Optimum Complete Protein Diet Bars Reveiw

Optimum Nutrition Complete Protein Diet bar is still the same delicious protein bar you have grown to love, but is now gelatin free, sugar free and is up to 60% lower in fat

Complete Protein Diet Bar Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 1 bar Servings Per Container:  15 bar container has 15 servings
Ingredient	Per 1 Bar	% Daily  Value
Calories	180
Calories from Fat	25
Total Fat	3 g	5%*
Saturated Fat	2 g	10%*
Cholesterol	5 mg	2%
Sodium	140 mg	6%*
Total Carbohydrate	18 g	6%*
Sugars	0 g
Sugar Alcohol	17 g
Protein	20 g	40%*
Vitamin A		0%
Vitamin C		0%
Calcium		10%
Iron		6%*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a  2,000 calorie diet. ^ Daily Value not established Not a significant source of Dietary Fiber.

Complete Protein Diet Bar Ingredients: Protein Blend (Calcium Caseinate, Whey Protein Isolate, Soy Protein Isolate), Glycerine, Maltitol, Coating (Maltitol, Palm Kernel Oil, Non Fat Dry Milk Solids, Cocoa, Whole Milk Solids, Lecithin, Salt, Natural Flavor), Filtered Water, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Shredded Coconut, Lecithin, Sucralose (Splenda Brand), Salt. 

(Slight variations may occur among flavors.)

17 g of carbohydrates in each bar are from glycerine and other sugar alcohols.

Why don't the bars say low carbohydrate on the wrappers anymore?

The FDA has regulations that define what can be called low sugar, low sodium, low fat, low calorie, etc. Currently they do not have any regulations in place concerning carbohydrates, so until they establish those guidelines no one can claim to have a "low carbohydrate" or "low carb" product.

Why are there now more carbohydrates in the Complete Protein Diet™ Bar?

The number of carbohydrates in the bars has not changed, but the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has recently made a decision that Sugar Alcohols need to be listed as part of the total carbohydrate content. The additional carbohydrates you see on the label are derived from Sugar Alcohols. These Sugar Alcohols have always been in the bar, they play a crucial role in keeping the bar soft and moist while keeping the sugar low and controlling the fat content. In fact we were actually able to make these bars sugar free and they do not contain any gelatin (like many other bars on the market).

Why are there Sugar Alcohols in the bars?

Complete Protein Diet™ Bars are formulated to be soft, moist and sugar free. This would literally be impossible if Sugar Alcohols were not included. They help the bars retain moisture to keep their fresh, soft texture and contribute to their sweetness without simple sugars.

What are the sugar alcohols in Complete Protein Diet™ Bars?

Glycerine (Glycerol) and Maltitol

Why weren't sugar alcohols listed on the label before?

Sugar Alcohols have always been on the label, they just were not itemized in the Nutrition Facts breakdown before (see question 2 above). They were listed in the ingredients. Plus the calories they contribute (4.32 calories per gram) were included in the total calorie count, and on the bottom of the Nutrition Facts panel the calories per gram of Glycerine were disclosed. Sugar Alcohols are not technically a carbohydrate (they are an alcohol). However the format of Nutrition Facts panels only contains 3 categories of calorie yielding nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) and since Sugar Alcohols share some characteristics with carbohydrates (similar calorie content, sweet flavor, and the word sugar in their classification) it seemed to be the most sensible place to make them fit.

Low Carb Dieters Don't Need To Include Sugar Alcohols or Fiber in Your Carb Count.

Allergen Information: Contains corn, dairy, and soy.

Manufactured in a facility where various egg, wheat, nut, and seed ingredients are used.

Recommended Dosage:  Take 1-3 bars per day as a meal replacement or between meals as a snack. Or use as recommended by a physician or licensed nutritionist.