Phyter nutrition bars put fruits and veggies at forefront

Created by plant-based chef David Choi Jr., refrigerated Phyter nutrition bars feature farm-fresh fruits and vegetables as their first ingredient. 

Nutrition bars help keep many people fueled and not hangry, but some are not as good for you as fruits and vegetables. And that’s the exact reason Phyter bars came to be.

Plant-based chef David Choi Jr., who grew up in a household of Korean Buddhist chefs and was head chef in his family’s vegan restaurant in Chicago, created Phyter bars in 2016 based on grab-and-go snacks he concocted in college.

Phyter is touted as the first nutrition bar to feature farm-fresh fruits and vegetables as the No. 1 ingredient, meaning they’re loaded with the phytonutrients that inspired their name. They’re also 100-percent plant-based, organic, GMO-free, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, kosher and vegan.

Phyter bars — which come in kale + apple, berries + peanut butter, sweet potato + coconut, butternut squash + peanut butter and beet + cocoa — are still hand-crafted and cooked in small batches by Choi himself without chemicals, preservatives or added oils and fats.

Because of that, Phyter bars are unique in another way: They’re not on shelves with other nutrition bars, but in the refrigerated section of stores in 85 cities across 14 states.

“We wanted to develop a product that was free from chemicals and preservatives and made with fresh vegetables and fruits as the main ingredients. People know that if it’s in a cooler, it’s fresh!” Choi told Metro via email.

Being in the refrigerated section and not with other bars could be challenging, Choi said, but “when retailers started to pair us up with other healthy grab-n-gos, like kombucha drinks, coconut water and hummus, it made it easier for consumers to find us.”

Choi has seen a “very positive” response to Phyter bars and noted that its “best customers are moms looking for ‘better-for-you’ products for their kids and themselves,” he said.

So, how do Phyter bars taste?

Phyter bars creator chef David Choi Jr. said his personal favorite flavor is beet + cocoa.

“It’s delicious, and it combines two great earthy flavors when paired together,” he said. “Many people know beets are good for them but are too afraid to try them, so we made it easier! I love how pleasantly surprised people are when they try this one.”

But how did that unique Phyter flavor fare with a group of opinionated Metro staffers?

“It tastes like cocoa — and dirt,” one said, while this writer loved the chewy texture and how chocolaty and earthy the combo was.

Sweet potato + coconut was an easy favorite, with one staffer saying it “tastes like sweet potato pie” while it reminded another of fall. To some, berries + peanut butter tasted more nutty, though one liked how “subtle” the strawberry flavor was, while butternut squash + peanut butter reminded one tester of halvah.

Each Phyter bar has 200 calories and 6 grams of protein. To find a store near you, visit phyterfood.com.

This article originally published on Metro.us on Aug. 22, 2018.