The fear of protein bars!
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I find it worrying that you find calories, carbs and fat concerning. All food is calories. Your body needs calories for energy. All food is made up of macronutrients....you need macronutrients to survive too.
Protein is the same calorie value per gram as carbs, so why do you not find protein concerning?
Fat is more calorie dense, but still essential for your body to function properly.
I don't think many (if any) protein bars are worth the calories, I'd rather spend my calories on something else. If you want them because you like them and they fit your lifestyle, make them fit just like you would any food.
If you're low on protein, a powder will likely give you the best bang for your calorie spend - I can't say I've ever bought one that's packed with calories, or fat or sugar. You don't even need to get one with artifical sweeteners if you're also concerned about consuming those.2 -
annacole94 wrote: »I buy the Kirkland ones at Costco because they're relatively less expensive. They taste pretty good, and I like the macros/fiber.
I switch between those and the ON protein bars (favoring whichever is on sale).
Although the Kirkland bars are a little cheaper and slightly lower in sugar, for some reason I find the ON bars more filling.
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Yeah I think I understand how to cut and chew, thanks.5 -
A real protein bar will have around 18g of protein or more for 200 calories. The rest are 'energy' bars, whatever that means.
I'm still looking for one that is worth the calories (and price).3 -
I eat these as a snack most days of the week. I find that most are around 200 calories...not really too bad. I find the good quality protein bars give me the sustained energy to not be tempted by snacks, keep focused at work, and otherwise keep on track. The convenience also keeps me from avoiding excuses to buy a stupid snack.
If I were doing a very low calorie limit I think this would be problematic, but at 1600 I do it regularly. (I also typically do about 250-400 cal in exercise).2 -
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I'm considering getting some protein bars/protein shake mixes to add to my weight loss diet however I'm concerned because I see a lot of them are packed with calories, fat and sugar.
Read the ingredients and pick the ones that fit your goals.
One question is what you want to use them for. They don't help with weight loss (or hurt). They are just another food. I use protein powder occasionally to add protein to breakfast. (I mix it with yogurt and almond butter sometimes, and used to mix it with oats. In the summer I sometimes make smoothies for breakfast and add it, because otherwise they are IMO too low in protein. I like breakfast to have at least 30 g of protein. As for protein bars, they can be a more filling/less easy to overeat/easier to fit with your macros kind of dessert, or I used to carry them around since if I couldn't get a meal they would do as a substitute in a pinch. (A Quest bar and various other common protein bars are only about 190-210 calories, so for me a meal would be 2 of them. In that case that they have some fat and carbs is probably not a bad thing, as just protein isn't a good meal replacement for most.) At this point I rarely eat them as I'd rather have a more special dessert more rarely and normally I don't like to snack, but I do bring them with me if traveling.I've also read some stories on here that people have gained weight eating them. I'm wondering if any of you have success stories keeping the weight off with them and what brands/flavors
You definitely can overeat them -- the calories count, as with any food. Some people find them harder to overeat than others.
They don't keep weight off unless they fill you up better than other things you would eat or replace other choices that you would be more likely to overeat.1 -
I don't have any reason to eat a protein bar. I do supplement with whey protein, but it's just protein and nothing else. You gain weight when you consume more calories than your body requires to maintain the status quot...it has zip to do with whether you eat a protein bar or not.2
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I use them both from time to time. I keep some pure protein bars at my office for when I haven't had breakfast (better than the drive thru) or when I have forgotten my lunch.
And, I usually have some vanilla whey protein powder at the house to beef up a smoothie and make me more likely to make it to lunch.
I try not to rely on either of these things regularly but they do have their place1 -
Some protein bars contain the artificial sweetener sucralose, which I find nasty and thus protein bars containing it inedible.
A lot protein bars contain soy protein isolate, which I also dislike, but would eat in a pinch. It also depends on how much of it they use. I like the ThinkThin Peanut 150 calorie/10 g protein bars but not the 240 calorie/20 g protein bars. I don't like the Cliff High Protein bars either, but love their regular bars, which may not have much better macros than a Snickers.
It's honestly just easier (for me) and tastier to have cottage cheese with pumpkin seeds for a snack.
Nom nom nom.3 -
Thanks everyone for the plethora of comments. Tons of useful information! I'm going to go to Whole Foods and check their options. As long as I check the ingredients I'm sure I find a brand/flavor I like. Thanks again! 0
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I add hydrolyzed collagen to my coffee every morning. It's not as protein dense as some other things (11g for 43 calories), but it's practically invisible as to taste/texture. You could add it to all sorts of things without even knowing it's there because it's completely soluble. I use Great Lakes brand.0
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TheGaudyMagpie wrote: »I add hydrolyzed collagen to my coffee every morning. It's not as protein dense as some other things (11g for 43 calories), but it's practically invisible as to taste/texture. You could add it to all sorts of things without even knowing it's there because it's completely soluble. I use Great Lakes brand.
I bought some Great Lakes gelatin a while back but have been afraid to try it in hot liquids. Thanks for the reminder
Just had some in room temperature tea and didn't care for it but I think hot coffee would be better.0 -
dont b afraid im tiny and been eating 3-5 a day for years1
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Simply Protein (whey) protein bars are great. Minimal sugar, a good amount of protein and only 140 calories. And they are yummy.0
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IIFYM. If It Fits Your Macros. If you have the calories, need the protein, have no medical issues with sugar or fat, and it isn't screwing up your macros, then I say have the protein bar. I used to eat a very large one every morning for a mid-morning snack, then I discovered for the same calories I could make myself a multigrain muffin with egg, cheese, and turkey sausage as a mid-morning snack for the same calories. Maybe a hair less protein (but more fiber which is a bonus) but hey, it makes for a great mid-morning snack and is cheaper than most protein bars to make. As long as you don't go overboard no macro or micro (fat, carbs, sugar, etc.) is inherently bad for you in moderation unless of course you have a medical reason to avoid it.0
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