IQBAR Brain and Body Keto Protein Bars Review

As the keto diet grows in popularity, more keto bars are appearing on the market. The IQ Bar, a high-fat, vegan, keto-friendly energy bar with 12 grams of protein and produced with plant-based natural ingredients, is a recent addition.

Here’s how the IQ Bar stacks up against our Perfect Keto Bar to see which one is better for your keto diet.

What Are IQ Bars?

IQ Bars are vegan protein bars that are also keto-friendly. They employ natural ingredients with no added sugar, artificial sweeteners, or synthetic preservatives. They’re a good snack with only 3g net carbohydrates per bar, so they’ll keep you in ketosis.

Flavors Of IQ Bar

• Almond butter chip
• Chocolate sea salt
• Banana nut
• Peanut butter chip
• Matcha chai
• Wild blueberry
• Lemon blueberry

Each of the seven flavors is gluten-free and vegan.

IQBAR Nutrition Facts

1 teaspoon of chocolate sea salt The IQ Bar comprises the following ingredients:

• 150 calories
• 15g total carbs
• 3g net carbs
• 12g fat
• 12g protein

The nutritional information varies slightly from bar to bar, but is typically close to the information provided above. All of the bars have 3 grams of net carbohydrates.

IQ Bar Ingredients

The components in IQ Bar are entirely taken from nature. Vitamin E, a healthy and natural antioxidant, is the only preservative.

There are a few components in the IQ Bar that are worth mentioning.

Pea Protein

The major protein in IQ Bars is pea protein.

Pea protein is a good alternative when it comes to plant-based proteins. It’s a complete protein, which means it has all nine important amino acids your body need.

Pea protein is very simple to digest and absorb, and a 2019 study revealed that it promotes post-workout muscle development just as well as whey protein.

Allulose

The sweetener in Allulose IQ Bars is a mix of allulose and stevia. Allulose is a sugar that your body has trouble digesting. Your digestive system lacks the enzymes to break down allulose, just like it lacks the enzymes to break down erythritol and other sugar alcohols.

As a result, allulose provides practically no calories and has a low glycemic index (it does not elevate blood sugar levels). As allulose moves through your digestive tract, bacteria in your stomach might ferment it, causing bloating and gas in some people, especially if there is a lot of it.

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are also present in IQ Bars. They’re high in ALA, which is an omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3s can stimulate “the development of new brain cells,” “memory, learning, and brain flexibility,” and “lower levels of free radicals and inflammation,” according to the IQ Bar website.

However, all of the research they mention utilize DHA and/or EPA, the animal-based forms of omega-3s. DHA and EPA omega-3s provide several health advantages, but ALA (the omega-3 found in flaxseed) does not. Because your body can’t use ALA for many tasks, it must convert it to DHA and EPA — but only around 5% of it can be converted.

As a result, flaxseed and other plant-based omega-3 supplements aren’t especially beneficial. They don’t have the same health advantages as fish oil.

Perfect Keto Bars Nutrition

Perfect Keto offers six distinct kinds of keto-friendly bars:

• Birthday cake
• Cinnamon roll
• Chocolate chip cookie dough
• Salted caramel
• Almond butter brownie
• Lemon poppyseed

One Perfect Birthday Cake The ingredients in a keto bar are as follows:

• 230 calories
• 11g total carbs
• 3g net carbs
• 17g fat
• 13g protein

All Perfect Keto bars have 2-3g net carbs per bar.

Perfect Keto Bars Ingredients

Perfect Keto bars are produced with components that are useful and derived from entire foods, such as:

• Almond butter
• Coconut oil
• Grass-fed collagen protein
• Cacao powder
• Tapioca fiber
• Stevia

Perfect Keto bars are loaded with healthy fats and protein. They’re minimal in sugar and artificial ingredients, making them suitable for a well-balanced ketogenic diet.

Ingredients Of Perfect Keto Bars

Grass-Fed Collagen Protein

The protein collagen is found in your skin, hair, bones, and teeth.

Collagen is well-known for its ability to slow down the aging process of the skin. Eating collagen enhances skin hydration, elasticity, smoothness, and density, according to studies. Collagen may help to enhance the integrity of your gut lining, which can help with digestion and gut health.

Mct Oil

MCT oil, or medium-chain triglyceride oil, is a healthy lipid produced from coconut oil. MCTs are converted to ketones very immediately by your liver, which helps you stay in ketosis. MCTs also help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite and causing you to eat less naturally, even if you aren’t monitoring calories.

Perfect Keto Bars VS IQ Bars

IQ Bars and Perfect Keto bars are both keto protein bars that help you live a low-carb diet. Both are made using high-quality ingredients and have a low net carbohydrate content. Which bar is best for you is determined on your objectives. There are a few characteristics that distinguish the two bars.

Net Carbohydrates

Each serving of IQ Bars has 3g net carbohydrates. Per serving, Perfect Keto bars contain 2-3g net carbohydrates.

Plant-Based Vs Animal Products

Perfect Keto bars are not vegan, but IQ bars are (they contain collagen protein). IQ Bars are your best bet if you’re on a vegan keto diet.

