I’ve been using Vital Proteins collagen since 2015 to help me live my most vibrant life. From strong hair to healthy joints, collagen is staple supplement for my overall wellness. Over the past 5 years, I’ve used their collagen in powder form, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard they were launching Collagen Bars.
These collagen bars have become quite a staple in my healthy lifestyle, so I want to share with you..
- are the bars more beneficial than powder
- a breakdown of the nutrition label
- how/when I use them
- flavor reviews (so you can find the ones that best suit your taste buds)
BENEFITS: COLLAGEN BARS VS POWDER
If you’re interested on a detailed post on what I noticed after taking collagen consistently for 90 days, read THIS. To recap: collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It can be found almost every within the body, such as skin, hair, nails ligaments, tendons, digestive tract, etc. As we age, our natural collagen production decreases, so it’s up to us to obtain collagen through dietary and supplemental forms.
The most popular form of collagen is in powder form; THIS is the one I most often take because it’s flavorless and odorless, so I mix it right into my smoothies or coffee.
The Vital Protein’s collagen bars are a total market disruptor. They are equally beneficial because the deliver the same amount of collagen: 12 grams per bar. However, I personally find the bars provided added benefits. There is a total of 16-17 grams of protein per bar. I eat a high-protein diet so any bit of added protein I can find, I take. The bars pack 6-8 grams of fiber, which is beneficial for digestion and feeling full and satisfied. Plus, it’s actually FOOD! There are very few supplements you can actually eat and enjoy; these bars make for the perfect meal addition or snack.
NUTRITION LABEL: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A BAR
Not all bars are created equal. I’m not usually a bar person because I have high standards and there aren’t a lot of options out there.
Here are a few of my bar rules:
PROTEIN – must deliver a minimum of 10 grams
SUGAR – maximum of 5 grams of sugar
INGREDIENTS – recognizable; if I don’t know what’s in it, I don’t eat it
TEXTURE – cannot be chalky
TASTE – I have to enjoy it or I’ll simply pass + pick another option
The Vital Proteins collagen bars offer 16-17 grams of protein depending on the specific bar and have 4 grams of sugar or less. The ingredients are all ones you will be familiar with. The texture couldn’t be further from a traditional, chalky protein bar. These are moist (sorry, does that word disgust you?! my husband can’t stand it lol) and incredibly flavorful. I’ll outline the flavor details below.
HOW + WHEN I ENJOY THE COLLAGEN BARS
There is no best time to take a collagen supplement or collagen bar. I find that consistency is key with collagen, so however you can best work it into your daily schedule will be the best for you. The 2 ways I most often enjoy:
1) WITH BREAKFAST – I’m a quick and easy breakfast girl, especially during the work week. I’ve been breaking my fast with these bars a lot lately. I always keep some in my tote bag and I’ll eat them on the way home from the gym.
2) AFTERNOON SNACK – I love the chocolatey collagen bars as an afternoon snack or honestly, I’ll even have a few bites after dinner when I’m craving something sweet.
VITAL PROTEINS COLLAGEN BARS – FLAVOR REVIEW
Overall, I would say these bars are nice and chewy. They are tasty but not too sweet. You really taste the natural flavors of each one… the chocolate ones definitely have a candy bar feel and the fruity ones give you a real, fresh fruit flavor.
CHOCOLATE ALMOND SEA SALT
I have 2 favorites for different reasons and this is one of the two. In the afternoons, I always crave a little something sweet. I typically enjoy a Trader Joe’s dark chocolate caramel along. I started having these bars and they truly give you a chocolate candy bar satisfaction. I love the hint of sea salt in these!
LEMON VANILLA
This is the second of my two favorite flavors. It reminds me of a lemon poppyseed muffin. It’s not too lemony. It’s definitely not too vanilla-y. It’s a very fresh taste, which I most often enjoy in the morning.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE
This is my husband’s favorite. He says it tastes like a Reese’s peanut butter cup. If you like peanut butter, this is the one for you.
MIXED BERRY
These offer a fresh fruit flavor… strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and blackberry. It is unbelievable how fruity a bar can actually be. It kind of reminds me of a fruit roll up in a bar form.
MINT CHOCOLATE
We are HUGE Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie lovers. This flavor will remind you of that! It has that cool minty taste and is followed up by a delicious chocolate flavor. This one definitely curbs my sweet tooth cravings!
RASPBERRY LEMON
Again, this one packs a fresh fruit flavor and if you’re someone who likes both fruit and lemon, this is going to be your favorite! It’s like a lemon fruit cake.
COLLAGEN BAR SUMMARY
When you’re looking at a protein bar, I would definitely review some of my “rules”: high protein, low sugar, natural ingredients and most importantly, be sure you enjoy it. The Vital Proteins Collagen Bars check all the boxes for me, and hopefully this flavor guide helps you with choosing which one you will enjoy first. You could also try out their variety pack to sample one of each.
If there are any other supplements you’d like to see more in depth reviews on, please feel free to comment those below!
*thank you to Vital Proteins for sponsoring this post
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