If you've ever struggled through a challenging final exam or dealt with an overwhelmingly stressful list of responsibilities at work, you'll know that physical exhaustion is not the only barrier to overcome when completing these tasks. Mental fatigue can leave you feeling totally drained and worn-out, even if you've barely moved a muscle all day. You might also struggle with forgetfulness, mood swings, lack of focus, poor decision-making, and other symptoms of stress. They're not just in your head — they're a physical result of your brain's biochemical state.

While studying psychology and neuroscience at Harvard, Will Nitze learned about the human brain and its effects on behavior. When he left academia and entered the workforce, he experienced these problems firsthand. He writes, “Mental fatigue and lack of clarity were daily struggles. In search of a quick-and-easy solution, I turned to sugary snacks and caffeinated drinks, though this just made matters worse – adding sharp energy crashes to my list of cognitive issues.”

Will carefully researched the cognitive benefits of each ingredient present in his IQ Bars.

Eventually, Will found that altering his diet to one free of grains and high in healthy fats improved his mental acuity. After studying the science behind this dietary modification, he decided to develop a snack product that emphasized maintaining short- and long-term cognitive function. He called the product the IQ Bar, and unveiled it in October of 2017.

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Each 45-gram IQ Bar contains five key nutrients which Will says have been scientifically shown to support “long-lasting crash-free energy, improved cognitive performance, and a healthier brain”. You can read his research and list of sources here.

The ingredients used to accomplish this goal are simple and natural, with only 9 or 10 ingredients in each bar. They're also vegan, gluten-free, kosher, paleo, keto, and free of added sugar, dairy, or soy — if any of those things concern you. Most importantly, Will says they're both tasty and good for you.

Three flavors of IQ Bar (seen above) were launched on Kickstarter with an initial funding goal of $10,000, but the campaign has already reached well over triple that goal. If you're interested in learning more about IQ Bars, check out EatIQBar.com or visit the company's Kickstarter page.

Written by Patrick McCarthy