I'm not the granola type, but when the ingredient list looks like a chemlab experiment, you begin to wonder. These natural energy bars have simple ingredient lists you can understand - fruits, nuts, seeds. The result are bars without weird off-tastes from the additives and attempts to make palm oil taste like chocolate. These will all provide you energy during a long walk. For endurance events, try them on training walks first to be sure you tolerate the ingredients.
1. Larabar
Wendy Bumgardner ©
The Larabar is a tasty raw food energy bar whose ingredient list is so short you can't believe it - fruit, nuts, and a spice or two. No gluten, no dairy, no soy. The consistency of the bar is excellent - no coatings to melt, easy to break in half, but it doesn't crumble, easy to chew. Really perfect for munching while walking. And the taste - fantastic, with no weird flavors from additives. I need to try all of the varieties of pie and bakery treat flavors.
2. SoLo Low Glycemic Nutrition Bar
Wendy Bumgardner © 2008
SoLo is 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.
3. Optimum Energy Bar
Wendy Bumgardner ©
The Optimum Energy Bar is a tasty energy bar with organic, natural ingredients. It uses whole grains and dried fruit to make a tasty bar with 4 grams of fiber and only 5 grams of fat, with no trans fat. The consistency of the bar is good - no coatings to melt, easy to break in half. But it does crumble a bit (not as bad as most granola bars) and is dry enough to make you want to have water available. The PomegranCherry flavor is extremely tasty.
4. ProBar
Wendy Bumgardner ©
The ProBar is a tasty energy bar whose ingredient list makes you feel pure and wholesome. It uses natural nuts, seeds, and dried fruit to make a tasty bar much higher in fiber than most energy bars, with 6 grams per bar. At 380 calories, they recommend eating only half at a time for better calorie control. The consistency of the bar is excellent - no coatings to melt, easy to break in half, but it doesn't crumble, easy to chew. Really perfect for munching while walking.
5. Gorge Delights JustFruit Bar
Wendy Bumgardner ©
Gorge Delights JustFruit Bars are just fruit - apple puree and apple or other fruit concentrates depending on which flavor. They are basically a thick fruit leather. These can be a good substitute for an energy gel, a source of natural sugar energy for endurance. They are relatively easy to chew, or you can just let them melt away in your mouth.
6. PaleyBar
Wendy Bumgardner ©
PaleyBars were developed by a gourmet chef and cyclist using local, natural organic ingredients. The ingredient list is simple, and the texture is perfect - soft, doesn't crumble, easy to chew. No weird tastes. The JamN' Peanut bar has nuts and fruits held together with honey - delicious and practical to carry along on a walk.
7. BG Bar
A whole-food nutrition snack bar with natural ingredients, no chemical additives, dairy or gluten. Quite tasty, with a balance of protein, carbohydrate, 7 grams of fiber, and fats. For a convenience snack bar for longer walks, it very much fits the nutrition guidelines for most diet programs.8. SOYJOY Nutrition Bars
Wendy Bumgardner ©
SOYJOY nutrition bars are a good quick snack before or during walking. The all-natural ingredients are easy to understand - fruits, whole soybeans rather than processed soy protein concentrate, sugar, butter and eggs like you'd bake yourself. I liked the texture, easy to bite into and chew but not crumbly. They don't have any coatings that will melt in your pack. For those who need a small snack, the controlled portion of 130-140 calories is good.
