Protein Bars.. which one to get?!

Biggipooh

Chicken or Protein Bars?

macdiver

I read an article once where a trainer commented that rather than eat the average protein bar, you could eat a chicken breast AND a snickers bar, have better candy AND better protein, and still have less total calories.

Let's look at the maths in that for a minute

125g Chicken breast = 38g protein and 170 calories
Snickers bar = 4g protein and 296 calories
Total = 42g protein and 466 calories

Pro Bar 30 = 34g protein and 272 calories

1 and a half Protein bars = 51g protein and 408 calories

That article you read had an agenda and you bought into it

I recently read the same article. The writer actually said 1 chicken breast and 1/2 a snickers bar. That would be

40 grams of protien and 268 calories compared to one of your pro bar 30's of 34 grams protien and 272 calories.

If you look at most of the recommendations above the "protein bars" are only 10 - 15 grams of protien and still over 200 calories which was what the original author was really comparing to the chicken breast / snickers combination. I wish I could find the article and post a link. I have read too many articles in the last week.

Wonderob

Chicken or Protein Bars?

There are many on here that subscribe to the point of view of 'all or not at all'
In other words you should always eat whatever is best for you regardless of convenience, taste, preferance etc.

That's fine if you're that way inclined and you'll get no arguments from me as to what is better nutritionally, chicken or processed chocolate covered protein bars.

Unfortunately though I know that I will not be able to sustain a 'perfectly balanced', non-processed, diet for very long, therefore I chose to eat some foods that are not ideal

My compromise is that when I snack on a bar of something, I make sure it's one of the 'better' bad foods. Protein bars are a good example. I want a snack so I can chose between a Mars bar with very little protein and lots of sugar and calories, or a protein bar packed with protein and with relatively low calories

Wonderob

I recently read the same article. The writer actually said 1 chicken breast and 1/2 a snickers bar. That would be

40 grams of protien and 268 calories compared to one of your pro bar 30's of 34 grams protien and 272 calories.

If you look at most of the recommendations above the "protein bars" are only 10 - 15 grams of protien and still over 200 calories which was what the original author was really comparing to the chicken breast / snickers combination. I wish I could find the article and post a link. I have read too many articles in the last week.

Half a bar - yeah I'm sure the figures are better for that but theyve clearly manipulated the figures to make their point

Why not go for the chicken and 1/4 of a Snickers bar - WAY better figures that way!

It's 3oc in the afternoon at work and I'm starving! I can:
A) Snack on my protein bar and add a nice 33g of protein to my macros
Or
Find some way of heating up my chciken that I prepared earlier in the day (I don't like cold meats), eat that on it's own (Very appetizing!!) Then cut my Snickers bar in two and have the discipline to wrap the remaining bit up for another day!

I chose A

SeaChele77

Love Quest Bars!!!

You can buy them online directly or from GNC or Vitamin Shoppe

Pami559

Think Thin Bars, no sugar! Also, I am on the Body by Vi shakes, all the protien I need!

DeathKitty23

YOu'll fins a lot of bars will be quite high in carbs, sugar and/or fat as ppl tend to use them for meal replacements
Maximuscle/miston seem to be one of the lowest in net carbs that i can get a hols of a my local supplement store but they are quite chewy
Flavorwise there a tonnes out there that can satisfy anyone
I tend to go to the shop and have a read at the packets to see what fits in my macros

NovemberJune

Here is what I have been buying. I think it's good ?

Life Choice High Protein Bar - Peanut Butter Extreme: 210 calories, 21 g protein, 14 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 8 g fat, 125 mg sodium

pixelberry

I like the QuestBar line - they have 2, one uses a small amount of sugar alcohols and the other does not. Chocolate Brownie has been one of my favorites, 170 calories, 24g Carbs (Net 5g Carbs), 19g Fiber, 1g Sugar, and 20g Protein. Only places I can find them is GNC or the Vitamin Shoppe, else I have to buy them online.

*Edit: I've found them best when nuked in the microwave for about 20 seconds to soften them up.

Huffdogg

I read an article once where a trainer commented that rather than eat the average protein bar, you could eat a chicken breast AND a snickers bar, have better candy AND better protein, and still have less total calories.

Let's look at the maths in that for a minute

125g Chicken breast = 38g protein and 170 calories
Snickers bar = 4g protein and 296 calories
Total = 42g protein and 466 calories

Pro Bar 30 = 34g protein and 272 calories

1 and a half Protein bars = 51g protein and 408 calories

That article you read had an agenda and you bought into it

I recently read the same article. The writer actually said 1 chicken breast and 1/2 a snickers bar. That would be

40 grams of protien and 268 calories compared to one of your pro bar 30's of 34 grams protien and 272 calories.

If you look at most of the recommendations above the "protein bars" are only 10 - 15 grams of protien and still over 200 calories which was what the original author was really comparing to the chicken breast / snickers combination. I wish I could find the article and post a link. I have read too many articles in the last week.

