Are Clif and Luna bars ACTUALLY healthy?

katie_30
katie_30 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
I really enjoy them both but they are kind of high calorie and sugar wise. I was wondering if they're actually worth eating as a health food or if it's just "We'll make it look really good for you by making it 'organic' but it's actually chock full of empty calories that won't do a damn thing for you." And if they are healthy, when's the best time to eat them?
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Replies

  • gramacanada
    gramacanada Posts: 557 Member
    Read the labels. Like any granola bar they can be used as treats. Mostly they are a highly advertised expensive form of candy. They have more nutrition than a chocolate bar, but not much. : )
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    They've got a bit of sugar, and they are processed.
    So, healthier than say, a bag of skittles.
    Not as healthy as a bag of raw veggies and some chicken.
  • camrunner
    camrunner Posts: 363
    They fit my definition of "healthy." But I guess that varies from person to person. For me, what's important is that they satisfy my hunger for long enough that the number of calories they have isn't very significant. I mean, I try to average something like 100 calories an hour I spend awake as a baseline, so if I eat a 250 calorie Clif bar and I'm satisfied for 2-3 hours, that's a win in my book.
  • darrenjohnsonn
    darrenjohnsonn Posts: 1 Member
    The bars are good if you are going to be burning up carbs as soon as you eat it and have been before (backpacking,climbing, biking,and such but still better things out there. Theses bars get a really bad rep for being heavily prossesed even though is states all natural.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Nearly all the bars are a lot of advertising hype. They have lots of unrecognizable ingredients and are full of sugar and salt. And when I eat one, I am always hungry right away, probably from the sugar spike. Fruit, veggies and nuts are just as easy and portable and have no additives.
  • whiskeycharged
    whiskeycharged Posts: 400 Member
    I guess it depends on your diet. I used to eat cliff bars all the time but then I realized they didn't fill me up and the nutritional facts were not the best. Even though I love me some protein bars, the amount of carbs n sugar aren't worth it.
  • SamanthaAnnM
    SamanthaAnnM Posts: 143 Member
    Reading threads like this makes me soooo sad, cause I love both Luna and Clif bars! :(
  • KBjimAZ
    KBjimAZ Posts: 369 Member
    Clif bars were "designed" for situations where you need nutrition in a quick, easy, space saving form. (hiking, biking etc) So yes they are a couple of hundred calories and they have sugar value (although they use evaporated cane juice, not HFCS). As much as people would like to think so, they aren't diet food, meal replacement, etc.
  • nerdieprofessor
    nerdieprofessor Posts: 512 Member
    Nearly all the bars are a lot of advertising hype. They have lots of unrecognizable ingredients and are full of sugar and salt. And when I eat one, I am always hungry right away, probably from the sugar spike. Fruit, veggies and nuts are just as easy and portable and have no additives.

    But fruit, veggies and nuts are mostly not so easy to eat while cycling...
  • ifyouwanttosingout
    ifyouwanttosingout Posts: 35
    I highly recommend larabars for a more healthy alternative if you are looking for bars to eat often.
  • pupcamper
    pupcamper Posts: 410 Member
    I like to think of bars like these as 'healthier'! Meaning if I'm in a situation where I don't have/can't have access to anything better then they are fine to have but probably not something to should incorporate in to your everyday meal planning!
  • camrunner
    camrunner Posts: 363
    I think a few people have hit on the real crux of the matter here, which is that products like these are meant to be eaten on the go. They're awesome for that. I keep a handful of Clif bars in my backpack or my car for just that purpose. They shouldn't be something you eat on a regular basis when you're sitting around at home, because you should really be able to find something less expensive and healthier when you're not busy.
  • RejoicingL
    RejoicingL Posts: 95 Member
    They're healthy for me! When I have one in the afternoon it staves of the serious munchies I get, and gives me enough energy to get through the afternoon. And it's much better than the candy bars I used to eat! :P
  • katie_30
    katie_30 Posts: 14
    Thanks everyone!!! This was really helpful :)
  • pstansel74
    pstansel74 Posts: 130 Member
    I eat the Clif Builder Bars now. Slightly more calories but a lot more protein. Usually have 1 a day as a snack. Helps me keep my protein numbers up and I think they fill me up fine.
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
    I use Lara and Luna bars if I am in a hurry and need a quick breakfast. They fill me up and better than McDonalds drive thru.:smile:
  • DMRun
    DMRun Posts: 25
    I will often eat a Luna Bar within a 1/2 hour to hour post long run... for me they are good for getting the protein and carbs I need at that point. I have tried them as a quick breakfast...but they don't have staying power for that. Like others have posted...they are designed to eat during or post activity, that's why they are high in carbs and protein. :)
  • mangoduck
    mangoduck Posts: 35 Member
    Sometimes I'll eat a Luna Bar for a snack, but I've recently switched to Lara Bars for my "oh crap, I don't have time to eat" mini meal. It's not optimal, but it's better than crap.
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 639 Member
    I highly recommend larabars for a more healthy alternative if you are looking for bars to eat often.

