With so many frozen snack options on the market, it can be hard to decide which ones are truly good for you.
One of these frozen snacks that have been popular among people is Outshine fruit bars.
Outshine fruit bars are frozen fruit bars made with real fruit and juice. These bars are sold in the frozen section of grocery stores and are often marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional ice cream or other frozen treats.
These fruit bars are known for their delicious and refreshing taste and come in various fruity flavors.
However, one common question that most people ask is whether Outshine fruit bars are healthy.
Short answer: Outshine fruit bars are not very healthy as they are extremely high in sugar and low in fiber and protein. However, they are good source of vitamin C and can be consumed occasionally.
Read on to learn more about Outshine fruit bars, including their ingredients, sugar content and much more. I’ll also explore if they are better than other similar bars.
So let’s start.
Also read: Are Yasso Bars Healthy? Everything You Need To Know
What are the ingredients in Outshine fruit bars?
The exact ingredients in Outshine fruit bars vary depending on the flavor you choose.
In general, Outshine fruit bars are made from real fruits, water, and cane sugar as the main ingredients.
Here are some common ingredients you would find across most of the flavors.
Fruits: Outshine fruit bars are made from real fruits as the main ingredient. The fruits include strawberry, pineapple, watermelon, mango and grape.
Cane sugar: It is a type of sugar made from sugarcane. It is less processed than regular sugar and is used in most of the Outshine fruit bars flavors(except in the coconut flavor).
Fruit juice: Outshine fruit bars contain fruit juice from concentrate. The fruit juices are added either to improve the flavor or to provide color.
Citric acid: It’s an acid that is found mainly in citrus fruits. It is used to improve the flavor and to preserve the food.
Guar gum: It is a fiber derived from the guar bean that is used as a food thickener or stabilizer.
Carob bean gum: It is a type of dietary fiber made from the seeds of the carob tree. It is 100% natural and is used as a thickening or stabilizing agent in food.
Natural flavor: Outshine uses natural flavor among it’s fruit bars. However, what exactly this flavor is unknown.
Ascorbic acid(vitamin C): Every Outshine fruit bar is fortified with vitamin C to boost nutrition. It also helps to increase the shelf life of the food.
How much sugar is in Outshine fruit bars?
Outshine fruit bars are extremely high in sugar containing 26 to 35g per serving(2 bars), depending on the flavor.
Among all the flavors, Pineapple has the highest sugar, with 35g per serving (or 2 bars), whereas Creamy coconut contains the lowest sugar, with 20g per serving (or 1 bar).
The sugar in Outshine fruit bars comes from both natural(from fruits) and added(from cane sugar) sources. However, the majority of sugar is added.
According to American Heart Association, the daily sugar limit for men is 36g, while for women is 24g.
On average, consuming a single serving(2 bars) of Outshine fruit bars can easily exhaust 70% of the daily sugar limit for men and 100% for women.
Although the Outshine fruit bars contain cane sugar which is technically considered less processed than table sugar, it can still have the same negative impact as table sugar(when consumed in excess).
Moreover, the strawberry flavor of Outshine fruit bar is also available in a sugar-free option. It contains just 4g of sugar(from fruit) and uses sweeteners like sorbitol, sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
Here is the table showing the sugar content of all Outshine fruit bars flavor.
Outshine Fruit bar flavor | Added sugar(g) | Total sugar(g) |
---|---|---|
Strawberry | 24 | 28 |
Pineapple | 29 | 35 |
Lime | 27 | 27 |
Watermelon | 23 | 26 |
Mango | 23 | 32 |
Grape | 21 | 29 |
Mango with tajin | 20 | 28 |
Creamy coconut | 15 | 20 |
Tangerine | 22 | 29 |
Peach | 25 | 30 |
Pomegranate | 30 | 30 |
Strawberry(sugar-free) | 0 | 4 |
How much fiber is in Outshine fruit bars?
Despite being made from real fruits, Outshine fruit bars are very low in fiber, with most flavors containing less than 1g per bar.
The strawberry is the only flavor containing 1g of fiber per bar. I know that’s also too low.
Additionally, most Outshine fruit bars are not a good source of protein. Creamy coconut is the only flavor with considerable protein (4g per bar).
Here is the table showing the fiber content of all Outshine fruit bar flavors.
