What is Protein Bars byMusashi?
When you’re running out for work or play, you don’t want to leave empty handed. Not giving yourself a healthy snack option leaves you open to buy junk food. Or if you’re trying to build muscle mass, you’ll be missing out on important opportunities to boost your lean tissue. The ideal choice for a convenient, healthy, and tasty snack is Protein Bars by Musashi. Each bar provides you with the following:
45 grams of protein per bar
Unique protein blend featuring whey protein isolate
Super delicious
Variety of favors
What are the benefits of using Protein Bars byMusashi?
Protein is the ultimate snack choice as it supports goals of muscle building and fat loss while ensuring your appetite stays in check. Musashi High Protein Bars provide you a whopping 45 grams of protein with3 grams of carbohydrates. They taste great, they’re insanely convenient, and they provide you with a number of benefits. Each bar hits you with a unique protein blend including the following:
Whey Protein Isolate
Immediate supply of amino acids (ideal for muscle building)
Supports immunity
Protects from protein breakdown (catabolic state)
Soy Protein Isolate
Great for cholesterol levels
Plant based protein source
Fasting acting amino acids
Calcium Caseinate
Slow digesting protein
Ensures your hunger stays in check
Provides muscle supporting amino acids over hours (1-7)
Who should be using Protein Bars byMusashi?
Whether you’re a professional athlete or a weekend gym goer, everyone can benefit from having a healthy supplement with them. You never know when hunger will hit. Don’t be tempted by fast food choices. Come prepared with 45 grams of protein with Protein Bars by Musashi.
REFERENCES
1. Tsutsumi R, Tsutsumi YM. Peptides and proteins in whey and their benefits for human health. Austin J Nutri Food Sci 2014;1(1): 1002
2. Blomstrand E, Eliasson J, Karlsson HK, Köhnke R.Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise. J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1 Suppl):269S-73S.
3. Norton, Layne, Layman, Donald. Leucine Regulates Translation Initiation of Protein Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle after Exercise. J. Nutr. February 2006 vol. 136 no. 2 533S-537S.
4. Negro M, Giardina S, Marzani B, Marzatico F. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008 Sep;48(3):347-51.
5. Mourier A, Bigard AX, de Kerviler E, Roger B, Legrand H, Guezennec CY.Combined effects of caloric restriction and branched-chain amino acid supplementation on body composition and exercise performance in elite wrestlers.Int J Sports Med. 1997 Jan;18(1):47-55.
6. De Lorenzo A, Petroni ML, Masala S, Melchiorri G, Pietrantuono M, Perriello G, Andreoli A.Effect of acute and chronic branched-chain amino acids on energy metabolism and muscle performance. Diabetes NutrMetab. 2003 Oct-Dec;16(5-6):291-7.
7. Kristen S. Montgomery, PhD, RN. Soy Protein.J Perinat Educ. 2003 Summer; 12(3): 42–45. doi: 10.1624/105812403X106946.
Serving Size: 1 bar (50.8g)
| Per 50.8g Serve | Per 100g | |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.3 g | 4.5 g |
| Sodium | 113.3 mg | 223 mg |
Other Ingredients/Information
Musashi High Protein Blend (55%) [Hydrolysed Collagen Protein, Calcium Caseinate, Soy Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Soy Protein Nuggets (Soy Protein Isolate, Cocoa Powder, Tapioca Starch), Emulsifier (471)], No Added Sugar Milk Chocolate (18%) [Maltitol, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Milk Solids, Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin), Flavour], Glycerol, Water, Flavours, Sweetener (Sucralose), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin).
Verdict
These are a basic bar that don't excel in any particular category. The taste and texture are both well below average and the nutritional composition leaves a lot to be desired. The price point is however good for a 90g high protein bar.
Category Scores
Pros
- High protein
- Low Carb
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Inferior soy protein used
- Taste is well below standard
- Texture is unpleasant
Overview
Musashi High Protein bars are manufactured in New Zealand and are readily available on the Australian market. They are a high protein and low carb bar available in five flavours.
Ingredients
As a high protein bar, it's not surprising that number one on the ingredients list is the "Musashi High Protein Blend", equating to 55% of the total ingredient weight, comprising of collagen protein, calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate and soy protein nuggets.
Collagen protein is on trend at the moment and has a very different amino acid profile. Most notably it is very low in leucine relative to both casein and whey, though collagen is very high in glycine and proline which may have benefits to hair, skin, nails and connective tissues. This and casein comes in at first and second on the list (variable between flavours).
