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Hey there, fellow gamers! So, I just got into the World of Warcraft: Legion beta (!!!), and have decided that I’m going to need a healthy gamer snack stockpile in order to make it through. Who has time for cooking full meals, or prepping instagram-worthy mason jar masterpieces? Not me – I have an artifact weapon to get!
Healthy Gamer Snack Review: Lemon Cashew Rise Bars
Available Flavors
So, there are other flavors of Rise bars, but they all meet different nutritional needs and lifestyles. They are all gluten free, and many are vegan, but then there some that have whey. There are also a few different lines of Rise bars, all with drastically different macronutrient ratios. Today, I’m just going to focus on the vegan lemon cashew protein bar.
To see the full line of flavors and varieties, scoot on over here!
Taste:
I’m going to be honest, lemon is one of my favorite flavors. Because of this, it’s unlikely that I’ll ever be able to give an unbiased view of a lemon-flavored product, buuuuuut, these are super tasty. They’re lemony, without being overpowering. The only thing that I would change is that they’re a bit sweet for my tastes, but other than that…fabulous!
Texture:
Texture is an important factor in picking a protein bar. These bars do not disappoint. They’re surprisingly soft, and not-too-chewy, which are basically my only requirements, texture-wise.
As these bars sit on store shelves a bit longer, they do tend to harden up a bit, but I hear a quick turn in the microwave can fix that. I’m not such a huge fan of that idea (where’s the convenience?), though, so I’d recommend squeezing the bar a bit in store first. Yes, I am that psycho.
Ingredients:
Rise bars are a fab healthy gamer snack, not only for convenience, but also for the quality of ingredients. These contain just four ingredients: organic cashews, organic coconut nectar, pea protein and organic lemon extract.
They’re vegan, soy-free and gluten-free, AND manufactured in a gluten-free, soy-free and peanut-free facility. This is huge, as most peanut-free bars are basically manufactured right next to a bag of peanuts, so peanut allergy sufferers rejoice!
Macros:
Per bar, the macros are as follows:
- calories: 260
- carbs: 23g
- fiber: 1g
- fat: 13g
- protein: 15g
So, yeah, for a protein bar that packs in 260 calories, there’s only 15g of protein. This isn’t bad, but it’s not the best. However, for a soy-free, whole foods based vegan protein bar, it’s actually pretty solid.
The other thing that stands out is how many total carbs are in here (12g of which are straight sugar). Rise prides itself on avoiding any sort of sugar alcohols or alternative sweeteners, so these do have a lot of sugar. Again, not great for all the time, but certainly a good choice for a gaming binge!
Price:
Bars are about $2 in stores and online, so again, not too shabby. This is par for the course with protein bars, and well worth it for one that isn’t filled with junk.
Other Notes:
Of course, these aren’t just a good healthy gamer snack. They’re perfect for hiking and camping (I definitely abuse these on hiking trips, when the sugars are being used pretty much constantly), and other places where you’re going to want a quick healthy snack.
