After years of writing about the latest and greatest new offerings in the energy bar world, I’m taking the time to point out the energy bar that has stood by my side for well over a decade – the PowerBar Performance Bar.

This is the old standby with a proven track record. People either don’t like it or, like me, they take it for granted. If I need an energy bar, I know that the Powerbar is going to do the job, and I know I can find it just about anywhere. (Remember the days when the Powerbar was the only bar on the shelves?)

Continue reading to find out just what it is that makes the PowerBar Performance Bar shine…

Health & Nutrition

Let’s start out by examining the ingredients and nutrition facts for one of the common flavors, Vanilla Crisp.

Ingredients:

C2 MAX CARBOHYDRATE BLEND (ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE SYRUP, MALTODEXTRIN, FRUCTOSE, DEXTROSE), OAT BRAN, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, RICE CRISPS (MILLED RICE, RICE BRAN, ROSEMARY EXTRACT), BROWN RICE FLOUR, CANOLA OIL, 2% OR LESS OF NATURAL FLAVOR, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, ALMOND BUTTER, NONFAT MILK, PEANUT FLOUR. MINERALS: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, FERROUS FUMARATE (IRON). VITAMINS: ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), VITAMIN B6 HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMINE MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1). CONTAINS ALMOND, MILK, PEANUT AND SOY INGREDIENTS. MADE ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES WHEAT.

What really stands out to me is the vast array of carbohydrate sources in this bar. There are simple and complex carbs, then different types of sugars. If you do any research into how the human body can absorb different types of sugar through different pathways, you see the importance of taking in more than one type of carbohydrate. I’m going to assume that the team at Powerbar has a good grasp on the research and is doing its best to provide endurance athletes with as many carbs as possible.

Other than that, this is a pretty normal energy bar. Lots of carbs, a little protein and fat, and some added vitamins and minerals (i.e. electrolytes.) It won’t be winning any “healthiest food in the world” awards, but it is right for the task at hand.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 240
Fat 3.5g
Sodium 200mg
Potassium 105mg
Total Carbs 45g
Fiber 1g
Sugars 25g
Protein 8g

Now this is what I call an energy bar! No matter how many people come out and talk about the Paleo diet being good and carbs being bad, carbs are still going to be the #1 source of energy for endurance athletes around the globe. And this Powerbar packs 45g of carbs into a 240 calorie package.

Just as important is how they keep the fat, protein, and fiber in check. Protein won’t energize you as fast as carbs will, and fat and fiber slow your digestion and can cause some stomach distress during hard racing.

As far as I’m concerned, the Powerbar Performance Bar does the best job at maximizing what you want and minimizing what you don’t. It’s not as extravagant as some of the newer bars, but when I’m in the middle of a race, I don’t care about extravagance! I just want something that works.

PowerBar Taste Test

Here are my thoughts on the flavors…

Peanut Butter – I really like this one. It is really sweet, but still has a nice peanut butter flavor. It reminds me of the peanut butter Rice Krispy squares my Grandma made me when I was a kid.

It won’t taste like natural or homemade peanut butter, but I like bars and stuff that taste like the sweetened peanut butter.

Chocolate Peanut Butter – I didn’t like this one at all. It tastes artificial and just plain crappy. While I love Reeses cups, other companies doing chocolate peanut butter flavors just don’t compare. Just skip this one.

Chocolate – N/A

Milk Chocolate Brownie – N/A

Cookies N Cream – N/A

Vanilla Crisp – This is a pretty good flavor that’s really sweet. You can taste some vanilla, though, which is nice.

Oatmeal Raisin – This is my overall favorite. I love oatmeal cookies and this bar gives me a similar taste that doesn’t get old.

Apple Cinnamon – This is a tasty bar that I like to have on occasion. It has a pleasant apple cinnamon flavor that isn’t overpowering.

Banana – N/A

Wild Berry – N/A

Honey Roasted Nut – N/A

Caramel Cookie – N/A

(If you want some more flavors with a twist, check out the Powerbar Energize Fruit Smoothie Bar.)

