How Many Dates Are in A LÄRABAR?
LÄRABAR is a simple and nutritious energy bar that uses dates to add flavor and sweetness.
But just how many dates are in a LÄRABAR? The exact number of dates will vary depending on the flavor, but you can expect each bar to have around 1-2 dates. Every LÄRABAR flavor contains around ¼ cup of fruit, so the proportion of dates to other ingredients may vary.
Read below to learn more about LÄRABARs, how they are different from other protein bars, why each LÄRABAR contains dates, and which flavors have the most dates in them!
What Is A LÄRABAR?
LÄRABAR is an energy bar that is named after its creator, Lara Merriken.
It was created as a simple and nutritious power bar that could provide energy without compromising on flavor and quality.
The idea of LÄRABAR came to Merriken when she went for a hike eating a bag of trail mix.
She realized the lack of a quality brand that produced a simple energy bar using minimal and natural ingredients.
Merriken soon started to explore this idea and developed the LÄRABAR, which was initially formulated to have a combination of just 2-3 ingredients per bar, with newer flavors containing up to 7-8 natural ingredients per bar.
But having natural ingredients wasn’t enough — the bars also needed to taste great without adding artificial sweeteners or other flavoring agents.
This is where dates come in!
Dates are naturally sweet and provide a rich caramel-like flavor that can be used in a lot of recipes, and LÄRABAR takes full advantage of this delicious fruit.
Dates contain a combination of glucose and fructose, two widely used types of sugar that provide a combination of quick and delayed-release energy.
Glucose is almost immediately absorbed by the body and provides instant energy, while fructose is processed a bit slower, which means that you get a slow and steady release of energy that can keep you going for longer.
Trail Mix Vs LÄRABAR
Trail mix and LÄRABARs have a lot of similarities when it comes to nutrition and energy, but LÄRABARs take the upper hand due to their convenience, quality, and flavor.
Trail mix is available in many different combinations and recipes, but the flavor is usually pretty fixed, depending on the type of ingredients used.
In the case of LÄRABARs, these energy bars use mashed and naturally processed ingredients that deliver a unique and healthy flavor with each bite.
This technique provides an intense and pleasing taste that can’t be reproduced with regular trail mixes.
Also, since LÄRABAR has full control over the nutrition in each bar, you can easily get your DV (Daily Value) of nutrition without overeating, as is common with trail mixes.
Types Of LÄRABARs
LÄRABAR offers a wide variety of flavors — here are some of them:
- Banana Bread
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Apple Pie
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Cashew Cookie
- Key Lime Pie
- Carrot Cake
- Peanut Butter Cookie
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
- Chocolate Chip Brownie
- Blueberry Muffin
- Pecan Pie
- Peanut Butter & Jelly
What do all of these flavors have in common? Dates! But with this many varieties of flavors comes an interesting consideration.
Dates Per LÄRABAR
The number of dates in LÄRABARs can vary greatly due to the presence of other sugary ingredients.
For example, the Cookie Dough flavor has a distinct date-like flavor with subtle notes of cookie dough. This type of LÄRABAR will have more dates in it to compensate for the flavor and sugar content of the rest of the ingredients.
Other flavors, like the Banana Bread or Chocolate Chip Brownie bars, will have a lower number of dates added to them because chocolate chips and bananas already naturally contain sugar.
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect each LÄRABAR to have at least 1-2 dates in them.
The company does not disclose the exact number of dates for each bar, so you will have to come up with a calculated approximation for each flavor.
An easy way to do this is to check the ingredients and the nutritional content of each bar.
If you notice any ingredients that might already have sugar in them, like say, chocolate chips or naturally sweet fruits, then you should expect to get around ½-1 date per bar.
Other less sugar-laden flavors that rely heavily on the sugar content of dates may contain anywhere from 1-2 dates per bar.
Pecan Pie and Cashew Cookie are great examples of this because these nuts don’t inherently contain a lot of sugar.
