Dexatrim All in One: Is that energy or the jitters? Didn't pass the taste test.
Written: Jan 24 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Decent vitamin and calorie/fat profile, good for low carb dieters
Cons: Contains caffeine, doesn't taste good, has an after taste
The Bottom Line: A smallish protein bar with some positives but a not so great taste and added caffeine make these bars rank low on the list of all around good nutrition bars.
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| PattyTherre's Full Review: Dexatrim Lemon Bar Crisp All in One Bar |
I love the convenience of a protein/energy bar when I am busy and don't have time to make lunch or when I need a snack but don't want to turn to candy or empty calories in baked goods.
I was recently at www.drugstore.com buying Luna and Balance Bars and saw a special deal -- buy one box of any nutritional bar and a get a free box of Dexatrim Lemon Bar Crisp All in One Bars. Because I bought two boxes of bars, I got two free six-pack boxes of the Dexatrim bars. A deal no one would pass up for sure.
When I look for a bar, I look at calories, fat, and nutrition as well as flavor. I really believe that if I am going to eat something, it should be good for me and taste good, not just one or the other.
Dexatrim Lemon Bar Crisp All in One Bars look pretty good from the stats:
From www.drusgtsore.com:
Nutritious Diet and Energy Bar with Green Tea
Energizing and Delicious
6 ~ 1.77 oz (50 g) Bars
Net wt. 10.62 oz (300g)
• 180 Calories
• 22 Vitamins & Minerals
• High Protein
• Good Source of Calcium, Iron & Folic Acid
• Naturally and Artificially Flavored
Looking beyond the impressive low calorie and high vitamin count, I found that Dexatrim Lemon Bar Crisp All in One Bars have five grams of fat (of which 3.5 grams are saturated fat). For those who are carb conscious, although the bar has 21 grams of actual carbohydrates, it touts just one net gram. I am not on any type of controlled carb diet but I once was and that figure would have delighted me.
With five grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein, this bar was looking like a very good choice and one I would choose again when I was on the market for a good energy bar. I was eager to try the bars as I am not a chocolate fan and I love the citrusy flavored ones so this product was right on par with my preferences.
The bar has a fairly impressive vitamin and mineral profile with between 15% and 35% of the RDA of the major vitamins and necessary minerals.
All of that plus it claimed to give me energy when I needed it most and to contain natural green tea which is a great antioxidant.
From www.drugstore.com again:
Dexatrim All in One™ is a nutritious delicious diet and energy bar all in one. It is designed with all-natural green tea to help support your weight loss program. Dexatrim All in One™ helps you control fat, calorie, and simple carb intake and is the perfect complement to a healthy diet and exercise program. For more information on Dexatrim® products visit our website at dexatrim.com.
As an aside, I did go to the Dexatrim website and there is nothing at all pertaining to these bars there. It is all about their weight loss supplements.
When my order arrived, I pulled out one box of Dexatrim All in One’s to check out the size and do a taste test.
The bars come individually wrapped in a foil wrapper with a list of ingredients on the back. While reading what was in the bar, I discovered a couple things. They contain Mallitol and Sucralose, which are artificial sweeteners but healthier and tastier alternatives to Aparastame.
I also saw where my so-called energy would be coming from: caffeine.
Nowhere in the literature I read or the specs that were listed on the drugstore.com website mentioned that the product contained caffeine (The fine print has all the ingredients listed and it was listed there, however). I drink a moderate amount of caffeinated beverages and am trying to cut down my caffeine intake and having a bar with caffeine in it, isn’t in my plan. Plus, I could find no information on just how much caffeine was in the bar. Was it as much as a cup of coffee? Three cups? Less? More? A letter to the people at Dexatrim has so far gone answered but I will update this review when and if I do get a response.
