A nut bar is a handy thing. A single portion that fits neatly into a handbag, it needs no refrigeration and there’s no mess afterwards. More importantly, because it contains nuts and not just cereal or muesli, it packs a satisfying protein hit that keeps hunger pangs at bay. Is it perhaps the perfect snack? I road tested this Be Natural Deluxe Nut Bar to find out just how it stacked up against the scores of others on the market.

Portability and Taste

All snack bars are convenient, but whether they can stand the test of time in the bottom of a handbag is the real test. A nut bar that holds its shape and maintains its appealing ‘new’ look, when needed as an out-and-about snack, is a winner. This bar seems to do just that.

The combination of Cranberries with almonds and peanuts in this Be Natural bar is pleasantly sweet and it has a nice peanut flavour that isn’t overpowering. The bar is quite hard and chewy, which does give your jaw a light workout but also helps all the elements stick together to make for a crumb-free bite. It’s not only a source of both protein and fibre, as the pack proclaims, but also a neat way to get some more heart-healthy fats in your diet.

Pros

• Contains 54 per cent nuts which are 40 per cent whole almonds plus 14 per cent peanuts. Per bar, this translates to around 16 grams of nuts – which is about half of what’s suggested as your nutty daily intake.
• Great taste, smooth texture that doesn't crumble or flake all over the place.
• Pleasant nutty taste and slightly sweet without being heavily sweetened.
• Survives well in your bag without going soft or squishy.
• More nuts and cranberries than cereal or muesli bars.
• Good for fibre
• High in protein
• Long shelf life - best to eat within 6 months according to the label but is still OK after that although it may taste a little stale as does any other bar.
• Satisfying and filling on the go.
• No colours, flavours or preservatives.
• As it's a dry product it keeps well without refrigeration.

Cons

• Contains sugars from invert sugar syrup (a liquid mixture breakdown of glucose and fructose, also naturally present in honey and made when heating jam) as well as honey, sugar and glucose. No idea why you need four different sugars except that they can be listed individually and therefore come further down the ingredient list! Apart from the invert sugar, the other three are relatively low. All are needed to hold and bind the bar together. You get 11 g total sugars from each bar but I guesstimate about 8 or 9 g are coming from the sugars, which is around 2 teaspoons.
• It’s processed, like other similar bars.
• Pricey - costs $1.42 per bar which is about the same as a Pink Lady apple. But that’s pretty reasonable for something that contains a lot of nuts and dried fruit, which tend to be pricey ingredients.
• Contains nuts so not suitable for school snacks or school camps.
• Contains gluten (from the barley malt).

Nutrition stats per bar and per 100 g

     ^* 22 mg of sodium is equiv to less than 0.1 g of salt.
     Source: Be Natural Deluxe Nut Bar - Back of pack.

My verdict?

A satisfying and nice tasting bar that survives time in your car or bag. It allows you to consume a 16g serve of nuts a day which is about half what's recommended for good health. Yes, there are sugars and other sweeteners present, but it’s still a much better option than many other bars and makes for a very convenient snack to grab on the go.

Websites:

www.benatural.com.au

www.facebook.com/BeNaturalAU