Outshine Fruit bar flavor | Fiber(g) |
---|---|
Strawberry | 2 |
Pineapple | <1 |
Lime | 0 |
Watermelon | 0 |
Mango | <1 |
Grape | <1 |
Mango with tajin | <1 |
Creamy coconut | <1 |
Tangerine | 0 |
Peach | 1 |
Pomegranate | 0 |
Strawberry(sugar-free) | 2 |
Are Outshine fruit bars a good source of vitamin C?
The Outshine fruit bars are an excellent source of vitamin C containing 26 to 72mg per serving(2 bars), depending on the flavor.
Mango with tajin is the flavor with the highest vitamin C containing a whooping 72mcg per serving. That’s about 80% of the daily requirement for adults.
It’s worth noting that the vitamin C in Outshine fruit bars is not naturally derived from the fruits but is added synthetically from the outside.
The only flavor that does not have vitamin C is Creamy coconut.
Here is the table showing the vitamin C content of all Outshine fruit bar flavors.
Outshine Fruit bar flavor | Vitamin C(mg) |
---|---|
Strawberry | 26 |
Pineapple | 33 |
Lime | 30 |
Watermelon | 49 |
Mango | 27 |
Grape | 28 |
Mango with tajin | 72 |
Creamy coconut | 0 |
Tangerine | 28 |
Peach | 40 |
Pomegranate | 23 |
Strawberry(sugar-free) | 66 |
Do Outshine fruit bars contain xylitol?
Outshine fruit bars do not contain xylitol. Instead, they are sweetened with a blend of cane sugar and fruit juices.
However, the strawberry flavor may contain xylitol due to the natural presence of it in the fruit itself.
Therefore, if you or your dog have a problem with xylitol, it is best to avoid the strawberry flavor of Outshine fruit bars.
Are Outshine fruit bars good for weight loss?
Outshine fruit bars are extremely bad for weight loss due to their high sugar content.
A single serving can provide up to 35g of sugar, which is too much for those looking to lose weight.
Even consuming a single bar can give you a significant amount of sugar.
Although the calories in Outshine fruit bars are low (60-70 per bar), most of these calories come from sugar, which are considered empty calories(calories without any nutrition).
Consuming Outshine fruit bars on occasion will not harm your weight, but eating them frequently or regularly can lead to significant weight gain.
Remember that weight loss depends not on specific food but on your overall diet and lifestyle.
How many calories are in Outshine fruit bars? Outshine fruit bars contain 60-70 calories per bar. However, the Creamy coconut flavor contains 120 calories per bar.
Are Outshine fruit bars keto-friendly? Outshine fruit bars are not keto-friendly as they are high in carbs containing 14-18g per bar.
Even the sugar-free strawberry flavor contains 15g of net carbs, which does not satisfy the keto requirements.
Are Outshine fruit bars gluten-free?
Outshine fruit bars are gluten-free as they are made from fruits as the main ingredient and do not include gluten-containing ingredients.
Are Outshine fruit bars vegan?
All Outshine fruit bar flavors except the Creamy coconut are vegan-friendly.
Creamy coconut contains Skim milk as the main ingredient. Additionally, it’s also not suitable for those with a soy allergy.
Are Outshine fruit bars better than other bars?
Let’s compare Outshine fruit bars to other popular available bars.
Outshine fruit bars vs That’s it fruit bars
Outshine fruit bars are less healthier than That’s it fruit bars.
That’s it fruit bars are made up of fewer ingredients(just fruits), are high in fiber and do not contain any added sugar.
However, they have more calories than Outshine fruit bars and do not contain vitamin C.
Outshine fruit bars vs Yasso yogurt bars
Outshine fruit bars are less healthier than Yasso yogurt bars.
Yasso bars are lower in sugar and contain a good amount of protein, calcium and probiotics. However, they do not contain vitamin C.
Outshine fruit bars vs Turkey hill fruit & cream bars
Outshine fruit bars are healthier than Turkey hill fruit & cream bars
Although turkey hill fruit & cream bars are low in sugar and high in protein, they are low in vitamin C and high in calories, fat and sodium.
Final words
While Outshine fruit bars provide a good dose of vitamin C and are low in calories, they are not very healthy for you due to their extreme sugar content.
Additionally, they are low in fiber and protein.
However, this doesn’t mean you have to completely avoid Outshine fruit bars altogether.
If you enjoy these fruit bars, it’s okay to indulge in them occasionally as part of a balanced diet.
But don’t make them a regular part of your diet.
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