Protein and carbohydrate levels vary among brands of energy bars. Some are high in protein, others are high in carbohydrates, and still others are more balanced in proportion.
Choosing an energy bar high in protein or carbohydrate is largely based on personal preference and purpose. High protein bars are typically sought for meal replacement, while high carbohydrate bars are used for active individuals seeking an energy boost for a workout or in preparation for sporting activities. Of course, this too varies.
Milk and soy are the more standard sources of protein in energy bars. Soy-protein based energy bars are becoming increasingly popular, as soy has been endorsed as an invaluable health food in recent years.
What's in them for you?0
There are advantages and disadvantages of eating energy bars. Below, diet and nutrition experts Dr. Garth Officer, Dr. Heather Little-White and Paul Johnson take a bite into energy bars and give their assessment.
"In the short term they will give you an energetic spurt because their ingredients are stimulants to the body", nutritionist Dr. Garth Officer told Food. "But people should not look to have them in the long term because it gives the body a false energy."
Dr. Officer broke down the ingredients of one popular bar, Ultimate Protein Bar. While the vitamins and minerals are always good, long-term ingestion of artificially filled and coloured vitamins and minerals like the ones in the bar can do more harm than good to the body, he noted.
This particular bar also has a large amount of whey protein. Although protein is a dietary necessity, Dr. Officer warns against eating too much animal protein. Whey protein is a concentrated version of milk. "Be wary of the milk and chocolate, Dr. Officer urged.
Plus, he noted, the Ultimate Protein Bar is coated in chocolate, which, along with milk is an allergen. "Most people are allergic to chocolate and don't even know."
IF YOU TAKE THE BITE
Ultimate Lo Carb Bar
"Horrible, dry trashy and ashy. It doesn't taste like it would give me any energy, just make me want to drink water."
"It's dry. It has no taste. It's choking me."
"It's not appealing to the palate."
"It tastes awful. It tastes like when I was a child and used to play dollyhouse and mix up things from my parents cupboard."
"It tastes like just flour, water and colouring."
Ultimate Protein Bar
"It tastes like it has Noni (a fruit used for medicinal purpose) in it. It's dry."
"It takes like cocoa -- sweet."
"It makes my tummy ache. It eats like gum."
"It doesn't have any taste. It's bland."
Go Lean
"It's good to go. Tastes like a mix between Horlicks and peanut butter."
"It tastes like dry barley, but it can eat."
"I like it. It tastes okay."
"It's refreshing. It's good."
WHERE TO GET THEM
1. Health food stores
2.Supermarkets
3. Pharmacies
4. Sports nutrition specific stores (eg. Muscle Fitness & Health, 195 Constant Spring Road)
