Granola Gourmet Energy Bars Review

by Derek Howes
I Was Lazy
February 11, 2012

Recently I received the Granola Gourmet Energy bar line in the mail. I’ve really been aiming to eat as clean and as healthy as possible on my cut so these fit my diet perfectly. Anything with the word “Gourmet” in it sounds appetizing, but the word “Granola” gives it that no-so-guilty feeling. I’m sure you’re wondering if these bars taste more like the “Granola” (healthy/bland) or “Gourmet” (delicious) part of the name.

I should note that each of these bars were ate before the gym – they all gave me energy. Not a caffeine-type jittery energy or anything, just a natural “thank you for eating healthy” type energy if that makes any sense?

The first bar that I ate was the Ultimate Berry

*low Glycemic Index (25), 590mg Omega-3′s per bar and 12g Whole Grains

Ingredients: Organic whole grain oats, organic agave syrup, blueberries (blueberries, apple juice concentrate, sunflower oil), almonds, organic flaxseeds, organic sunflower seeds,soy protein isolate, olive oil, natural flavors, natural strawberry extract. Contains Soy and Almonds. Manufactured in a plant that also processes milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts. This is a Kosher product produced on dairy equipment (DE) without dairy ingredients.

Now as we can see here the macros are good (on all of the bars I reviewed here). It doesn’t call itself a protein bar yet the protein is still up there for a 150 calories bar. The ingredient list is a beautiful on all of them (other companies should take note).

How about the taste? Well, “Ultimate Berry” tasted just like I’d imagine a mixture of berries into granola would taste. Actually, a bit better than that. It didn’t have that artificial fruit taste that a ton of these bars have (you know who I’m talking about). It wasn’t dry at all, it didn’t have that bland/chalky taste that most companies tend to have when the ingredient list is this small. I enjoyed it.

Overall Ultimate Berry would get a 9/10 (awesome ingredient list + good taste = high rating!)

The second bar I tried was the Cran-Orange

*low Glycemic Index (19), 530mg Omega-3′s per bar and 10g Whole Grains

Ingredients: Organic whole grain oats, organic agave syrup, cranberries (cranberries, apple juice concentrate, sunflower oil), almonds, organic flaxseeds, organic sunflower seeds, soy protein isolate, olive oil, natural flavors, cinnamon, natural orange extract. Contains Soy and Almonds. Manufactured in a plant that also processes milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts. This is a Kosher product produced on dairy equipment (DE) without dairy ingredients.

I’m really not much of (or wasn’t) a cranberry or orange fan so I wasn’t too excited to try this. I do have to say though – it was definitely tasty in a good way. The combination of orange and cranberry really stood out and it wasn’t dry/chalky at all. It’s kind of hard to explain how this one tasted but it was good. I would say it tasted like a fruity granola gummy. I’d say I liked this one equally as much as the Ultimate Berry.

Overall Cran-Orange would get a 9/10 (Made me a fan of orange/cranberry combinations)

The third bar that I tried was the Mocha Fudge

*low Glycemic Index (23), 530mg Omega-3′s per bar and 10g Whole Grains

Ingredients: Organic whole grain oats, organic agave syrup, chocolate chips (cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter), almonds, organic flaxseeds, organic sunflower seeds, soy protein isolate, natural coffee extract, alkalized cocoa, olive oil, natural flavors. Contains Soy and Almonds. Manufactured in a plant that also processes milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts. This is a Kosher product produced on dairy equipment (DE) without dairy ingredients.

This was probably my least favorite of the bunch. Not because the bar tastes bad or anything but I just can’t remember the last time I’ve said that I enjoyed something that was mocha (or maybe I’m just not used to it). The bar had a nice granola-fudge like consistency so it went down rather nice. Had a nice chocolatey taste/after-taste to it too…the mocha just doesn’t do anything for me. If you enjoy mocha I’m sure you would love this bar.

Overall Mocha Fudge would get a 7.5/10 (Not really a mocha fan – bar itself was not bad)

The fourth and last bar that I tried was the Ultimate Fudge Brownie

*low Glycemic Index (23), 540mg Omega-3′s per bar and 10g Whole Grains

Ingredients: Organic whole grain oats, organic agave syrup, chocolate chips (cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter), almonds, organic flaxseeds, organic sunflower seeds, soy protein isolate, alkalized cocoa, olive oil, natural flavors. Contains Soy and Almonds. Manufactured in a plant that also processes milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts. This is a Kosher product produced on dairy equipment (DE) without dairy ingredients.

Two words: My Favorite.

This bar hit a home run in the natural-but-tastes-amazing category. Fudge like consistency in a granola bar that tastes like a brownie? Mouthgasm/sold! The only thing wrong with these bars is that it wasn’t long enough (I wanted more!).

