Frequently Asked Questions

IQBAR protein bars are 45 gram bars formulated meticulously with nutrient-dense, clean-label ingredients that fuel the brain and body. Each bar contains 6 brain nutrients, 12g plant protein, 1-2g sugar, and 3g net carbohydrates.

The name of this product line (and of our company more broadly) is derived from our mission to center products on functional nutrients shown across scientific literature to benefit the brain. Don’t forget though – our products are also packed with body nutrients as well!

The vast majority of functional bars fit into one of three categories. They provide “energy” (in the form of crash-inducing sugar and carbs), they’re high in protein (usually in the form of animal protein), or they comply with a particular diet (such as veganism). IQBARs improve on all three of these value propositions, combine them in one offering, and layer on an additional benefit of brain nutrition. Our bars promote crash-free energy, with next-to-no sugar or carbs. They are high in plant-based, complete protein that is digestion-friendly. They comply with virtually every diet under the sun. And, they are packed with a brain nutrient mix no other bar has.

Each IQBAR protein bar contains six brain nutrients: lion’s mane, MCTs, omega-3s, flavonoids, vitamin-E, and choline. Each nutrient comes in the form of – or is derived from – a whole food ingredient, and was chosen because it has been shown to benefit brain function across numerous scientific studies. To learn more about what makes these nutrients special, check out our What’s Inside page.

Aside from vitamin-E, we do not disclose exact quantities of the brain nutrients in our bars because the FDA has not issued recommended daily values for them and there is slight variability from bar-to-bar in quantities. Rest assured though, quantities for these nutrients are in the hundreds of milligrams!

We make no explicit claims regarding IQBAR protein bars’ impact on the brain or body, given our bars are not a medicine or a nutraceutical. Rather, we formulate our bars to center on nutrients that a vast amount of scientific research has shown to benefit the brain and body and let our products do the talking! To learn more about this research, see our What’s Inside page.

IQBAR protein bars are 100% compliant with ketogenic, vegan, and Paleo friendly diets. We use the terminology “Paleo friendly” rather than “Paleo” for two reasons…

First, the pea protein in our bars is derived from legumes, which are not strictly Paleo. However, peas are enjoyed by many Paleo dieters because they’re far lower in phytates and lectins than other legumes.

Second, our bars contain a few ingredients, like sunflower lecithin, that were not consumed by our primal ancestors. Keep in mind, these ingredients are all nutrient-dense and derived from whole foods – cave men simply lacked the technology to isolate and extract, for instance, lecithin from the sunflower seed.

Yes, they are free of all four!

Yes, all IQBAR protein bar flavors are Kosher! Our Chocolate Sea Salt, Peanut Butter Chip, and Almond Butter Chip flavors are certified Kosher Dairy (the "Dairy" is due to a facility technicality; there is no dairy in these products) and our Lemon Blueberry, Wild Blueberry, Banana Nut, and Matcha Chai flavors are certified Kosher.

IQBAR protein bars are 100% non-GMO and many of our ingredients are organic, but our bars are not 100% organic.

Net carbs are carbohydrates that the body converts into blood glucose (blood sugar). They are widely considered to be the “bad” form of carbs, given they spike the body’s production of insulin, a hormone that can lead to negative health outcomes if consistently elevated.

Some carbohydrates – like fiber – are not considered net carbs because they have negligible effects on blood glucose and insulin production. We include fiber in each of our bars to promote a healthy gut (our fiber has prebiotic benefits). We arrive at our net carb counts by subtracting each bar’s grams of fiber from its total grams of carbs.

Tapioca fiber is a prebiotic (i.e., gut-friendly) fiber known as a “resistant dextrin”. It is isolated by heating the tapioca root (also known as the cassava root) and extracting its fiber content. While the FDA has recently re-classified certain compounds formerly labeled “fiber” as non-fiber carbohydrates, it has remained firm in its classification of resistant dextrin as a 100% legitimate fiber.

Tapioca fiber is NOT to be confused with isomalto-oligosaccharide (usually referred to as IMO), which can also be derived from the tapioca root. IMO is not a resistant dextrin, but rather a fiber-like sweetener that the body almost completely breaks down into blood glucose. Here is a great study on the topic, where scientists compare Soluble Corn Fiber (which is virtually chemically identical to Tapioca Fiber) to IMO and find a vast difference in blood sugar and insulin response.

The natural flavors we use are extracts from 100% natural sources, such as plants, fruits, spices, and vegetables. We include them in our products to naturally enhance flavor and achieve the highest level of product consistency we can.

We use pea protein, rather than other forms, for four reasons…

Pea protein is a complete protein, meaning it has all nine of the essential amino acids you need to effectively build muscle. Pea protein is more digestion-friendly than alternatives like whey because it contains no lactose or glutens. In other words, no bloating! Pea protein is highly bioavailable, meaning it absorbs well in the body. Pea protein is vegan, and far “greener” (i.e., more environmentally friendly) than animal proteins.