ALOHA
Almond Butter Cup
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A candy-bar-adjacent experience built from organic, soy-free plant proteins, real almond butter, and dark chocolate—without sugar alcohols or stevia.
When to choose ALOHA Almond Butter Cup
Plant-based eaters and anyone avoiding sugar alcohols who want a treat-like snack with 14 grams of protein and real-chocolate satisfaction. Not ideal if you strictly chase 20+ grams of protein per bar or keep carbs ultra-low.
What's in the ALOHA bar?
This Almond Butter Cup bar leans into plant power: its protein comes from a duo of brown rice protein and pumpkin seed protein, while the “cup” flavor is built with real almond butter and a layer of dark chocolate.
It lands mid‑pack for protein but trends higher for carbs and calories because the recipe uses tapioca syrup to bind and soluble tapioca fiber to add body—keeping sugar modest without artificial sweeteners.
Most of the fat is the kind you expect from nuts (mainly monounsaturated), with cocoa butter from the chocolate rounding it out. A pleasant surprise: the minerals, especially a notable hit of iron from cocoa and seed proteins.
- Protein
- 14 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Calories
- 230
Protein
1415MIDThe 14 grams of protein come from a straight‑forward plant blend: brown rice protein plus pumpkin seed protein. Rice brings a neutral, dairy‑free base; pumpkin seed helps round out the amino acid profile and adds a subtle nutty note. It’s a clean, soy‑free combo that sits around the middle of the pack for total protein—solid daily support rather than a maxed‑out gym bar.
Fat
119MIDMost fat here comes from almond butter and almond flour, so you’re getting mainly monounsaturated fats with some natural vitamin E. Dark chocolate contributes cocoa butter—a saturated‑leaning fat dominated by stearic acid (often considered neutral for LDL cholesterol). There are no added industrial seed oils; it’s nuts and chocolate doing the heavy lifting.
Carbs
2420MIDCarbs skew higher, driven primarily by tapioca syrup—a refined cassava‑based sweetener that provides quick energy—and balanced by soluble tapioca fiber (a resistant dextrin) that adds bulk and helps tame the spike. Almond flour and dark chocolate add a little, with vegetable glycerin (a plant‑derived, mildly sweet humectant) helping keep the bar soft. Expect faster energy than a bar built on whole grains, cushioned by the bar’s fiber, fat, and protein.
Sugar
54MIDSugar stays modest at 5 grams, coming mostly from the dark chocolate’s cane sugar and the tapioca syrup that binds the bar. Additional sweetness comes from vegetable glycerin, a plant‑based syrupy ingredient that’s less sweet than sugar; there are no artificial sweeteners. If you avoid refined sugars entirely, note the syrup; if you’re watching total sugar, this is a gentle lift.
Calories
230210MIDAt 230 calories, this sits on the higher end for bars, with calories split across carbs and fat and a meaningful contribution from protein. Almond butter and cocoa butter bring calorie‑dense richness, while tapioca syrup and fiber provide structure and chew. Net effect: more staying power than a very low‑fat bar—best treated as a snack‑meal rather than a tiny bite.
Vitamins & Minerals
Micronutrients aren’t the headline, but iron stands out at about a third of daily value—largely thanks to cocoa solids and seed‑based proteins. Calcium and potassium are present in small amounts, and there’s no vitamin fortification. If you’re plant‑based or tend to run low on iron, that’s a meaningful bonus.
Additives
Beyond its whole‑food anchors, the bar uses a few helpers: vegetable glycerin to keep it soft, sunflower lecithin to help fats and chocolate blend smoothly, and soluble tapioca fiber for structure. These are refined, food‑grade ingredients used for texture rather than nutrition, and they’re present in modest amounts. You won’t find artificial sweeteners or long strings of gums here, though purists should note that tapioca syrup and fiber are not whole foods.
Ingredient List
Brown rice grain
Pumpkin seeds
Ground roasted almonds
Cassava root starch
Cacao beans
Sugarcane stalks
Cocoa beans
Cassava starch
Vegetable oils (palm, soy)
Almond kernels
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I LOVE ALOHA BARS and this flavor is tied for my favorite”
“I really like Aloha bars. Heat one up for 20 seconds in the microwave and they taste even better!”
“I love aloha bars so much! I had weight loss surgery so now, when I crave a candy bar, I eat an aloha bar instead. Absolutely delicious”
Main Praise
The praise centers on taste, texture, and a clean-leaning formula. Fans love that it satisfies a candy-bar craving without leaning on sugar alcohols, and several call this flavor a favorite across the lineup.
Editors at Bon Appétit and SELF back that up, naming ALOHA a top vegan pick for being chewy, moist, and free of the dreaded artificial aftertaste.
In the wild, people say it’s filling for its size and surprisingly kid-approved, and one simple trick—warming it in the microwave for 15–20 seconds—seems to turn it into a melty almond‑butter‑cup moment.
Reviewers also appreciate that the ingredients read like food (almond butter, dark chocolate, seed/rice protein) and that the bar delivers steady energy rather than a sugar rush.
Main Criticism
The pushback falls into three buckets: sweetness, texture, and macros. A minority find the bar too sweet—even with just 5 grams of sugar—likely because the combo of chocolate, tapioca syrup, and glycerin tastes richer than the label suggests.
Others describe certain batches as chalky, crumbly, or messy (real dark chocolate does tend to flake). And for heavy lifters, 14 grams of protein doesn’t scratch the 20‑plus‑gram itch.
A few folks report digestive discomfort; this bar uses soluble tapioca fiber and glycerin for structure and softness, which some sensitive stomachs don’t love.
The Middle Ground
So which is it: dessert in disguise or a sensible plant bar? Probably both, depending on what you need.
If you’re used to ultra‑sweet bars that rely on high‑intensity sweeteners, the ALOHA Almond Butter Cup will taste sweet—but it gets there with small amounts of cane sugar and tapioca syrup plus the mild sweetness of glycerin, not stevia or sugar alcohols.
That choice pleases many, but a Redditor who found it “too sweet” reminds us taste is personal—especially with chocolate involved.
On texture, Bon Appétit swears it’s chewy without weird aftertaste, while Amazon user L called it powdery; rice protein can read a little dry if a bar is cold, which is why the microwave trick wins fans.
The macros are the clearest trade-off: at 14 grams of protein and 24 grams of carbs, this isn’t a low‑carb or max‑protein play. If you need a heavier protein hit, pair it with a latte, a scoop of protein in water, or another protein‑rich snack.
Digestively, if you’re sensitive to fibers or glycerin, start with half a bar and see how you feel—simple, low‑risk testing beats guessing.
What's the bottom line?
ALOHA’s Almond Butter Cup is a treat-forward, plant-based bar that keeps its ingredient list recognizable and its sweetness grounded in real chocolate and modest added sugar. It delivers 14 grams of soy‑free protein, meaningful staying power at 230 calories, and an iron bump many vegan bars don’t advertise—all without sugar alcohols or stevia. It’s not the choice for strict low‑carb days or for anyone who insists on 20+ grams of protein per bar.
And like many fiber‑forward, plant‑protein snacks, it can be a digestive mismatch for a small slice of eaters. But if you want a vegan, organic-leaning bar that genuinely feels like a chocolate‑and‑almond‑butter dessert—with the nutrition to back it up—this one earns a permanent spot in the bag. Bonus: warm it for 20 seconds and it becomes suspiciously close to the name on the wrapper.