As many current Yalies are well aware, Verb Caffeinated Energy Bars, or “Verb Bars” for short, have taken campus by storm. At any given moment, Yale students can be found munching on these student-created, chocolatey bars at breakfast, before class, or prior to a game of spike ball. What is it about Verb Bars that makes them so popular?
As an avid lover of Verb Bars, I’ve compiled an unofficial list of 8 (which also happens to be the number of ingredients in a single bar) reasons everyone should give Verb a chance. If you’re like myself and many other diehard fans, you may even consider weaving a bar (or two) into your daily routine.
1) Clean Ingredients = Great Macros
Verb Bars are made of 8 simple ingredients, all of which can be found in your average pantry. These familiar foods include, in order, rolled oats, almond butter, organic puffed brown rice, organic agave nectar, unsweetened cocoa powder, organic brown sugar, vanilla extract, and organic green tea caffeine.
Each bar is a wee 190 calories, with only 7g of fat from the monounsaturated fat-rich almond butter and 12g of sugar from the agave nectar and brown sugar. A Verb Bar also contains 5g of protein and 4g of fiber.
Choosing a Verb Bar over a 5 Hour Energy or a Red Bull, which both contain copious amounts of sugar and synthetic ingredients, achieves the same, if not better, energy enhancement while avoiding the harsh side effects associated with the ingredients in current energy drinks on the market.
2) Long Lasting, Jitter-Free Energy
Because Verb Bars derive their caffeine from green tea, they provide a steady stream of energy without the crash or the jitters. Thus, you are able to work on that paper without the shakes or play that game of soccer without feeling like needing a nap at half time.
While all caffeine molecules are chemically identical, the difference between green tea caffeine and pure caffeine in coffee or energy drinks is the accompanying nutrients, or lack of nutrients in energy drinks’ and coffee’s case.
Green tea contains both the amino acid, L-theanine, which promotes relaxation and eliminates the jitters, and high levels of antioxidants, which effectively slow the absorption of caffeine and extend the energy boost without the crash. So, Verb is superior to its energy promoting competitors in its caffeine quality and benefits.
3) Versatility of Uses
If you take a peak at Verb’s Instagram page, you’d think that everybody who eats Verb Bars uses them to climb mountains or run half marathons. However, the vast majority of Verb’s customers are students and professionals who substitute a bar for one, two, or three of their daily cups o’ Joe.
While many present Yale athletes were the OG Verb Bar customers, Verb has recently seen a spike in interest from elite cyclists and ultra-distance runners who want quick, lightweight energy. Athletes who use Verb prior to competition report greater focus and mental sharpness in addition to a higher energy levels.
When asked what customers typically use Verb Bars for, cofounder and CMO, Isaac Morrier ’17, explains that every time the Verb team tries “to put Verb in a box, people have broken out of it.” He even claims that his grandmother uses Verb to play with her grandchildren. Not to mention, there’s photo evidence that Deorro is a fan as well.
4) Amazing Taste
Unlike 5 Hour Energy, Red Bull and Monster Energy drinks, Verb Bars don’t have the chemical and artificial aftertaste that many of these lab-produced energy drinks leave in your mouth, which isn’t surprising given Verb’s naturally healthful ingredients.
Even though Verb currently only has a single flavor, “oats and cocoa,” it does the simple very well. Texturally, Verb is crunchier than a Lara Bar yet softer than a Nature Valley Bar. Notes of chocolate, almond, and vanilla shine through for a satisfying and delicious taste.
If you’re not a fan of chocolate or almond, don’t fret. This summer, the Verb team is working on creating a few new flavors that promise all the energy enhancing benefits of the original flavor but with greater variety.
5) Convenience: Caffeine in Your Pocket
One of the best aspects of the Verb Bar is its accessibility. As previously mentioned, Verb beats its energy drink competitors because of its healthfulness. However, how does Verb top your average cup of Joe, which has proven health benefits and can be pretty tasty on its own?
While I am often the first person to reach for a cup or three of coffee, it can sometimes be difficult to get my hands on a cup prior to an athletic match or during a mid-day hike. Verb is the solution to getting my coffee fix when I don’t have access to Starbucks, Dunkin’, or Blue State.
Many Verb users can attest to this, particularly athletes. Numerous Yale athletes swear by Verb as the perfect pre-workout or pre-match energy shot because these compact bars act as both a caffeine source and a snack that are far more convenient to have on-the-go than a cup of coffee.
6) Affordability
One of the initial goals of the Verb co-founders was to create a bar with all the benefits of coffee and energy drinks, without the negative side effects or high costs of these products. In other words, they wanted an energy bar that everyone could get their hands on, no matter their financial standing.
Currently, Verb Bars are cheapest when ordered online from the website, https://www.verbenergybar.com. You can get 3 bars for $7.99, 10 bars for $24.70, or a monthly subscription of 10 bars for $21.00. Often times, these prices are much lower as Verb Bars frequently go on sale for $19.99 or less per box of 10. Group discounts also exist.
Additionally, anyone who wants to try out a Verb Bar for free can send the Verb team an email at team@verbenergybar.com
7) Feel Good Purchase
Not only were Verb Bars created by a group of ~20 year old college students hoping to make it big in the world of F&B start-ups, but Verb is also a socially and environmentally responsible business that you can feel good about supporting.
According to the Verb website, Verb Bars are “sourced from responsibly grown organic ingredients” with plans to become carbon neutral by 2020. Basically, socially- and environmentally-conscious consumers can purchase Verb Bars guilt-free.
8) Refund Policy
If, for any reason, you feel that Verb Bars don’t live up to your expectations, just send the Verb team an email at team@verbenergybar.com, and they’ll provide you a full refund. No risk here!
Given Verb’s generous refund policy as well as the 7 other reasons listed above, there’s no reason not to give Verb a chance. Up your Verb game ASAP by ordering online at https://www.verbenergybar.com.