Raising The Bar
With so many energy bars
around, it's tough to know which are best. Till now.
By Liz Applegate Ph.D.
Fewer choices make for
easier decisions, I always say. If you believe this
too, then we're both out of luck when it comes to choosing
the right energy bar.
Talk about choices!
The energy/snack bar market now totals $1.5 billion
a year, with options ranging from basic workout snacks
to meal replacements, weight-loss aids to muscle builders,
even bars designed specifically for women. And while
energy bars were once relegated to the dark corners
of running shops and health-food stores, you can now
find them in just about any grocery store, often right
next to the candy bars.
But which bar is right
for you? That depends on your needs. So to prep you
for your very own bar exam, here's a rundown of the
major energy bar categories, plus my recommendations
on the best bar for you.
High-Carbohydrate Bars
In the mid-1980s, PowerBar made a big splash in the
energy-bar market, as it was specifically designed with
runners' high-carbohydrate needs in mind. Since then,
many other bars have followed suit.
High-carbohydrate bars
generally supply about 200 to 260 calories, with over
70 percent of those calories coming from carbohydrates.
They are also moderate in protein (usually 10 grams
or less) and low in fat (check the label to make sure),
because both can slow digestion during exercise. Main
ingredients include sugars, such as corn syrup and brown
rice syrup, and grains such as oats and rice. Some bars
also contain dried fruit, which is another source of
easily digestible carbohydrates for your working muscles.
Most bars in this category
come fortified with an array of vitamins and minerals
as well. This extra boost of nutrients may be important
if you tend to skip meals or avoid nutritious fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains. But if you eat fortified
breakfast cereals and other fortified foods, or take
a daily multivitamin, these extra vitamins and minerals
are not essential.
So how do these high-carbohydrate
energy bars stack up against other high-carbohydrate
foods such as Fig Newtons, bananas, or bagels when eaten
before or during exercise? Only a few studies have been
done, but so far the science suggests that energy bars
work as well as whole foods in fueling endurance workouts.
Uses: Most high-carbohydrate
bars work fine before, during, or after workouts. For
a great preworkout snack, eat a bar about 1 to 2 hours
before exercise, and make sure you drink 16 ounces of
water with it. For fueling during a long workout or
race, eat about one energy bar per hour--aiming for
30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate for every hour of exercise--and
make sure you also take in between 5 and 12 ounces of
water every 15 to 20 minutes. Following a workout, these
high-carbohydrate bars make a convenient choice along
with some fresh fruit and a cup of milk, soymilk, or
yogurt for added carbohydrates and protein.
High-Protein Bars
First developed for bodybuilders in search of easy-to-eat
gym food, high-protein bars have recently surged in
popularity as many dieters take to high-protein/low-carbohydrate
fare in an effort to lose weight. These bars have also
become the bars of choice for vegetarians and other
athletes trying to boost protein intake.
Most high-protein bars
supply anywhere from 15 to more than 35 grams of protein.
Keep in mind that the Daily Value for protein is 50
grams, yet runners require about 60 to 100 grams daily,
depending on their individual body size and mileage.
It's important to check
the source of protein on the ingredient label. Look
for high-quality protein sources such as soy, whey,
casein, and egg. These proteins supply your body with
crucial amino acids for muscle repair. Steer clear of
bars containing hydrolyzed proteins (you'll see this
word on the label), as these are poor-quality proteins
made from animal hooves and connective tissue.
Also, be wary of protein
bars labeled "low-carbohydrate." They often
contain sugar alcohols such as manitol, and fillers
including glycerine, which sweeten the bars and bulk
up their size. Some manufacturers don't include these
ingredients in the carbohydrate count, but they should,
because these sugars are processed much like regular
carbohydrates. The FDA has recently warned some bar
makers to revamp their labels and include these ingredients
for a more honest carbohydrate count.
Like many other bars,
high-protein versions are often vitamin - and mineral-fortified,
and some contain amino acids and creatine. All fine,
but not necessarily essential. Take note of the fat
content as well, since several high-protein bars enhance
their flavor with extra, artery-clogging saturated fat.
