It's no secret that health foods are having a moment, especially nut butter. Trader Joe's has an entire wall devoted to everything from classic peanut butter, a mixed nut butter, and even their famous cookie butter, and Whole Foods even has the option for you to grind it yourself! Now, this is where RX Bar comes in. The popular energy bar company launched a new nut butter product this summer, with single-serve packets of almond and peanut butter varieties, and you bet I'm excited to try 'em.
What Is RX Bar?
RX Bar as a company prides themselves on their "No B.S." model. It says it all right there on their packages; they include a list of every single ingredient down to the tiniest amount. This transparency is unique in today's ever-complicated healthy realm. Am I the only one stuck researching confusing things like superfood powders and medicinal mushrooms? In a wellness world where it feels like there are constantly new discoveries and trends, it's refreshing to have a company so focused on getting back to basics. We just want to know what's in our food, and for it to be healthy and tasty, too!
The Lowdown
So now for the best part, a new, portable, single-serve product with tons of possibilities for how you can enjoy them. RX Bar's Instagram account and hashtag is packed with pictures of foodies drizzling the butters on pancakes, oatmeal, cookies, or simply eaten on their own as a protein-packed snack (9 whole grams?!) for a hike with a friend or in-between classes and activities. And with incredible flavors to choose from, like almond, honey cinnamon peanut, vanilla almond, and classic peanut, there are tons of ways to amp up even boring foods like plain rice crackers.
So What's So Special About "Nut Butter?"
From a time when peanut butter reigned supreme and its starring role was the soul mate to the jelly in your school lunch, to present day, where there seems to be a spread for every nut and seed, one has to wonder what spurred the popularity of this health food trend? One theory is the appeal towards those with allergies. Sun-butter (sunflower seed spread) popped onto the market as a peanut and tree nut allergen friendly alternative in school settings, and healthy minded foodies followed suite after noting the health benefits and fun taste difference to peanut butter.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, sunflower seed butter has more unsaturated fat, magnesium, zinc, iron, and vitamin E than peanut butter. So the trend continued. Why not have the health benefits of other nuts as well? Magnesium from Brazil nuts, protein from pistachios, and vitamin E from almonds. New taste profiles for every picky person abound too: buttery macadamia nuts, creamy coconut butter, or add ins like cinnamon, curry, or the ever-famous Nutella. So, it's no surprise RX Bar has decided to try their hand at this trend, adding their own special twists of added protein and date-sweetened health benefits.
Try it For Yourself!
RX Bar's website has single pack options of their new nut butters, and if you're as excited as I am, you can get an entire variety pack (yay sampling!). Right now, one of the only retail stores selling them is REI, but it's just a matter of time before Whole Foods and other health-food focused stores begin to offer the product as well. So grab some friends, map a hike, or meal prep some trendy overnight oats for an excuse to try any one of these new nut butters.