Protein Bars: Healthy & nutritious? Or just the same as candy?
In a world where people are looking for a nutritional quick fix, nutrition bars have been competing for shelf-space in supermarkets, gyms and food stores. They are marketed not only towards professional athletes who want to boost their performance but also to anyone & everyone from workaholics to moms who don’t have a moment to spare but still want to get their health & nutrition in place!
One of the biggest benefits of a protein bar is the convenience factor. While they can serve as healthy alternatives to a lot of processed snack food options available in the market, not all nutrition bars are created equal- some may have sugar and fat content that’s even higher than a bar of chocolate.
Wondering which one’s might be the right fit for you? Do you even need one? Here’s what you need to know before you choose a protein bar without sabotaging your health-
Always read the ingredient list
Protein bars made with simple and straightforward ingredients are the ones you should be opting for. Aren’t some almonds, dates and oats easier to imagine than some protein extract from a sophisticated source you never heard of? Dried fruits, dates, egg whites, oats, whole grains, seeds, fruits, coconut etc are the ingredients that one should reach out for and must be there in the top of the ingredients list. Many manufacturers add these ingredients way below which means that they are present in very less quantities in the products.
Stay clear of added sugar and artificial sweeteners
When you’re on the verge of thinking that you’re eating healthy, what comes to a surprise is that most commercially available protein bars are loaded with added sugar- amounts equal or maybe higher to a candy. The ones with sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners are of no good too as they can cause gastrointestinal disturbances and are not beneficial to health in the long run.
However, not all sugar is bad- it may so happen that a nutrition bar does not contain any sugar but still shows a high sugar content- this could be due to ingredients that contain natural sugars like dates, berries, dried fruit etc (and that’s completely okay!)
Alternative names of added sugar: cane juice crystals or sugar, buttered sugar, castor sugar, beet sugar, invert sugar, golden sugar or syrup, date sugar, organic raw sugar, evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), maple or oat or rice bran or rice syrup, honey, agave nectar, malt syrup, molasses, corn sweetener, crystalline fructose, maltodextrin, maltose, dextran, fructose, fruit juice concentrate or glucose.
Know your goal
The protein content is one of the first things we eye on while shopping for protein bars and it can be quite mind-boggling to decide which one to choose especially when they range from as little as 3g to a whopping 20g of protein per serving! Does everyone essentially need a 20g protein bar?
The amount of protein your body needs depends on your body weight and your physical activity level. For someone playing basketball at a professional level, a 20–30g protein bar post training might be a good choice but if you’re someone with very less physical activity and are just looking for a healthy alternative to snack on & keep you full, a 5–6g protein bar would suffice the goal. However, consumption of a balanced diet on a daily basis is sufficient enough to meet one’s protein requirements.
Protein bars shouldn’t replace real foods
Sitting down and eating a hearty meal seems like a luxury in today’s times. It’s true that one always cannot carry a meal in their pockets and that’s where protein bars come in handy. However, one must keep them only for emergencies and stick to whole foods as our main source of protein most of the time. One can look into whole foods like hard boiled eggs, low-fat cheese, nuts, seeds, fruits, fox nuts, yoghurt, hummus or even home-made protein bars- just like this one can also be carried along on-the-go!
References:
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/nutrition-bars-healthy-hype#1
- https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/are-protein-bars-really-healthy