To finish up, I’ll mention the texture. The bar is so processed that there is really only one texture, so every bite is the same. It’s plain and it’s chewy. Imagine all the ingredients ground up and mixed into a paste, them formed into a bar.

Sure, it doesn’t sound appetizing, but like I mentioned before, it works.

The PowerBar, In Use

Now this is where the Powerbar really shines! It’s not perfect, but I still rate it an A+. Here’s why:

An energy bar needs to be easy to eat. The Powerbar must be the easiest bar to eat. It is soft, chewy, and easy to bite into. The size is just right, the wrapper peel back easily, and the bar isn’t going to crumble or break into pieces (which could end up on the trail, rather than in your mouth.)

An energy bar should not be messy. Some bars have a chocolate coating, or they have some icing on top. Both of those are terrible ideas, because that coating melts while you are racing, leaving a sticky mess all over your face, hands, and jersey pockets.

An energy bar should give you an energy boost. The Powerbar does this for me. Thanks to the nice mix of carbs, I notice a quick ‘pick me up’ followed by a good energy supply (~240 calories worth) with no crash.

So, knowing all that, why isn’t the Powerbar perfect?

Unfortunately, the Powerbar does not do well in extreme weather conditions. In normal racing temperatures, perhaps 50-90 degrees F, there’s no problem.

But if it’s 100+ degrees, these get soft and sticky, so they are a bit harder to separate from their wrapper. When it’s close to 30 degrees or lower, the bar is going to freeze solid. If you try to eat a Powerbar in the cold, you could literally break your teeth!

So what do you do? Simply switch to energy gels, energy gel blocks, and/or low-density bars (like those based on rice crisps and oats) in the winter months. Powerbars in the summer, Powerbar Gel Blasts in the winter. Simple.

My final verdict is…

Powerbar Performance Bars are cheap, easy to carry, easy to eat, easy to digest, full of carbs, not messy, and fairly good tasting. You can’t beat it.

It is still my #1 go-to bar for racing and hard training. If you’re looking for an energy bar, this is a great one to start with in almost every situation.

Official website: www.PowerBar.com

You know what energy bars really bother me? The ones that claim to taste like a candy bar, but when you try them, not only don’t they taste anything like a candy bar, they lack the few benefits that normal energy bars offer.

One such energy bar is the PowerBar Triple Threat. The fact that I found these at Big Lots for $1.50 for a 5-pack box should have clued me in, but I’m a sucker for trying something different, so I had to buy them.

Here’s what PowerBar says about them:

PowerBar Triple Threat Energy bar tastes like a candy bar, but is a great choice for use before or during moderate-intensity exercise and sports, like skating and snowboarding. The nuts, oat bran and 10–11g protein deliver nutritious, long lasting energy and muscle-building power.

That should have been my second clue. The fact they are marketed to skaters and snowboarders means they should not be taken seriously. No offense (because I love ice skating and snowboarding,) but when you hear “skating and snowboarding,” you don’t associate that with athletes serious about their diet and sports nutrition!

Which brings up the topics of health and nutrition…

PowerBar Triple Threat Health and Nutrition

First, peruse the ingredients list…

Ingredients
CHOCOLATEY COATING (SUGAR, FRACTIONATED PALM KERNEL OIL, COCOA, WHEY, NONFAT MILK, SOY LECITHIN, NATURAL VANILLA FLAVOR), CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL (CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, CREAM, WATER, FRUCTOSE, PALM OIL, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, CARRAGEENAN), TRISOURCE™ PROTEIN BLEND (WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CALCIUM CASEINATE, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE), MALTITOL SYRUP, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, OAT FIBER, SOY CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SALT), DRY ROASTED PEANUTS, HIGH OLEIC CANOLA OIL, ALKALIZED COCOA, AND LESS THAN 2% OF ALMOND BUTTER, NATURAL FLAVORS, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, PEANUT FLOUR, MINERALS: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, FERROUS FUMARATE (IRON), VITAMINS: ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), VITAMIN B6 HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMINE MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1).

The first thing that stands out is “chocolatey.” Is that even a word? Perhaps they meant to say “chocolaty coating,” but even better, they could have stuck with the standard “chocolate coating.”

