If you are trying to avoid gluten because you are intolerant to it or simply like to branch out a little and reduce your gluten intake then this guide to tasty gluten free snacks is for you. These snacks are all readily available in supermarkets and health food stores and are a great substitute for a chocolate bar as they are all chocolate based.”Why chocolate?” you may ask… Because who doesn’t like chocolate?! Well okay some may not but I love it and it’s easier to compare the nutritional value of like for like products. Or not like for not like if you don’t ‘like’ chocolate. In which case you will have to wait for my next post about something that is non-chocolatey 😉
Here is a photo of the products I have reviewed below…
Made with Dates (48%), Cashews (29%), Raisins (17%), Cocoa (6%), and natural flavour these bars a pure delight on the senses. My whole family love these; the kids think all their Christmases have come at once if they are lucky enough to be given one of these after a long day at nursery! The texture is smooth yet just crunchy enough to not have that weird protein texture that alot of bars have. A definite winner for me! The only downside is they are gone very quickly as they are so edible.
Cals: 106
Carb: 14
Fat: 3
Protein: 6
Fibre: 2
These little flapjacks are made by the same company as the Nakd bars so their ingredients are top quality. They have around twice the amount of calories, fats and carbs as the Nakd bars and are a little more chewy so take a bit longer to eat so are great for post exercise carb replenishment.
Cals: 227
Carbs: 22
Fat: 11
Protein: 9
Fibre: 2
3. Eat Natural Dark Chocolate Bar
Having been inside the Eat Natural food factory (more a friendly kitchen than a processing factory) I’m confident when I say that Eat Natural pride themselves on their ingredients and the fact they have control over their products by making small manageable batches. These bars contain medium amounts of cals, carbs and protein and are a great snack to provide a fibre filled chocolate fix. Made with: Dark chocolate 20% (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: SOYA lecithin), shredded coconut 17%, sultanas 14%, glucose syrup, crisped rice (rice, sugar), dried cranberries 8% (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil), honey, MACADAMIA NUTS 6%, BRAZIL NUTS 5%
Cals: 144
Carbs: 13
Fat: 7
Protein: 2
Fibre: 2
This is the only exception to these products in that it is not chocolate but as it is gluten free I had to include it. Also as I used to be the sales and marketing manager for Comvita UK I am a fan of their products. I started my days at Comvita as a serious anti-honey person and left as a complete convert. I visited their factory in New Zealand and was blown away by their passion for quality and efficacy. These guys make sure their products really work. Honey has a multitude of uses and is medicinal in many ways. However you feel about fructose right now there is no denying that honey provides a healthy dose of sugar, carbs and calories; ideal for sports nutrition usage.
Containing Dried dates (contain rice flour), Almonds, Manuka (Leptospermum Scoparium) honey UMF5+, Roasted cashew nuts ( contain canola oil, salt), Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Roasted sesame seeds, Dried Apricots, (contain rice flour, preservative [sulphur dioxide]), Candied mixed peel (orange, lemon, glucose syrup, fructose, sugar, acid [citric acid], preservative [sulphur dioxide]), Raisins (contain palm oil), Corn starch, Cinnamon this product is suitable for vegetarians and is wheat and dairy free. They are also easy to chew and don’t have large pieces of nuts .
Cals: 175
Carbs: 18
Fat: 9
Protein: 6
Fibre: 2
5. Pulsin Beond Organic snack bar
“Decadent, delicious and totally good for you” is their tagline and I agree – as long as you stick to just one! Vegan, raw, certified organic, dairy free, soya free, gluten free, non GMO Pulsin bars are tasty and definitely provide a super healthy chocolate fix.
Cals: 126
Carbs: 16
Fat: 6
Protein: 4
Fibre: 3
6. Pulsin Almond and Chocolate Bar
If its a healthy brownie you are seeking then look no further! Containing dates, cashews, almonds (10%), raw cacao (9%), raisins (9%), brown rice, bran, brown rice malt, concentrated fruit juice (apple, grape, pear), cacao butter (5%), rice starch, sea salt, green tea extract this is one chocolate-y browine. They are fairly high in calories though so I’d advise using these as a high calorie snack.
Cals: 195
Carbs: 27
Fat: 9
Protein: 4
Fibre: 3
The original 9 Bar is full of nutritious seeds, including hemp, sunflower and sesame, and then smothered with a rich carob topping. Its ingredients list looks great with mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy, dehulled hemp) (58%), carob topping (sugar, vegetable fat, soya, carob, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin), honey, raw cane sugar, vegetable oil (unstated which vegetable oil unfortunately). It has a great texture and flavour and would be brilliant for sports nutrition usage due to its high calorie content.
Cals: 222
Carbs: 12
Fat: 16
Protein: 7
Fibre: 2
8. Nature’s Store Chocolate Orange Rice Cakes
Rice cakes aren’t usually high on my agenda of gluten free snacks simply because I personally dont find them filling enough however as some people love them I thought it might be useful to include them. Also it is difficult to find rice cakes without loads of sugar and salt so these are a great alternative to those. They also happen to be the lowest calorie gluten free chocolate snack in this list; also the lowest in protein and fibre so probably not as filling as the other snacks
Cals: 81
Carbs: 10
Fat: 4
Protein: 1
Fibre: 1
I hope you enjoyed this review and if you have tried any of these snacks please do let me know what you thought of them. Do you think gluten free snacks are tasty or do you prefer something else?
Emma
Emma Nutrition 