Best Overall Protein Bars?

[Sldge]

Its funny that this is coming up today. The bars are sitting in our warehouse just waiting on our final ok from the FDA. We have never had a problem with our manufacturer (regardless of what anyone thinks of the country), we get quality control reports and we guarentee all of our products. But since that might not be enough for some people, an FDA inspecter actually came to our warehouse (as they have before), pulled random samples of the bars and will give us the final ok on the entire run before a single bar is shipped. Thats quality control. of course this is a serious answer to an inflammatory question / post but I thought some of you might want to know.

DS takes quality control very seriously.

[njmuscle66]

Seriously, ZI bars are so freaking awesome, like OMG OMG OMG!!! Can you believe how freaking good they are???!??! OMG!!!!!!

Free bars at the Arnold

[BiggJohn]

Its funny that this is coming up today. The bars are sitting in our warehouse just waiting on our final ok from the FDA. We have never had a problem with our manufacturer (regardless of what anyone thinks of the country), we get quality control reports and we guarentee all of our products. But since that might not be enough for some people, an FDA inspecter actually came to our warehouse (as they have before), pulled random samples of the bars and will give us the final ok on the entire run before a single bar is shipped. Thats quality control. of course this is a serious answer to an inflammatory question / post but I thought some of you might want to know.

DS takes quality control very seriously.

China?

[Dm84]

Its funny that this is coming up today. The bars are sitting in our warehouse just waiting on our final ok from the FDA. We have never had a problem with our manufacturer (regardless of what anyone thinks of the country), we get quality control reports and we guarentee all of our products. But since that might not be enough for some people, an FDA inspecter actually came to our warehouse (as they have before), pulled random samples of the bars and will give us the final ok on the entire run before a single bar is shipped. Thats quality control. of course this is a serious answer to an inflammatory question / post but I thought some of you might want to know.

DS takes quality control very seriously.

So why not make the bars in America? (serious question, not meant to be inflammatory)

[nni]

China?

egypt.

So why not make the bars in America? (serious question, not meant to be inflammatory)

price, quality, ingredients i would imagine.

[BuckeyeMuscle]

Damn.....It figures the Sustain bar comes back when I'm on low carb

I might be able to squeeze one in once a week as part of my cheat meal though

[blackdream71]

Tell me how vanillin is a natural flavor? I always thought it was ARTIFICIAL?

good point, it is an artificial flavoring.

another thing i find interesting is how the box say's "no sugar added", and then you look at the chocolate coating ingredients and what do we see? SUGAR! so there is sugar added then, correct?

[nni]

good point, it is an artificial flavoring.

another thing i find interesting is how the box say's "no sugar added", and then you look at the chocolate coating ingredients and what do we see? SUGAR! so there is sugar added then, correct?

please tell me that you didnt create a new account to do that? seems very fishy to me. anyway, try making chocolate without sugar, kind of hard, so it is not added to the formula, it is a constituent of chocolate coating. so no, no added sugar.

added sugar would be, protein, honey, sugar, chocolate coating (......). sorry.

[kalb]

good point, it is an artificial flavoring.

another thing i find interesting is how the box say's "no sugar added", and then you look at the chocolate coating ingredients and what do we see? SUGAR! so there is sugar added then, correct?

That was basically my whole point.

The reps were saying how great it is, how its not sugar but honey, how its free of everything artifical and everyone was swallowing it up.

Uhockey's signature sums it up perfectly:

Before listening to any rep, realize the following:
1) Most are no more credentialed than you. 2) Most have no input and no understanding of their product formulations. 3) Most are merely paid in free product from the company they represent.

[kalb]

please tell me that you didnt create a new account to do that? seems very fishy to me. anyway, try making chocolate without sugar, kind of hard, so it is not added to the formula, it is a constituent of chocolate coating. so no, no added sugar.

added sugar would be, protein, honey, sugar, chocolate coating (......). sorry.

You should assume that everyone who questions your products is another usename of me.

Oh ya, and no added sugar mean that there is no added sugar. It doesnt mean that sub ingredients can contain sugar as an ingredient.

[nni]

also... Natural vanillin is extracted from the seed pods of Vanilla planifola, a vining orchid native to Mexico, but now grown in tropical areas around the globe. Madagascar is presently the largest producer of natural vanillin.

so again, sorry.

[nni]

You should assume that everyone who questions your products is another usename of me.

brand new user with a bone to pick right after someone has a comment is fishy. i didnt accuse anyone just said i hoped he wouldnt do that.

but ignore the fact that i answered the question.

[Nyyankz123]

You should assume that everyone who questions your products is another usename of me.

Oh ya, and no added sugar mean that there is no added sugar. It doesnt mean that sub ingredients can contain sugar as an ingredient.

Why dont you go screw around, and mess with a company like met-rx, or ISS, for their JUNK SH*T BARS! and not a QUALITY COMPANY that makes a NATURAL PROTEIN BAR with amazing INGREDIENTS , and doesnt send you straight to the TOILET after a freakin bite! Oh, did a mention, a QUALITY PROTEIN SOURCE. Get the hell outta here man. Jeuss.