It doesn’t matter though. This bar is a giant slab of sugar and corn syrup with some protein powder and vitamins mixed in to make it sound healthy in the marketing materials. Nothing more needs to be said.

The Nutrition Facts:

Calories 230
Total Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 4.5g
Sodium 150mg
Potassium 140mg
Total Carbs 30g
Fiber 3g
Sugars 15g
Protein 10g

Going purely on the numbers, the bar doesn’t sound too bad for an energy bar designed for “moderate intensity.” But considering the ingredients, I’m hardly tempted to choose this over a Snickers bar. (Except that for $0.30 each, these might be cheaper than the equivalent size Snickers!)

PowerBar Triple Threat Taste Test

I don’t like to base an entire taste test around one flavor of a product, but when I’m already this disappointed in an energy bar, I don’t mind. Plus, it’s pretty hard to screw up a chocolate/caramel/peanut flavor.

So here are my thoughts:

Chocolate Caramel Fusion – This was kind of like a 3 Musketeers candy bar, but with caramel on top. So it’s a bit like a Milky Way candy bar, but it had that fluffy 3 Musketeers feel to it. I’d prefer it taste like a Snickers, but it’s not bad as is. It’s just not particularly good.

So yes, the bar had a candy bar texture and a moderate candy bar flavor. But it wasn’t as good as a candy bar. (Believe it or not, some energy bars do taste like candy bars for real!)

PowerBar Triple Threat In Use

Wanting to stay true the marketing material, I used these bars as snacks during and after ice “skating” sessions. PowerBar’s marketing team probably meant skateboarding, but these bars did the job of providing me calories without making me sick.

Is that something special? Nope. There are plenty of other energy bars out there that would have made just as good of a snack (tasty and filling) without making me sick.

It really doesn’t take much to launch a product that doesn’t upset stomachs during moderate intensity activity. It’s the bars that work during high intensity activity and the ones that still work during long (12+ hour) moderate to high intensity activities that are impressive.

My final verdict is…

Taking a step back and comparing this bar to other bars, it pretty much tasted like crap. I don’t think I’d buy it again, even on clearance at 30 cents each!

I will stick with PowerBar for their Performance Bar and Energize Bar, but for snacks, I’ll choose other brands like the Dr. Will Bar.

Official website: www.PowerBar.com

Buy online: www.Amazon.com

Sticky, messy energy gels are outdated these days. I’ve always liked gels, but the new gummy candies are so much easier and more fun to eat! One of those candies is PowerBar Gel Blasts, a gummy candy with a liquid gel center.

It’s sort of like a gummy bear with a liquid center.

Each packet costs about $2 and contains 1.5 servings, so the price is right on target with typical energy gels (which are about $1.25 for 1 serving.)

Let’s review the ingredients then do a taste test…

PowerBar Gel Blasts Health and Nutrition

It’s kind of pointless to review health benefits of an energy gel candy, considering it’s pure sugar, but we can give this a quick review…

Raspberry Ingredients:

C2 MAX ENERGY BLEND (SUGAR, GLUCOSE SYRUP FROM WHEAT, INVERT SUGAR), WATER, GELATIN, 2% OR LESS OF: RASPBERRY PUREE, RASPBERRY JUICE CONCENTRATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE (VITAMIN C), CITRIC ACID, TARTARIC ACID, MALIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE, GLYCERIN, CARRAGEENAN, LOCUST BEAN GUM, NATURAL FLAVORS, SORBITOL, COCONUT AND/OR PALM KERNEL OIL, CARNAUBA WAX, BLACK CARROT JUICE COLOR.

I’d rank these as “not too terribly bad for you.” It’s pure sugar, so you shouldn’t make these a normal part of your diet, but at least they don’t contain artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup. And at least Powerbar added raspberry puree and raspberry juice concentrate, rather than sticking solely to “natural flavors.”

And my usual warning applies: This snack is only to be eaten while partaking in endurance sports, such as bicycling.

PowerBar Gel Blasts Taste Test

The two older flavors I tried are cola and lemon (apparently now discontinued,) while the two newer flavors I tried are strawberry banana and raspberry.

