I am already a big fan of Voom Pocket Rocket energy bars (especially the purple bar with caffeine), so I was very happy to be sent new Voom POW® energy bars with beetroot to try. These are vegan and also low in gluten.
There is a theory, backed up by various studies, including this information and this scientific evidence, that beetroot has benefits for athletes. The theory is that nitrate levels contained in beetroot boost blood flow and increase the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to muscles during exercise.
I have researched this topic before and the studies do appear to point to there being some advantages to this bright red vegetable. I can’t tell you the amounts you need to consume and in what form but, suffice to say, beetroot is an increasingly popular ingredient in energy bars and snacks.
Voom has three energy bars with beetroot: Raspberry and beetroot; rhubarb, ginger and beetroot; and dark chocolate beetroot bar.
I have tried two of these bars.
Voom Raspberry and Beetroot Nitrate Energy Bar
Details from Voom:
- Naturally rich in nitrates to support oxygen flow to muscles.
- Coconut MCTs to provide readily available energy.
- Oats for steady carbohydrates for sustained energy.
- Apple and grape juice for fast-acting energy from short and medium chain carbs.
- Very low gluten
- Vegan.
Ingredients: Organic Gluten-free Oats (32%), Freeze Dried Beetroot (21%), Apple & Grape Juice Concentrates, Coconut Oil (16%), Beetroot Juice Concentrate (6%), Desiccated Coconut (6%), Freeze-Dried Raspberries (2%), Fruit Pectin, Natural Flavours & L-Arginine.
Energy per bar: 1133 kJ; calories: 270 kcal; Fat 13g, of which saturated: 10.8g; Carbs: 33g, of which sugar 18g; Fibre: 6 g; Protein 4g; Salt: 0.2.
Note about MCTs: According to this information, MCTs are found in coconut oil and are processed by the body in a different way to long-chain fatty acids. Unlike other fats, they go straight from the gut to the liver. From here, they are used as a source of energy or turned into ketones.
I asked someone at Voom to explain the ingredients. They said: “The sugar is all natural sugars from the fruit juice concentrate and freeze-dried fruit in the bar. The bar is not meant to be a protein bar so no attempt has been made to elevate that figure.
“We recommend the bar be consumed one to three hours before exercise and this is in relation to the peak blood nitrate levels, which tends to be around two hours after consumption of nitrates/beetroot.
“In terms of energy release, the peak blood glucose level is likely to come sooner after consumption than three hours.
“The idea of using a combination of faster acting sugars (fruit juice) and slower release carbs (oats) allows a more sustained release of energy.
“As far as I am aware, the oats, whilst slower release, don’t affect the speed of energy release of the sugars.
“The sugars will work first and then at the point where blood glucose level would begin to decline again, the oats will begin to kick in to maintain the elevated blood glucose level for longer.”
My review focuses on taste, effect and how the bar reacts with my digestive system when running. I have a temperamental stomach. It is always difficult to say whether any one bar gives a better boost of energy compared to another because my running sessions vary greatly and each day can feel different depending on all kinds of conditions, such as sleep, hormones, terrain etc.
To start with, I like the taste of the Voom Raspberry and Beetroot Nitrate Energy Bar. It is quite sweet but not overly so. It is more like a tangy sweetness. On the whole, the bar is easy to eat.
Looking at the ingredients, I can see that it’s the apple and grape juice concentrates I am tasting mostly, with a hint of raspberry, too. These juices account for the amount of sugar in the bar.
If you are worried about tasting beetroot, don’t. It’s like carrot cake, where you don’t taste the vegetable, only the delicious moist and sweetness.
I like the consistency of the bar. It is firm but moist and it means you do not get a dry mouth feeling. I sometimes find that oat-based bars require quite a lot of water to wash them down, but not this bar.
One thing to note is that the beetroot turns your mouth red! This can be alarming for fellow runners and cyclists.
I tried a bar an hour or so before one training session instead of my usual bowl of cereal and I found it kept me going for an hour’s run.
I also consumed a bar in mouthfuls throughout a longer, slower run-hike. I was able to tolerate small mouthfuls of the bar every so often during a run. I would not be able to consume a whole bar at once and then run hard. For me, the Voom Pocket Rockets suit my digestive system better during a faster and more sustained run.
However, the Voom Raspberry and Beetroot Nitrate Energy Bar works well when I am doing a slower training session or combining running with hiking. It does provide a nice boost to energy but maybe no more that taking homemade flapjack with me, or eating a bowl of cereal an hour before a running session.
The chances are there are beetroot benefits for my muscles but without lab tests I have no idea if this is the case.
The bars cost £2.75 individually and £30 for 12 (£2.50 each), which seems to be a similar to other energy bar brands. For convenience, the bars are great to carry with me for longer sessions, especially when run-hiking in the mountains, or cycling.
Voom Dark Chocolate & Beetroot Energy Bar
I found the cacao a bit over powering in this bar, so I gave a bar to a friend, Nat, to try. I am not a huge fan of chocolate in snack bars, cake or puddings etc. I only like chocolate as a straightforward chocolate bar. Voom suggest you eat the bar two or three hours before exercise, or use during prolonged exercise for sustained energy.
Details from Voom:
- Naturally rich in nitrates from beetroot to support blood flow.
- A variety of carb sources for quick and sustained energy.
- Ideal as a healthy snack before, during or after training.
- MCTs from coconut oil are a bio-available energy source.
- Very low gluten.
- Vegan.
Ingredients: Organic gluten free oats (28%), freeze-dried beetroot (22%), apple & grape juice concentrates, coconut oil (13%), beetroot juice concentrate (7%), cacao (5%), desiccated coconut, pectin, L-arginine, natural flavour.
Per bar: Energy: 1047 kJ; calories: 249 kcal; Fat 11g, of which saturated is 8.6g; Carbohydrate 33 g, of which sugar is 20g; Fibre 5.8 g; Protein 5g; Salt: 0.2 g.
Note about MCTs: According to this information, MCTs are found in coconut oil and are processed by the body in a different way to long-chain fatty acids. Unlike other fats, they go straight from the gut to the liver. From here, they are used as a source of energy or turned into ketones.
The sugar and carb content is similar to the above bar so see those notes.
Nat took the Voom bar out with her on a long gravel ride. She said: “After the first bite of the bar, I thought I’d eat it if it was free. But after the second bite I decided it was good. It’s not too sweet and has a good volume. It fuelled me through the second half of the bike ride really well.
“It does make your tongue go a bit ‘radicchio’.
“Overall, this is a great bar because it is not too sweet nor too savoury and it would work well in. mix of other energy bars. “
The bars cost £2.75 individually and £30 for 12 (£2.50 each).
See Voom energy bars. I suggest you try the taster pack first to decide which bars you like the most.