Gut Health

Tapioca fiber is found in both IQ and Perfect Keto bars, which feeds beneficial bacteria in your stomach and supports a healthy gut microbiota. Per bar, Perfect Keto bars provide an additional two grams of fiber. Allulose, which is used to sweeten IQ Bars, might cause stomach distress in some people. You should avoid allulose if you’re allergic to sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol. Perfect Keto bars are sweetened with stevia, a natural sweetener that won’t upset your stomach.

Protein Quality

Both the IQ and Perfect Keto bars have a high protein content. A Perfect Keto bar has 13 grams of protein, while an IQ bar contains 12 grams. Pea protein, which is beneficial for muscle development, is found in IQ Bars. Collagen protein is included in Perfect Keto bars, and it helps to keep skin moisturized, elastic, and smooth.

Fat Quality

Coconut oil, a high-quality fat source, is used in IQ Bars. They also include flaxseeds, which are touted as a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. On the other hand, Flaxseeds include omega-3s in the form of ALA, which does not give the same advantages as omega-3 consumption.

Organic coconut oil and almond butter, a nutrient-dense fat source, are used in Perfect Keto bars. They also include MCT oil, which maintains you in ketosis, aids weight loss, and suppresses your appetite so you stay full for hours.

Food For Brain Power

IQBARs claim to be able to boost brain function. Is it possible for them to accomplish this? This IQBAR review will address such concerns by first looking at the impact that all foods have on our thinking. You’re probably not thinking about how your breakfast affects your brain when you’re eating it in the morning. Sure, we all consider how our food choices influence our physical appearance but have you considered how they can influence your memory, mood, or concentration?

The brain, like the rest of your body’s organs, runs on calories. In fact, it burns roughly 20% of the calories you consume! Your brain will operate better if you get your calories from nutritious meals. It’s the difference between filling up your car with premium gas and filling it up with cheap gas.

What effect does eating have on your brain? Precursors to neurotransmitters are found in the foods you eat. Chemicals called neurotransmitters transfer information between neurons or between neurons and muscles. They are in charge of various nervous system processes as well as bodily motions. Certain foods have more nutrients and hence more precursors than others.

To better grasp this idea, let’s look at serotonin, a well-known neurotransmitter that controls your sleep, appetite, and moods. Your body produces the majority of serotonin in your gastrointestinal tract. If the beneficial bacteria in your intestines have been harmed, your serotonin synthesis has been harmed as well. A bad diet may wreak havoc on your gut biome, exposing it to dangerous bacteria, inflammation, and toxins. Serotonin production will be affected, which can lead to poor sleep, cravings, weight gain, anxiety, and/or sadness.

Brain Healthy Foods

After looking at how much our diet has on our mental health, it’s reasonable to assume that IQBARs, like other meals, have an impact on our brains. If you want to enhance your mental cognition, though, you need start with basic lifestyle changes—exercise and a balanced diet—to address any underlying problems.

These are the foundations of good health and should always come first, followed by snacks like IQBARs. A balanced diet rich in certain nutrients is required to maintain our brains healthy. Omega-3s, choline, flavonoids, antioxidants, and glucose are the most important for brain health.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the body’s ability to reduce inflammation, generate new brain cells, and increase memory and learning. Fatty fish, such as salmon, contain them. Choline is an important vitamin that affects mood, aids attention, and controls dopamine production. Nuts, eggs, and meat all contain choline.

Flavonoids assist your brain retain information more rapidly, learn more swiftly, and maintain mental endurance. They also function as antioxidants, which help to decrease inflammation and pollutants. Flavonoids may be found in a variety of vividly colored fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidants help to decrease inflammation and remove pollutants from the body. They may be found in a variety of foods, but tea, turmeric, and dark chocolate are among the most prevalent.

Glucose is also required for brain function. It’s the brain’s preferred energy source. Whole grains are the best source of glucose. Whole grains include complex carbs, which breakdown slowly and deliver glucose into your circulation over a longer period of time. This will provide you energy and prevent you from collapsing.

Advantages Of IQbars

IQBARs are the first protein bars designed to benefit both the brain and the body. They’re prepared with nutrient-dense components that each serve a specific role. For example, Lion’s Mane, MCTs, omega-3s, flavonoids, vitamin E, and choline are six components that promote brain function. This bar’s designers also chose pea protein as a protein source with consideration.

Pea protein is vegan and includes all nine essential amino acids for muscle mass development. It’s also simple to digest, so you won’t feel bloated, and it’s highly bioavailable. The more nutrients your body can absorb from a meal, the more bioavailable it is.

Chocolate sea salt, peanut butter chip, almond butter chip, lemon blueberry, matcha chai, banana nut, and wild blueberry are among the seven flavors available in IQBARs. Each flavor is delicately sweetened to suit your sweet appetite, but you’d never guess it’s one of the lowest sugar protein bars on the market.

Disadvantages Of IQbars

IQBARs advertise themselves as being keto, vegan, and Paleo-friendly. They aren’t, however, genuinely Paleo. The pea protein in IQBARs originates from legumes, which Paleo dieters avoid. They also contain certain chemicals, such as sunflower lecithin, that must be treated in order to be removed from their source.

