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Nutrition

Bounty Protein bar – review

Want a Bounty bar without the guilt? Mars may have the answer.

Just to avoid confusion from the outset, Mars is a food company which makes, among other things, the Mars, Snickers and Bounty bars, as well as other popular confections such as Maltesers. It’s entered the sports nutrition market with protein-packed versions of the first three.

Cards on the table, I’d probably give top marks to a protein version of Maltesers right here right now (get on with it, Mars), such is my love of the delectable treat, but for this test we’re focussing on the Bounty bar.

The vital statistics read like this: each 51g bar provides 18.7g of protein, 17.3g of carbs (8.5g of which are simple sugars) and 5.7g of fat (of which 4g are saturates), for a total of 192 calories. Depending on your personal attitude to nutrition, you’ll either be bothered by the relatively high proportion of saturated to unsaturated fat, or you won’t be.

The Bounty Protein bar contains just under 19g of protein
  • Specification

  • Price: £39.99 for 18
  • Website: Mars
  • UK distributor: Madison

Personally, I tend to keep saturates as low as reasonably possible in my diet, so regular use of a ‘protein’ bar such as this wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice, but as a bit of a treat it’s acceptable. Let’s not forget, though, that there’s much more protein and carb content here – and that’s where your focus is likely to be in terms of nutritional intake.

That (roughly speaking) 1:1 ratio of carbs and protein offers up a good nutritional base, and a good platform for both vital protein intake and energy reserve top-up while recovering. Remember, your metabolism is elevated during recovery periods, and if you’re going to make the most of protein it’s important to consume it alongside carbs so the body doesn’t end up using the protein as an energy source itself.

On the imitation front, the coconut-based centre has a more nougaty texture to it compared to a real Bounty. That’s a shame here because I know that the Mars and Snickers protein bars taste much like the original confectionery. Here, it’s more like some Bounty flavouring has been added to a standard protein filling, which defeats the point somewhat in my view.

“The coconut-based centre has a more nougaty texture to it compared to a real Bounty”

That disappointment aside, the Bounty Protein bar is fairly tasty and does satisfy cravings for a plain old chocolate bar with an additional nutritional hit. However, with an RRP of £39.99 for a pack of 18 (well over £2 per bar), it’s clear you’re paying a protein premium over a typical Bounty, though it is roughly in line with some similar bars.

Conclusion

I wanted to love the Bounty Protein bars, but it’s hard to when it seems that the branding just doesn’t quite match up to the product underneath. Still, what it does do is offer a good level of protein to assist with recovery with a flavour that just about reminds you of a Bounty bar, if you’re willing to spend the money on it. Bottom line, it’s worth a try with a single bar to decide for yourself if it’s for you or not.

Pros

  • Good protein content
  • Supplementary carb content
  • Nice taste overall

Cons

  • Not cheap at more than £2 per bar
  • Not really a Bounty bar
  • High saturated fat content

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