However oddly enough, soy protein isolate is listed third and this is a protein that most manufacturers avoid. It is a cheaper and lower quality protein source relative to whey protein and it is unfortunate to see it having a strong presence in the makeup. Note soy protein isolate makes another appearance in the soy protein nuggets.
Being marketed as a high protein bar and likely appealing to an audience seeking to gain muscle, soy protein is not a desirable ingredient and I am confused as to why it is included in here at all. Relative to whey there is a lower bioavailability and has been shown in a number of studies to be inferior to whey for muscle protein synthesis.
There are some other ingredients in here worth noting. Maltitol, a sugar alcohol is used within the "No added sugar milk chocolate" as a sweetening agent for the chocolate component. The bar is also artificially sweetened with sucralose.
Overall the makeup is nothing to get excited about. There are some good components (notably the casein and whey protein), but with soy being so highly prevalent in a bar that touts "45g of protein per serve", I feel like that this "Advanced protein blend" is a little confused.
Score: 3/10
Macronutrients
Per serve we are looking at 45.5g of protein - WOW. Is that a good thing though? If you haven't eaten all day long then perhaps. But honestly, this is a very average product in terms of nutritional makeup. With the abundance of inferior soy protein, this product is going to appeal to a more general fitness audience who most likely don't need 45g of protein per serve.
It's low carb (2.6g of carb per bar) and moderately low fat (6.8g per bar). The carbohydrate count is quite impressive for a bar, and will appeal to someone looking to cut carbs from their diet. Each bar is 337 calories, which is relatively high for a bar, but again will appeal more to the person looking to gain.
Score: 5/10
Label Transparency
The good thing about Musashi is that they don't make outlandish claims, and this is certainly the case with these bars. But the label is far from transparent when we compare it to other similar products on the market.
They do specify the total percentage of some of the key ingredients in the ingredients list. For example, the "Musashi High Protein Blend" constitutes 55% and the "No Added Sugar Milk Chocolate" at 18%. Unfortunately though, that's it and the remaining ingredients are quite ambiguous as to their relative amounts.
Further, they use blends on the ingredients listing which limits our understanding of how much of each individual ingredient is actually in the product. The protein blend is listed as ingredient 1, but there are then 6 sub-ingredients. We ultimately do not know if the collagen (or casein depending on the flavour) protein is actually the most abundant ingredient in the product overall. Further, as soy protein isolate is listed twice, it may be possible that there is more total soy protein isolate than calcium caseinate (or collagen) in total.
Score: 2/5
Directions & Servings
The packet recommends having the bar as a "protein hit post-workout, or as a powerful nutritious snack on the go".
I disagree with this statement and in my opinion, this is not a good product to consume post workout being so low in whey protein and so relatively high in fat as compared to a whey protein shake.
On the go on the other hand is fine as one would expect for a protein bar. I'm not convinced about the "powerful nutritious snack" - it's really just protein mixed in with a bunch of other ingredients.
Score: 2/5
Flavour Options
There are five flavours available; rocky road, dark chocolate salted caramel, milk choc brownie, choc nut and cookies & cream. This ranks the product in the top 7% of the category, yielding full marks.
Score: 5/5
Taste
Let's start with the cookies & cream. The initial hit of chocolate is quite strong, followed by a creamy hit. But then you get very artificial and quite unpleasant aftertaste hit.
The milk chocolate brownie is unfortunately very unpleasant. It seems like it hasn't been sweetened enough and again has a really strong artificial taste to it. It somewhat resembles a chocolate brownie, but a really poorly made one where they forgot half the ingredients.
The dark choc salted caramel is sweeter and has a strong salted caramel note that hits right after the initial chocolate. However again, there is an extraordinarily strong artificial aftertaste that lingers.
The milk chocolate nut flavour does have a nuttiness about it (perhaps a hint of almond), but it does not really taste like milk chocolate. Once again, this one tastes very artificial.
The taste profile on these bars are very unimpressive as compared to other protein bars on the market. They remind me of what protein bars used to taste like fifteen years ago - which is not all that good.
If I had to rank these flavours from top to bottom, I'd have to start with milk choc nut, then cookies & cream, dark choc salted caramel and then the milk chocolate brownie. However, do note that I did not particularly enjoy any of these flavours.
Unfortunately I did not have the rocky road available to sample.
When looking at our customer reviews, while the bars have an average rating of 92%, they rank in the bottom 49%.
Score: 2/10
Flavour Rating Consistency
While the Rocky Road actually comes in at full marks from our customers, the cookies and cream is down at 92%. An 8% difference in flavour ratings ranks this product in the top 48% of bars that we carry.
