Nutrition Bars

Not long ago, the energy bar  market consisted of few choices. Today, the energy bar market offers a cornucopia of products that fill a number of categories and needs. Whether you’re looking for a low calorie snack, a tasty alternative to a candy bar, or a protein packed post-workout bar,  there’s a bar out there for you. More importantly, bland, tasteless, gummy, and downright disgusting bars are a thing of the past as today’s bars taste better. Flavors like cookie dough,  country blueberry pie,  peanut marshmallow eclipse,  chocolate fudge,  and strawberry shortcake  can often taste almost as good as a candy bar. But it’s important to be label-conscious as many bars can pack as much sugar and fat and as many calories as the snacks they’re replacing.

Factors in Choosing a Nutrition Bar

Price Range

  • As bars have diversified so have prices -- a quality protein bar  can be pretty expensive.
  • Depending on size, quality, content, and the number of bars you buy, prices can range from under a dollar to as much as $5 per bar.
  • More expensive bars are usually made with better ingredients and contain more protein. 

Nutritional Content

  • Grams of Protein Per Serving
    • The measure of protein in each bar is important both as a nutritional element and as an element of quality.
    • Typically the more protein the better, and the more expensive the bar.
  • Grams of Carbs and Sugar Per Serving
    • If you’re looking for an endurance bar you’ll want more carbs, while you’d want fewer carbs in a diet bar.
    • More important than the overall carb count is the bar’s sugar content, as that will have more of an effect on weight gain.
  • Grams Fat Per Serving
    • Most bars will be low in fat, but it’s always important to monitor how much fat you’re consuming.

Types of Bars

Manufacturers

Protein Bars 

  • These bars are designed to deliver a substantial serving of protein for a post workout snack.
  • They’ll often be higher in calories and larger, often with as many as 30 grams of protein per serving.
  • Here are the best protein bars:

Diet Bars 

Meal Replacement Bars 

  • These bars are designed for people trying to supplement a meal.
  • There are two main types of meal replacement bars, those for people trying to gain weight and those for people trying to lose weight.
  • Calories, carbs, and protein will vary.
  • Try these meal replacement bars:

Energy Bars 

  • Energy bars are generally designed for endurance athletes.
  • They have more carbs to provide “fuel”.
  • Some of the best energy bars are:
Related Topics

Energy Gels 

Endurance Drinks 

Fitness

Protein

Vitamins

External Links

  • Good Healthy Change advice for making that leap to making a lifestyle change that will help you look and feel better about yourself
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