The Vegan Bar Even Carnivores Can Appreciate!

I am horrible when it comes to eating, and my metabolism is probably waiting until I’m thirty to get its revenge in the form of cellulite and love handles. I skip meals all the time, and have been known to go days without food.

By Kathryn S

No, I don’t have an eating disorder. I have a working disorder—I’m a total workaholic.

When I do eat, it needs to be healthy and somewhat portable. I’ve considered trying Atkins or Southbeach protein bars, Power Bars, or even Slim Fast Shakes as a snack I can pound in the car on my way to work. But, honestly, I can’t justify consuming 400 calories in the form of a little bitty rice bar that is not going to quiet my growling stomach, or 13 grams of fat in a similarly unsatisfying wannabe-milkshake concoction.

Instead, I live off of caffeine.

One morning, before work, I stopped at my favorite coffee shop to grab a skim milk, sugar-free vanilla latte, and saw a display of Vegan Energy Bars at the counter. I’m not vegan, but was hungry and I thought that those little heart-shaped bars might be crazy enough to work! I mean, the vegans are picky about what they put into their bodies and without meat or dairy, they still need nutrients, right?

I purchased a package of chocolate chip flavored (if it has chocolate it can’t be that bad), heart-shaped, soy-filled cakes of pure delight that day, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

That week, I bought out the entire stock of chocolate chip flavored Heart Thrive bars. Contrary to my carnivorous, sugar-addicted friends’ admonishment—“Vegan anything is sooo gross!”—I found these bars quite tasty. Plus, they are only three grams of fat and 230 calories each, and I can justify eating them, especially with the “Doctor Recommended” promise on the front of the package.

The following week, these tasty energy bursts were gone! Not just the chocolate chip ones, either! The apricots and apples, too! Even the date-flavored Heart Thrives were nowhere in sight. I asked the cashier if they would be selling them again, and unfortunately the café had only ordered a limited supply of Heart Thrives.

So, I turned to my trusted friends at Google and found the company website. Just yesterday I ordered a personal supply of two dozen chocolate chip Heart Thrive bars, and they should be arriving in a couple of days. During the interval between my last Heart Thrive bar and yesterday’s order placement, I scoured the grocery store shelves for an alternative snack, to no avail. Everything is either high calorie, or high carb, and most of products are over-priced anyway.

The Heart Thrives, however, are a great nutritional supplement that won’t add many calories or fat to my diet. My mouth is watering just thinking about the next time I get to sink my teeth into a glorious vegan energy bar…and I definitely never thought I would write that sentence and mean it!

To check out Heart Thrives, or parent-product, Sun Cake breakfast bars, visit http://www.suncakes.com.

Rating: 3 out 4 stars, only because they are hard to come by!

[Photo courtesy of suncakes.com - People love these bars so much they have a whole collection of these fan pictures!]