Product Review: Nutrition bars

Eating on the go, whether you are on a gluten free diet or not, is a resort many of us make even when we try to eat healthy and whole foods on a daily basis.  Furthermore, if you are trying to eat every few hours, a snack bar can help when the urge to eat kicks in and when you are trying to resist processed foods, the nutrition bar seems like a healthy option. Today, the shelves of grocery and health food stores are lined with energy bars, protein bars, nutrition bars and snack bars for your convenience.  But the nutrition bar jungle makes selecting the best one hard to do.  They all offer some kind of supplement in an easy to eat bar loaded with proteins, fiber, fruits, etc. Some nutrition bars contain too much sugars or gluten, for those watching wheat consumption, but the main point is to eat a bar full of nutrition.  Below is an analysis of nutrition bars to see how they stock up and assist you in making a powerful punch with your purchase.

Nutrition bars come in a variety of flavors and with a variety of names:

Protein barsEnergy barsMeal-replacement barsWhole Food bars

However, those categorized as nutrition bars differ from snack bars (granola) or candy or chocolate bars by the following characteristics:

Larger by WeightHigher protein (between 10-30 grams/bar)Fiber content

Within the broad category of nutrition bars, there is a huge difference in nutrition value.

Fiber – To promote natural elimination and reduce cholesterolSaturated Fat – “Bad” fat, should only 1/3 of total dietary fatTotal Fat – Whole foods such as nuts are naturally high in fatSugar Alcohols – Too much sugar causes bloating, gas and laxative effectAdded Vitamins

Here are nutrition bars by category, including a brief description of flavor and notes on each bar’s strength or weakness.  Note which bars are safe for gluten free consumption.

Balance Nutrition Energy Bar/High Protein Yogurt Honey Peanut: Slightly dry. Mild peanut flavor. Higher in protein than most energy bars.Greens+® Natural Energy Bars Mad with Organic Superfoods and High Energy Herbal Extracts: Moist and chewy. Herbal tea-like flavor. Higher fat than other energy bars, less saturated fat.Promax™ Double Fudge Brownie: Brownie-like taste, slightly dry. Similar nutrition ratios as Balance energy bar but larger.



(These two pack 12-14 grams of fiber into modest sized bars. 20 grams/fiber a day is recommended for adults. While these bars will surely provide fiber, they tend to have relatively little protein and should not be considered as meal replacements.  They may also have a laxative effect.)

 

gnu® flavor & fiber Cinnamon Raisin Bars: Like a soft, grainy cookie. Cinnamon flavor. Most fiber per gram of bar and no saturated fat. Low in calories. Renew Life® High Fiber Bar (Gluten Free): Moist and chewy with bits of nuts. Apple cinnamon aroma. Highest fiber in a bar. No saturated fat. Somewhat less protein than gnu bar (above). Low in calories. Dairy Free. Soy Free. Kosher.Met-Rx® Big 100 Colossal Super Cookie Crunch: Chocolate and vanilla flavored coating. Crunchy chocolate-flavored center. Large bar. High in sugar, but less sugar per gram than many other bars and no sugar alcohols. Most fat is saturated. Has the most saturated fat (8 grams), although it also had the most protein.MHP Probolic®-SR Chocolate Marshmallow Chunk: Slightly dry, thick and chewy. Chocolate flavor. Low in sugar, but high in sugar alcohol. Most fat is saturated.Muscletech® Nitro-Tech Hardcore® Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip: Slightly dry but chewy. Mildly sweet. Lowest calories among protein bars tested. High in sugar alcohols. Most of fat is saturated. Pure Protein®, 31 g Protein, Chocolate Peanut Butter: Chewy and slightly dry.  Mildly sweet. Some sugar alcohols. VPX Zero Impact™ High Protein Mealbar™ Original! Tonaline® SesaTrim™ Fat Burning Fats™ Pumpkin Supreme: Slightly dry, even- textured. Mild pumpkin flavor. High in fat, but most is not saturated. Does not list amount of sugar alcohols, but contains small amount of erythritol (a sugar alcohol less likely to cause g.i. upset). Soy Free. Kellogg’s™ Special K Protein Double Chocolate: Mildly chewy with slightly crunchy crisps. Mild chocolate flavor. More fiber than other tested bars in this category but fats are mostly saturated and has a small amount of hydrogenated fat (less than 0.5 mg). Luna® Lemon Zest®: Crunchy rice with lemon coating on bottom. Mildly sweet. Some saturated fat. Met-Rx® Big 100 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Doughy with some crunch. Very big bar. Fairly high in protein. Among bars providing large amounts of protein, this bar the lowest amount of saturated fat (2.5 grams).Organic Food Bar™ Original (Gluten Free): Moist and chewy. Clear taste of dates. Fairy high in protein and fiber. Somewhat high in fat‚ though most is not saturated fat. Has a fair amount of fat – 14 grams – likely coming from its top-listed ingredient, almond butter, but is low in saturated fat. South Beach Diet™ Meal Replacement Bar, Caramel Peanut Crisp: Somewhat crispy with light coating on bottom. Peanut flavor. High in protein. Most of carbs are sugar alcohols. Zone Perfect® Double Chocolate: Crunchy with chocolate coating. High percent of fat is saturated. Odwalla® bar® Strawberry Pomegranate Organic Food Bar™ Original: Slightly chewy and grainy. Fruity aroma. Low in fat (so relatively low calories per gram of bar). Label suggests use as snack or meal-on-the-go‚ but little protein, so more like a snack.Slim-Fast Optima® Peanut Butter Crunch, Snack Bar: Chocolate covered with crispy peanut brittle-like center. Small bar. Fair amount of sugar alcohols
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Larabar® Pecan Pie (Gluten Free): Moist and slightly chewy. Clear taste of dates and chopped nuts. True “whole food” bar. Relatively high in fat due to nuts, making it relatively high in calories per gram of bar. Relative low in saturated fat. Dairy Free. Soy Free. Kosher. Vegan. Fat accounts for over 30% of the total 45 gram weight of this bar, which is made entirely of dates, pecans and almonds.  Soyjoy™ Apple (Gluten Free): Cake-like and slightly hard with bits of raisins. Small bar, so low in total calories but relatively high in calories per gram of bar.Next time you grab a nutrition bar from the grocery check-out lane for the convenience, consider the demand for health more than simply time savings.

Next time you grab a nutrition bar from the grocery check-out lane for the convenience, consider the demand for health more than simply time savings.

                                    

                                      
















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