Another flaw is that the nutrition information for IQBAR do not provide the amounts for all of the nutrients. It omits information on five of the brain nutrients (except vitamin E). Although the FDA does not have suggested daily doses for brain enhancers, knowing just how much you’re putting into your body would be helpful.

Conclusion

Perfect Keto and IQ Bars are both high-quality low-carb protein bars. They’re both ideal keto snacks since they’re sugar-free, made with natural ingredients, and have a low net carb count. Which bar is best for you is determined on your specific objectives.

If you’re following a vegan diet, IQ Bars are a great option. They’re made completely of plants and are high in protein and fat. Perfect Keto bars have grass-fed collagen protein, which helps produce smoother, more moisturized skin, and MCT oil, which aids in weight reduction. Perfect Keto bars are a great choice if you’re searching for a tasty and filling keto snack.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are Keto Bars Good For Weight Loss?

Definitely! The finest keto bars will keep you in ketosis, and anything that accomplishes so can aid in weight loss. As an added benefit, most of the better keto protein bars contain MCT oil and/or coconut oil, both of which are proven to aid in fat burning. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is abundant in grass-fed whey protein and/or collagen bars, scientifically proven to aid weight reduction.

What Are Isomalto-Oligosaccharides?

QUEST Nutrition developed Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO), a well-known synthetic fiber. It was used to artificially decrease the net carb content on the labels of Quest Bars by claiming that the human gut couldn’t digest it. When QUEST Nutrition was sued after it was discovered that IMOs are only partly absorbed, the fiber became well-known.

IMOs have a glycemic index of 35, which is equivalent to Malitol, one of the sugar alcohols with the lowest preference. Isomalto-oligosaccharides are still used in several low-carb protein bars. If you’re on the keto diet, this implies you should stay away from them. If you absolutely must, take roughly half of the stated grams of fiber and add them back in as carbs to your net carb intake. If you don’t count the carbohydrates in these bars, it’ll throw off your macros, especially if you’re busy and have one every day, which is common. Always read the labels carefully!

What’s Soluble Corn Fiber (Scf) And Is It Safe?

Due to the Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO) litigation, QUEST Nutrition finally substituted IMO with Soluble Corn Fiber (SCF), a synthetic fiber that drastically altered the flavor and texture of Quest Bars–much to the chagrin of many long-time consumers.

While there isn’t a lot of scientific information on Soluble Corn Fiber yet, anecdotal evidence based on blood glucose tests shows that it’s nearly indigestible (which is a positive thing) and has a low glycemic index. As a result, on keto protein bars fortified with SCF, you only need to bring back around 10% of the list of carbs. Natural fibers, such as inulin, are still preferable.

How Many Protein Bars Can I Safely Eat On Keto?

It all depends on the bar you’re eating and how much protein you’re receiving from other foods. You may safely consume one a day if you’re eating a healthy, nutrient-dense keto bar like MariGold or Perfect Keto and your diet is diversified and well-balanced. If you’re going to consume a Quest Bar, don’t do it more than once a week.

Can I Trust Nutrition Labels?

No, except for the bars I endorse on this site. Protein bar makers have a reputation for deceiving customers. Many prominent keto and low-carb protein bar makers utilize partially digested synthetic fibers and sugar alcohols, but they nevertheless remove every gram of carbohydrate from the net carb count, resulting in a significantly lower figure.

Isomalto-oligosaccharides, which have been proven to contain around 50% digestible carbs, are among the offending synthetic fibers. Many bars include Maltitol, a popular component in low-sugar sweets — and the biggest offender of all the sugar alcohols. In the end, if a low net-carb count in a suspiciously sweet bar sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you don’t pay attention, you’ll be out of ketosis before you realize it.

What Common Sugar Alcohols Should I Avoid?

Malitol: This is the most frequent sugar alcohol found in sugar-free sweets, and it’s also the worst. It contains 2.5 calories per gram and has a glycemic index of 35 to 60. Concentrated syrups, such as those found in many Atkins diet meals, have been reported to have a glycemic index of up to 65. It’s not something you should eat on a daily basis! If you can’t avoid it, add roughly half of the Malitol carbohydrates to your net carb count.

Erythritol: With a glycemic index of zero and only.2 calories per gram, erythritol is the sugar alcohol of choice. Natural zero-calorie options like Stevia and Monk Fruit are still my favorites. QUEST Nutrition developed allulose, a novel synthetic sugar that isn’t really a sugar alcohol.

It’s been termed a “rare sugar.” It’s unclear what this implies, however it’s how some newer Quest Bars, such as the Hero Bar, explain it on the back. Some customers claim it tastes nice and is simple to digest, while others feel it’s overpriced. I’m avoiding Allulose until it’s shown to be safe, because of QUEST Nutrition’s terrible track record.

Is Tapioca Fiber Keto Friendly?

Tapioca fiber is one of the most effective soluble fibers for keto. Tapioca fiber is included in a variety of high-quality keto bars and is believed to be net carb-free. Tapioca is also beneficial to your gut microbes since it is a prebiotic fiber.