
Most programmers, coders, hackers, Software Engineers, call them like you see them, don't eat healthy. There is just no time to leave the keyboard for having a healthy meal and instead we prefer a quick snack or a beer, depending of the location and time of the day maybe.
Despite the popularity of the well-marketed low-carbohydrate diets, a.k.a.
Atkins Diet, the Carpentaria, CA based
Balance Bar Food Company (bought by
Kraft Foods in 2000 for approximately $268 million) stuck to their concept of making nutrition/energy bars that have balanced proportions of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% dietary fat, and are fortified with vitamins and minerals.
The Balance Bar's 40/30/30 principle, aimed at achieving stable blood sugar levels, is based on a nutritional philosophy popularized by biochemist and nutrition scientist Dr. Barry Sears and has been proven to provide sustained energy and hunger management.
A box containing 15 bars costs about US$ 16 and can be bought by retailers nationwide or directly at
http://www.balance.com/.
Being a proud member of the above-mentioned group of unhealthy eaters, I have too few meals during the day, don't spend much time thinking about calories and fat, and don't like fruits. I drink plenty of fluids - in the form of coffee and beer that is. However, for the last seven or eight years, I have made the Balance Bar part of my daily diet and while there are plenty of flavors to choose form, I enjoy the Balance Bar Gold
triple-chocolat-chaos the most.
Since the Balance Bar is really tasty and has been a consistent and healthy part of my everyday selection of food, I immediately noticed the new designed box and wrapper. Comparing the nutrition facts revealed that not only the packaging had changed but also content and not for better, if you ask me.

Now, I certainly couldn't care less about their new wrapper and box design and even if the new bar
(more Sugar, Cholesterol, and Sodium but less Protien) is not nearly as good for you as the previous generation, I still may have continued buying it - but the new bar also tastes awful.
It's much more chewy, unpleasantly sticking to your teeth and tastes more like caramel than chocolate. It's also a lot sweeter, almost feels like eating a spoon of pure sugar. But don't take my word for it, buy one of those new bars and experience the flavor yourself. Or even better, do a comparison taste test, just like
Tom and I just did.
Balance Bar responds to my comments:
Hi Wolf,
Thank you for visiting
http://www.balanceoasis.com/.
Balance is undergoing a major product and packaging change.
The first of the bars to change is the Gold line.
The bars have been reformulated and the packaging and logo totally redesigned with new, and contemporary graphics.
The reformulation includes the removal of High Fructose Corn Syrup and improved the taste and texture - making the bars softer.
These major product improvements make BALANCE BARS even better than before.
We value your comments, and will forward them to our Marketing team.
If you haven't done so already, please add our site to your favorites and visit us again soon!
K. ...
Associate Director, Consumer Relations
| Nutrition Facts |
The old Balance Bar Gold triple-choco.-chaos |
The NEW Balance Bar Gold triple-choco.-chaos |
| Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet |
|
| Total Fat | 7g = 11% | 7g = 11% |
| -- Saturated | 4g = 20% | 4g = 20% |
| -- Trans | 0g | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | <5mg = 1% |
Sodium less is better |
90mg = 4% |
130mg = 5% |
| Potassium | 120mg = 3% | 135 mg = 4% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 22g = 7% | 24g = 8% |
| Diatary Fiber | <1g = 3% | <1g = 4% |
| Sugar | 12g | 16g |
| Protein | 15g = 28% | 13g = 24% |
| |
|
|
| Serving Size | 1 Bar (50g) | 1 Bar (50g) |
| Calories | 210 | 210 |
| -- from Fat | 60 | 60 |
| Vitamin A | 50% | 50% |
| Vitamin C | 100% | 100% |
| Calcium | 10% | 10% |
| Iron | 25% | 25% |
| Vitamin E | 100% | 100% |
| Vitamin K | 25% | 25% |
| Thiamin | 25% | 25% |
| Riboflavin | 25% | 25% |
| Niacin | 25% | 25% |
| Vitamin B6 | 25% | 25% |
| Folid Acid | 25% | 25% |
| Vitamin B12 | 25% | 25% |
| Biotin | 25% | 25% |
| Pantothenic Acid | 25% | 25% |
| Phosphorus | 15% | 15% |
| Iodine | 25% | 25% |
| Magnesium | 10% | 10% |
| Zinc | 25% | 25% |
| Selenium | 25% | 25% |
| Copper | 25% | 25% |
| Manganese | 25% | 25% |
| Chromium | 25% | 25% |
| Molybdenum | 25% | 25% |