The energy bar market has exploded during the past five years. Before that, nobody outside the body-building arena had even heard of them. Now, you can't visit a supermarket, drug store, or convenience store without seeing racks of them.
There are all types of bars--meal replacement, weight loss, high carb, low protein, and performance bars. Each has benefits dependent upon its particular ingredients. Many companies have worked hard to get great taste out of as few calories as possible. So, your choices can now be made on what you need, not just taste.
Calories: Remember that energy comes from calories. The more calories, the more energy there is available. Unfortunately, if you are using meal replacement bars or performance bars with the highest calories, you may be packing on extra pounds for your effort. These types of bars are meant to replace an entire meal and usually have too many calories for a simple snack. If you are using a bar as a snack or as a quick, on-the-go meal, choose bars with fewer calories.
Carbohydrate: Another concern with most of the bars is the carbohydrate content. If you are using a high protein/low carb diet, you will certainly exceed your daily intake if you choose a high carb bar like a Clif Bar. Many bars have as few as 3 grams of carbohydrate, while others can contain 40 or more.
Fat: The next consideration, regardless of your diet type, is fat. Some bars have as little as 1 gram of fat, while others can tip the scale at 5 grams or more. Keep in mind that a gram of fat has 8 calories, and you'll stack up the calories fairly quickly if you aren't careful.
Vitamins: The final consideration when choosing a bar is the vitamin content. Many of the power and energy bars are packed with vitamins and minerals. None of them contain the RDA for all vitamins and minerals, but many have up to 100% of some. Check the label to see if the content is high enough to justify the calorie count and the benefit as a meal replacement. Keep in mind that some vitamins are easily obtained from your other meals, so if a lower calorie alternative is available and you don't really need the boosted bar, choose the low cal bar.
|