Cola – The first thing that popped into my mind was those “Bottle Caps” candies. These taste a lot like the cola flavored “Bottle Caps” candy. They’re not exactly the same, but very similar.

I don’t drink cola, but I liked these gel blasts quite a bit. They were almost too good though; they’re tempting to eat while sitting around off the bike!!

Cola contains 50mg caffeine per serving.

Lemon – This one has a lemon taste. It’s not bad, but not as good as cola though.

You know how a lot of people will eat a bag of candy like Starburst or whatever and leave all the yellow ones? Well, if you would do that, don’t buy the lemon flavor.

Raspberry – Raspberry smells and tastes like expected. A fairly natural flavor, but obviously not as real as eating a raspberry. It’s similar to, if not exactly the same as, your average raspberry energy gel. That said, I’m a big fan of raspberry gels and this did not let me down!

Strawberry Banana – N/A

Putting Gel Blasts to The Test

I was so excited to test these, I probably ate a dozen packets as snacks before even trying them out during rides! So I tried these out at snacks, during rides, and during xc skiing.

When it comes to ease of use, these can’t be beat! They’re so versatile.

For example, you can eat a whole packet at once, or you can ration them out over the course of an hour. (Rationing regular bars and gels is possible, but not nearly as convenient.) You can also chew them up for a quicker sugar rush, or let them dissolve in your mouth like hard candy if you’re on a leisurely ride.

Note: The whole “bite into them and release the liquid center for quick energy” idea is completely false.

The gooey center is about the size of a headset bearing, and it’s not liquid. It’s much thicker than energy gel and a little softer than the rest of the gel blast. Put simply, you can bite the thing in half and nothing is going to ooze out.

Since these are not sticky, your hands and lips stay very clean. Your jersey stays clean, too, since there’s no messy wrapper to stick back in your jersey pocket.

There is nothing left sticking to your teeth either.

As for the energy boost, I didn’t notice a huge energy boost, but at the very least, chewing on these gave me an uplifting feeling. So this is my new favorite way to get calories!

My final verdict is…

The Powerbar Gel Blasts taste good and are convenient and fun to eat. Definitely try these out if you’re sick of typical energy bars and gels! They make a perfect substitute.

Official website: www.PowerBar.com

Buy online: www.REI.com

The good ole Powerbar Performance bar has been around since before I considered myself an endurance athlete.

But they made a recent update, adding a new variation to the Powerbar line – the Powerbar Energize bar.

It still looks exactly like the Powerbars of old, except it comes in fruity flavors now. It uses Powerbar’s new “C2 Max carbohydrate blend” and combines that with real fruit.

I really like this bar because it retains everything I liked about the standard Powerbar – very easy to chew and swallow while riding, packaging is easy to open and bar slips out without hassle, it’s packed with carbs for energy with a little protein and very little fat which could slow digestion – but improves one quality…

That quality is the taste. Rather than the typical energy bar taste, the Powerbar Energize bar reminds me of Starburst and Airheads candies. If you crossed the Powerbar Performance bar and a bag of Starburst candy, you’d get the Powerbar Energize bar.

The only downside is that the price has gone up – it’s nearly impossible to find these for under $18 per 12ct box. $1.59 isn’t absurd, but I liked finding Powerbar Performance bars for $12 a dozen.

Keep reading for more details on this cool new energy bar…

Ingredients and Nutrition Facts

Here are a couple selling points from Powerbar:

• Made with real fruit + 17 vitamins & minerals.
• No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
• 42g of carbs and 6g of protein with 210 calories per bar.

