When I first started seeing ads for Verb Energy Bars, I thought, “Edible caffeine? No way!” Their claim is that each bar has as much caffeine as an espresso, with only 90 calories per bar. (1) I was immediately intrigued, as I had never seen this concept before. I tried to ignore the urge to try them, but in the end, I gave in. I ordered the sample pack they offered, which included one of each flavor: Salted Peanut Butter, Simply Cocoa, and Maple Blueberry. I needed to know for myself if these bars were worth the hype. When the free samples arrived in the mail (You only pay for shipping of $3.95 for the trial), I was amazed at how tiny these bars were (0.78 oz). I thought that 65 mg of caffeine per 0.78 oz bar may make them taste a bit off. Lo and behold, I tried each flavor, and I am impressed.
Their concept is to provide a little boost in the afternoon to get through your either boring meeting or long lecture for students. Let's do a full review if their ingredients to see if it lives up to their concept...
Verb's Story
Verb is a small company started by three close friends from Yale: Matt Czarnecki, André Monteiro, and Bennett Byerley. They carried out their project in a local bakery and tried over 100 recipes to produce an energy bar that contained only ingredients and would be healthy enough to consume on a daily basis. (1)
The Perks
The Verb bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, and they strive to use mostly organic ingredients, but they do not have the USDA organic seal. (1) For the base of their bars, Verb uses oats, nut butters (almond butter and peanut butter), organic agave, organic quinoa, and organic green tea caffeine. (1) The nut butters and quinoa add a little bit of protein (2 grams per bar) along with 1-2 grams of fiber from the grains of choice. In comparison to KIND bars which provides 3-8 grams of protein and 2-7 grams of fiber, with calorie content between 170-200 calories. The nut butters also add a source of healthy, monounsaturated fats, which help with heart health. (2)
Verb utilizes a small amounts of light brown sugar in each of their bars to add a hint of extra sweetness. There are 5 to 6 grams of sugar per bar, and overall, there is just the right amount of flavor.
Each Verb bar also contains 65 milligrams of organic green tea caffeine. For reference, an average cup of coffee contains approximately 95 milligrams of caffeine, and a shot of espresso contains between 50 and 80 milligrams. 3) The owners of Verb chose to use green tea due to its L-Theanine content; L-Theanine is an amino acid that provides a variety of proven health benefits, including reduced anxiety and relaxing the mind without producing drowsiness. (4) The L-Theanine from green tea may help reduce the jitters or anxiety you may get from caffeine derived from coffee beans. The goal of using caffeine derived from green tea is to provide you with sustained alertness and energy without inciting potential negative effects. (1)
When should I eat this product?
As a recommendation for consumption, this is a "solid caffeine" to jive you up in the afternoon when you only need a little caffeine, but don’t want the black tar coffee nor do you feel like carrying hot tea around. The combination of small caffeination and sugar helps you wake up at the moments that matter most. Because of its lower caloric, protein, and fiber content, it is not a full-fledge snack on its own as a KIND bar would be. If you plan on pairing it to be a snack, probably best to consume Verb bars with fruit in yogurt, beef jerky, or half a P&J sandwich. These bars, however, are a little bit expensive, at $1.50 a pop!
The concept of Verb bars is a niche that no one else I have seen in the market. instead of a snack bar, it's more of a "tea wake-up bar" versus those other nasty energy shot drinks. In addition, it may work best for people who are sensitive to caffeine. Since the bars are small, they’re a quick way to get a little bit of nourishment and energy in you. If you’re a busy person or in a time crunch, Verb bars may be great for you! If you want to trial the Verb bars, then go here: https://www.verbenergy.co/flex
Sources:
1. Verb. Verb Energy Co. https://www.verbenergy.co/. Accessed March 10, 2019.
2. Choose Healthy Fats. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. February 6, 2019. https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/dietary-guidelines-and-myplate/choose-healthy-fats. Accessed on March 10, 2019.
3. National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release. United States Department of Agriculture: Agriculture Research Service. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/14209?fgcd=&manu=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=default&order=asc&qlookup=14209&ds=&qt=&qp=&qa=&qn=&q=&ing=. Accessed on March 11, 2019.
4. L-Theanine, A Natural Constituent in Tea, and its Effect on Mental State. Nobre, A.C., Rao, A. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296328#. Accessed March 10, 2019.