Yes
Black Sesame Sea Salt
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
An umami-forward bar built on furikake (sesame + nori) and tahini, made from nuts, seeds, and traditional syrups—no protein isolates, sugar alcohols, or emulsifiers. It favors slow-burn fullness over macro bragging rights with 5 grams of plant protein, 17 grams of fat, and 7 grams of sugar.
When to choose Yes Black Sesame Sea Salt
Best for sesame lovers and real‑food snackers who want a vegan, paleo, gluten‑free bar to keep them steady on afternoons, flights, or hikes. Not ideal if you’re chasing a 20‑gram post‑gym protein hit.
What's in the Yes bar?
Yes Protein Bar’s Black Sesame Sea Salt reads like a seed- and nut-lover’s snack with a savory twist.
The flavor is built on a furikake-style mix of black and white sesame and nori, plus sesame seed butter (tahini) and a finishing pinch of sea salt—then lightly sweetened with maple syrup and coconut nectar.
Its protein comes purely from plants—almonds, cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, sesame, and flax—so you get whole-food nutrition rather than isolates.
What may surprise you is the macro balance: modest protein (5 grams), a very fat-forward profile (17 grams; among the highest in the category), relatively low total carbs, and a moderate amount of real-syrup sugar.
In short, it’s a toasty, umami-leaning nut-and-seed bar designed for steady, satisfying energy more than post-workout protein glory.
- Protein
- 5 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Calories
- 220
Protein
515LOWNo isolates here—the 5 grams of protein come from whole nuts and seeds: almonds, cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, sesame (tahini), and flax. That makes the protein less concentrated than whey or soy bars and puts this squarely in snack territory rather than muscle-repair mode. The upside is that these plant proteins ride in with fiber and minerals; the trade-off is lower amino-acid density per bite.
Fat
179HIGHMost of the 17 grams of fat come from nuts and seeds—almonds, macadamias, pecans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and sesame—rich in heart-friendly unsaturated fats. Coconut butter lends structure and lushness, but it also adds saturated fat, nudging the mix toward a higher sat-fat bar than a pure nut-and-seed blend. Expect a filling, slow-burn snack; if you’re watching saturated fat, note the coconut component.
Carbs
1320LOWThe 13 grams of carbs are mainly from maple syrup and coconut nectar—concentrated tree saps used as natural binders—plus small amounts from the nuts and seeds. These are recognizable, kitchen-style sweeteners (not maltodextrin or refined starches), and the bar’s fat-and-fiber matrix helps smooth out the energy curve. Think steadier, not spiky, energy compared with a grain-and-sugar-heavy bar.
Sugar
74MIDSweetness comes from maple syrup and coconut nectar—traditional syrups made by concentrating sap—so you’re looking at 7 grams of added sugar, without sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners. It’s a moderate amount for a bar and easy to account for if you track added sugars. The nut-and-seed base helps temper the rise, but these are still refined sweeteners rather than whole fruit.
Calories
220210MIDAt 220 calories, most of the energy here comes from fat, with a smaller share from carbs and a modest 5 grams of protein. That fat-forward design suits long meetings, travel, or hikes when you want sustained fullness rather than a quick sugar hit. For muscle recovery, pair it with an extra protein source.
Vitamins & Minerals
No single vitamin or mineral crosses 10% Daily Value on the label, but the ingredients quietly contribute: sesame and pumpkin seeds bring iron and magnesium, almonds add vitamin E, and the nori flecks supply trace iodine. Consider this a collection of small nutrient nudges rather than a fortified bar. In this recipe, seeds are doing most of the micronutrient lifting.
Additives
This is a short, kitchen-cupboard ingredient list: nuts, seeds, coconut butter, and traditional syrups. No protein isolates, emulsifiers, sugar alcohols, or artificial sweeteners; the most processed items are the maple syrup and coconut nectar, both simple concentrated saps. Overall, it’s a minimally processed bar with a clean label.
Ingredient List
Almond tree seeds
Cashew tree kernel
Maple tree sap
Macadamia tree seeds
Sunflower plant seeds
Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita spp.)
Coconut meat
Pecan tree nuts
Coconut palm blossom sap
Sesamum indicum seeds
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
Main Praise
Fans say it tastes like real food—almonds, cashews, sesame, and seeds toasted and sweetened just enough—which is rarer than it should be in bar land. Several buyers, including one whose dietitian recommended it, call out the clean, recognizable ingredient list and the absence of sugar alcohols as a plus for digestion.
The savory-leaning flavor is a welcome break from chocolate monotony, and the chew is satisfying without turning into jaw day. Despite only 5 grams of protein, the 17 grams of fat from nuts and seeds make it surprisingly filling, which is exactly what many want from a midafternoon snack.
With an average 4. 3 rating across thousands of Amazon reviews, it clearly has a steady fan base.
Main Criticism
The biggest complaint is efficiency: 220 calories for 5 grams of protein feels like a poor trade to people who define a protein bar by its protein.
Texture divides the room—some call it pleasantly chewy, others say “mushy,” and a few (like Amazon user siggy26) felt the glossy product photos promised a chunkier, bakery-style bar than what arrived.
Flavor can polarize as well; sesame and nori are delightful to adventurous palates, but those expecting dessert may find it underwhelming or simply “not tasty. ” Price and portion size come up when people try to use it as a meal replacement.
The Middle Ground
Both camps have a point. If your minimum bar threshold is 15–20 grams of protein, Remy Tennant at Human Food Bar isn’t wrong to call this more snack than strength fuel.
But the flip side of that critique is the design choice: Yes avoids protein isolates and sugar alcohols, using whole nuts and seeds plus traditional syrups, which explains the lower protein and the softer, cohesive texture.
Seven grams of added sugar is moderate for the category, and the fat-and-fiber matrix does help keep energy steadier than a sugary granola bar—still, it’s syrup, not whole fruit, so set expectations accordingly.
On taste, “fruitcake” (as one IMBHO tester put it) won’t resonate with everyone, but sesame-and-nori is doing exactly what it says on the wrapper. Some online critiques mention seed oils in other flavors or older formulas; this recipe uses seeds, not added seed oils.
If you wanted a crumbly cookie, you might side with siggy26; if you wanted something that actually eats like nuts and seeds, “a bar of smashed nuts” sounds more like truth in advertising.
What's the bottom line?
Think of Yes Bar Black Sesame Sea Salt as the bar for people who like to cook: toasty sesame, a hint of seaweed, maple sweetness, and a short, kitchen‑cupboard ingredient list. It’s a plant‑based, paleo, gluten‑free snack engineered for steady energy, not a protein trophy. If you need 20 grams of protein, pair it with another protein source and enjoy this for its flavor and simplicity.
If you’re allergic to sesame or tree nuts, it’s a clear no; if you love umami and appreciate minimally processed ingredients, this is an easy yes. Those watching saturated fat should note the coconut butter.