There are very few packaged, process foods that I will eat. I’m not one to frequent the “health food” section where all the snack foods without HFCS are shelved. You’ll find me in the produce section. That’s after I’ve been to the farmer’s market and foraged, of course.

I used to love a good “nutrition” bar, though. I remember when I thought Power Bars were healthy. Then I went through a Cliff Bar phase for a couple of years. It took a while (baby steps), but I eventually realized that prepared foods made by companies did not make me feel good. Learning about health and wellness taught me why they aren’t good for us; the main reason is they’re loaded with sugar!

Of all the bars I’ve known, I couldn’t think of one that I would consider “healthy.” Healthier, as in far healthier than your conventional energy bars maybe, but not actually “healthy.” Not until now.

Josh Eichel emailed me and asked me to check out his new energy bars. I had just finished doing squats, and I was hungry for something fast and easy. Josh couldn’t teleport me one of his energy bars, and he used way too many exclamation points in his email (you know how those fitness dudes are, right?), but I was interested in food bars at that moment because I felt a twinge of nostalgia for the old days when I would do a heavy set of weight lifting followed by 5 or  6 energy bars.

Although I said yes, I was sure I was going to see the ingredient list and take a pass. I was wrong.

Josh, currently a student at Northeastern University in Boston, started his business, All In Nutrition, in April 2015. Like me, Josh wasn’t pleased with the unhealthy products sold as nutrition bars and energy bars. He wanted an energy bar that wasn’t sugar-laden junk food. Instead of doing the sensible thing (stop eating them or just make your own) he started his business. Take a look at the ingredients:

Wicked Dark Chocolate Cayenne Energy Bars

• GMO-Free, Grass Fed Whey Protein from New Zealand
• Sunflower Seed Butter
• Organic Dates
• Organic Cacao Chocolate Chips, Organic Cacao Nibs
• Organic Cocoa
• Gluten-Free Whey Protein Crisps
• Sunflower Seeds
• Coffee
• Green Tea
• Chile Powder and Cayenne Pepper
• Binding agents are Organic Vegetable Glycerin and GMO-Free Prebiotic Fiber

Wicked Maple Energy Bars

• Vermont Maple
• GMO-Free, Grass Fed Whey Protein from New Zealand
• Organic Cashew Butter
• Organic Dates
• Gluten Free Whey Protein Crisps
• Almonds
• Three seed blend of Chia seeds, Flax seeds, and Pumpkin seeds
• Goji Berries
• Coffee
• Green Tea
• Chlorella
• Spirulina
• Stevia
• Binding agents are Organic Vegetable Glycerin and GMO-Free Prebiotic Fiber

The ingredients list is pretty impressive. I asked for a sample and received two bars a few days later. After I ate them,  I was sad. I was sad because he didn’t send me more than two.

Are these Maple and Chocolate Wicked Energy Bars Good For You?

Many people view energy bars as a nutritious meal replacement. For a health nut like me who lives off of salads, makes super healthy smoothies for desert, soaks and sprouts nuts, and doesn’t generally eat chocolate unless it’s raw, these bars are a treat. In fact, they’re a well-deserved treat after a good workout routine, but they aren’t a replacement for a healthy meal. As store bought energy bars go, it doesn’t get much better, but I do have a couple of nitpicks.

Cooking chia and flax eliminates health benefits. Ideally, the seeds and nuts should be sprouted, most or all ingredients should be raw, and though stevia is doing much of the sweetening, the dates and maple syrup do contain too much sugar for anyone who is battling a health issue.

On the other hand, the whey protein in Wicked Energy Bars is the best whey protein I know of, all of the ingredients are fantastic, the taste of both bars is really very good, and most importantly, my body felt good eating one after a workout.

I like them so much, I am adding them to Green Lifestyle Market. We’ll either sell them or I’ll eat them. Either one is fine with me.