I suppose I’ve been living in a bubble, because I had never heard of MOSH bars before. There’s a good chance you have, though.
The bars were created by Maria Shriver and Patrick Schwarzenegger, and they got a deal on Shark Tank back in 2024.
I saw them for the first time in Target, and I immediately thought they were going to be a gimmicky cash-grab.
The buzzwords are certainly buzzing, with these bars placing a major emphasis on the fact that they are “brain superfood.” Combine that with some added creatine, and my expectations could not be lower.
They use a “Brain Blend” of Cognizin® Citicoline (I had never heard of it either), Lion’s Mane, KSM-66® Ashwagandha, Omega-3s, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D3.
Now, are those ingredients present in large enough quantities to make any kind of substantial difference, especially in a protein bar that you are probably not eating every single day? Likely not. Does that make these bars gimmicky? Maybe.
Those ingredients have all been proven effective in having some cognitive benefits, but I can’t speak to whether or not the quantities in these bars provide any lasting benefits.
But hey, that’s not why I’m here. I’m here to let you know if these bars are actually worth buying.
Brain-boosting ingredients aside, the macros are solid. 200 calories with 20 grams of protein is the gold standard for protein bars, and with 6 grams of fiber and only 3 grams of sugar, these are very well-rounded.
Add the creatine in there to boot, which seems to be about 3 grams, and you’ve got yourself an impressive bar.
When I first unwrapped the MOSH bar, I was worried that it was going to be extremely chewy. The texture looked like it could be comparable to an early 2000s Power Bar, which had me a bit nervous.
Luckily, I was way off.
I actually really, really enjoy the texture. The bar is soft with a little chew to it, and the crunchy pieces throughout the bar add a really nice contrast. A lot of times brands seem to add protein crisps to their bars just to bump up the protein, but texturally it doesn’t make sense. For MOSH bars, the crisps are necessary and very welcome.
This flavor is oatmeal chocolate chip, and they nailed the oatmeal aspect. Because of the use of actual oats, they accomplished a flavor profile very similar to an oatmeal cookie. The chocolate chips are present, but few and far between, the the chocolate aspect fully depends on the bite you get.
That said, I do find that there is a distinct sweetness to the bar, almost like it was sweetened with dates. I’m guessing it’s just the allulose combined with the tapioca syrup, but the sweetness would lend itself way better to an oatmeal raisin flavor rather than an oatmeal chocolate chip.
Overall, I was thoroughly surprised and impressed with the MOSH bar. So much so that I went back to Target to snag another flavor: peanut butter cup. A chocolate-based flavor is noticeably different, so I was curious how MOSH would fare.
Like the other flavor, the texture of this bar is great. Soft, with a slight chew, and great crunchy pieces throughout.
Overall, the flavor certainly captures the essence of a peanut butter cup. Looking at the bar, I was worried there wouldn’t be enough chocolate, but there’s a good balance here.
That distinct, almost fruity sweetness is present in this bar as well, which makes me wish they could ramp up the peanut butter flavor a bit. When that sweetness comes through, it dulls the nuttiness down, so you don’t get quite the peanut butter cup experience you want.
But, it’s close enough that I won’t complain, especially given the impressive macros and ingredients.
All in all, I absolutely thought MOSH was going to be a gimmick, but the bars won me over. I’m a tough protein bar critic, and I legitimately enjoy these.
Will they actually improve your brain health? I have no idea. But they’re delicious protein bars, with favorable macros and an impressive ingredients list.
