From a Personal Trainer: Which Protein Bars Make You Fat?

skydivelife

"I don't have time to eat right"

In our fast-paced American Economy, convenience and nutrition are constant rivals. It's no surprise, then that the supplement business is a multi-billion dollar industry that has taken America by storm. The cash-cow supplements include things like protein, shake meals, protein bars and diet pills. Protein bars seem like a good idea. They pack easily and usually boast 200 to 300 calories, a perfect snack for anyone on the go....right? The truth is that not all bars are created equal and while some will help as a sort of traveling meal replacer, others are just making you fat.

Types:
Some protein bars were meant to be used as every day snacks while others were built to provide large quantities of calories that will e avilable to the body quickly. Cliff bars are among the most popular that were built to provide fast acting fuel, while their counterparts, "cliff mojo", were created for a slower acting every day snack.

Significance:
The way your bar is built won't have much of an effect on your overall body composition unless you are eating them fairly regularly (3 or more a week). But if you are having them regularly, know that the fast acting bars are designed to release large amounts of simple carbohydrate i to the system very quickly. CLIFF bars have an image of a man rock climbing on the front because that's who they were designed for...people who are in the midst of strenuous activity and need a boost. If a regular person were to consume this bar, the quickly released carbohydrate would try to enter muscles that are already full, there would be a flood of insulin to the system, the carb would be stored as FAT for later use and you are now more prone toward insulin resistance. Soon, you are hungry for more.

Energy bars that were created for every day consumption, however, (CLIFF MOJO) alllow for a slower release of carbohydrate, longer lasting energy and allow you to feel full longer.

Identify
Identifying the right bar for you is as easy as taking time to read the labels on the back. If you need a snack in between meals, shoot for a bar that has at least a 2:1 protein ration (for example, 10 gramss of protein and 20 grams of carbohydrate) like CLIFF MOJO. If your goal is to supply fast acting energy for long distance cycling, running or rock climbing, shoot for a bar with a 4:1 ratio (for example, 10 grams of protein to 40 grams of carbohydrate) and eat it about 45 minutes to an hour in to your exercise.

Avoid any bar that boasts something that is "hydrogenated". If it says hydrogenated, it has trans-fat, regardless of what the package information tells you. This fat has a long track record of helping people need heart surgery to open up the space in their arteries.

Quick tips:
Go get a candy bar (like SNICKERS) and compare it to your favorite protein bar. If they come close, lose it.

IF at all possible, rid yourself of protein bars alll together. The best to get your protein and carbohydrate is from nutrient rich sources like colorful, leafy green vegetables and protein from chicken, turkey, etc.


Good Luck!

Trainer Nate

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kaetra

I want to get some very delicious, high calorie protein bars for my slightly underweight 9 year old. Are there any kid-friendly flavor ones you can recommend?

She is a very picky eater, and only eats veggies, fruits and of course sweets willingly. She won't drink anything but water, refuses juice and milk and will not touch nut butters or most meats. We give her calcium gummy supplements and try to push the cheese and nuts that she will eat. The protein sources are the biggest challenge to find things she will eat and enjoy. I thought maybe a couple protein bars a week could be helpful.

If we could just get a few pounds on her and finally at least be actually on the kids growth chart, even if it's at the very bottom.

jrodx2

Great article! I tend to make my own so that I know all the ingredients in it but if I'm in a pinch, I will grab a protein bar on the go here and there. This will def help me to chose better, when needed, since I've bought both versions of the Cliff bars in the past.


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skydivelife

I want to get some very delicious, high calorie protein bars for my slightly underweight 9 year old. Are there any kid-friendly flavor ones you can recommend?

She is a very picky eater, and only eats veggies, fruits and of course sweets willingly. She won't drink anything but water, refuses juice and milk. We give her calcium gummy supplements and try to push cheese. The protein sources are the biggest challenge to find things she will eat and enjoy. I thought maybe a couple protein bars a week could be helpful.

Yeah! Go as natural as possible. Kind bars are awesome...anything that's just seeds and nuts. Don't worry about the fat, it's good fat.

kaetra

Thanks! I'll look for the Kind bars