Zone Perfect Bars - Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Without Completely Blowing Your Diet
Written: Apr 22 '03 (Updated May 15 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nice assortment of flavors, filling enough to hold you over until your next meal.
Cons: Not for people on low carbohydrate or low calorie diets.
The Bottom Line: Tasting better than I expected, these are better than reaching for a candy bar but beware of the calories and carbohydrates.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Zone Perfect Bars |
It seems that no matter where you go these days, sport nutrition bars are everywhere. Gas stations, grocery stores, price clubs and corner markets seem to be trying to cash in on the “get fit / eat right” craze. Henry’s Marketplace is a small local chain of health food / organic / homeopathic / grocery stores that sell some of the strangest products I’ve ever seen. They have a huge vitamin section, sell tons of fresh produce and have wider selection of nutritional bars than I have seen anywhere. When I saw the display of Zone Perfect bars I almost walked past them [as I usually do], until I saw the price - .99 cents. I’d always wondered what these tasted like but had never purchased them due to the high number of carbohydrates and calories. My son pointed out the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor knowing that this flavor combination is a real weak spot for me. Tossing a few of them in the cart my son laughed and commented How long before you write a review of them? If I knew then how great some of the flavors tasted, I would have definitely purchased more of them when they were on sale.
What Is It?
Based roughly on the Zone Diet principal of a well-structured food intake of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat, the bar serves as a snack between meals or when you need something quick but nutritious to eat. This should not be considered a meal replacement bar due to the skimpy 1.76 ounce serving [50 grams]. These are a nice break from the traditional bars that are available however you should read the nutritional panel closely if you are any type of specific diet such as calorie restricted, low carbohydrate or have allergies to peanuts. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call the toll free number for more assistance.
According to the wrapper, the bars contain anywhere from 15 to 17 grams of protein per serving [one bar], which is about average for a supplement bar [the exception being the bars that are designed to be high in protein]. The 3 milligrams of Omega 3 is something that is really hyped as some type of revolutionary strong front against disease heart disease, joint degeneration and certain forms of depression. Considering that this bar only contains 3 milligrams of the Omega 3, the statement on the package is a bit deceptive since 3 mg isn’t going to do anything for you – that’s just my opinion so don’t consider it carved in stone. If you are trying to add more Omega 3 to your diet you can consider adding some flaxseed oil to your diet. Looking over the nutritional aspects of most of the bars it seems good for most people however this is something that I won’t be eating on a daily basis since I try to limit my intake of carbohydrates. I could have 6 egg whites, bacon, ham and 4 – 5 ounce of cheese as a meal and still be ingesting less carbs than munching down on one of these. Still, I can’t carry a skillet and food around with me everywhere so in a pinch – these might save me from going face first into a Big Mac or Whopper.
Calories range from 200 to 210 grams per bar with most of them averaging 7 grams of fat per serving [one bar]. Since these numbers are pretty even across the boards you pretty much know exactly what you are getting from the entire series of bars up front. If this sounds like something that would fit into your daily diet or as part of your meal plan I suggest trying out some of the more popular flavors or asking your local health food dealer or sport supply store if they have any 10 gram sample bars to try out.
Flavors
The Zone Perfect bar is currently available in the following flavors:
Chocolate Raspberry, Apple Cinnamon Crunch, Chocolate Mint, Fudge Graham, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Caramel Cluster, Chocolate Vanilla Creme, Caramel Apple, Double Chocolate.
Yogurt Blends include: Blueberry Yogurt, Peach Yogurt, Strawberry Yogurt, and Lemon Yogurt.
In addition to the single serve bagged packages you can also purchase these in assortment packs:
4 each Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry Yogurt, 3 each Apple Cinnamon, Chocolate Raspberry
4 each Fudge Graham, Chocolate Mint, 3 each Lemon Yogurt, Blueberry Yogurt
4 each Chocolate Caramel Cluster, Chocolate Vanilla Creme, 3 each Double Chocolate, Caramel Apple
Taste
I don’t care how good a bar is supposed to be, the flavors it comes in, price or manufacturer – if it doesn’t taste good then what is the point? I’ve now had a chance to sample almost all of the flavors from the series and have to admit that most of them – even the ones that didn’t initially appeal to me – are pretty tasty. The soy nuggets help to give you something to not only fill you up but to really sink your teeth in to. Some bars are flat and after a few bites you either lose interest in it due to poor taste or you are done with it and are still a little hungry. Some of the better flavors, in my opinion, include Chocolate Peanut Butter, Peach Yogurt, Chocolate Vanilla Creme and Double Chocolate. The real kicker to these bars have to be the silky smooth chocolate coating – although it doesn’t taste exactly like milk chocolate, it’s close enough – especially when you are on a diet. Overall the bars taste above average when compared to other similar products that are currently on the market but if you are skeptical I suggest trying them out individually before you invest in a case of twelve or one of the above listed assortment packs.
Ingredients
Since this is the general section for reviews of the Zone Perfect bar, it is almost impossible to list the ingredients of the bars since there are so many on the market. If you have any questions or concerns about the ingredients of a specific flavor I suggest that you call the toll free number for further assistance. Additionally you can visit the manufacturers website to access the ingredients for each bar, flavors that are available, nutritional values and other helpful information for those that are looking to lose a few pounds or are looking for a great tasting snack that won’t knock you off your diet all together. Please be sure to read the ingredient panel closely if you have any allergies to milk or soy based products, peanuts or are a vegan.
For an example, here are the general ingredients that you will find in almost every bar in the Zone Perfect series: Soy Protein Nuggets, Corn Syrup, Chocolate Coating, Milk Protein Isolate, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Fructose, Peanut Flour. There are also some ingredients that are found in smaller quantities, usually less than 2%. As I have mentioned numerous times, please read the label carefully if you have any food allergies as there are some differences between the different flavored bars.
Freshness
The expiration date [best by date] is printed on the inside flap on the bottom of the wrapper. Flip it up to check the date to ensure freshness of the bar. I am not sure what they taste like after the expiration date but I’ve had the misfortune to purchase a few old bars from other manufacturers and they didn’t exactly have the best taste in the world. If you purchase these in large quantities you might want to store them in a cool [not cold] dry place to keep them in good shape until you use them. If purchasing these by the case / box, please check the bottom of the unit for the best by date to ensure that you are getting a fresh batch.
The Bottom Line
These are far too dangerously delicious for me to keep around the house in any type of quantity. When I first sampled some of the flavors they weren’t all that appealing to me and I never thought that a lemon flavored bar could taste good. These are great for between meals, why you are craving something sweet, if you’d rather give your child something other than chips or a candy bar or are currently taking part in the Zone Diet program. This isn’t designed as a meal replacement bar or something to be used instead of eating a well balanced meal but it is hearty enough to hold you over until your next meal or when you have an insane and insatiable craving for something sweet.
For more information about the Zone Perfect bars or diet, please visit the official website at www.zoneperfect.com. You can also call the toll free number for assistance in finding a retailer in your area that sells these – [800] 666-6830
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
Other Zone Perfect Bar reviews ...
Zone Perfect Chocolate Mint
Zone Perfect Chocolate Raspberry
Zone Perfect Fudge Graham Cracker
Zone Perfect Apple Cinnamon
Zone Perfect Chocolate Peanut Butter
Please note, the review was first posted to the generic Zone Nutrition Bar section of the site. It was revised and moved to this location when the product was added to the database.
Recommended:
Yes
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