Uses: High-protein bars
can be helpful for folks who don't take in enough protein,
such as some vegetarian athletes as well as high-mileage
runners who find it difficult to keep their weight up.
Most people can easily meet their protein needs by eating
fish, soy, lean meats, beans, and eggs, but an occasional
high-protein bar may help on those days when you don't
get enough from your usual diet.
40-30-30 Bars
These bars are derived from the popular 1995 book Enter
the Zone by Barry Sears, Ph.D., which touts a 40-30-30
ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat for weight
loss and optimal athletic performance. The bars are
typically higher in fat and protein, and lower in fiber
than their high-carbohydrate counterparts. The higher
fat content makes many of these bars taste just like
candy bars. Most come fortified with an array of vitamins
and minerals, with some bars containing well over 100
percent of the Daily Value for certain nutrients. If
you already take supplements or eat fortified foods,
you won't need all this extra fortification.
Some 40/30/30 bar manufacturers
claim their products help burn body fat, yet the few
research studies performed with these bars fail to support
such statements. That said, the extra fat in these bars
may help stave off hunger.
Uses: The higher-fat
and lower-carbohydrate content of these bars makes them
less desirable for use during exercise. But when combined
with high-carbohydrate foods such as fresh fruit or
whole-grain bread, these bars can become a tasty and
effective recovery meal.
Women-Only Bars
Women had long clamored for energy bars that suited
their nutritional needs without all the calories. Bar
makers have responded with lots of "petite"
versions of earlier bars (usually under 200 calories)
that are packed with the nutrients women typically lack.
Many, such as Luna bars, use heart-healthy soy protein,
and come fortified with calcium, folic acid, and iron.
They also contain the same amount of protein as a glass
of milk.
Uses: These bars make
a tasty snack when there's no fresh fruit or other foods
around. If you eat them in place of a meal (as some
women tell me they do), try to include other foods such
as a cup of yogurt and fruit, or bowl of bean soup.
Men can also enjoy these less-filling, smaller bars.
Meal-Replacement Bars
This is a growing category, as many people enjoy the
convenience of a prepackaged bar rather than preparing
a complete meal. And in an effort to trim waistlines,
many people turn to bars to help them control calories
and portion sizes.
Slim-Fast Meal On-The-Go
bars may, in fact, assist in weight loss when used in
place of a meal. A recent study showed that overweight
women who replaced two of their three daily meals with
a Slim-Fast bar (or drink) experienced greater success
with weight loss and maintenance than women who didn't
incorporate meal replacements. Not that there's anything
magical in these bars. It's simply that some people
are able to control their portion sizes better (and,
consequently, eat fewer calories) when opting for a
bar than when eating regular food.
Uses: Many bars, especially
high-protein types, can substitute for a meal on occasion.
But keep in mind that no single bar supplies the wealth
of nutrients and health-boosting substances found in
whole foods. So don't belly up to a bar for a meal on
a regular basis.
Bar* Calories
Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g)
High-Carbohydrate
Clif Bar 240 10 41 4
Gatorade Energy Bar 260 8 46 5
Odwalla Bar! 250 7 38 7
PowerBar Performance 230 10 45
3
Tiger's Milk 140 7 18 5
High-Protein
Atkins Advantage 220 18 2.5** 11
EAS Myoplex HP 240 20 29 5
PowerBar ProteinPlus 290 24 38
5
Promax Bar 270 20 39 5
40-30-30
Balance 200 14 22 6
Ironman Hi Energy Bar 230 16 26
8
PR Bar 200 13 22 6
ZonePerfect 210 14 24 7
Women Only
EAS Results 200 11 28 6
Luna 180 10 24 4.5
PowerBar Pria 110 5 16 3
Balance Oasis 180 8 28 3
Meal Replacement
Opti-Pro Meal 290 20 40 5
Slim-Fast Meal On-The-Go 220 8
34 5
Others:
Nature Valley Granola Bar (2) 180
4 29 6
Nutri-Grain Cereal Bar 140 2 27
3
Fig Newtons (4) 220 2 44 5
*Bar sizes vary--see
label.
**Does not include glycerine and other sugar alcohols
that count as carbohydrates.
Values listed for each bar may vary slightly for different
flavors.
