ALOHA
Maple Sea Salt
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
An organic, vegan bar that leans on a brown rice and pumpkin seed protein blend, real maple syrup, and sea salt—delivering only 4 grams of sugar and a standout 35% DV of iron.
When to choose ALOHA Maple Sea Salt
Great for plant-based snackers who want a sweet-salty, maple-forward bite without sugar alcohols or stevia. Think mid-morning fuel, pre-hike energy, or a light post-workout snack when 14 grams of protein fits the bill.
What's in the ALOHA bar?
Maple Sea Salt sets a cozy scene, and ALOHA builds it with real maple syrup, a pinch of sea salt, and buttery pecans—then pulls the protein from plants. The 14 grams come from a brown rice and pumpkin seed blend, a dairy-free pairing that’s gentle in flavor and strong on iron.
Carbs skew higher than many bars thanks to rolled oats and a tapioca‑based binder, while fats come from sunflower and almond butters plus pecans—think heart‑friendly and satisfying.
The sweetness stays modest on the label (4 grams of sugar) because part of the softness and sweetness comes from tapioca fiber and vegetable glycerin, two refined helpers that keep the bar chewy without dumping in cane sugar.
In short: plant protein, whole‑food fats, a mix of slow and fast carbs, and that unmistakable maple‑salt finish.
- Protein
- 14 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Calories
- 220
Protein
1415MIDFourteen grams of protein come from a vegan blend of brown rice protein and pumpkin seed protein. Rice protein is clean and dairy‑free but naturally low in lysine; pumpkin seed helps round out the amino acid profile and brings mineral depth, including iron. It’s a moderate protein hit, better as a satisfying snack or light post‑workout bite than a heavy‑duty recovery bar.
Fat
99MIDMost of the 9 grams of fat come from sunflower butter, almond butter, and pecans—foods rich in unsaturated fats and vitamin E—plus a bit of sunflower oil inside the seed butter. That adds up to a heart‑leaning fat profile with a tilt toward omega‑6s, typical of seed oils. The fat helps with satiety and softens any fast‑carb edges.
Carbs
2620HIGHCarbohydrates here are a mixed bag: whole rolled oats bring slow, soluble fiber, while tapioca syrup—plus small amounts of brown sugar and maple syrup—deliver quick sweetness and binding. Tapioca fiber (a resistant dextrin from cassava) and the bar’s nuts and seeds help steady the ride, but 26 grams of carbs still puts this on the higher side for protein bars—more quick energy than ultra‑low‑carb.
Sugar
44MIDOnly 4 grams of sugar are declared, largely from maple syrup and a touch of brown sugar, with sweetness and softness also coming from vegetable glycerin (a plant‑derived, syrupy humectant) and tapioca fiber. Keeping sugar modest by leaning on these refined binders limits a syrupy spike, though the tapioca syrup used to bind the bar is still a fast carbohydrate. Paired with oats and healthy fats, the sweetness reads more as flavor than a sugar rush.
Calories
220210MIDAt 220 calories, this is a satisfyingly dense snack: carbs from oats and syrups provide the largest share, with meaningful contributions from nut/seed fats and 14 grams of plant protein. Think portable fuel for a mid‑morning lift, a pre‑hike pocket, or between‑meeting hunger—not a full meal on its own.
Vitamins & Minerals
Iron stands out at 35% of daily value, likely owing to the pumpkin seed protein (with a nudge from brown rice protein and oats). Calcium and potassium are modest. If you track iron—especially on a plant‑based diet—this bar quietly does you a favor.
Additives
The functional extras—tapioca fiber and vegetable glycerin—keep the bar moist, chewy, and gently sweet with minimal added sugar; both are refined ingredients (a resistant dextrin from cassava and a plant‑derived humectant). You’ll also see “natural flavor” to lift the maple note. Overall, it’s a mostly whole‑food base supported by a few well‑worn processing aids rather than a long list of lab‑made additives.
Ingredient List
Brown rice grain
Pumpkin seeds
Cassava root starch
Sunflower plant seeds
Sunflower seeds
Cassava starch
Oat grain
Vegetable oils (palm, soy)
Sugarcane or sugar beet plants
Ground roasted almonds
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
Fans keep coming back for flavor and ingredient quality. Maple Sea Salt hits the nostalgic notes—cozy maple, a little crunch from oats and nuts, and a clean finish—without the artificial aftertaste that sinks so many bars.
Bon Appétit and SELF both named ALOHA a top vegan pick for taste and texture, and that tracks with real-world love: one Redditor swears a 20-second microwave makes it taste like a warm treat, while Amazon reviewers praise the balance of low sugar with an ingredient list they recognize.
It’s also refreshingly free of sugar alcohols and stevia in this flavor, a big win for people who don’t love those aftertastes. And while 14 grams isn’t a bodybuilder’s benchmark, multiple reviewers say it keeps them full between meals—helped by the bar’s nuts, seeds, and oats.
The iron content is a quiet bonus for plant-based eaters who track it.
Main Criticism
Not everyone’s sweet tooth calibrates the same. A few Reddit users find ALOHA bars too sweet—even with just 2–4 grams of sugar—likely because tapioca syrup, glycerin, and natural flavors can read as sweeter on the palate.
Others call out texture: some experience a bit of chalkiness from the plant proteins or a crumbly bite depending on the flavor. A small but notable group report digestive upset, which isn’t shocking—tapioca fiber (a refined, resistant dextrin) and glycerin can bother sensitive stomachs.
Finally, the macros won’t thrill someone chasing 20+ grams of protein or strict low-carb targets; at 26 grams of carbs, this is fuel, not keto.
The Middle Ground
How can a bar with 4 grams of sugar taste sweet to some and just-right to others? Partly because sweetness isn’t only about sugar grams—binders like tapioca syrup and glycerin bring a sweet perception without stacking the label, and palates vary wildly.
One Redditor in r/vegan called ALOHA bars too sweet; another in r/veganfitness said a quick microwave turns them magical. Both can be true.
Texture critiques line up with what plant proteins often do: brown rice and pumpkin seed protein can feel a touch grainy to certain tasters, even as outlets like Bon Appétit praise ALOHA’s chew and clean finish.
On the nutrition front, 14 grams of protein and 26 grams of carbs make this more of a sustaining snack than a high-octane recovery bar—SELF agrees it’s a best-in-class vegan option, just not a 20-gram heavyweight.
Digestively, the ingredients are straightforward but refined in spots; if tapioca fiber or glycerin has ever made your stomach grumble, start with half a bar.
The truth lives in the middle: a thoughtfully made, organic, plant-based bar that many love for taste and simplicity, with a few predictable trade-offs around sweetness perception, texture, and carb load.
What's the bottom line?
ALOHA Maple Sea Salt is a warm, trail-friendly take on sweet-salty: organic oats, nuts and seeds, real maple syrup, and a plant protein blend that brings 14 grams of protein and a remarkable 35% DV of iron. It keeps sugar modest without leaning on sugar alcohols or stevia, and the fats from sunflower and almond butters help it satisfy well for 220 calories. It’s not the bar for strict low-carb days or lifters who want 20+ grams in a single bite.
And if your stomach is sensitive to refined fibers like tapioca or to glycerin, test it first. But if you want a vegan, gluten-free bar that tastes like a maple-pecan treat and behaves like steady fuel, this one earns its spot. 4 stars, and the microwave trick is real—20 seconds turns it into a pocket pancake moment.