If you’re a macaroon fan, buckle-up. Short of a mid-day piña colada, these bars are exactly what they promise: coconut. Using at most three ingredients (coconut, rice syrup and either almonds or pineapple), these bars are gluten free, lactose free, vegan, and very lightweight. Coconut is a great source of medium-chain fatty acids which are the optimal macronutrient for high athletic output; why else do you think mountaineers add butter to hot chocolate to stay warm? Around 50-percent of the fatty acids found in coconut are the saturated fat known as lauric acid, which is converted into an antiviral and antibacterial compound that destroys a variety of disease causing organisms. In addition, coconut’s medium chain fats are easily absorbed and a preferred energy source by the body—so good, their burning can actually increase the body’s metabolic rate. Cost: $0.89 per bar. Calories: 264.