Flavor Science
LÄRABAR has an extensive Research and Development department that constantly works on bringing newer and better flavors to consumers without compromising on its brand promise of providing natural nutrition.
The reason why you don’t get an overpowering flavor of dates in each bar isn’t just due to the varying quantity of dates in each bar, but also because the natural flavor notes play off each other to provide a balanced flavor that brings out the best in each ingredient.
LÄRABAR carefully chooses the best types of nuts and fruits that can be paired with dates. This is why nut-based or fruit-based LÄRABAR flavors can have distinct characteristics — even when it comes to citrusy flavors!
Some LÄRABAR bars, like the Key Lime or Lemon Pie flavors, deliver sweet and sour notes that can easily be differentiated.
The beauty of coming up with balanced flavors is that even if the bar contains 1-2 dates, you still don’t get an overpowering date flavor!
Which Type Of Dates Do LÄRABARs Use?
LÄRABARs use Medjool dates to flavor their energy bars.
This type of date is known for its higher sugar content and deliciously deep caramel flavor.
Even though Medjool dates are relatively more expensive, LÄRABAR doesn’t skimp on the inclusion of dates, even when paired with cheaper ingredients like apples and bananas.
Medjool dates are widely used around the Middle East but are also cultivated in North America in states like Arizona, Florida, and California.
Their availability and ease of use make them an excellent flavoring ingredient in many US-based food products!
On their own, Medjool dates are widely used to make a range of delicious desserts. These dates are also popular among athletes because they provide a combination of instant and delayed energy.
Medjool dates have a relatively soft and chewy flesh, which makes it easier to process them.
In comparison, other types of dates, like Deglet Noor dates, have a firm and grainy texture which makes them harder to puree. This grainy texture can also affect the overall quality of the product they are used in.
On average, two (48g) Medjool dates provide around 133 calories, a whopping 36g of carbs, 32g of sugar, 3.2g of fiber, and around 1g of protein.
In the context of LÄRABARs, each bar can have an average of around 190 calories per bar with 18g of sugar – so, you can derive the number of dates in each bar using this metric too.
Please keep in mind that even though high-calorie LÄRABARs may contain more dates, you also need to account for the rest of the ingredients to come up with a reasonable estimate.
Do LÄRABARs Taste Like Dates?
No matter what type of LÄRABAR you try, you will notice a distinct date-like flavor.
Although LÄRABARs do not exclusively taste like dates, they will have a deep caramel flavor, but the brand does a great job of balancing all the ingredients in each bar!
The company states that they use around ¼ cup of fruit in each LÄRABAR — this means that they will naturally have to adjust the quantity of each ingredient to either mask or bring out certain flavor notes.
Peanut Butter-based LÄRABARs are a good example of this.
Since peanuts provide a specific flavor, using more dates can easily mask the natural flavor notes of the peanuts — on the other hand, using less will result in a lackluster flavor.
The company strategically alters the proportion of each ingredient until the bar delivers an optimized overall flavor. This way you get the best of all ingredients and a tasty power bar that you can bring on the go!
Related Questions
LÄRABARs are an excellent alternative to trail mixes. They offer a steady boost of energy without compromising on flavor or quality!
Now that you know all about LÄRABARs and the number of dates used in them, here are some related questions.
How long do LÄRABARs last?
LÄRABARs do not contain any preservatives or additives that would keep them fresh for a long time, which is why the company uses advanced packaging techniques to maintain the freshness of each bar.
On their own, LÄRABARs can last up to 9 months, but you should consider eating an opened LÄRABAR within the same day to get the most out of its flavor.
Should you refrigerate LÄRABARs?
The best way to store LÄRABARs is to refrigerate them. Not only does this storage technique maintain the shelf life of the bars, but it can also impart a pleasant mouthfeel and texture.
Do not freeze LÄRABARs — it might negatively impact the texture of the product once it is defrosted.
