Is Fiber Now 70 Calorie Chocolate Fudge Soft Baked Bar Vegan?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look beyond the marketing claims and dive straight into the formulation. When analyzing the Fiber Now 70 Calorie Chocolate Fudge Soft Baked Bar, the vegan status is immediately compromised by three specific ingredients: calcium caseinate, dried egg whites, and whey protein concentrate.

Calcium Caseinate and Whey Protein Concentrate: These are the primary non-vegan culprits here. Calcium caseinate is a derivative of casein, a protein found in mammalian milk. It is often used in nutrition bars to provide a slow-digesting protein source and improve texture. Similarly, whey protein concentrate is derived from milk during the cheese-making process. Both ingredients are standard in the dairy industry and are strictly off-limits for vegans.

Dried Egg Whites: Moving down the ingredient list, we encounter dried egg whites. Eggs are an animal byproduct, and their whites are frequently used in baked goods and bars to act as a binding agent or to provide structural integrity. Their inclusion confirms that this product relies on animal agriculture for its texture and stability.

The Palm Oil Controversy: While technically plant-derived, palm oil and palm kernel oil are often flagged by ethical vegans due to the environmental impact and potential animal habitat destruction associated with its harvesting. However, from a strict ingredient standpoint, it does not render the product non-vegan in the same way the dairy and egg ingredients do.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, this bar is designed for calorie restriction rather than whole-food nourishment. At 70 calories per bar, it fits easily into a low-calorie diet plan. However, the calorie count is achieved through the heavy use of sugar alcohols like erythritol and sorbitol, as well as polydextrose.

While these sweeteners keep the sugar content relatively low (2g of sugar per bar), they can cause digestive distress—specifically bloating and gas—in sensitive individuals. The bar also contains enriched bleached flour, which is a highly processed simple carbohydrate that offers little nutritional value compared to whole grains. The protein content (5g) is decent for a 70-calorie snack, but it is largely derived from the dairy and egg sources mentioned above, rather than plant-based proteins like pea or brown rice.