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Clif, Luna, Odwalla, Atkins, Zone, Balance, Power…with so many choices, how are you supposed to decide which energy bar is right for you? Selecting an energy bar has become about as overwhelming as choosing a box of cereal. There are simply too many options! Once you find a bar you like, you often stick by it loyally, buying it in bulk when possible and shunning other bars, as if you’ve conducted a scientific analysis and found all other bars to be nutritionally inferior to yours.Use the guidelines outlined below to choose healthier energy bars - that is, more like real foods and less like enriched candy bars.
When possible, choose whole food snacks over energy bars. Many of the most popular energy bars contain approximately 200 calories. Here are a few ideas for healthy, under-200 calorie snacks that may be eaten on the run:
• Apple and 2 oz part-skim mozzarella string cheese (160 calories, 17g protein, 19g carb, 3g fat,3g fiber, 14 g sugar)
• Pear with small handful (2 tbsp) of raw almonds (200 calories, 4 g protein, 29g carb, 9g fat, 7g fiber, 17g sugar)
• ½ peanut butter & jelly sandwich (with natural peanut butter and all-fruit preserves on whole grain bread) (170 calories, 6g protein, 20g carb, 9g fat, 6g fiber, 5g sugar)
• ½ cup trail mix (cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, semi-sweet chocolate chips, raisins) (140 calories, 5g protein, 10g carb, 11g fat, 2g fiber, 2g sugar)
If you choose to eat energy bars, here are a few suggestions:
1. Don’t eat an energy bar – and especially the same energy bar - every day. Just as you should vary your breakfasts, lunches and dinners, you should eat a variety of snacks as well. Variety in your diet assures that you are getting a range of nutrients, so if you fall short on one day, it will balance out the next.
2. Look at the ingredient list: if it looks like a foreign language or it takes you more than 30 seconds to read the ingredients, put the bar down. You shouldn’t need a nutritional interpreter to help you figure out what you’re putting into your body. Go for those bars that are based on whole foods (see list below for recommendations).
3. Beware of “low carb” bars that contain glycerin in the ingredient list. What you see may not be what you’re getting.
In April and May of 2001, Consumerlab.com, a company that independently tests supplements and food products, tested 30 nutrition bars. An alarming 60% failed to meet their labeling claims, most frequently due to undeclared amounts of carbohydrates. Nutrition bar manufacturers evidently decided that glycerin, which adds a sweet taste and moist texture to nutrition bars, is not a carbohydrate, in spite of the fact that the FDA considers it such. So if a bar claims to contain an exceptionally low carb count and you see glycerin on the ingredient list, assume you’re being duped.
4. Avoid bars containing partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated fats. Research indicates that hydrogenated fats produce trans fats, which may increase risk for heart disease even more than saturated fats. Healthier sources of fats include nuts, seeds and unsaturated oils.
5. When deciding on an energy bar, consider its purpose. Is it: (a) before a workout for energy; (b) as a meal replacement; (c) as a snack or (d) as a sweet treat?
If your answer is: (a) your bar should be heavier on the carbs rather than protein or fat since carbs are used as your primary energy source. (b) nutritionists generally do not recommend using energy bars as meal replacements; but if necessary, a higher calorie bar is okay (around 250 calories), especially one that contains some phytonutrients and fiber and is balanced with carbs, protein and fat for sustained energy. (c) if you are trying to lose weight, choose one of the bars with fewer calories (200 calories or less) and a balance of carbs, protein and fat for sustained energy. (d) put down the bar and go for a better snack! Grab a piece of fruit (only 80 or so calories and lots of nutrients) or a one-ounce piece of dark chocolate, which contains polyphenols that are powerful antioxidants.
The following list provides a few recommendations for whole foods-based energy bars:
Bar Cal Carb Prot Fat Sugar Fiber Price
Bodhi Bar 220 31g 5g 8g 12g 4.5g $1.79
Clif 250 43g 11g 6g 20g 5g $1.29
Larabar 190 24g 5g 9g 17g 4g $1.81
Luna 180 24g 10g 4.5g 12g 2g $1.17
Nutiva Bars 210 11g 9g 14g 5g 5g $1.29
Odwalla 250 38g 7g 7g 19g 4g $1.29
Organic Bar 170 21g 8g 6g 13g 5g $1.49
Rebar 160 38g 2g 0g 20g 6g $1.89
While new bars are coming out all the time, you should now be equipped to use the information presented above to make healthier choices.
References:
• Nutrient breakdown for “healthy, under-200 calorie snacks”: Food Processor SQL
• Suggestion #3 (glycerin): http://consumerlab.com/results/nutbars.asp
• Suggestion #4 (transfat statement): http://www.mercola.com/2000/jun/10/trans_fats.htm
• Whole foods energy bar data
• Some data from chart comes from http://www.prolithic.com/hpages/efoods/barcomp.html
• Other data comes from calling Whole Foods Market in Bellevue, Washington
and PCC Natural Markets in Kirkland, WA
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