I was first introduced to 9bar mixed seed energy bars by my other half, who had been given one after giving blood. I have never been a massive fan of cereal bars, mainly because they are not wheat free and are more sweet tasting than anything else, and I pigeon holed this brand with the rest. They claim to help keep you going whether you are a sports person…… (not me)…or someone who just has a busy life…(I have definitely got that one covered!).
I got the sample pack which included Original, Flax, Fruity, Peanut, Pumkin and Breakfast. For the sake of my blog, I had to try all 6 in the pack…….not all at once…..such a chore. www.9bar.com will give you a lot more information on these and the other flavours. The website also gives good information on the sports the brand have aligned themselves with, which made me think about them significantly better than your average bar.
First and foremost they are a snack and a naturally wholesome one at that. (Gone are my days of snacking on a few bags of the fatty and pungent space raiders crisps at school break time!) 9bar are filled with nutritious seeds which contain all of the 9 essential amino acids. They are convenient to take on the run, whether that be literally in a triathalon or on the move with general day to day life. As someone who always has a snack … or two… lurking at the bottom of their bag or in the in car, I fell into the second category. Most importantly to me, 9bar are wheat and gluten free and they don’t taste like rabbit food! They are also are not like most cereal bars in a good few ways.
They all come in at 50g and with varying calories. They are filling and I would happily consume these non empty calories. It is actually quite hard to decide which one I prefer the most. They all have a base of sunflower, hemp, sesame and pumpkin seeds and all include raw cane sugar. They have been given approval by the Vegetarian and Coeliac Societies. With 8 bars to choose from…. I am hoping they get another one out there soon to make that sound more poetic….there is definitely one for everyone to choose from. The 6 I tried were….
Original 9bar – This was the first one I ever tried and has a carob topping. 277 Calories and packed full of good fats. Nice sweet flavour. Ingredients: Mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy, dehulled hemp) 58%, carob topping (sugar, vegetable fat, soya, carob, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin), honey, raw cane sugar, vegetable oil.
Flax 9bar – Easy to see why this is a favourite of the health conscious. Similar to the Original but also contains flax seed, which is nutrient loaded and low in carbs. 261 Calories and more omega 3 fatty acids. Ingredients: Mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy, dehulled hemp) 52%, carob topping (sugar, vegetable fat, soya, carob, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin), honey, raw cane sugar, vegetable oil, flax seed (5%)
Peanut 9bar – This sweet and salty variant includes the delicious seeds of the Original mixed with a good amount of roasted peanuts. Although peanuts are probably my least favourite nuts, I can see why peanut lovers would really enjoy this…. my aunt in particular! They give an extra bite to this already tasty bar. 288 Calories. Ingredients: Mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy, dehulled hemp) 47%, peanuts (32%), golden syrup, vegetable oil, raw cane sugar, salt.
Pumpkin 9bar – This bar packs a good amount of protein, crunch and energy with the added pumpkin seeds. Eventhough there is no carob topping on this one, it still maintains a lovely sweetness. 255 Calories. Ingredients: Mixed seeds (sunflower, sesame, poppy, dehulled hemp) 48%, pumpkin seeds (20%), honey, raw cane sugar, vegetable oil.
Fruity 9bar – This vegan friendly bar includes the glorious heady 9bar seed mix but with added apricots and dates and all topped off with carob. The fruit adds an extra twist to the flavour. As I try this bar for the first time, my 3 year old has managed to try some also….(claw like hand came across and grabbed the majority of packet)….. and she is happily chomping away and saying “good”. 266 Calories. Ingredients: Mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, dehulled hemp) 50%, dried fruit ( apricots and dates) (20%), carob topping (sugar, vegetable fat, soya, carob, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin), golden syrup, raw cane sugar, vegetable oil, rice flour.
Breakfast 9bar – Launched April 2014, these calcium and protein filled snacks are ideal for those who don’t have time to stop for breakfast. I can sometimes count myself in this category. I tried the Almond and Raspberry one which had impressive 9.2 g protein. Great combination, not one I would have automatically chosen, but worked nicely together. To me it had a very different flavour and texture to the rest of the range. Just as enjoyable. I tried it pre-gym and found it ideal and easily digested. Good fruity flavour mixed with nice delicate crunch. Noticed the subtle flavours coming through. 232 Calories. Ingredients: Mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp) 26%, rice syrup, gluten free oats, agave nectar, soya protein crispies ( soya protein isolate, tapioca starch, salt), crisped rise (rice flour, rice bran, sugar, rice extract), almonds (6%), vegetable oils (palm, coconut, rapeseed), raw cane sugar, soya flour, freeze dried raspberries (1%), dicalcium phosphate, natural flavourings, citric acid, salt,
All the bars are free from gluten, wheat, egg, yeast, preservatives, additives, artificial colours.
I could eat these everyday. They are satisfying, good tasting, nutritious and with bonus of long lasting slow release of energy. The definitely kept me fuller for longer. I particularly enjoyed them in the afternoon prior to going to the gym. We also tried these as part of a packed lunch for the kids. They went down quickly and well. Great to take out and about in the car also. www.9bar.com currently has an offer of free delivery on all orders. No reason not to stock up.
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