These Energy Bars by Monkey Bar Are Vegan And Under 200 Calories

Energy Bars have gained a reputation of being packed with truck loads of additives, hidden sugars and preservatives. So when we pick a bar, the first thing we check is the list of ingredients. 

The founders of Monkey Bar, just like most of us, were looking for clean eating options without intaking a heavy dose of sugar every time you pick something packaged. Their Eureka moment arrived when their homemade energy bars gained popularity in their offices. 

Our Monkey Bar Vegan Energy Bars review details our overall experience of testing five variants based on parameters like taste, texture and ofcourse ingredients.

Here are the details of the five variants of Monkey Bar Vegan Energy Bars : 

What are we looking for? ‘Food inspired from Mothers love and nagging’, reads the tagline of Monkey Bar Vegan Energy Bars. We are closely looking at the taste, texture, ingredients and the nutrition label during our review process. 

1. Taste 

We reviewed five variants of these vegan energy bars. Depending upon the flavor, how true are these energy bars to their labels? How natural do these taste? What about the freshness of the nuts and seeds? 

Sweetened with dates and nothing else – how balanced is the sweetness or does it seem under sweetened? 

2. Texture

In this segment, we cover details about the overall bite of these energy bars. Dry, brittle, soft, fudgy or chewy? Since these are made using nuts, do they leave their natural oils and appear greasy?

3. Nutri Label – Ingredients + Nutrition 

The Nutri Label throws light on details including the main ingredients, calories, fats, macronutrient distribution and more. 

We also check whether the ingredient list is well detailed and discloses the exact percentage of ingredients used. 

4. Other Observations 

Apart from the above observations, we have also gauged the price, packaging and shelf life. 

Here’s Mishry’s quick review on the 3 variants of Kelloggs K Energy Bars.

For our review process, we ordered a variety pack that contains five flavors – Mocha, Orange Cocoa, Very Berry, Dark Cocoa Hazelnut and Peanut Butter & Chia Seed. You can avail these flavors individually as well.

1. Mocha

Main Ingredients 

Dates (38%), Cashew (31%), Rolled oats (18%), Almonds (8%), Cocoa (4%), and Coffee (1%) are the main ingredients used here. 

Dates are naturally high in sugar and lend a distinctive caramel like taste. These are an excellent, natural alternative to refined sugar.

Rolled oats are used here as they help in binding the mixture and hold the overall shape. 

Cashews are rich in nutrients and an excellent source of heart-healthy fats, plant-protein and fiber. 

Nutritional Profile 

A single bar of 40 gm contains 185 kcal of energy, 5.7 gm of protein, 8.4 gm of fat, 7.0 gm MUFA + PUFA and 21.6 gm of carbohydrate. 

MUFA + PUFA – This stands for Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids respectively. Both of these are healthy forms of fats that help reduce bad cholesterol in the body. Some of the foods high in MUFA include fish, fish oils, nuts and vegetable oils such as canola oil and olive oil. 

Taste + Texture 

This Mocha energy bar has a very pleasing and mild aroma of coffee. The top layer of this energy bar is encrusted with multiple slivered almonds. It is a lightly sweet bar infused with a subtle touch of coffee and cocoa. 

Texture-wise, it breaks apart easily, and does not have a chewy bite.

2. Orange Cocoa

Main Ingredients 

The list of ingredients include – Dates (36%), Cashew (31%), Rolled oats (21%), Almonds (8%), Cocoa (4%), and Orange peel oil (1%).  

Nutritional Profile 

Per 40 gm, this energy bar provides 185 kcal of energy, 5.6 gm of protein, 8.3 gm of fat, 6.8 gm of MUFA + PUFA  and 22.0 gm of carbohydrate. 

Taste 

This energy bar showcases an excellent flavor and aroma of orange. The orange peel flavor can lend some bitterness, but not here. It’s fresh and we love the combination of chocolate and nuts.

Quick Read: Phab Energy Bars Review.

3. Very Berry

Main Ingredients 

Dates (33%), Cashew (38%), Rolled oats (18%), Cranberry (8%), and Blueberry (3%) are the ingredients used here. 

Nutritional Profile 

A single bar of 40 gm, provides 181 kcal of energy, 5.1 gm of protein, 7.9 gm of fat, 6.5 gm MUFA + PUFA and 22.4 gm carbohydrate. 

Taste + Texture

This energy bar is light brown in color. Dominant on cashew flavor, this has a mild tartiness coming from cranberries. In terms of the texture, this energy bar was slightly oily. Since this bar contains nuts, the release of oil is a natural process. This wasn’t as dry as the other variants.

4. Dark Cocoa Hazelnut

Main Ingredients 

The main ingredients include – Dates (38%), Cashew (33%), Rolled oats (18%), Hazelnut (5%), and Cocoa (6%). 

Nutritional Profile 

Per 40 gm , this energy bar contains 182 kcal of energy, 5.7 gm of protein, 7.9 gm fat, 7.9 gm MUFA + PUFA and 22.1 gm of carbohydrate. 

Taste + Texture

This energy bar has a few hazelnuts spread at the top that bring in a nice crunch. It has a mild sweetness, flavor of cocoa, and a fresh nuttiness. The combination of dates and cashews uplifts the taste further. All the ingredients are very well balanced. There is no one ingredient that overpowers the other.

Coming to the texture, the hazelnuts are very well-roasted and the crunch is spot-on. 

5. Peanut Butter & Chia Seed

Main Ingredients 

The list of ingredients includes – Dates (36%), Peanuts (46%), Rolled oats (15%), and Chia seeds (3%). 

Nutritional Profile 

A single bar contains 197 kcal of energy, 7.6 gm of protein, 10.5 gm of fat, 8.4 gm of MUFA + PUFA and 18.1 gm of carbohydrate. 

Taste + Texture

The top of this energy bar is loaded with peanuts and chia seeds. The chia seeds taste really fresh and add a nice crunch in between bites. This energy bar has a mild sweetness and a classic savory taste coming from the peanuts. 

It has a dominant nutty flavor. There was no rancid aftertaste.

Your quest for the Best Protein Bars In India ends here.

Let’s talk about a common aspect we observed in all these variants – 

• All the bars are 40 grams each.
• They have a shelf life of 4 months.
• Each bar is priced at Rs 55/-.
• Usually energy bars that contain nuts have a tendency of releasing natural oils that give it an oily touch. And due to the presence of dates, these have a fudgy bite. In comparison to the energy  bars we tested earlier, these felt slightly dry.
• Dates, cashews and rolled oats are the common ingredients seen in each variant except the Peanut Butter & Chia Seeds. Here, peanuts have been added instead of cashews. 
• The best thing about these energy bars is that they are not sweetened with sugar. The ingredient list is very clean. Kudos!
• Another noteworthy aspect is the amount of calories these energy bars contain. A regular snack bar should have a calorie count between 150 to 250 calories. All the energy bars from Monkey Bar provide less than 200 calories.

Here are some interesting FAQs on Monkey Bar Vegan Energy Bars.

What made us like these vegan energy bars, you ask? The clean and detailed ingredient list, the absence of preservatives, no artificial taste, and no added sugar. Most importantly if you are looking for a snack under 200 calories, these energy bars are surely your way to go.

A huge thumbs up for all the five variants of these vegan energy bars from Monkey Bar. 

Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.