Freak369's Full Review: Zone Perfect Bars Chocolate Peanut Butter 12 Bars
OK, maybe the title isn’t completely true but I’d bet that if that cute little alien were given the choice between a handful of Reece’s Pieces and one of these bars, he’d have a tough decision to make. This was one of the first flavors that I sampled from the Zone Perfect line of bars and it one of my favorites. My boys have acquired a taste for this and several of the other flavors and I’d much rather have them eat one or two of these when we are running errands or on a field trip than picking up a bag of chips or a candy bar. Of course since they consider all supplement bars “girlie” I usually have to put them in zipper storage bags for them or they will refuse to take them with them.
What Is It?
The Zone Perfect Bar shouldn’t be considered a meal replacement bar since it is rather small and doesn’t contain enough to sustain you until your next meal. It is perfect for when you need something after a work out, between meals or simply when you are craving something sweet with a little crunch to it. Since I try to maintain a low carbohydrate diet most of the time these are something that I only indulge in on my cheat days or when I am having an extreme craving that sugar free Jell-O can’t handle. The Zone Perfect Bar Chocolate Peanut Butter has a massive 20 grams of carbohydrates [13 grams of sugar], most of which can be chalked up to the delicious chocolate coating.
If you aren’t familiar with the Zone Diet, here is a little information. The normal Zone Diet consists of a food plan of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat. Since it is almost impossible to have every meal balanced this way, the bar makes it easy to try to balance things out. Since I don’t follow this type of plan, these bars really aren’t an option for me to have on a regular basis. When I am in the middle of a three to four week low carbohydrate cycle I will cut this in to quarters and space it out over the course of the day.
Taste
If I’ve said it once, I will say it a thousand times, if a bar doesn’t taste good, no amount of product pimping or slick advertising will get me to buy it. The overall flavor and crunch of the bar reminds me of the Hershey Whatchamacallit Bar [caramel, peanut crunch, chocolate coating]. The first bite is always the best since the rich chocolate coating melts in your mouth and the slight crunch of the soy nuggets gives you something to sink your teeth into. This can get a little messy when you are eating it since the nuggets seem to have a mind of their own at times. Unlike most bars on the market, there isn’t a nasty after taste when you are done eating this bar. Out of all the bars in the Zone Perfect series, this one if probably my favorite because it tastes just like a candy bar, helps to satisfy my cravings for chocolate and helps to keep me from snapping when doing a low carbohydrate cycle.
Nutritional Values
Looking at the wrapper you’ll be able to see all the nutritional values for the bar so you can decide if this is your best option depending on your dietary needs and necessities. On the high end of the sale, this bar will provide you with 80% of the RDA [recommended daily allowance] of selenium and chromium, 50% zinc and 200% of Vitamin B6. On the low side is calcium at 2% and iron at 8%. Even though this supplies part of the RDA of some of the vitamins and minerals that are essential to maintaining a healthy body, this shouldn’t be used as a meal replacement bar. This has just enough calories [210] and carbohydrates [20 grams] to hold you over until you can eat a complete and well balanced meal, but it isn’t a substitute for one.
Ingredients
Soy Protein Nuggets, Chocolate Coating, Cocoa, Nonfat Dry Milk, Milk Protein Isolate, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Fructose, Peanut Flour. In addition to these ingredients there are less than 2% of the following in this bar: Glycerin, Gellan Gum, Salt, Oat Bran, Soy Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Oxide, DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, Fish Oil, Thiamin Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Sodium Molybdate, Biotin, Cyanocobalamin.
Since peanut flour is listed in the ingredients those that have allergies to any type of peanut should avoid this bar unless this particular product is something that will not effect you. There is also a warning on the package that states “ May contain traces of peanuts. If you need further information about the ingredients or specifics of this product, please visit the manufacturers website at www.zoneperfect.com
The Bottom Line
This is one flavor that I have to admit is better than the rest. My boys might argue and say that the Chocolate Mint or Double Chocolate is better but for me, this is ‘the one’. I’d suggest this for anyone, including children, who are looking for a snack that is well rounded, tasty and pretty good for you. If you are on a calorie restrictive diet, are allergic to peanuts or certain daily products or are doing a low carbohydrate diet, these might not be the best bar for you. You can find these at most health food and sports supplement stores, at the gym, selected grocery stores and places like Wal-Mart and Target [look in the vitamin section]. The prices vary depending on where you purchase them but for the single bar you can expect to pay anywhere from .99 cents to $1.29.
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
Two flavor favorites packed into one bar...rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter. Totally scrumptious and satisfying, these terrific new bars are ju...More at AllStarHealth
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