For those of you that know me, I am a health freak! Last year I tried something new and ate a plant-based diet for my marathon training and it was the strongest I had ever felt. Since then I have adopted a plant-based lifestyle. This does come with challenges especially when it comes to runner fuel. There are tons of different products out there for runners to eat but most of them are some form of sugar or corn that doesn't benefit you at all. Now I'm not a nutritionist by profession so take what I say as you will, Health Warrior has created a tasty and healthy bar that I swear by now.
Health Warrior is stealing the market lately for their different snack bars and I had the luxury of testing the chia bars. Chia has always been a part of my diet so when I saw that they have been added to a snack bar (my definition of a snack bar is a bar that is less than 40 grams in weight) I knew I needed to try them.
Nutrition PerspectiveChia has always been an essential part of my plant-based diet for a multitude of reasons:
- it is a good source of healthy fats (Omega -3)
- low in calories
- super absorbent, meaning that it can absorb lots of water
The reason why its absorbency is important for a runner is that when I ate a chia bar during a workout I felt better hydrated than if I didn't. This is because the chia seeds will absorb water and allow your body to process it slower and not pass it quickly through. It's similar to drinking alcohol on an empty stomach verses a full stomach. If your stomach is empty then the alcohol hits you faster than if your stomach is full. This makes it super beneficial when exercising so that your body is doing the most with the water that you consume.
Run Test
I was given the chocolate and apple cinnamon flavors to try and really enjoyed both of them. The chocolate chia bar has chocolate liquor it in which gives it a softer chocolate flavor not an overload. The apple cinnamon was perfect to be tested in the fall and tasted true not artificial.
Having tried both of them before actually running with them, so I could see if my belly would like them, I was anxious to see how they would work on my longer runs. With only 100 calories in each bar it was the perfect size snack to eat while running so that I could get additional energy without filling my belly. I liked how easy they were to chew and not tacky like some other products I have tried, but some of the seeds did get stuck in my teeth (which isn't uncommon for chia).
One run in particular really stood out to me. I was running in Orlando on a short vacation and decided to run 7 miles, which was the longest I had run in the past few months. I was equipped with a chia bar and some nuun to drink and finished with a great time while not feeling physically terrible. Especially when running in the heat I frequently can eat too much sugary snack where my belly hurts and I lose my appetite. I was thankful that these did not affect me like that at all.
Bonus Content
Something else that is pretty unique is that Health Warrior made a special running focused coloring book! Super exciting! They are giving the coloring books away for free when you use the link above to make a purchase on their website. The pages are super funny and jokes that all runner will understand. It's a great way to spend your recovery hours too!
Conclusion
Since I was enjoying the bars so much I purchased a few more flavors to keep myself stocked for the coming weeks. Each of these flavors I am enjoying as well, especially the coconut. So whether you are looking for a new fuel source for running or a healthier snack I think that Health Warrior chia bars should be your next go to snack. They are good for you and great tasting too!