    Lara bars are made with dates and high in sugar, I had to stop eating them.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    They're awesome for pre-run carbs.
  • Janice2210
    Janice2210 Posts: 3 Member
    I'm gutted as I love Clif bars but as if I'm honest it's the sugar I'm craving in them and there is a reason I look like a telly tubby and these bars arn't going to get rid of my jelly bell any time soon...wish salad could taste as amazing as Clif bar peanut butter crunch! If I was tall and skinny i'd eat these every day!
  • atheeren
    atheeren Posts: 1 Member
    Frequently I find that I'm about to do something physically intensive with the realization that I haven't eaten anything for several hours and looking at not being able to eat a full meal with enough time to digest before doing whatever it is (mostly beach volleyball league). I find that Clif bars give the energy I need while also being really easy on the stomach while exercising.
  • kmsnyg
    kmsnyg Posts: 100 Member
    I eat a Luna bar everyday and have lost 70 lbs. So I don't care if anyone thinks they are unhealthy. They give me carbs and protein. I enjoy the taste. They fit in my calories.
  • corinic91
    corinic91 Posts: 148 Member
    camrunner wrote: »
    They fit my definition of "healthy." But I guess that varies from person to person. For me, what's important is that they satisfy my hunger for long enough that the number of calories they have isn't very significant. I mean, I try to average something like 100 calories an hour I spend awake as a baseline, so if I eat a 250 calorie Clif bar and I'm satisfied for 2-3 hours, that's a win in my book.
    ^interesting way to look at it, I've never thought about calories that way. I like it!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited October 2014
    Love 'em, and fortified with many of the same chemicals in natural foods that provide vitamins and minerals. Also, Clif bars one of the few that are great for post endurance cardio for that magical 4:1 ratio carbs:protein. Besides, fruits are high in sugar too.
  • AmZam05
    AmZam05 Posts: 130 Member
    I think they are delicious but I don't eat them. I think they are expensive for what you get and I'd rather have something fresh like plain greek yogurt with berries for a protein/carb snack rather than something that has been processed and sits on a shelf for months.

    However if you are really in a pinch I think they are convenient and healthier than grabbing a candy bar, but I personally wouldn't intentionally snack on them if I have time to prepare something healthier.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
    I fit them into my macros a few times a week as an evening snack. Much better for me than what I used to eat 3 months ago :wink:
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    edited October 2014
    I know that the Clif bars have a lot of sugar. I stick to protein bars that have very little sugar.
  • nam985
    nam985 Posts: 140 Member
    Are they the absolute best nutritional choice? Probably not. However when you aren't able to actually sit down and have a nice plate of veggies and hummus or some yogurt with nuts and fruit they aren't the worst. I tend to have them once or twice a week when I am busy teaching dance classes and need a little something to keep me going and prevent me from getting "hangry" (because hell hath no fury like a ballet teacher who hasn't eaten all day!).
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    Neither of them are healthy for me. They both contain soy. Soy screws with my head, so I avoid them like the plague (which sucks because they are yummy!).

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