Good Greens Bars – Good Stuff, Naturally

I hadn’t brought lunch to work one day, and as I was pondering what to do about that, one of the girls from the shipping department dropped off a package at my desk. Inside was a variety of Good Greens bars – two each of wildberry, chocolate coconut, chocolate chunk, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate raspberry, and chocolate mint. That’s impeccable timing. More importantly, Mrs. Outsider and I have gone gluten-free to address some health and allergy issues. So we have a vested interest in finding products that meet our nutritional needs and are tasty enough that we actually want to eat them. Good Greens did not disappoint.

Good Greens bars in six delicious flavors

Each 50g (1.76oz)  Good Greens bar contains omega-3 fatty acids, 3 probiotics, and 40 antioxidants, along with 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 24 grams of carbohydrate. In addition to being vegan, gluten free and non-dairy, you won’t find any trans fats, refined sugars, additives, or preservatives in a Good Greens bar. Organic ingredients are used as much as possible, with 90% of the ingredients being raw as well. If that hasn’t piqued your interest yet, their Z-52 Superfood Powder should. It reads like a “who’s who” of the top natural foods on the planet. While we usually shy away from anything with an unusually long ingredients list, they’re the kind we like to see. Here are just a few: spirulina, nori, hemp powder, wheatgrass juice, acai berry, tea extracts, rose hips, spinach, beet and carrot juice powder, broccoli and alfalfa sprout powder, raspberry, goji berry, mangosteen, blueberry, aloe vera, chia seed extract, and ground flax. (visit their website for the full list, and an explanation of each) I’m not a doctor, chemist, or nutritional expert, but I couldn’t find anything to fault with any of the ingredients. Even if the research behind each and every one of them is not 100% conclusive, I didn’t see anything questionable.

Of course, I could go on and on about nutritional content, but none of that would mean much if the bars tasted terrible. So here’s my quick breakdown of flavor and texture, by bar.Not that they all contain soy protein crisps, which is what adds a little crunchiness to the texture.

Wildberry: The only bar without the dairy-free, organic dark chocolate coating (more on that in a bit). Imagine your favorite dried fruits blended into a bar. Not sticky like an apricot, gritty like an apple, or slippery like a prune, but with enough substance that it chews like a heavy paste. The soy protein crisps keep it interesting, so it’s not all mushy. Prominent fruity flavors with some tanginess from the raspberries. A good choice for times when a chocolate coating would melt and get messy. Delicious.

Chocolate Peanut Butter: Coated in a dark chocolate made from evaporated cane juice, liquor, soy lecithin and natural vanilla, this bar offers an initial bold peanut butter taste that almost overpowers the chocolate. Texture is slightly grainy, like a dry organic peanut butter, with a bit of crunchiness from the soy protein crisps. Tasty, and no milk required to wash it down.

Chocolate Chunk: Satisfy your chocolate craving without guilt. This bar could be described as a moist but dense brownie, with a bit of crunch. The cocoa powder fights a bit with the fruit mix, but it’s definitely there, and hits the spot. My second favorite of the bunch.

Chocolate Mint: Because mint is a natural ingredient, and a rather pronounced one at that, this bar has a strong minty flavor, but it still allows the chocolate to come through. For me, this is the one bar where everything works together perfectly – the texture and flavor are just right. And it leaves a nice minty aftertaste.

Chocolate Raspberry: Another great combination, the chocolate coating and primarily fruit ingredients make it sweet, but not overpoweringly so. Freeze dried raspberries add an extra layer of texture, and balance out the sweetness with the same bit of tanginess found in the Wildberry bar. Another winner.

Chocolate Coconut: If you’re looking for a  strong blast of coconut flavor, this bar may disappoint, but only a little. On the ingredients list, coconut is pretty low, so it’s more like a a coconut undertone than main event. But there is nothing unpleasant about it. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of coconut, and found it to be just right. Consistency is the same as the other bars, making it easy to chew.

Overall, each bar has a somewhat similar flavor and texture, with the main flavor being noticeable but not overpowering. Nothing objectionable, and no odd aftertastes. At 195 calories for most the bars, they provide plenty of easily digestible energy, a host of beneficial ingredients, and nothing bad for you. If you’re wary of ordering a full box of 12 ($29.88) on their website, I suggest you use the “locator” option to find a retailer near you, and try individual bars first. I think you’ll be pleased with them. goodgreens.com

– Brian

(And no, I didn’t eat them all for lunch that day. But U