Great Grains: Four Wholesome, Healthy Bars

Published December 17, 2013 07:00AM

Amrita Plant-based Nutrition Endurance Bar

Made with all-vegan, raw ingredients, these gluten-free and peanut-free bars are tasty and moist (likely due to the first ingredient, organic date paste). Our favorite flavor of the five endurance bars was the pineapple chia, which has a tropical essence with dried pineapple and unsweetened coconut on its list of all recognizable ingredients. The bar is smart fuel for the bike, as it contains 235 calories, 36 grams of carbs, 7 grams of protein and won’t fall apart on the go. Amrita also has a vegan recovery bar, chocolate maca. $2.49 for 1.8-ounce bar, Amritabars.com

Kind Healthy Grains Bar

Our favorite tasting bar of the bunch, these new gluten-free Kind bars incorporate nutrient-packed whole grains (oats, millet, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat) into the five scrumptious flavors. They work well for a midday non-workout snack because they contain just 150 calories and crumble pretty easily. We loved the toasted coconut in the oats and honey flavor. Other flavors: dark chocolate chunk and maple pumpkin seeds with sea salt. Each bar has 25 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein. $3.99 for five 1.2-ounce bars, Kindsnacks.com

Zego

Brand-new bar maker Zego offers a unique gluten- and nut-free bar made primarily with sunflower seeds, which are high in healthy fats, protein and vitamin E. We preferred the chocolate flavor (also available in Sunflower), and the chewy-yet-firm texture resembles that of the original PowerBar. Each bar has 10 grams of protein derived from peas and rice, and the chocolate flavor contains antioxidant-rich cacao nibs and cocoa powder. One bar contains 210 calories, 160 milligrams of sodium and 22 grams of carbohydrate. $2.50 for 1.7-ounce bar, Zegosnacks.com

Detour Smart Whole Grain Oatmeal Bar

These gluten-free oatmeal bars — the first natural bars from Detour — are made with organic rolled oats and topped with a Greek-style yogurt drizzle. We liked the blueberry flavor best (also available in apple cinnamon), but noticed a slight aftertaste from the stevia sweetener. Each bar is 130 calories and contains 18 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein plus electrolytes sodium and potassium. The smaller bar size is well matched for a jersey pocket and its non-crumbly texture makes it suitable ride food. $1.99 for 1.3-ounce bar, Detourbar.com