Punch Power Raw Bar Energy Bar Review

Directly inspired by the “Raw food” trend, Punch Power is now offering its “Raw Bars”. These are raw energy bars, made from 100% natural and organic ingredients. Being the gourmands that we are, we tasted the two flavors currently available: Hazelnut Cocoa and Lemon Almond.

By Pierre-Maxime BRANCHE. Photos: 3bikes.fr

Punch Power is a French nutrition brand that has been supporting athletes for nearly 20 years, not only in their pursuit of performance but also in their desire for more natural nutrition during training and competition. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes organic or mostly natural products, 100% made in France, with two main objectives: digestibility and nutritional intake adapted to every need: before, during, and after exercise. Present alongside athletes in many disciplines, including Charlotte Morel (triathlon), Quentin Fillon-Maillet (biathlon), Elodie Clouvel (pentathlon), and Thibaut Baronian (trail), Punch Power is also a partner of the French Swimming Federation, the French Wrestling Federation, and the French 100 km Team, etc.

Minerals and nutrients preserved

Always attentive to the desires of “demanding” athletes, Punch Power is now inspired by the “Raw Food” trend, based on the consumption of raw, uncooked, or unprocessed foods, certified organic, and whose cooking does not exceed 47.8°C. According to the brand, the health benefits of this diet are increasingly recognized: more vitality and energy, better digestibility, rapid cell renewal, and a good acid-base balance. Unlike traditional cooking, which destroys vitamins and deteriorates enzymes necessary for digestion, low-temperature cooking keeps all minerals and nutrients intact.

The Raw Bars thus complement Punch Power’s already rich offering. These are healthy, simple, and authentic bars, made from 100% natural products for a promised delicious taste. Manufactured in a workshop in the Southwest of France, they are certified organic, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and are currently available in two flavors: Hazelnut Cocoa or Lemon Almond.

Composed of 57% dates, 36% hazelnuts, and 7% raw cocoa, the “Hazelnut Cocoa Raw Bar” is a source of vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and zinc, useful for the proper functioning of the body. Its fair trade and organic cocoa provides an anti-fatigue and anti-stress effect for intense training.
For its part, the “Lemon Almond Raw Bar” is a bar of dried fruits dehydrated at low temperature. It is composed of 57% dates, 33% almonds, and 10% lemon juice for a significant carbohydrate intake during exercise. Almond and date combine to provide magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and calcium. Lemon, meanwhile, provides an antioxidant action on the body.

Large pieces of dried fruit

What should one expect when about to bite into a raw energy bar? A crunchy texture? A fresh, bland, bitter, too sweet, or not sweet enough flavor? You should expect nothing and bite without hesitation to find that there is hardly any difference in taste compared to a cooked bar. No matter how much you search, chew, analyze, chew, close your eyes, chew, etc., it would be a lie to write that this raw bar revolutionizes taste and flavors. No. In any case, this Raw Bar is still a little cooked, but to a lesser extent than classic energy bars to preserve all its nutritional qualities.

On the other hand, we notice that this “raw” bar is pleasant in the mouth with a texture that is both soft, which facilitates chewing during effort, especially on the bike but a little less when running, but also crunchy with the presence of pieces of dried fruit, sometimes quite large, which provides a bit of chewing but above all a gourmet touch. The “Hazelnut Cocoa” leaves a slight bitter taste in the mouth, perhaps not easy to savor while running after an hour of effort when the mouth is a little dry. You have to quickly swallow some water to make it go away. For its part, the “Lemon Almond” stands out for the acidity of the lemon juice which reveals and enhances its taste. A beautiful discovery for the palate, combined with almond, which for me went down better while running than the “Hazelnut Cocoa”.

No added sugars

For sports, these two recipes are still sweet enough. Just because they are raw doesn’t mean these Raw Bars are bland. It’s quite the opposite, with an intense and natural taste of fruits, nuts, and cocoa compared to many competing bars that offer artificial flavors and, of course, added sugars such as agave syrup or concentrated grape juice. Consumed only before exercise (about 30 minutes or just before departure) and during our sessions, the Raw Bars caused us no digestive problems, whether cycling or running, especially during VMA-type sessions like 5x 1000m or shorter efforts like 1’/30″.

These bars are vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and suitable for all populations. The ingredient list is simple: date paste, hazelnuts, and raw fair-trade cocoa powder on one side; date paste, almonds, and lemon juice on the other, all from organic farming. In terms of nutritional values, we find 167 kcal for a 35 g bar (Hazelnut Cocoa), less than 1 g of saturated fatty acids, 18 g of carbohydrates including 12 g of sugars, 4.3 g of fiber, and 3.5 g of protein. These are interesting values in terms of energy, carbohydrates, and protein if you consume one Raw Bar per hour of cycling effort or before a running session.