Protein Bars.. which one to get?!

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  • MDWilliams1857
    MDWilliams1857 Posts: 315 Member
    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
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/healthy-inexpensive-meal-replacement-bars/

    .60 each.
  • jenshoeee
    jenshoeee Posts: 29 Member
    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
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    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
    macdiver Posts: 145 Member
    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
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    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
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Make your own with whey protein.
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    Only read OP. I suggest chicken. Or any other lean meat.
  • macdiver
    macdiver Posts: 145 Member
    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
    dougt333 Posts: 697
    When needed, I use Nutrilite, but in all reality just eat chicken breast or turkey
  • cball3394
    cball3394 Posts: 19
    I use protein bars when I'm in a hurry for work and cant eat breakfast. Also if my lunch and workout are far between each other. I really like the marathon bars by snickers. They taste really good and are pretty cheap. The caloric value is a little higher then some bars but its worth it for the taste. It's kind of like getting to eat a candy bar for a meal without it being horrible for you and actually filling you up. Hah
  • cball3394
    cball3394 Posts: 19
    Also the total lean drinks by gnc.. Are a really great protein drink. You can pretty much always find them on sale and they are much better then the protein shakes I make myself with powder!
  • MSxJENNY
    MSxJENNY Posts: 106 Member
    Thanks everyone!!!!!! You are all informative!
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    I eat luna bars every day but I also like simply bars.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    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..

    That's fair enough. My protein goal is similar, (although I'm closer to 1g per pound than 1.5g); therefore I also eat a fair bit of chicken and a protein shake.

    But I find I need to snack frequently and where I used to have 3 or 4 candy bars a day (less than 10g of protein total!) I now have 3 or 4 high protein bars (25-35g protein) so that 100g of protein IS significant!

    However I completely concede that Protein bars are certainly far from an ideal source of protein, not to mention an expensive way of getting it! Works for me though
  • EPortJake
    EPortJake Posts: 54 Member
    I think the bars are good if you don't have access to proper food for a prolonged period of time - effectively a stopgap. I work night shifts so I am asleep for x hours, wake, go the gym, work. Having a proper meal before the gym isn't feasible because I don't want to be bagged up doing cardio. I eat a bar after my cardio during my weights to keep my protein intake for the day high but also for energy during my workout. I'll have one occassionally as a treat, but it is an expensive way to treat yourself as they can be costly and some of them frankly taste crap so it is hardly a treat.
    Protein bar is a bit misleading IMO - most of them are just low-fat snacks/food really (and some of the high calorie ones are actually basically just candy).
    Natural sources are always going to be better and there are loads of ways to make cold chicken/turkey/fish taste great. You could have a look at the recipes board for some inspiration.

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