Yebo, a positive affirmation, or “yes” is used throughout South Africa. When I told Page we were going to try Yebo Bars. He said, “What? we used that term in Swaziland.” Their mission, turn a by product into a nutrition packed force for social good, and they are using Coffee Flour to do it. Coffee Flour is made from coffee fruit, the red fruit found outside of the coffee bean. [Note: Coffee Flour is not available to the public yet, so if you’d like a sneak peek of the taste of Coffee Flour, then these bars are for you.]
David Boyle started YEBO in order to solve the unfairness in the coffee supply chain that he was confronted with during his time in Durban, South Africa. The company slogan is, “feel good, for good.” If that doesn’t make you smile, how about the fact that he donates 5% to Food 4 farmers to fund food security projects in coffee farming communities?
Now, let’s talk about these bars. YEBO offers three varieties each with a host of nutrient dense ingredients and no added sugar:
Blueberry Walnut-Date paste(pressed dates), Almond Butter, Blueberries, Apple Juice, Walnuts, Chia Seeds, Coffee Fruit Powder(Coffee Flour).
Apple Cinnamon-Date paste(pressed dates),Almond Butter,Unsulfured Apples, Almonds, Organic Flax Seeds, Cinnamon, Coffee Fruit Powder(Coffee Flour).
Coconut Cashew-Date paste(pressed dates),Almond Butter, Cashews, Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, Coffee Fruit Powder(Coffee Flour).
These bars are like a distant cousin of the popular Larabars. I personally think YEBO tastes better, and find that they are more satisfying. With such simple ingredients, I didn’t expect the depth of flavor YEBO offers. They are not overtly sweet. With all the flavors each bite provides a necessary crunch. Coffee flour lends itself to make for an excellent dense almost cake like texture, and a deep cherry flavor. Each bar has about 5 grams of protein, which is more than I have seen in a fruit and nut based bar. They are also an excellent source of fiber, iron, and contain a nice dose of healthy fats.
Here is what David says to those of you whose main concern with a nutrition bar is low sugar and high protein:
“At YEBO we believe in real food. While other bars may appear healthier because of their visceral nutritional information, if you read the nutrition facts they are often pumped with chemicals like soy protein isolate, brown rice syrup, and erythritol (sugar substitute). Don’t let 0g of sugar or 25g of protein fool you ! These foods will still cause the glycemic spike you are trying to avoid, or offer a low quality source of protein that doesn’t meet your dietary standards.
All of the sugar, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in our bar come from the laboratory called earth, because theirs no reason your snack should sound like a science experiment.”
Are you vegan, paleo, or gluten free? Great! YEBO bars are compliant with almost any dietary restrictions you may have. At $3.00 a bar, I wouldn’t eat these every day, but I would certainly bring one along on a hike or keep one with me as an “emergency” snack.
Our favorite YEBO bars: Page chose Blueberry Walnut. I would have to say Apple Cinnamon, which surprised me since I am coconut feign. Best bet, the 6 pack mini sampler. These bars don’t taste like coffee in the traditional sense but, they taste excellent with coffee.
Learn more about Coffee Flour: http://www.coffeeflour.com/
To purchase and learn more about YEBO: http://www.yebobars.com/