Let’s start with some quick facts: Recovery is a big part of training and post-workout nutrition is critical to proper recovery. An oldie but goodie article from Runner’s World describes the improvement that olympian Kara Goucher went through after implementing post-workout protein intake into her training. Some of us don’t like to eat right after a hard run or workout and may miss out on taking in proper nutrition during the critical time window of one hour after a workout.
The Honey Stinger’s Nut + Seed bars have been designed to be tasty and nutritious – a powerful combination that will make it easier to reach for them and start your recovery right when you need they key nutrients the most.
Marketing claims
Per the press release at the launch of the energy bars, Honey Stinger claims that it wants to make recovery tastier and more effective. I can attest that the two flavors do taste great – they are both very savory, sweet and salty, and leave you feeling quite full even while the bars are a mere 56 grams or just under 2 oz.
They also call the bar a first of its kind. That’s a bold claim, but in my personal experience I did find the form factor of the bar to be quite unique. The energy bar consists of an inner butter roll that’s been encased by caramel and then rolled in nuts and seeds that correspond to the flavor.
I don’t want to overwhelm you with Honey Stinger’s marketing materials, but this video shows quite effectively how the energy bar is made.
Overall performance – great taste and satiation but texture a bit hard for some
I found the taste a really nice combination of sweet and salty (a very well pronounced salty which I did not mind). The difference in flavor was minor despite a generous amounts of seeds and nuts surrounding the buttery protein filling.
What I found quite surprising is just how full I felt after eating just one of these 2 oz bars. Perhaps it was the 14 grams of protein and 15 grams of fat combination. At 260 calories per bar it does pack a hefty delivery of energy.
Some takeaways
- If you want to follow the often recommended carb to protein ratio of 3 to 1, then you may want to pair this bar with a carb heavy recovery drink or perhaps a piece of fruit like a banana.
- I would love to see less oils as ingredients but as soon as you step into the protein isolate world then you’ve crossed the line of purely natural ingredients. You typically need something to mix the powder to make it easy to consume.
- The bars also contain many of the essential vitamins that Honey Stinger highlights help with recovery.
Ingredients and nutritional facts
For your reference, you can review the detailed nutrition labels of the two bars.
Honey Stinger Peanut Sunflower Seed Nut + Seed Bar Nutrition info
Honey Stinger Almond Pumpkin Seed Nut + Seed Ingredients and Nutritional Info:
Conclusion
- Both bars tasted great and delivered a good balance of nutrients to get my recovery started. The great flavor definitely made the bar somewhat of a treat to look forward to after the second workout.
- If you like salty flavors, then this is a plus with these bars as well. I found the saltiness quite satisfying after a long sweaty workout.
- If you prefer your energy bars / protein bars really soft then this is not the bar for you. The crunchy seed and nut layer covers the core buttery protein filling which required a bite to break into – it was brittle after the initial bite.
- At about $3 per bar they can be considered a bit on the premium side, although you can get a discount with a subscription plan for Honey Stinger products.
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If you’re interested in learning more about Honey Stinger products check out our Honey Stinger energy gel review.
And check out our energy bar vs energy gel analysis if you’re keen on learning more about when to eat what.
