Let’s start off with the fact that Chimpanzee nutrition is not globally available, and maybe you won’t find their new Super Bars near you. But if you are in Europe, they are definitely worth seeking out. Made almost entirely of natural dates, cashews & raisins, these super bars are energy-packed, easy to eat & digest during activity, and sneak in a full 100mg of slow-release caffeine that will help keep you riding further, and longer!
Chimpanzee Super Bars, natural nutrition bars with caffeine
I basically see sports nutrition fall into one of two categories. Either it tastes and feels like an over-engineered synthetic (but likely effective) solution to keeping you fueled during activity OR it’s just regular (hopefully) natural food, carefully picked to be easy to eat on the go and easily digested during strenuous activity. Pretty much everything Chimpanzee Nutrition makes falls into that latter category. Natural and often organic ingredients are essentially their whole thing. So every time I see them do something new and different, but still keep it natural, my interest is piqued.
Their latest new offering – these caffeinated Chimpanzee Super Bars – are a perfect example.
They are still made of simple mix of 100% natural ingredients – just 7 ingredients in each bar – come in two flavors, and include a subtle 100mg of caffeine boost for extra energy over the long run.
Review: 100mg of caffeine in a natural ingredients energy bar
Interestingly, that’s probably about the same caffeine that you’ll get in a small cup of coffee or espresso, or even more than a can of Red Bull. But, slowly delivered into your bloodstream in a soft and slightly sticky bar that’s about 95% dates, cashews & raisins, you won’t notice the jittery peak you would associate with that much caffeine in a drink.
As an aside… apparently, the science of caffeine absorption suggests that even in coffee, it’s around 45 minutes after drinking it that you really get the effects. But we all know that psychosomatic reality is something different. And many coffee or energy drink connoisseurs will have rewired our brains to feel a boost almost immediately… even if that’s more a digestive function boost once it hits your stomach.
In any case, I feel like whenever I eat one of these bars – and I’ve gone through at least a half dozen so far – I kinda don’t notice the caffeine at all. I just coincidentally feel like I have a bit extra energy and can pedal a bit harder about 30-60 minutes after I eat one. And that’s what’s nice in my mind. Subtle extra energy without any negative feeling.
But how do the Chimpanzee Super Bars taste?
They just taste like a natural bar made of fruits and nuts, and that’s about it. Simple, and effective. “Fast-acting carbohydrates”, plus caffeine for “sustained energy levels”.
The two flavors are also not all that different in the end. Unsurprising as their approximately 95% composition of dates, cashews & raisins plus <1% of guarana extract is shared between both bars. The Cocoa Muffin bar tastes mostly like dates with just a hint of chocolate from its 6% fat-reduced cocoa content. The Jelly Berry is decidedly more sweet and fruity, powered by its 2% of freeze-dried raspberries.
For the full breakdown of each’s 7 ingredients and their nutritional values, you can find both flavors on Chimpanzee’s website, here: Jelly Berry or Cocoa Muffin.
More Chimpanzee Natural Sports Nutrition options is always a good thing
The new Super Bars are a nice new addition to Chimpanzee’s more conventional range of energy bars. They already make a bunch of typically classic sweet-style bars – my favorites being Chocolate Espresso, Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt, and Crunchy Peanut. But also a newer unique crop of salty sports bars that I called out before in my Editor’s Choice Awards – Olive, Spicy, or Pizza are a great alternative when you’ve just had too many sweet bars. Especially nice to add a salty bar into the mix for long endurance events to refresh your palate and give your stomach something different to digest.
Chimpanzee Super Bars – Pricing & availability
The two new Chimpanzee Super Bars just debuted last week, so the best way to get them is direct from the ChimpanzeeBar.com webshop. They sell for 2.50€ a piece or just 2€ if you buy a 20-pack. Shelf-life looks like it’s about 12 months based on the sell-by date on my bars. That’s really the one thing to keep an eye on with Chimpanzee bars, since they don’t have artificial preservatives you probably don’t want to stockpile more than you will use in a half a year or so.
So, I’ll buy another handful of each flavor once I eat the last few I have remaining. Then, I’ll probably buy a 20-pack of each once springtime is around the corner.
