Zing
Dark Chocolate Cherry
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Real Montmorency tart cherries and real dark chocolate headline a vegan, gluten-free bar that leans indulgent in flavor but keeps sugar moderate at 8 grams. The plant protein blend (almond plus brown rice) and prebiotic fiber deliver a cleaner-ingredient, dessert-leaning snack without sugar alcohols.
When to choose Zing Dark Chocolate Cherry
Choose this bar if you want a satisfying, plant-based chocolate-cherry snack for the afternoon slump or a pre-gym nibble. It’s ideal for those who prioritize flavor and ingredient quality over maxed-out protein counts.
What's in the Zing bar?
Zing’s Dark Chocolate Cherry leans into a very snackable formula: plant protein from almond protein and brown rice protein, real dark chocolate, and tart Montmorency cherries.
You’re looking at 11 grams of protein (below the category heavy-hitters), a fuller 11 grams of fat largely from almonds and cocoa butter, and mid‑range carbs driven by syrups and fruit.
The cherry‑chocolate taste comes from actual chocolate (cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder), sweetened dried tart cherries, and a touch of natural cherry flavor—held together with nut butter, rice crisps, and prebiotic tapioca fiber.
- Protein
- 11 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Calories
- 220
Protein
1115LOWThe 11 grams of protein come mostly from almond protein plus brown rice protein—a dairy‑free blend that keeps the bar vegan. Rice protein is naturally a bit low in lysine and almond protein isn’t especially lysine‑rich either, so the amino acid profile isn’t as complete as a pea‑and‑rice blend or a whey bar, but it’s a solid snack‑level dose. Expect a clean label feel from nuts and grains, with the caveat that both proteins are refined from their whole‑food sources.
Fat
119MIDFat here is nut‑ and cocoa‑forward: almond butter/flour bring mostly heart‑friendly monounsaturated fats, while cocoa butter contributes saturated fat that’s largely stearic acid (considered more cholesterol‑neutral than some saturated fats). A small amount of sunflower oil rides in with the dried cherries. Net‑net, the 11 grams skew toward nutritious fats from nuts with a chocolate accent.
Carbs
2220MIDCarbs (22 grams) come largely from refined binders and sweeteners—tapioca and brown rice syrups, agave, and grape juice concentrate—plus sweetened dried cherries and a little starch from brown‑rice crisps. That mix leans toward quicker energy, while added soluble tapioca fiber and the bar’s fats help slow the pace a bit. Think more “swift pick‑me‑up” than the steadiness you’d get from oats or sweet potato.
Sugar
84HIGHThe 8 grams of sugar are primarily from the dark chocolate and sweetened tart cherries, with support from agave and grape juice concentrate—these count as added sugars even though they’re “from fruit.” Monk fruit, a high‑potency sweetener used in tiny amounts, helps keep sugar grams moderate for the category without going bitter. Expect a clearly sweet bar, but not a syrup bomb.
Calories
220210MIDAt 220 calories, most energy is split between fat (from almonds and cocoa butter) and carbohydrates (from syrups, fruit, and crisps), with protein playing a supportive role. In rough terms, fat provides the largest share, carbs are close behind, and protein contributes the rest. It eats like a satisfying snack bar rather than a meal replacement.
Vitamins & Minerals
Iron lands at about 10% of daily value, largely thanks to cocoa solids and almonds. You’ll also see small amounts of calcium and potassium from nuts and chocolate, but this isn’t a vitamin‑fortified bar. Consider the minerals a pleasant bonus to the flavor.
Additives
Processing aids are minimal and purposeful: sunflower lecithin in the chocolate keeps it smooth, and natural cherry flavor nudges aroma. The “prebiotic” tapioca fiber is a refined, soluble fiber (resistant dextrin) added for texture and fiber, while a rice‑and‑oat fiber blend adds bulk. Monk fruit is a concentrated fruit‑derived sweetener used in pin‑drop amounts to boost sweetness without sugar.
