Let's face it, life is about finding the right balance in all things right? The biggest struggle we have is when it comes to food, finding the right balance between flavor and nutrition. Nugo has solved that problem for us with their Dark Chocolate Protein Bars. They are the perfect balance between rich real chocolate flavor and protein.
Initial ThoughtsI was able to try four of their flavors: Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Coconut, Chocolate Salted Pretzel, and Mint Chocolate Chip. Every flavor was amazing to the point where I cannot choose which flavor I liked the most.
- The Chocolate Salted Pretzel was just the perfect blend of sweet and salty. Not to confuse you, there are no pretzels inside them. The pretzel flavor comes from the salt sprinkled on top of the bar so you get that saltiness in every bite.
- The Chocolate Coconut was what Mounds bar should have done in the first place; true coconut flavor (and that's a lot coming from a Maui boy like me who eat coconut on a daily basis), I actually made an audible gasp when I took my first bite of this bar because of how great it tasted.
- The Chocolate Chocolate Chip was rich, decadent, and rewarding; any chocolate lover's dream.
- The Mint Chocolate Chip can only be described as a Girl Scout Thin Mint on steroids. This is one of my favorite flavor combinations in the world, so I was pretty impresses with this bar. The mint flavor was like chewing on a mint leaf fresh.
Run Test
I know this section isn't accurately named since this is not gear that I run in however I wanted to keep it consistent, and lets think about it as a metaphor. As most of you know, or if you don't you will soon find out, when it comes to fitness there is no constant when it comes to nutrition. Studies are always constantly changing proving and disproving past results. That can be so hard for us when we want what's best for our bodies. Where I'm getting at in reference to Nugo Bars is that there is not a correct time to eat them, so I tried them at all different times in my life to get as many different thoughts on the bars as I could.
First and foremost I utilized the bar as a post workout recovery bar. Sometimes when you finish a really good workout you really don't want to have to get out your blender and whip up a protein smoothie. It leaves dishes, requires prep time, and clean up afterwards all which is tiresome after a 13 mile run or whatever. I found the Nugo Bars to be so convenient for after a workout. I have a busy life, as most of us do, so when I try to fit in a workout before work there isn't much extra time. Being able to pack a Nugo Bar in my bag on my way to the gym made it so much easier. After my workout I knew I had a good wholesome snack to help my body start recovering right away. The general rule, and again take this as you may, is that your body needs protein within 30 minutes of a workout to optimize recovery. After wrapping up a fitness class and then my 20 minute commute home, that doesn't leave much time at home to get the protein in. So eating a Nugo Bar right away my body was utilizing that 20 minute drive to already start recovering, and faster recovery means I can get back out of the pavement sooner without risking injury.
We have those days where you're at work, 3:00pm rolls around, and you're craving something sweet. What do you grab: a donut from the break room, an apple, handful of nuts, or a Nugo Bar? I hope you chose a Nugo Bar! It has protein and carbs as well as satisfying your sweet tooth. I brought in a Nugo Bar for my coworker and I one day. She was very excited as she has Celiac Disease and cannot eat gluten, which Nugo is gluten free. We both couldn't decide which bar we wanted so we split each in half so we wouldn't have to decide. Not only did it satisfy our craving, with beneficial ingredients, it kept us going for the rest of the day.
The uses for Nugo Bars are immense. I've seen some people crumble the bar up and serve it on top of their cereal or beverage to add some extra vegan protein. I've even eaten a bar as a breakfast replacement before. I wake up super early, a curse in my opinion, and a habit that I cannot get out of. So when I have plans to meet up with friends for breakfast or brunch I have already been up for hours. I know, and my stomach reminds me, that I need to eat pretty close to when I wake up (thank you runner's metabolism). Therefore having a Nugo Bar is just the right amount of food to eat that will sustain me, get me some protein, and not ruin my appetite for breakfast or brunch.
Conclusion
Nugo Bars are versatile, to say the least. You can utilize them in so many ways that they can most definitely be added to your lifestyle. The biggest part though is the flavor, they taste amazing! Most bars let your down when it some to flavor, but these bars really have the flavors that keep you coming back for bite after bite. They also have many more flavors than I tested, and many more styles of bars as well. So I'm sure there is a bar that is right for you!
Join the Bibrave Pros on Tuesday January 31st for a Nugo sponsored Bibchat at 4pm Hawaii time.
In the mean time you can see other great uses and ideas from Nugo on their social pages:
IG: nugonutrition
T: NuGoNutrition
Don't forget to use code: "BIBRAVE1" to save 15% through February 8th.
