It's been a while since I reviewed The Primal Pantry range, but they're back again with some new "Paleo Protein Bars" that are not only Paleo Diet friendly, but vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and #fitfam & #macro friendly too! Yes, Primal Pantry are now doing bars made from plant-based hemp protein.
I was excited when I saw these because I'm always looking for healthy snack bars with added protein; I'm not a fan of whey protein bars, but I've experimented with hemp and pea protein. These don't contain pea protein though, which is good as it also makes them suitable for the legume allergic amongst us.
I found this Cocoa Orange Bar for over £2 - yes you read that right - over £2 for a 55g bar (!) in my local Tesco Express. There's also a Mixed Berries variety which I'll be reviewing later.
Opening the wrapper, it looked similar to the regular Primal Pantry bars although with a stodgier, firmer texture.
Taking a bite, it's a pretty substantial bar and not quite as sweet or soft as most "natural" snack bars. It's made with coconut nectar and dates instead of sugar, which gives a nice earthy "natural" taste. It also contains hemp protein, almonds, dried orange and cocoa nibs, which add to the texture and give a nice crunch as well as a fruity hit from the orange. The bar tastes weirdly nice, and is very filling and satisfying, which I wasn't expecting. It won't make you want another bar straight after the first, which must be those filling protein #macros working their magic!
Overall, I think these "Paleo Protein Bars" are a great idea and a nice addition to the growing Natural Snacks market. I like that they're free from most allergens and don't resort to using whey powder as a protein source. I just can't get my head around the price...I know they're using all natural ingredients, but it's still a lot of money. I would buy these again, but only as an occasional purchase.
Nutrition Information (per 55g bar): 174 Calories, 10g Protein, 28g Carbohydrates (23g Sugars), 4g Fat, 5g Fibre. Contains nuts.
8 out of 10.