Ingredient List
Almonds
Almond tree seeds
Ground roasted almonds
Almond kernels
Cassava starch
Sugarcane and sugar beet
Roasted cacao nibs from cocoa beans
Cocoa beans
Defatted cacao bean solids
Sunflower seeds
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I recently discovered Zing bars and I’m obsessed.”
“These Zing bars are my absolute favorites. Aloha gets second place.”
“Zing Bars ~ 220cal (25g carbs) Vegan, Cherry almond is the best and it tastes like a marzipan candy bar.”
Main Praise
Taste leads the parade here. Fans consistently praise Zing for nailing the chocolate-cherry combo—rich cocoa, real tart cherries, and an almond base that gives a faint marzipan vibe without tipping into cloying.
Reviewers who care about ingredients also like that the sweetness comes from syrups and fruit concentrates, with a tiny lift from monk fruit, not the harsher-tasting sweeteners you see elsewhere.
The texture tends to the fudgey side, which a lot of people find craveable, and several buyers say a bar reliably curbs chocolate cravings without launching them into a sugar spiral.
Media nods back this up: Prevention and Eat This, Not That! both frame Zing as a smart, quality-ingredient choice for everyday snacking.
Put simply, it feels like a treat that still plays nice with your day.
Main Criticism
The biggest friction point is the reformulation to plant-based a while back. Some long-time Zing loyalists preferred the old whey-based bars and feel the newer versions lost a bit of punch and distinctiveness.
Texture can divide people too: plenty call it soft and fudgey; others say it reads a bit gritty or too delicate, especially in warm conditions. A few reviewers don’t find it particularly filling compared with 20-gram protein heavy-hitters.
And while 8 grams of sugar is moderate, the bar still leans on refined binders and syrups for structure, which won’t be every shopper’s favorite approach.
The Middle Ground
So which story wins: the indulgent-tasting, dietitian-crafted snack or the not-what-it-used-to-be bar? The truth is somewhere practical.
If you chase maximum protein, 11 grams won’t dethrone your whey brick; if you want a vegan bar that tastes like an actual chocolate-cherry dessert, this one overdelivers. Texture complaints are real but inconsistent—one Amazon reviewer calls it fudgey and a little gritty, another calls it their perfect pre-gym snack.
That suggests the mouthfeel lands in a sweet spot for some and a miss for others, likely depending on expectations and temperature.
As for the ingredient shift, the critique from a Redditor who misses the old whey era is valid—but it also highlights what Zing is now: a plant-based bar that leans on nuts, rice protein, and prebiotic fiber, and is proud of it.
If you’re sensitive to added soluble fibers, you might test half a bar first and see how you feel. Otherwise, the math tilts in Zing’s favor if taste, clean-leaning ingredients, and vegan credentials matter most.
What's the bottom line?
Zing Dark Chocolate Cherry is a flavor-first, plant-based bar that tastes like a cherry-almond truffle and behaves like a sensible snack. You get 11g of protein, 11g of fat (largely from almonds and cocoa butter), and 22g of carbs with 8g of sugar, plus a short list that leans on real dark chocolate and tart cherries. It’s not built to be your 20g post-lift anchor; it’s built to satisfy a chocolate craving while keeping your day on the rails.
If you love that classic cherry-chocolate pairing and want vegan, gluten-free, and no sugar alcohols, this is an easy recommendation. Watch-outs are straightforward: texture skews soft and can read slightly gritty to some, the chocolate can soften in heat, and the sweetness comes from refined syrups and fruit concentrates as much as from fruit itself. Allergens are real—almonds are front and center.
But if your goal is a dessert-adjacent snack that respects your ingredients list, Zing lands in the sweet spot. 11g protein, 8g sugar, 220 calories; tastes like a cherry-almond truffle and quells chocolate cravings. Best for snack time, not max-protein recovery; texture is soft and can feel slightly gritty to some.