And here is the ingredients list for the Creamy Citrus bar:

FRUIT POWERBAR C2 MAX CARBOHYDRATE BLEND (ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE SYRUP, DRIED CITRUS BLEND [ORANGE PEEL, LEMON PEEL, SUGAR, CITRIC ACID], FRUIT PASTE [SUGAR, MIXED FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATE FROM PEAR, PINEAPPLE, APPLE AND PEACH, APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE, APPLE POWDER, GLYCERIN, WATER, PECTIN, LOCUST BEAN GUM], MALTODEXTRIN, DEXTROSE, FRUCTOSE), MILK PROTEIN ISOLATE, OATS, CANOLA OIL, NATURAL FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, ANNATTO COLOR, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, ALMOND BUTTER, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, PEANUT FLOUR, MINERALS: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM CARBONATE, ZINC GLUCONATE, FERROUS FUMARATE (IRON), COPPER GLUCONATE, CHROMIUM ASPARTATE, VITAMINS: ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), VITAMIN E ACETATE, NIACINAMIDE (VITAMIN B3), CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE (PANTOTHENIC ACID), VITAMIN B6, VITAMIN B2, THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), FOLIC ACID, BIOTIN, VITAMIN B12, ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS: LEUCINE, VALINE, ISOLEUCINE.

You’ve got your cane juice syrup, maltodextrin, and oats for calories (as carbohydrates,) fruit paste for flavor, some almond butter (a healthy source of fat,) soy protein, and then all the vitamins and minerals.

The ingredients list appears surprisingly healthy for a bar that looks anything but natural! I still would never choose one of these as a daily snack, but it’s one of my top choices for fueling during bike rides and races.

Powerbar Energize Taste Test

The Powerbar Energize bar comes in three flavors: Creamy Citrus, Berry Blast, and Tangy Tropical. Here are my thoughts…

Creamy Citrus Fruit Smoothie – This is an awesome flavor! It does taste like a real fruit smoothie – like orange sherbet or something similar. It looks the part, too – the orange bar looks like a solid chunk of orange sherbet.

It is extremely sweet, though, so that may turn some people away.

Berry Blast Fruit Smoothie – This bar turned out to be pretty good, but it was more like a standard Powerbar; i.e. it was much different than the Creamy Citrus flavor.

The look was standard, too – it was a brown bar with chunks of red and blue. I think those chunks were real fruit, because I tasted a real strawberry chunk when I ate this bar. I could taste strawberry and blueberry, and I think raspberry (although I didn’t see raspberry on the label.)

It’s also a little bit like the pomegranate blueberry FRS chews. The taste and texture are similar. It’s a good flavor that’s worth a try, but I prefer the Creamy Citrus.

Tangy Tropical Fruit Smoothie – This is a very strong, sweet flavor. It starts off with the aroma of pineapple, and when you bite into it, you’re greeted with pineapple, papaya, and mango flavors.

I like tropical stuff and really like this flavor, however, I would only eat one on occasion. It’s so strong and flavorful I just wouldn’t be able to handle it all the time! The citrus flavor is much more standard and more suited to regular consumption.

My final verdict is…

This is my #1, “go to” energy bar when it comes to performance training and racing situations. I love the taste, texture, packaging, and ingredients, so I highly recommend this bar if you need something to eat during intense events like road races and triathlons.

Go for the Berry if you want a standard, pleasant flavor, or choose the Creamy Citrus if you want a very sweet orange flavor. If you can handle the sweetness, opt for the Tangy Tropical.

Official website: www.PowerBar.com

Buy online: Amazon.com | REI.com

Last week when I was thinking about how various energy bars stack up against the Cheetah Bar, I decided it could be a potential Powerbar replacement.

While I still think that’s true, I have some more information to pass along about Powerbars, specifically the new C2 MAX carbohydrate blend they are using these days.

This new blend consists of organic evaporated cane juice syrup, maltodextrin, and fructose. So it sounds like they’re on the right track. (They used to use high fructose corn syrup and other crap!)

How would I know? Because I was reviewing a recent study about how certain combinations of carbohydrates were shown to increase athletic performance.

Check the study if you want, but basically it says to consume a 2:1 ratio of glucose to fructose for maximum benefit. And you guessed it, this new Powerbar formula delivers carbs in that exact ratio!

Supposedly Powerbar formulated the C2 MAX blend to take advantage of these findings, but I can’t verify that, so this could have been one of those studies to verify (i.e. publicize and draw attention to) how great these new Powerbars are.

Either way, being able to take in and use a greater number of carbs per hour is a good thing.