From the house of Discovery Nutrition, UK, this is a meal replacement bar developed in Australia and made in India to meet your protein requirements in a wholesome meal. With about 20 g of protein and 5 g of fibre in each bar of 80 g, this one is meant to replace a wholesome meal conveniently on the go and not as a quick protein re-boost snack. It is also meant to maintain muscle mass and enhance muscle recovery.
Calibar is the manufacturer of 3 types of meal replacement bars – Go Fit (with 10 g of protein and 4 g of fibre), Protein ( 20 g of protein and 5 g of fibre) Protein Gold (yet to be launched, with 25 g of protein and 6 g of fibre). Let’s have a closer review of Calibar Protein Bar with regards to its effectiveness when it comes to replacing a wholesome meal.
Nutrition Profile
Calibar Protein Bar seems to be high on Carbohydrates, sugar, fats and hence the overall caloric content. Let’s have a closer look into the nutritional content.
Nutrition facts (for each bar of 80 g)
- Protein 20.28 g (protein blend is derived from whey protein isolate and soy protein isolate)
- Calories 314.68
- Total Carbohydrates 43.72 g (Net Carbohydrate is 35.3 g)
- Dietary fibre is 5.32 g
- Sugar is 17.63 g
- Total Fat is 7.72 g (out of which saturated fat is 3.64 g, Trans fat is 0.36 g)
- Cholesterol is 0 mg
- Sodium is 241 mg
Taste
With added sugar, honey, almonds and butter, the bar is sure to appeal to your taste buds. Unfortunately the bar is launched in a single flavour i.e. Almond Choco Crisp. As understood from most of the consumers, this is the only flavour the bar is available in and it tastes reasonably great.
Effectiveness
Well, the product is just like any other ordinary confectionary with some good dose of protein. However whether the actual content of protein matches the figures displayed on the package, is questionable. Although the protein source is low in quality i.e. a blend of Whey and Soy. Soy is a cheaper substitute of protein, which is not as good as whey when it comes to amino acids for protein synthesis (quick absorption) and muscle recovery. It is loaded with calories in terms of saturated fats, carbohydrates and sugar. People who are on a weight loss or lean muscle diet may find this composition of total calories disappointing.
Quality
The source of protein seems to be of low quality considering the ingredients used as sources of protein blend i.e. soy protein isolate, soy nuggets, soy crisps. The proportion of protein from whey isolate seems to be low as compared to that derived from Soy protein isolate. The bar is also high in sugar and honey which adds to the count of extra calories.
Calibar Protein Bar Side-effects
Consumers have not reported any significant side-effects of the bar. The bar is gluten free, hence easy on stomach. However, it is low on the fibre content and high on calories which can cause bloating and uneasiness when consumed in higher quantities.
Price/ Value
The bar seems to be easy on pocket with about INR 720 for a pack of 6 bars, which makes it INR 120 for each bar. To replace a meal at this price is a good deal. However, whether it provides any real value to the consumers looking at the caloric content is doubtful.
CaliBar Protein Bar – Almond Choco Crisp (Pack of 12) Gluten free, Meal replacement bar
Features
- Nutrition bar