With our USDA partners, we have developed a whole-food, multi-component nutrient bars. Previous pilot studies demonstrated that short-term bar consumption results in favorable increases in HDL-cholesterol (HDL-c), particularly large-HDL (HDL-L) in most lean but only in some overweight/obese individuals. Obesity is associated with poor gastrointestinal health and systemic inflammation, which are also associated with low HDL. Our hypothesis is that a carefully formulated nutritional supplement bar delivered in a whole food matrix can correct micronutrient deficiencies in obese adults and have a beneficial impact on indices of insulin dysregulation and the metabolic syndrome. The aims of this project are 1) to characterize the effect size on indices of lipid profile, homocysteine, inflammation, insulin resistance, micronutrient levels, DNA integrity, hunger and satiety, BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure with different formulations of CHORI bar taken twice daily for periods ranging from 2-8 weeks. We will also evaluate gut inflammation, redox status, tissue metals, and DNA integrity with novel exploratory assays that may serve as markers for micronutrient malnutrition and chronic disease risk. 2) Where significant improvement in the outcome variables is observed, we will attempt to "deconstruct" the bars and attempt to determine the active ingredients responsible for these changes.