Fit Fare

Probiotics, or the healthy bacteria that support digestive functions, have gotten a lot of press. Women often find it necessary to increase the amounts of probiotics in their diets when they are taking antibiotics; as the name implies, antibiotics kill bacteria, which can include the naturally-occurring bacteria in the body. This can lead to yeast infections or intestinal distress. Supplementing with foods that contain probiotics can help balance these side effects. We often hear about them in the context of yogurt. Yogurt has been a part of healthy diets throughout the world for thousands of years, but for people who don’t find yogurt palatable, there are other options available.

One of these options is the Attune brand nutritional bars.  The promotional materials say “probiotic wellness bar[s]…promote digestive health, immunity” and have five times the active cultures of yogurt.  I will say from the outset that I never been especially susceptible to yeast infections or intestinal issues, so I’m just going on faith in the packaging materials that the contents of the bars can be helpful for those conditions.  It may also be coincidence, but I came down with the worst cold I’ve had in recent memory while I was eating one bar per day, so I’m not sold on the immunity-boosting claims.

That said, the bars aren’t half bad.  There are two basic types:  the chocolate-type bar and the granola-type bar.  The chocolate-type bars 100 calories each, thin like a Nestle Crunch (though smaller), and filled with some sort of crispies.  Among this type, three flavors are available:  Chocolate Crisp, Cool Mint Chocolate and Blueberry Vanilla (in a white chocolate-type base).

The granola bar type comes in fruit flavors:  Lemon Creme, Wild Berry, and Strawberry Bliss.  These have a standard granola base with visible grains and seeds, and they have a yogurt-dipped bottom.

In the eating experience, the most noticeable aspect of these bars is that they need to be refrigerated to preserve their probiotic strength.  Though the informational materials indicate that they will retain their priobiotic properties if stored at room temperature for a limited amount of time, I didn’t find it very convenient to set them out an hour ahead of time.  When I’m in the mood for a granola bar, I don’t want to wait an hour to eat it.  I’m sure it would have have had a better texture at room temperature, so if you can fit that into your routine, I recommend letting it warm up first.  Straight out of the refrigerator, they were a bit tooth-breaking.

Taste-wise, all the bars of both types had a noticeable tang, which I assume is due to the probiotic elements that also give yogurt its characteristic slightly sour flavor. Because of this, the fruit flavors seemed to work better than the chocolate flavors. Lemon and berries are good with some tang to them, but it just makes chocolate taste a little off.

The chocolate bar-types retail for about $1.29, and information is not yet available on the price of the granola-type bars.  Overall, these bars are decent; I would eat them if they were free, but they’re not good enough that I would seek them out or pay extra for them.  Of course, their main draw is their probiotic properties, so if you are a person to whom that is very valuable, this could be an excellent, convenient alternative to consuming gallons of yogurt.