For those who want to know exactly what they are eating, Dexatrim Lemon Bar Crisp All in One Bars contain the following ingredients:
Soy Crisps (Soy protein isolate, Tapioca Starch & Malt Extract), Maltitol, Coating (Maltitol, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Partially Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Sodium Caesinate, Milk Fat, Glycerol-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids with Citric Acid, Soy Lecithin (an emulsifier), Vanillin (an artificial flavor), and Natural Flavor), Soy Protein Isolate, Glycerine, Gum Arabic, Polydextrose, Whey Protein Concentrate, Palm Kernel Oil, Contains 2% or less of the following: Rolled Oats, Water, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Honey, Green Tea Powder, Caffeine, Sucralose, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Soy Lecithin, Vitamins & Minerals: Dicalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E Acetate, Niacinamide, Ferric Orthophosphate, Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin A Palmitate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamin Monohydrate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenite, Phytonadione (Vitamin K1), Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12 (245-4)
That's a fairly scary long list of ingredients, if you ask me.
Enough with the Mumbo Jumbo – Do They Taste Good or Not?
The bars are fairly small. Although the package is 6” x 2”, the actual bar is about 4.25” by about 1.5”. The bar is covered in a white yogurt-like “frosting” and is crispy. And tastes like medicine. Or vitamins. Or …something. My son tasted one and dubbed them "hospitaly". He had been in hospitals quite a bit when he was younger and certain foods have that "we hid your medicine in your food" flashback taste which these bars did.
After one bite, I had an aftertaste in my mouth. The bar didn’t taste like lemon; it tasted more like an artificial citrus flavor that really can’t be described. Although it was chewy and satisfied my need to feel like I am eating something of substance, its small size and not so great taste were turn offs for me. These are not unbearable or awful tasting. They just don't taste GOOD.
It’s unfortunate that these bars aren't as tasty as the advertising made them seem. 180 calories and five grams of fat aren’t bad stats for a bar, especially when using it as a snack or a pick me up between meals (although I prefer about three grams of fat in a small bar like this). The caffeine is something I can do without but others may actually find to be a plus.
I won’t be buying any Dexatrim bars in the near future. The taste isn’t as good as comparable products like Luna Bars and the caffeine is a real turn off for me.
If something doesn’t taste good, it just isn’t worth eating – even it is free like these bars were. If you were to buy a box of six, the cost is about $9.99. At $1.67 a bar, it’s not a bad deal.
But by comparison, the Lemon Zest Luna Bars are about $1.13 per bar, contain 100% of many vitamins and minerals and have no caffeine or artificial sweeteners while still containing the antioxidant powers of decaffeinated green tea. The carbs make the difference here as Lunas contain 26 grams of total carbs and do not specify what the net carb amount is.
The Bottom Line
Dexatrim Lemon Bar Crisp All in One Bars don’t have the taste to make me a regular user of the product. The aftertaste alone is enough to make me steer clear of this product. Add to that the fact that you are consuming caffeine, which you may or not want in a bar, plus the fact that the bars are somewhat more expensive than comparable ones and you have a reason to bypass these and look to other brands to fulfill your craving for a sweet treat or meal replacement bar that is healthy and tastes good.
Dexatrim Lemon Bar Crisp All in One Bars didn’t pass the taste test and I refuse to gag an energy bar down that doesn’t tickle my tongue and make me smack my lips after I eat it. You CAN eat healthy and enjoy the taste. I suggest looking to Luna Bars or Pria Bars for your low calorie snack bar needs. Another good bar, but slightly higher in calories, is the Balance Bar. With so many bars to choose from, why compromise taste?
The official website of Dexatrim Products is www.dexatrim.com but, as I said, I could find no information at all about the bars on that site. The bars also come in Toffee Crunch, White Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch, and Oatmeal Cinnamon Crisp. All are comparable as far as calories, fat and vitamins and all contain caffeine.
If you find that you want to try the Lemon Crisp or other flavors of Dexatrim All in One Bars, I suggest buying a single bar at a grocery, drug, or health food store first. Then, if you find that a particular flavor is better than another, invest in a box of them. I have 10 bars sitting here that, if they weren’t free, I would be kicking myself for not having taste tasted an individual bar first before stocking up.
Recommended:
No
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