CHALLENGE: Healthy Protein Bar

Nutrition
1

Dear Biotest Employees,

All protein bars suck.

You need to do something about it.

All I need is:

NOTE: THIS BAR DOES NOT NEED TO TASTE GOOD
BAR #1: a daily low carb meal replacement type bar with high quality mostly whey proteins, low total carbs, some good fats, and the basic vitamins and minerals - this bar does not need to taste like a snickers - this bar does not need a chocolate coating - this bar does not need 25 grams of sugar alcohols - this bar does not need soy protein (think Low-Carb Grow! in solid form)
NOTE: THIS BAR DOES NOT NEED TO TASTE GOOD

NOTE: THIS BAR DOES NOT NEED TO TASTE GOOD
BAR #2: a preworkout type bar with high quality complex carbohydrates plus the ingredients in bar #1 (think 1/2 cup oats + Low-Carb Grow! all together in solid form)
NOTE: THIS BAR DOES NOT NEED TO TASTE GOOD

Best Regards,
Bastard F*ck Guy

2

What a nick

3

I second that idea, BFG. But, you might want to remind them that you don’t care what it tastes like!! :wink:

TS

4

I agree. I’d buy bars that tasted like ass as long they had some quality ingredients. It must not be possible to get the good stuff to stick together with partially hydrogenated something or another or a bunch of sugar alcohols added because that’s all that seems to be out there.

5

You guys might not care about taste, but I can guarantee that most people, including myself, do. No matter how high-quality, a protein bar will have to taste good in order to sell.

I’d hate to see Biotest release a crappy tasting bar and have them have to discontinue it because only a handful of people willing to sacrifice taste were willing to buy them.

It’s not like Tim and TC will be making these things by the batch in their kitchens. Production runs involve very-high quantities.

6

Biotest Grow! bars are gone forever.

7

[quote]bailey_run wrote:
I’d buy bars that tasted like ass as long they had some quality ingredients.[/quote]

Yes…I am anxiously awaiting the cat-ass flavored Grow! bars :slight_smile:

8

Organic food bars are awesome.
Not as high in protein as we’d like but they are great. Also Crystal Manna Bar is good too. This is also low in protein.

9

Im also waiting for this.

Like BFG, I dont care what it tastes like at all!

Just make it nutritious.

10

Okay, lets assume the protein portion is handled. We could pour some Low-Carb Grow! into whatever other bar material we come up with.

Given this, we are left with coming up with a suitable bar. It has to have product characteristics such as:

  • size
  • texture
  • cost
  • shelf life
  • nutrients
  • dryness
  • cohesion

If the bar is too small, its not going to provide enough nutrients or satiety to make it desirable. Basically, the bigger the better if nutrients are not sacrificed.

By texture, I mean chewability and density. I’m not into chewing on rocks or cardboard and I wouldn’t want it to dissolve like cotton candy. Somewhere between leathery and crunchy might be okay though.

Nutrients are fairly obvious, but we also have to avoid psuedo-proteins and unfavorable proteins like soy. We just might want to avoid turning the bar into a complete fibre bomb too.

For dryness, if it’s wetter than chalk and not a liquid, then it would probably be workable. For example, some type of nougat or taffy consistency would work, especially if coated.

Finally, I’d like it if the thing would stay as one bar. We’ve already got powder and liquid options, we don’t need that type of behavior in our hypothetical new bar!

Maybe there is a way to get away from the dry bar concept and go towards something like a concentrated gelatin filler like sugar free Jello. This obviously comes premade in a plethora of flavors and would go well with dried fruits.

Protein could be mixed into the gelatin and then we are left needing some type of flash cooked coating or maybe a wafer. For the carb inclusive bar we could possibly roll or mix the gelatin with rolled oats and flash cook it.

For the low carb version, maybe we can up good oil content to help get a feeling of fullness without the oats or other bulk. Maybe dust the filling in some type of oily nutty flour or something prior to cooking.

Anyhow, I think the water and gelatin based filler has some advantages in terms of size, weight, cohesion and cost if it can be made chewy and coated. Just trying to think outside the bar… :wink:

11

Vroom: Apparently it is up to you and I. I’ll bring the protein powder, oats, creatine, and peanut butter. You bring everything else. Meet you in the lab @ 8.

BFG

12

I second the fact that it can taste like shit. Cottage cheese tastes like shit but I eat it. I don’t like oatmeal but I eat it. Wait, now that I think about it I really don’t like eating at all but I consume 6-8 meals a day. Oh back on point, I will buy a bar that tastes like shit if it is actually healthy.

13

Heh, good plan BFG, see you there!

14

Havnt they released one of these before, that had pretty much all the specifications above but flopped? Not enough people bought them?