[nni]

You should assume that everyone who questions your products is another usename of me.

Oh ya, and no added sugar mean that there is no added sugar. It doesnt mean that sub ingredients can contain sugar as an ingredient.

yes it does, sorry you dont not understand the ingredients of chocolate. sorry.

[kalb]

also... Natural vanillin is extracted from the seed pods of Vanilla planifola, a vining orchid native to Mexico, but now grown in tropical areas around the globe. Madagascar is presently the largest producer of natural vanillin.

so again, sorry.

Okay. So rather than use natural Vanilla extract which is what everyone would use in their product to get the true vanilla taste, you have decided to use the natural form of an artificial ingredient (vanillin).

I dont think so. Besides, 98% of vanillin currently in use is artificial. Natural vanillin in way more expensive than natural vanilla so I highly doubt you are using it. This looks to be another labelling error on your part (see above post regarding no sugar added for another example).

[kalb]

yes it does, sorry you dont not understand the ingredients of chocolate. sorry.

I do understand the defintion of chocolate, white chocolate, milk choc, bakers choc, etc. Sugar is not a requirement for something to meet the defintion of chocolate. Only cocoa butter or liquor and powder are essentially required. Explain how there are dark chocolates availble in stores with no sugar on the ingredient list.

Thanks

At the end of the day, sugar is added in your product in the form of chocolate. The USDA would agree and your no sugar added statement is illegal.

[nni]

Okay. So rather than use natural Vanilla extract which is what everyone would use in their product to get the true vanilla taste, you have decided to use the natural form of an artificial ingredient (vanillin).

I dont think so. Besides, 98% of vanillin currently in use is artificial. Natural vanillin in way more expensive than natural vanilla so I highly doubt you are using it. This looks to be another labelling error on your part (see above post regarding no sugar added for another example).

I do understand the defintion of chocolate, white chocolate, milk choc, bakers choc, etc. Sugar is not a requirement for something to meet the defintion of chocolate. Only cocoa butter or liquor and powder are essentially required. Explain how there are dark chocolates availble in stores with no sugar on the ingredient list.

Thanks

no sugar is not technically required to be in chocolate, but in this country, it is included in chocolate, and it is included in the chocolate coating. it is not added to the bar to sweeten it, which would be added sugar.

i have no idea what vanilla they use, i was just showing you that it isnt 100% artifical. do me a favor, if it bothers you so much on a product that isnt harmful and that you arent going to buy, please call the place that we source out to and ask them. in the grander schemes of things you just might be wrong.

[kalb]

no sugar is not technically required to be in chocolate, but in this country, it is included in chocolate, and it is included in the chocolate coating. it is not added to the bar to sweeten it, which would be added sugar.

i have no idea what vanilla they use, i was just showing you that it isnt 100% artifical. do me a favor, if it bothers you so much on a product that isnt harmful and that you arent going to buy, please call the place that we source out to and ask them. in the grander schemes of things you just might be wrong.

Your logic in the first part is messed up. The function of the ingredient is not coming under question, so i have a feeling your getting defensive and starting to sweat coming up with bs. No added sugar means no added sugar, it does not mean Sugar not added for sweetness (which is also a messed up statement).

Where do you source from?

[kalb]

[QUOTE=nni;134210061]no sugar is not technically required to be in chocolate, but in this country, it is included in chocolate, and it is included in the chocolate coating. it is not added to the bar to sweeten it, which would be added sugar.
QUOTE]

You can admit to being wrong, its okay, everyone ****s up once in a while. But one of your reps was making to many bs statements so i decided to login and start attacking.

I do not care that your product has "no sugar added", but the constant put downs and constant cockiness of said rep was just pissing me off as i read. No he got taken down a level or 2 and maybe when his balls come back down he can begin posting and become a little more modest.

[nni]

Your logic in the first part is messed up. The function of the ingredient is not coming under question, so i have a feeling your getting defensive and starting to sweat coming up with bs. No added sugar means no added sugar, it does not mean Sugar not added for sweetness (which is also a messed up statement).

Where do you source from?

[QUOTE=kalb;134213331]

no sugar is not technically required to be in chocolate, but in this country, it is included in chocolate, and it is included in the chocolate coating. it is not added to the bar to sweeten it, which would be added sugar.
QUOTE]

You can admit to being wrong, its okay, everyone ****s up once in a while. But one of your reps was making to many bs statements so i decided to login and start attacking.

I do not care that your product has "no sugar added", but the constant put downs and constant cockiness of said rep was just pissing me off as i read. No he got taken down a level or 2 and maybe when his balls come back down he can begin posting and become a little more modest.

that wasnt a rep, it was an employee, and dont worry he will be back, he has a real life and a rough schedule and isnt on as often as myself. secondly i never admitted to be wrong, and do not think we are. i stated my arguments as clearly as i could and stand by them.

you found all the info about egypt, find where we get them. dont expect me to help someone whose sole goal is to give me and the company i work for a hard time. sorry.