Overall Fudge Brownie would get a 10/10 (Awesome ingredients while tasting like a brownie = GREAT!)

These are definitely a nice snack before the gym/in general. They are low in calories, have great macros/ingredient list, and taste good to boot!

  1. You can purchase as well as find where to purchase these at their homepage.
  2. Visit them on Twitter at http://twitter.com/granola_gourmet
  3. or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GranolaGourmet

Overall:

  • Cost: 8.5/10 (About $1.60 a bar and sometimes cheaper. This is a great price point especially since it’s a lot more “natural” than the alternatives)
  • Healthiness: 10/10 (Can’t debate the healthiness of these!)

Also I feel I should state this in my reviews: I have no issue giving a company a bad review even if they do send me a product to try for free – they are NOT paying me for a positive review, these reviews all come from me with my complete honesty.

Products for diabetics finally taste good

by Sheldon Baker
examiner.com
November 19, 2010

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are over 23 million diabetics in the U.S., and another 40 million people with pre-diabetes and other blood sugar issues. The CDC projects that 1 in 3 people could have diabetes by the year 2050.

Jeff Cohen has been a diabetic since 1993. He was frustrated while trying to find a snack that didn’t cause a blood sugar spike and also tasted good. He finally decided to create his own, and his company Granola Gourmet was born to solve the problem.

From humble beginnings in his family kitchen, the meal replacement bars were made in small batches using many organic ingredients and became a weekly family tradition. His teenage boys began getting requests for new flavors from their friends. The cast and crew of Hollywood television shows from The Ellen ShowThe MentalistEntourage and others on the Warner Bros. lot and CBS-TV began buying the bars. Soon they became the healthiest product on the Craft Services table catering to the motion picture industry. And Granola Gourmet became a local family-owned business success.

Cohen’s company has just introduced what it calls its Ultimate line of individually wrapped energy bars replying to consumer and grocer requests for natural portable snack items. The individually wrapped bars are also responding to consumer demand for 100% natural grab-and-go snacks that don’t spike blood sugar. Made entirely in the U.S., the bars come in four flavors.

According to Cohen, as demand for diabetic food items becomes mainstream, many national retail and grocery store chains are expanding their healthy and natural product lines.

“While Granola Gourmet Ultimate Energy Bars are designed to satisfy your sweet tooth, the bars do not have refined sugar or the fat and sodium content of other popular protein and energy bars in its formulation,” explains Cohen.

“As a Type 2 diabetic, I wanted to create a product that is healthy, tasty and filling that could meet the needs of diabetics, as well as athletes and health conscious consumers,” Cohen added.

This is the first time consumers will have the opportunity to purchase Granola Gourmet’s individually wrapped bars that also come in a caddy of 10. Ultimate Berry with blueberries, Ultimate Fudge Brownie with a nutty texture, Ultimate Mocha Fudge with a chocolaty base and touch of coffee flavor and aroma and Ultimate Cran-Orange make up the Ultimate selection.

Granola Gourmet bars contains 10-12g whole grains and 530-590mg of omega-3. For those with other dietary requirements, the bars are free of wheat and dairy, low in sodium, and are kosher and vegan.

Santa Clarita, CA-based Granola Gourmet also uses Low Glycemic Index ingredients. Low Glycemic foods provide longer periods of sustained energy, hunger relief and reduces the risk of experiencing blood sugar spikes. As a result, Granola Gourmet bars convert to sugar more slowly.

In California, SafewayVonsPavilions and Whole Foods are some of the stores carrying the products. The nationwide grocery chain launch is supported by a giveaway rebate offer that enables customers to receive free Granola Gourmet Energy Bars in exchange for proof of purchase. For more information about Granola Gourmet visit www.granolagourmet.com.

Healthy Back To School Snack Idea: Granola Gourmet

transformr
August 12, 2010

Because of it’s low glycemic index and allergy-safe ingredients (No Wheat, No Dairy, No Refined Sugar and very Low Sodium), Granola Gourmet became a popular snack among weight-watchers and people with diabetes.

However, Granola Gourmet is good for practically everyone. It’s best for children and parents on the go, of course without ditching the delicious factor in a healthy snack.

Here are a few reasons why Granola Gourmet is a good back-to-school snack:

  • Instead of sugary cereals, grab a Granola Gourmet Energy Bar made with 100% natural ingredients, including 391mg Omega 3′s and 13 grams of whole grains per bar
  • If you have food allergies and need to stay away from wheat or dairy (these do contain almonds)
  • When at school you are looking for satisfying snack, that also keeps your kids going, energy foods that hold up well in a locker
  • Your kids come home from school and are hungry before dinner and need something to satisfy their sweet tooth, but you want your kids to avoid the high fat, sugar and sodium content of some popular protein bars and snacks