IO Genix Protein Brownie - Artisanal Protein Brownie

What is the IO Genix Protein Brownie?

IO Genix Protein Brownie is a ready-to-eat brownie, sold individually. A 60 g brownie provides 7.5 g of protein and 6.3 g of carbohydrate, of which only 0.9 g sugars, for 257 kcal. Several versions exist: dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.

What makes the recipe unusual is its base. The first ingredient is egg white, the second almond flour at 22%, and there is neither wheat flour nor added sugar. That is what explains a nutritional profile very unusual for a baked good: a lot of fat, very little carbohydrate.

Put another way, this is not a conventional protein brownie — those are generally built on a base of flour and glucose syrup. It is a baked good designed for a low-carbohydrate diet, and that is a rare position to take. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other snacks of this type in our protein snacks aisle.

What is in a Protein Brownie?

0.9 g of sugars in a whole brownie: that is the figure that defines this product. A conventional bakery brownie of the same weight commonly contains twenty to thirty times more. The per 100 g content, at 1.5 g, puts the product below the European threshold for the low in sugars claim. The sweet taste comes from three sweeteners — isomalt, erythritol and steviol glycosides — and not from sugar.

The fat line, on the other hand, deserves to be faced squarely rather than passed over in silence: 19.4 g per brownie, or 32.4 g per 100 g. That is not a manufacturing flaw, it is the direct consequence of the recipe: almond flour makes up 22% of the product, and almonds are naturally high in fat. Saturates stay low, at 2.9 g per 100 g, which is rather good. But if you are counting your fat, this brownie weighs on the total.

An honest regulatory point, and it runs counter to what you would expect: with 12.5 g of protein for 429 kcal, the share of energy provided by protein works out at approximately 11.7%. The European threshold for the “source of protein” claim is 12%: this product therefore falls just below it, and we will not use the claim. 7.5 g per brownie remains a genuine contribution for a dessert, but this is not a protein snack in the strict sense.

Missing from the manufacturer's file: the fibre content is not disclosed. We will not invent it, even though it would be of interest given the proportion of almond flour. The label on the product you receive is the authority.

Ingredient list

EGG white, ALMOND flour (22%), sunflower oil, sweeteners (isomalt, erythritol, steviol glycosides), chocolate chips (7%) [cocoa mass, sweetener (erythritol), cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), natural vanilla flavouring, sweetener (steviol glycosides)], MILK protein, cocoa powder, skimmed MILK powder, humectant (glycerol), raising agents (sodium bicarbonate, disodium diphosphate), flavourings, preservative (potassium sorbate).

Contains EGGS, MILK and NUTS (almonds). May contain traces of SOYA, PEANUTS, SULPHITES and SESAME.

How do you eat the Protein Brownie?

Serving: 1 brownie of 60 g. Preparation: none, the product is ready to eat. Timing: as a snack between meals, after training, or as a dessert. Frequency: according to your eating plan, allowing for the 257 kcal. Storage: in a cool, dry place.

It is the simplest product in this whole catalogue: there is nothing to measure out, nothing to mix, nothing to bake. That simplicity is its real selling point — a brownie in a gym bag or a desk drawer settles the four o'clock snack question better than a shaker you have to make up.

One warning from the manufacturer deserves to be taken seriously: excessive consumption may have a laxative effect, because of the polyols present. Isomalt and erythritol belong to that family of sweeteners, and how well they are tolerated varies a great deal from one person to the next. One brownie poses no problem at all for the vast majority of people; three in an afternoon is another story. If you are new to this kind of product, start with one and see how you cope with it.

On the calorie side, bear in mind that 257 kcal is not trivial for a snack. It is the equivalent of a light meal, and it comes almost entirely from the fat. On a day when you are counting, it has to be worked in, not added on.

It goes very well with a coffee or a tea, and slips into a low-carbohydrate diet without disrupting it — which is exactly the niche it was designed for. A spoonful of peanut butter on top makes it a more substantial dessert, at the cost of a little extra fat, and a sugar-free topping remains the lightest option.

