Brand: Exo
Flavor: Apple Cinnamon Protein Bar
Where to get it: here @ ExoProtein.com
Let's
talk about bugs ba-by, let's talk about you and me-e, let's talk about all the
good things and the bad thing that we eeeeeeeeeeaaaat...
Have you heard of these Exo protein bars? If not, the thing
that makes them noteworthy (and somewhat newsworthy), is that the protein
source is crickets. *Gasp* BUGS?!?!? Amigawd, how like, totally disgusting,
right?? Well...perhaps a little perspective will help with this one:
I'm guessing that a lot of the treats you eat
semi-regularly, or have at least tried a time or two without repulsion of any
sort, contain bugs. Not bugs like accidental
bugs-fell-into-the-vat-at-the-warehouse bugs, but bugs, as an ingredient, on
purpose. Don't believe me? Junior Mints, Birthday Cake Oreos, Jelly Belly Jelly
Beans, Mike & Ike's, Hot Tamales and many other products contain
Confectioner's Glaze. Confectioner's Glaze is almost always made from beetles.
(There is a plant-based alternative, but it's much more expensive, and is
rarely used in the US.) These little ground up (female) Lac Beetles are what
make those movie-time treats shiny.
So, now that we've hopefully established a path of logic
that won't make you disregard a sustainable protein bar because it's made out
of bugs, and you don't eat bugs (except when you do), let's talk about the
actual product at hand, sans the bug issue.
Crickets have kind of a nutty flavor, so it's smart that the
first ingredient in this bar is almonds, which helps to harmonize any weird
trigger your brain might start to attach to being "bug-flavored". The
bar itself tasted kind of like a nut bread...maybe if you made banana nut bread
and left out the bananas. It's soft and has a good texture, but is high in fat
14g (almonds, flax, coconut), and you can actually see it leave your fingers
shiny. There are also 26g carbs - 16 of which are sugar (honey and fruits). At
290 calories, 16g sugar & 14g fat...that's a lot of macro-fudging for just
10g protein.
Don't get me wrong, I love this idea. There's no nasty,
chalky protein cloud swirling around ruining your mouth for 10 minutes after
you've finished the bar. Sustainable cricket flour is a great idea, and this
bar is full of all natural ingredients. I can live with the fat, because it
adds up in a hurry when you're dealing with nuts, but I feel like there is
something that could be done about the sugar content here. Swap the honey for
some Stevia? Ditch the plum paste for applesauce (the apple flavor wasn't very
strong)? I don't know what works and what doesn't, but there's gotta be a way
here without affecting the taste too much.
At any rate, I think this is a great idea, and I hope Exo
keeps growing and expanding. You're eating bugs anyway, at least Exo has the
balls to tell you about it up front.
Tastes like: Nutty bread
Taste rating: 7/10
Qualities: Gluten free, Made in the USA
What's in it:
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