by Matt Weik
Every once in a while, I step outside my comfort zone to try some new supplements and products on the market. That being said, I’m not one to be all into the plant-based movement. I love my animal products, my whey protein, I mean, I’m basically a caveman that sits in an office typing away at the keyboard producing content for you guys. But I went out on a limb after hearing so much about the brand IWON that I decided to give them a try – against what my taste buds were telling me.
IWON Protein Snacks Are Growing on Me
Get it? Growing on me… plants grow… Bueller? Bueller? Never mind – my sense of humor is terrible. The bottom line is, I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious these IWON protein snacks were.
If you’ve never heard of them before, IWON Organics makes plant-based protein snacks that are made up of primarily four ingredients – green peas, yellow peas, brown rice, and navy beans. I know what you’re thinking… that sounds absolutely disgusting. I thought the same and didn’t have high hopes going into it. But after opening a bag to try, my hand kept finding its way back in to grab some more.
On the IWON website, they claim “You’re getting farmed, organic ingredients used to make our delicious protein snacks. We use different combinations that result in the perfect taste and texture, then infuse each snack with bold, intense flavors.”
Being that I like to try a wide variety of products from a brand, I did just that and purchased a bunch of different flavors of their IWON protein stix, protein chips, and protein puffs. What caught me by surprise were the flavor options they have available. I wouldn’t exactly say they are basic by any stretch of the imagination. They have flavors like Korean BBQ, cinnamon churro, Tapatio jalapeno sour cream, sweet Dijon, spicy sweet peppers, caramelized onion, Tapatio Limon, mesquite BBQ, red pepper, along with many others.
The Taste Test Results Are In
I ordered just about every flavor they have available and I was not let down by any of the flavors. Truth be told, I had to clear my head before trying them as many plant-based products I have tried in the past have been absolutely horrible and I was having flashbacks preventing me from really giving it a fair shake. After I got my head right, I opened up my first bag, reached, in, grabbed ONE piece, closed my eyes, and tossed it in my mouth. I chewed for a while trying to pick out the flavors and then down the hatch it went.
Surprisingly, I stood there for a minute trying to decide what emotions I was going through. The first thing I realized was that I didn’t spit it out. Which led me to go in for another round. Same result. These IWON protein snacks were actually really good.
Here came the even bigger test as I’m used to eating things that taste like crap in the supplement industry (like many protein bars). I decided to call over my 5-year-old son and my wife – neither of who are fans of the way many protein bars and protein shakes taste. I asked them both to grab a piece (I didn’t show them what it was) and to let me know if they liked it or not. I was already prepared for their facial expression to change and to go spit it out in the trash can. But that didn’t happen.
In fact, my wife and son went back for seconds, and thirds, and before I knew it, my wife took the bag out of my hand and walked away into the kitchen with it. What the hell just happened? I bought these for me and now my family is stealing my goodies! I guess it could be worse, they could have a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in their hand with a spoon so I shouldn’t complain.
My family loved the IWON protein snacks and so did I. Would I recommend you try these if you want something different and have been on the fence of trying a plant-based protein snack? Absolutely. I think these IWON protein snack bags would be the perfect late-night snack when you’re watching a movie or your favorite television show. It’s something you or even the whole family could enjoy.
I Won’t “Leaf” You Hanging: Here Are the Nutritionals
Ok, I promise that’s the last plant joke. I wouldn’t want you to “soil” yourself from laughing so hard. Seriously, that’s enough now. Let’s talk about the nutritionals of IWON protein snacks.
The IWON products are gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, organic, kosher, and vegan-friendly. Each serving consists of 150-210 calories, 5g of fiber, and 10g of plant-based protein. Overall, you can’t be mad at that. These IWON protein snacks are designed to be consumed by men, women, kids, and they have something for everyone regardless if you are a fitness enthusiast or simply someone looking to increase your protein intake and want to have it “stem” (so, I lied on the last joke) from a plant-based protein source.
You can find the IWON protein snacks at retailers like The Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods, GNC, Kroger, Safeway, and many other retailers both online and brick and mortar.
If you want something different from what you’re used to, I can honestly say that these are really good. While not every flavor will suit your taste buds, they have something for everyone in their vast portfolio of flavors. Give them a try for yourself and I’m willing to bet you’re going to like them.