Score: 3/5
Solubility & Texture
Coming back to the protein bars of yesteryear, these bars coat your mouth and stick to your teeth. It really is not a pleasant texture.
The cookies & cream and milk choc nut flavours are of a reasonable softness, but the salted caramel and chocolate brownie flavours are unpleasantly tough at room temperature.
Unfortunately I cannot recommend these bars based on texture.
Score: 1/10
Popularity
The bars are popular coming in within the top percentile within the protein bar category, so full marks here.
Score: 5/5
Rate of Repurchase
Whilst the bars are quite popular, they don't perform nearly as well when it comes to the rate of repurchase being positioned at 69% within the bar category.
Score: 7/10
User Reviews
The Musashi High Protein bars average 92% from our customers which places them in the bottom 48% of the category when we rank the bars relative to the other product ratings.
Score: 5/10
Packaging
Each bar comes individually wrapped in a plastic/foil wrapper. Being a single serve, this is as one would expect and ideal for convenience. There is also a cardboard box for each lot of 12.
Score: 5/5
Product Contents
We weighed two random bars, both of which advertise 90g on the label. The first (chocolate brownie) came out at 86g and the second (cookies & cream) weighed in at 91g.
Score: 6/10
Price Range
There's a reason why these bars are so popular and it's because they are well priced at below $4 per bar.
For a 90g (or thereabouts) high protein bar, this is cheap and generally what you would expect for a smaller weight loss bar (of half the weight). It also explains why cheaper ingredients may have been used (such as the soy protein) to keep manufacturing costs down, while still being able to advertise such a high protein content.
For what they are, this a reasonable price. This is not a product with premium ingredients and so you would expect a competitive price. But besides just looking at the objective fact that this is a "protein bar", I would happily pay more for a bar where I could actually enjoy the taste and texture.
Score: 6/10
Conclusion
This is a reasonably priced bar with a high protein and low carbohydrate content. And whilst this is a popular product, it misses the mark on several points. The nutritional makeup is substandard, the taste falls well short and the texture is far from what you would expect from such an established brand.
If you just want a protein hit and don't care for taste, then this may be a good cost-effective option for you. For most of us however, this bar is frankly not going to hit the mark.
100 Day Returns!
• Easy and hassle free
• You can return both opened and unopened product (see below for details)
For up to 100 days from the day that you place your order, you can take advantage of our returns, even if you just change your mind!
Please note, this policy does not relate to items that are damaged in transit, lost or incur an issue beyond your control. In situations like these, we will either refund, credit or send a replacement to you without delay. Our 100 day returns is for your peace of mind if you don't like the product, or simply change your mind.
For any unopened product, just ship the item back and we will refund or replace that item! You can obtain a refund, store credit or product exchange to the same value. Just let us know within 100 days from the date of your order.
For any opened product (Club Z members only), we understand that trying new supplements sometimes carries some uncertainty. Perhaps you’re not sure about a new flavour, or you just bought the wrong product. So if you're not happy with your purchase within 5 scoops (or 5 serves) and 30 days from the date of purchase, you can send it back for a full money-back guarantee! The purchase must have been made when you had an active Club Z membership.
Please note that if your item was purchased as an advertised discounted shortdated item, the above time frames are limited to 14 days. Shortdated items are heavily discounted items due to a sooner expiry date.
If however there was any issue in receiving your order (for example, if your order was lost or damaged in transit) - don't stress! Just contact us and we'll fix things up for you.
Simply contact us by email, phone, chat or visit us in-store to arrange a return. Our returns policy is subject to our standard terms and conditions.
Whenever a problem is incurred that is not your fault, we will be happy to arrange return shipping (if applicable) and the shipment of any replacement goods to you to avoid any further cost and inconvenience. All you need to do is contact us so we can jump on it as quickly as possible.
Here's what we will do in certain situations:
- Your item has been damaged/lost in transit (we'll replace it)
- Incorrect goods received (although rare, we'll ship off the correct item)
- A problem with the actual product or anything else (we'll do what is necessary to fix things for you!)
So we can fix things quickly for you, please let us know of any issues within 48 hours of receiving your goods. In certain situations we may ask for a photograph (for example if the product is damaged in transit, so we can take it up with the delivery company to avoid future issues).
If you do receive an incorrect product, please do not open the actual product so we can arrange a resolution quickly.
In a nutshell, we work really hard on keeping you happy. So if a problem arises, just contact us and we'll do our very best to fix it!
