Review of Nature's Path -- Chococonut Granola Bars

Nature's Path -- Chococonut (vegan)
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Summary: I had higher expectations for this bar...the chocolate and coconut flavours should be a little richer and deeper in flavour. There are a lot of chocolate chips, but I didn't get enough of the coconut flavour. The bar is medium sweet and quite nice, overall. I would recommend this bar, especially for chocolate lovers. I just would personally prefer more of a coconut flavour and a denser bar with more complex textures than rice puffs.

Where to buy: Bulk Barn, Fortinos




Ingredients: Granola* (rolled oats*, evaporated cane juice*, soy oil*), tapioca syrup*, chocolate chips*(evaporated cane juice*, unsweetened chocolate *, cocoa butter*, soy lecithin*), brown rice flour*, invert cane syrup*, dried coconut*, acacia gum*, soy oil*, evaporated cane juice*, sea salt, natural coconut flavor, molasses*. *Organic. Contains soy. Produced in a facility that uses dairy, peanuts and tree nuts.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 bar
Calories: 140
     Calories from fat: 40
Total fat: 4.5g
     Saturated fat: 2g
     Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 30mg
Potassium: 70mg
Total carbohydrate: 24g
     Dietary fiber: 2g
     Sugars: 11g
Protein: 2g
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 6%

Fantastic ingredients; pretty much wholly organic. The nutrition facts are decent. There's 2g of fiber and protein and it's low calorie, but I definitely need a bar that's more protein and fiber heavy, especially as an active person who's always hungry!

Other Granola Bar varieties:

• Berry Strawberry™ Flax Plus® Granola Bars
• Peanut Choco™ Granola Bars (vegan)
• Pumpkin-N-Spice™ Flax Plus® Granola Bars (vegan)
• Sunny Hemp™ Hemp Plus® Granola Bars (vegan) (reviewed here)
• Peanut Buddy™ Granola Bars (vegan)
• Lotta’ Apricotta™ Granola Bars
• Mmmaple Pecan™ Flax Plus® Granola Bars

Brand (quoted from the Nature's Path website):

• Family-owned and operated Certified non-GMO and organic
• Non-GMO Project verified Fairtrade certified "We source all our ingredients as locally as possible to our production plants." "...over 78% of the weight of ingredients we purchase comes from organic farmers in North America." 
• "Some of the ingredients we have committed to purchasing are Fairtrade Certified cocoa, sugar cane, molasses, and spices." Gardens for Good Project

Review of Barabara's Fig Bars (Raspberry)

Barbara's -- Fig Bars (Raspberry) (vegan)
Overall Rating: 4/5
Summary: these are super sweet; very dense, which I love (makes for a filling snack); the raspberry flavour is somewhat there and they are relatively moist; and I enjoyed the little chunky bits. I love the it's whole grain. I recommend these and would buy them again. It's a great treat and the brand uses simple ingredients, commits to sourcing non-GMO, and demonstrates environmental responsibility.

Where to buy: Fortinos, US/online


Ingredients: raspberry fig filling ([fruit juice concentrate (pineapple, pear, apple and peach), raspberry puree, tapioca starch, apple powder, natural raspberry flavor, vegetable glycerin, locust bean gum, red cabbage (for color)], fig paste, pineapple juice concentrate, natural flavour, citric acid), pineapple juice syrup, whole oat flour, whole brown rice flour, fig paste, whole barley flour, date paste, raisin juice concentrate, soy lecithin, baking soda, salt.

Contains soy.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 2 bars
Calories: 120
     Calories from fat: 0
Total fat: 0g
     Saturated fat: 0g
     Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 50mg
Total carbohydrates: 27g
     Dietary fiber: 2g
     Sugars: 16g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin C: 4%
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 4%

The ingredients are really great...simple and nothing artificial. The nutritional profile is decent. For two very dense and relatively filling bars, there's only 120 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, and low sodium. There's 2g of fiber, but not much protein or significant vitamins or minerals.

Other Barbara's Fig Bars (all vegan):

• Fig Bars Whole Wheat
• Fig Bars Multigrain

Brand (quoted from barbarasbakery.com):

• Free from anything artificial.
• Free of artificial preservatives and ingredients, hydrogenated oils, and refined white sugar.
• 100% recycled carbon neutral GreenChoice cartons.
• Since 1971!
• "At Barbara’s, we continually strive to source non-GMO ingredients through our supplier relationships and our participation in the Non-GMO Project."
• "Our Brown Rice Crisps cereal has been granted the “Verified” label, and all other Barbara’s products are enrolled in the project and on the path to becoming free of GMOs."