 26th, 2007 at 12:32 pm