[kalb]

[QUOTE=nni;134214741]

that wasnt a rep, it was an employee, and dont worry he will be back, he has a real life and a rough schedule and isnt on as often as myself. secondly i never admitted to be wrong, and do not think we are. i stated my arguments as clearly as i could and stand by them.

you found all the info about egypt, find where we get them. dont expect me to help someone whose sole goal is to give me and the company i work for a hard time. sorry.

So before I go to bed, this is what has been concluded so far:

1. There is a very high probability that the all natural sustain bars contain an artificial ingredient, vanillin.

2. We make this assumption because the statement, "no sugar added" is on the label as a claim while the chocolate coating has sugar added.

3. Said rep is an employee and has a busy life. Hopefully the personality is an e-personality and not a real personality.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK!

[nni]

So before I go to bed, this is what has been concluded so far:

1. There is a very high probability that the all natural sustain bars contain an artificial ingredient, vanillin.

2. We make this assumption because the statement, "no sugar added" is on the label as a claim while the chocolate coating has sugar added.

3. Said rep is an employee and has a busy life. Hopefully the personality is an e-personality and not a real personality.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK!

that is what YOU have concluded, for whatever that is worth. please do not give yourself too much credit.

[kalb]

that is what YOU have concluded, for whatever that is worth. please do not give yourself too much credit.

Have a good night.

[blackdream71]

please tell me that you didnt create a new account to do that?

HUH?

[Executivej]

that is what YOU have concluded, for whatever that is worth. please do not give yourself too much credit.

Guys, i'm completely unbiased so let me take a stab at this. First off, i don;t think Sustain Bars or ZI are all that good, both are kind of dry and dull tasting. I love Supreme Protein and Oh Yeah BUT i completely recognize the fat content on these is out of control and definitely contributes to them being "better tasting".

As long as the ingredients profile lists sugar content (i.e. # of grams) i don't have a big problem with "no sugar added". Afterall, anyone not looking at the nutrition facts of supplements and just bases a purchase of the front wrapper declarations is not a serious bodybuilder anyway.

However, if the nutrition facts do not clearly say the # of grams of sugar because it assumes the reader know the sugar content because it's chocolate coated, that would make no sense to me.

[kalb]

Guys, i'm completely unbiased so let me take a stab at this. First off, i don;t think Sustain Bars or ZI are all that good, both are kind of dry and dull tasting. I love Supreme Protein and Oh Yeah BUT i completely recognize the fat content on these is out of control and definitely contributes to them being "better tasting".

As long as the ingredients profile lists sugar content (i.e. # of grams) i don't have a big problem with "no sugar added". Afterall, anyone not looking at the nutrition facts of supplements and just bases a purchase of the front wrapper declarations is not a serious bodybuilder anyway.

However, if the nutrition facts do not clearly say the # of grams of sugar because it assumes the reader know the sugar content because it's chocolate coated, that would make no sense to me.

That's all well and good. The problem is there are regulations stating when you can advetise no sugar added and when you cannot. The fact that honey is functioning as a sugar/sweetner in the product could be a problem, depending on how the USDA interprets it (DS could convince them that honey is acting as a function other than sweetending). But there clearly is sugar added in the ingredient list. This isnt like dried fruit is added and im complaining that since dried fruit contain sugar, there shouldnt be a no sugar added statement. It would be legal to state no sugar added in that case as the dried fruit (as long as there is no sugar used during the drying process) is function for flavour of fruit or texture, not sweetness.

I WOULD SEND YOU A CASE OF BARS IF I REPPED FOR A COMPANY BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO PROMOTE A PEACFUL ENVIRONMENT, but i am a nice guy.

[FitIron]

Had my first Zero Impact Pumpkin Supreme bar and I didn't like it at first, but after the first couple of bites I really enjoyed the rest of it.

Free bars at the Arnold

VPX zi Chocolate Peanut Butter is my fav....


freaking awesome bars...

[Chris_724]

promax brownie ones

[Sldge]

So why not make the bars in America? (serious question, not meant to be inflammatory)

We have yet to find a bar manufacturer who is willing to make the bars with a similar ingredient profile and not add any preservatives or sugars to improve taste and extend shelf life. Some have said they would do it but the price was insane, no one would buy any if it were done that way.

We order small runs (by comparison to larger companies) so that the bars are fresh and dont sit in our warehouse for very long. Just to note we have a climate controlled warehouse.

The lastest order which the FDA cleared today (after checking the sugar content), 95% of it was shipped out to all retail locations.

The sugar content is clearly listed on the box of each bar as well as each case of bars. Sugar is not added beyond whatever amount is already found in chocolate and honey. This was confirmed by the FDA for our shipment to clear.

If the Customs agents at JFK happen to read this board I hope you guys enjoy the Vanilla Almond, lol. The Customs agents, the FDA and our frieght company did an awesome job and had the whole shipment was inspected and cleared in 2 days.

[little lats]

At the end of the day, sugar is added in your product in the form of chocolate. The USDA would agree and your no sugar added statement is illegal.

Are you sure about that USDA statement? DS isn't the only company that has used "no sugar added"... I think we hear it all the time, but the products contain some types of natural sugar. Juice companies, Cereal companies You would think USDA would of went after the big fishes all ready. It's common sense.