Going to the gym is a regular activity for me, and I'm often on the lookout for tasty, satisfying nutrition bars to fuel my workout. I've tried lots of different varieties like Kashi, Clif and Luna bars, and found that they're all pretty good. However, sometimes I'm in the mood for something a bit more decadent with dark chocolate instead of the often-cloying milk chocolate flavors. So nothing could stop me from buying Zone Perfect All-Natural Dark Chocolate Nutrition Bars the instant I saw it in the grocery store.The first varieties I sampled were Dark Chocolate Almond and Double Dark.
First up: Dark Chocolate Almond. I unwrapped the sizeable 45 gram bar, and took a bite. It was delicious! The dark chocolate flavor was not artificial like some nutrition bars (PowerBar, I'm looking at you!), and the almonds were a wonderful touch. When I tried the Double Dark Chocolate flavor, I was equally impressed; delicious dark chocolate mingled with soy protein nuggets (these were basically just crispy pieces that added some interest to the texture). I almost felt like I was eating a candy bar (granted, some would argue that nutrition bars are merely glorified candy, but I would argue that they provide other nutrients as well).
Both Zone Perfect All Natural Dark Chocolate Nutrition Bars clocked in at 190 calories and 6 grams of total fat (9% of the daily value), of which 4-5 grams is saturated fat (20% of the DV, a bit high). There is also 8%of the DV for sodium (180 mg), 12 grams of protein and 22 grams of carbohydrates which includes only 1-2 grams of fiber (4-8% of the DV), and 13 grams of sugar.
The saturated fat content is higher than I would like, so that's something to be careful of. Since I usually eat bars pre-workout, I felt comfortable eating this - just enough carbohydrate content to fuel me without weighing me down and 12 grams of protein power - and the taste is so good! Even at $1.69 a pop, I plan on buying these again very soon.
{Website: ZonePerfect}