SoLo Low Glycemic Nutrition Bar

SoLo promises a great-tasting sports energy bar with slow-burning carbs, protein, natural ingredients, and essential vitamins and minerals. Rather than sending you on a sugar high and crash, or replacing natural sugars with gut-wrenching sugar alcohols, this bar promises sustained energy.

I want a lot from my energy bars, but above all I want something that tastes good. I sampled SoLo's flavors, and each one tasted great. Even flavors I wouldn't normally buy were delicious. My favorites were Lemon Lift and Peanut Power. But Berry Bliss, Chocolate Charger and Mint Mania were also very tasty.

How do these pack for active walkers, runners and bikers? Unfortunately, the chocolate coatings have a low enough melting point that they were coming off inside the packaging just at room temperature, and they melt on your fingers as well. Bring a napkin for eating on the go. The yogurt coating for Lemon Lift and Berry Bliss was less messy.

The bar's chewing consistency is perfect. They don't crumble. They are easy to break up and chew. This is important to prevent choking if you are eating while breathing heavily while walking, running, or biking. If it weren't for the messy melted coatings, I would replace my favorite Clif Bars with SoLo.

Each SoLo bar has 200 calories, with 11 to 13 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat (about half of it saturated), 3 to 4 grams of fiber and 15 to 19 grams of sugars. The glycemic index ranges from 23 for Mint Mania to 28 to 29 for the other flavors. This balance of carbs, protein and fat is designed for a slower release of the sugars, sustaining it longer without a quick crash. My personal experience is that having it as an afternoon snack did not prevent my usual afternoon drowsiness.

One thing missing from these bars is sugar alcohols, which are often seen in sugar-free or diet nutrition bars. I avoid sugar alcohols because many people find that they loosen the bowels, which is not something I want when I am exercising.

SoLo touts their ingredients as all natural. You don't need a chemistry degree to read the label.

SoLo bars are high in calcium and provide Vitamins A, C, and E and some iron.

Bottom Line: SoLo is a very tasty nutrition bar. If you experience sugar crashes from other bars, give them a try to see if they work better for you.