I happened to be working on a research project for my clinical dietetic rotations on probiotics when Attune contacted me, asking if I would try their new bars and report back.
Disclosure: I received 6 Attune granola and chocolate bars to taste test and report out my opinions. That’s it. No dough.
Unless you haven’t been to a grocery store or seen advertisements since 2006, you have probably heard of something called “probiotics” a.k.a “friendly bacteria” or “healthy bacteria”. Probiotics may seem new after the launch of Activia yogurt with much fanfare in 2006. But believe it or not, probiotics have been in research and on the market for decades! The first probiotic drink came out 70 years before today’s products. I kid you not… Way back in 1936 Japan brough Yakult to the world and it is still on the market today.
In a nutshell, probiotics by definition are non-pathogenic (don’t cause disease) bacteria that survive digestion and stick to the gut lining where they mediate the body’s immune response and influence metabolic activities, such as vitamin synthesis, cholesterol assimilation, and lactase activity (the enzyme that breaks down lactose - milk sugar). So it should be no surprise that these bacteria are important to the body and in cases where the GI is disturbed, such as diarrhea and irritable bowel diseases, probiotics may provide some relief.
Back to my experience with Attune…
I was actually starving when I received the package in the mail so I wasted no time on my taste-testing-task. I tried the lemon cream flavored granola bar. Oh my… all I can say is that it was a delicious, chewy, soft bar. It was very satisfying. It was a small sized bar, but just enough for a snack-type food.
I turned the package over to look at the nutrition information. I was not surprised with what I saw. I feel the nutrition profile is typical of most nutrition granola bars… less than 200 calories, a balance of protein, carbs and fats. Actually the carb count is 22g and protein is 5g, which is roughly a 4:1 carb to protein ratio - desirable for a post-workout energy boost. I’d pair it with a piece of fruit to reach a range of 30-60g carbs if you work out for an hour to meet ACSM recommendations.
I can also see people eating one of these for breakfast. Since so many people skip breakfast, this is better than nothing! However, I would recommend the bar along with a hard boiled egg and a piece of fruit or some nuts - a totally portable and easy to assemble breakfast.
My husband was delighted to see the chocolate bars in the refrigerator. He asked me “honey is this a candy bar or health food” and I just replied “yes”. He tried the mint coco crisp bar. He said that it tasted good and it was just the right size for a chocolate snack. I agreed. I was impressed with the nutrition information. Only 100 calories, 12g carbs and 3 g fiber (thanks to the prebiotic inulin). Also 25% of your day’s calcium is not too shabby either. In my opinion, this is not a post-workout bar. It is not a breakfast bar. It is not a meal replacer. But it is an ideal choice for those who get a chocolate buzz and just want something sweet and chocolately to savor. I’m a big believer in portions and I love that this is a good-tasting bar in the right size for a treat. The fat is 7g and saturated fat 4g, which is on par with chocolate bars. Be aware that 4g saturated fat doesn’t sound like much, but it is 20% of your daily limit. So enjoy a bar - but just one - to stay on track.
So what about the nutriceutical component of the bars?
The chocolate bars all contain a mixture of three probiotic cultures called LAFTI® (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium lactis). This group has been shown to survive the acidic stomach and make it to the gut with enough colony forming units (CFUs) to be effective.
According to the clinical trials on probiotics, oral dosages range from 1X10^9 to 10X10^10 CFUs, with administration frequency ranging from twice daily to intermittent weekly schedules. Based on the literature available to-date, the number of probiotic microorganisms that is sufficient to obtain temporary colonization is 10^9 live cells daily for adults.
If you want a good literature review of the clinical trials on a variety of GI-related and non-GI conditions to-date, I recommend this journal article. The table below (taken from the journal article) summarizes the “grade” for numerous clinical conditions based on a rigorous review of the scientific evidence from clinical trials.

Now, when I tried the bars, I didn’t have any diarrhea or any of the other conditions associated with treatment. I also only had one bar a day for a few days and the research shows that if you are experiencing symptoms you should have 14 days of probiotics. So I can’t tell you “hey, I had diarrhea and I ate this bar and it went away”. But that doesn’t matter. They tasted good. They are convenient. They are the right size for snacks or meal sides. I think they are worth a try, especially if you are taking antibiotics because you need to replenish the healthy gut bacteria the antibiotics attack. Clinical trials show you will probably also get relief if you have non-antibiotic associated diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).