Wellbeing Bar review summary: It is a 40 g oat-based energy bar with 184 calories, 3.5 g of protein, 10.3 g of fats, and 16.2 g of carbohydrates, of which 6.2 g are from sugar. It also contains 3.8 mg of vitamin E, 38% of the recommended daily intake. The Dark Chocolate & Blood Orange flavor is not overly sweet, and its fruity tartness added a nice twist. The soft and moist texture further makes the bar a good mid-run fuel.
I have been a long-time customer of Mother Earth’s peanut butter, but just recently discovered that the brand also makes energy bars. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Mother Earth Wellbeing Bars in a local running store and decided to give them a test drive.
Below is my experience incorporating three Wellbeing Dark Chocolate & Blood Orange Bars into my fueling during an 83 km run (training for Javelina Jundred), as well as eating them as an afternoon snack.
What are Mother Earth Wellbeing Bars? Its ingredients and nutrition facts
Wellbeing Dark Chocolate & Blood Orange Bar is a 40 g oat-based energy bar with 772 kj or 184 calories. It delivers 3.5 g of protein, 10.3 g of fats, and 16.2 g of carbohydrates, of which 6.2 g are from sugar. A key marketing highlight is the 3.8 mg of vitamin E, which is 38% of the recommended daily intake.
Source: company website
The bar has a lot of ingredients for a product attempting to craft a natural brand look and feel (here’s a bar with just two ingredients). The list isn’t too horrible, but there are quite a few food additives.
You might be disappointed if you use Wellbeing Bars as a health bar and want as few artificial ingredients as possible. However, if they’re a part of your fueling plan, those same additives play a role in binding all the ingredients and create a moist texture. When runners consume an energy bar on the move, we want it to hold form and not crumble. Additionally, the bar can’t be too dry since we don’t always have a fluid chaser.
Source: company website
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How are the taste and texture of Mother Earth Wellbeing Bars?
I give the Dark Chocolate & Blood Orange flavor a thumbs up. It’s not overly sweet, and the fruity tartness added a nice twist. The finely crushed pieces of fruits, nuts, and seeds were also enjoyable without affecting the softness and moisture of the bar.
Regarding chewiness, the bar is easy to consume. It mostly held form. But all three bars I brought on the run broke in half or thirds. At least they didn’t crumble and so did not impact the consumption process.
Wellbeing bars comes in two other flavors – Chocolate Brownie Bliss and Mixed Berry Boost.
Are Mother Earth Wellbeing Bars healthy?
No mass-produced energy bars can truly be categorized as healthy since most contain a substantial amount of sugar and additives. Mother Earth Wellbeing Bars are no different. However, as a “healthier” bar that provides the fuel and convenience to power you forward? They are good options without a doubt.
How’s the packaging of Mother Earth Wellbeing Bars?
The energy bar packaging is compact and should fit in most fuel-carrying gears. However, it’s a transparent sachet, so store the bars away from direct sunlight.
In my personal experience, the flavor of bars packed in clear wrappers deteriorate faster when not properly stored.
Does Mother Earth Wellbeing Bars work? And when should you eat them?
I purchased a box of five bars. I ate three on an 83 km run as a part of my fueling. There were no food vendors or convenience stores along the route, so I had to rely solely on sports nutrition products. I consumed the other two bars as afternoon snacks in the office.
Below are several takeaways.
- A Wellbeing Bar supplies 16 g of carbohydrates, comparable to the amounts in energy gels (most gels contain 20-25 g per pack).
- The compact bar fit in the front pockets of my hydration vest. The wrapper ripped open easily. The texture was soft. Overall, it was a convenient experience.
- From a flavor standpoint, the bars were excellent on this type of long run, where you must be completely self-sufficient. Solid foods are essential, and it was nice to have bars that I enjoyed.
- The bar is macro-nutrient-packed, providing a well-rounded nutritional profile for long efforts that drain more than just glycogen.
- They are flavorful enough to be consumed as an afternoon snack. I don’t recommend eating them daily due to the high sugar content and additives. But if your sweet tooth is acting up or you have a session later on, it’s a relatively healthy option to satiate cravings and fuel up pre-run.