Thanks for the clarification there. I know it has been a year or so since I read the article so I suspected that I was mucking up a detail. The point still stands, IMO.

MDWilliams1857

And the bars the article was probably talking about are the big MET RX bars that are 410 calories, 42g carbs, and 30g protein.

bpotts44

http://scoobysworkshop.com/healthy-inexpensive-meal-replacement-bars/

.60 each.

jenshoeee

My favorite is Detour Lean Muscle Bar - Cookie Dough Caramel Crisp flavored. They're huge, so I only eat half at a time.

Half of one has 185 calories, 17 g carbs and 16 g protein. Not sure on how much sugar. The important thing is, they fill you up.

Wonderob

I read an article once where a trainer commented that rather than eat the average protein bar, you could eat a chicken breast AND a snickers bar, have better candy AND better protein, and still have less total calories.

Let's look at the maths in that for a minute

125g Chicken breast = 38g protein and 170 calories
Snickers bar = 4g protein and 296 calories
Total = 42g protein and 466 calories

Pro Bar 30 = 34g protein and 272 calories

1 and a half Protein bars = 51g protein and 408 calories

That article you read had an agenda and you bought into it

I recently read the same article. The writer actually said 1 chicken breast and 1/2 a snickers bar. That would be

40 grams of protien and 268 calories compared to one of your pro bar 30's of 34 grams protien and 272 calories.

If you look at most of the recommendations above the "protein bars" are only 10 - 15 grams of protien and still over 200 calories which was what the original author was really comparing to the chicken breast / snickers combination. I wish I could find the article and post a link. I have read too many articles in the last week.

Thanks for the clarification there. I know it has been a year or so since I read the article so I suspected that I was mucking up a detail. The point still stands, IMO.

Does it? That you could keep reducing the amount of a Snickers bar you eat until the figures matched up?

I'm pretty sure you could do the same thing with any food

Eggs are a good source of protein - but Chicken and a bit of a Snickers bar would still be better!
Fish - yeah good, but chciken and a bit of a Snickers bar would still be better

etc etc

macdiver

The way I took the article was not a recommendation to eat 1/2 a snicker bar and a chicken breast but to realize that most protien bars are still "candy". They are acceptable in any diet but need to be accounted for accordingly.

Wonderob

The way I took the article was not a recommendation to eat 1/2 a snicker bar and a chicken breast but to realize that most protien bars are still "candy". They are acceptable in any diet but need to be accounted for accordingly.

That's just it though - they simply arent 'just candy'

Candy is empty calories, no nutrtional value at all, eaten for pleasure

Protein bars have nutritional value and are a benefit to those that would otherwise struggle to reach their desired protein intake.

It's too simplified to present a list of good foods and say we should eat these; and then a list of bad foods and say we shouldn't.

If you are going to eat what is perceived to be the perfect diet of 'real food' consisting of fruit, veg, fish lean meat and water, then Protein bars are not going to feature

If you want to have a decent, healthy, diet where your macros are well balanced and you are having enough protein to sustain muscle growth then protein bars can very much feature - 'just candy' does not!

DrMAvDPhD

Make your own with whey protein.

Determinednoob

Only read OP. I suggest chicken. Or any other lean meat.

macdiver

The way I took the article was not a recommendation to eat 1/2 a snicker bar and a chicken breast but to realize that most protien bars are still "candy". They are acceptable in any diet but need to be accounted for accordingly.

That's just it though - they simply arent 'just candy'

Candy is empty calories, no nutrtional value at all, eaten for pleasure

Protein bars have nutritional value and are a benefit to those that would otherwise struggle to reach their desired protein intake.

It's too simplified to present a list of good foods and say we should eat these; and then a list of bad foods and say we shouldn't.

If you are going to eat what is perceived to be the perfect diet of 'real food' consisting of fruit, veg, fish lean meat and water, then Protein bars are not going to feature

If you want to have a decent, healthy, diet where your macros are well balanced and you are having enough protein to sustain muscle growth then protein bars can very much feature - 'just candy' does not!

My understanding of the article was that if you are eating one of the protein bars that have 10 to 15 grams of protien, then you are not really getting that much protein. If you need protein then eat a lean source of protein like a chicken breast or have a protein shake. There are some protein bars that have significant protein but not many. Look at the recommendations from people in this thread most of them have less than 20 grams of protein and equal or more carbs (mostly from sugars).

There is nothing wrong with candy bars. I eat one frequently. I just make sure that I am within my calories and have satisfied my protein requirements. I eat a lot of protein. My goal is 1.5 grams of protein per pound of my body weight. This requires a lot of meat and a daily protein shake. A 10 gram protein bar would not make much difference..

dougt333

When needed, I use Nutrilite, but in all reality just eat chicken breast or turkey