Who is the Protein Brownie for, and who is it not for?

It suits first of all those following a low-carbohydrate diet and looking for a compatible dessert: with 6.3 g of carbohydrate per unit, it fits into almost any plan. It also suits anyone who needs a portable snack, with no preparation, and who can no longer face protein bars.

It is not suitable for people with a nut allergy: almond flour makes up 22% of the product. This is not a trace, it is the second ingredient in the recipe. Nor is it suitable for people allergic to eggs or milk proteins, or for vegans. Traces of soya, peanuts, sulphites and sesame are also possible.

Nor is it suitable if what you are chiefly after is protein. 7.5 g per unit for 257 kcal is a markedly less favourable ratio than that of a conventional protein bar. This product is first and foremost a low-sugar baked good, not a protein source.

Finally, it is not suitable for people sensitive to polyols, for the reason set out above. That is a matter of individual tolerance, to be tested with one unit, not with a box.

What not to expect from it: this is not a slimming product. 257 kcal is still 257 kcal, and the absence of sugars does not make it a neutral food. What it avoids is the glycaemic load of a conventional baked good — which is genuinely valuable if that is your constraint, and worth nothing if it is the calorie total you are watching.

Protein brownie or protein bar?

Both take up the same space in a bag, and you choose between them according to what you are counting.

A conventional protein bar generally provides 15 to 20 g of protein for a comparable weight, with higher carbohydrate and lower fat. It is the better choice if your aim is protein intake, particularly after training, or if you are watching your fat.

This brownie reverses the profile entirely: little protein, very little carbohydrate, a lot of fat. It is the better choice on a low-carbohydrate diet, at the end of the day when you want a dessert without pushing your carbohydrate up, and for the texture — a bar is still a bar, whereas a brownie is a genuinely moist cake.

If what you need is an indulgent snack with no particular carbohydrate constraint, protein cookies offer a middle ground. And if you are simply trying to hit your daily protein total, a protein powder remains, by a long way, the cheapest solution per gram.

Frequently asked questions

How much sugar is in a brownie?

0.9 g per 60 g brownie, or 1.5 g per 100 g. That is below the European threshold for the “low in sugars” claim. The sweet taste comes from isomalt, erythritol and steviol glycosides, three sugar-free sweeteners.

Why is there so much fat?

Because almond flour makes up 22% of the recipe and almonds are naturally high in fat, with sunflower oil added on top. It is the direct trade-off for a recipe without wheat flour and without sugar: 19.4 g of fat per brownie, of which only 1.7 g saturates.

Is it a source of protein?

Not in the regulatory sense. With 12.5 g of protein for 429 kcal, the share of energy from protein works out at approximately 11.7%, just below the 12% threshold required for the “source of protein” claim. 7.5 g per brownie remains a genuine contribution, but this product is first and foremost a dessert.

Can it have a laxative effect?

The manufacturer flags this in the event of excessive consumption, because of the polyols isomalt and erythritol. One brownie poses a problem for almost nobody; tolerance varies mainly when several are eaten one after another. Start with one unit.

Is it suitable for people with a nut allergy?

No, categorically. Almond flour makes up 22% of the product: it is a main ingredient and not a trace. The brownie is therefore ruled out in cases of nut allergy, with no possible exception.

What is the difference between the versions?

The chocolate chips: dark in one, white in the other. The brownie base remains the same. The exact composition of the chips does differ between versions, however: check the label on the unit you receive if you have an allergy or a specific requirement.

Is it suitable for a low-carbohydrate diet?

That is precisely the product's niche: 6.3 g of carbohydrate per brownie, of which 0.9 g sugars. It fits into most low-carbohydrate plans. Just bear in mind that the 257 kcal count like any other.

Where can you buy the IO Genix Protein Brownie?

The versions can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we hand to customers on a low-carbohydrate diet who tell us they are allowed nothing sweet: 0.9 g of sugars is a concrete answer, and it is worth more than advice about willpower. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.