Are “health” bars really healthy?
You see them everywhere; at grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores and even in hardware stores.
Why are they so popular?
It’s simple….CONVENIENCE! Let’s face it, if you are a busy person with, what feels like, no time to prepare meals and snacks, so-called energy bars are a great option…or are they?
Are you looking for an energy bar that best fits your lifestyle?
I’ll make it easy for you. I went on a personal quest to find the healthiest “health” bar in each of four categories
- Energy
- Recovery
- Low fat/snack
- Breakfast
First, I calculated the calories from fat, sugar, complex carbohydrates, protein, and fibre contained in 30 different bars. I then looked at the first 5 ingredients listed in each of their nutritional labels.
What was I looking for?
Healthy bars will be loaded with natural ingredients (eg. Oats, whole grains, whey protein, almonds, peanuts, dried fruit, etc…). Unhealthy bars will be loaded with preservatives (sodium benzoate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)), sugars (glucose syrup, chocolate coating, cane juice syrup, glucose/fructose…) and certain fats (Trans fats [partially hydrogenated oils], and saturated fats).
What did I discover?
There are 4 basic types of health bars:
- Energy bars (higher in calories) – to be taken 45 minutes before you exercise.
- Recovery bars (higher in protein) – designed to be taken after exercise.
- Low fat/snack bars (lower in calories) – designed to be taken as a snack between meals.
- Breakfast bars (Lower in calories/higher in fibre) – Designed for convenience; breakfast you can eat on the go!
General observations from at least 8 common bars in each category:
- Energy bars
- Higher in calories – this is good! A 200 – 300 calorie snack is recommended before an intense workout. At high levels of training, your body needs an optimum amount of nutrients to fuel your thirsty muscles
- High sugar content – this is bad! Sugar is quickly absorbed from your intestines (no fibre or long chains of molecules to slow the rate of digestion)
- High fat content – Although fat is a very important nutrient, most energy bars will have too much of the wrong kinds of fats (hidden trans fats and saturated fats). As well, you should not ingest fats before a workout. They take longer to break down and digest than other nutrients
- Recovery bars
- Similar findings as energy bars
- Protein content - typically poor quality unless the bar advertised 100% whey protein as its’ main protein source
- Snack bars
- Lower in calories - Typically 100 – 180 calories
- Low in fats
- High in preservatives, hidden trans fats and large amounts of processed sugars
- Breakfast bars
- Similar findings as snack bars
What did I conclude?
When you read the labels you will quickly discover that half of the calories in store bought bars are from processed sugar and fat, and the protein is usually low grade soy protein mixed with trace amounts of higher quality whey protein. Are these really health bars or are they cleverly packaged candy bars?
Sugar is a naturally occurring substance in many foods (milk, vegetables, fruits, nuts.). Natural sugars are not bad when mixed with the natural fibres, fats and minerals of their origin. The presence of natural sugars will slow their digestion and still offer essential minerals and vitamins to maintain healthy organ function and a super charged metabolism. The primary concern with granulated and other processed sugars is that they have had all of their nutrients, fibres and fats stripped away during their processing. What you are left with are empty, highly concentrated sugars that your body will completely digest within minutes…and NO, adding veggies to your sugar will not make them healthier (and it’s gross).
What do I recommend?
I wish I could recommend a healthy store bought bar, but I can’t. In the 30 different bars I studied, there were no healthy energy, snack, breakfast or recovery bars to be found. Despite what they claim, they all contained extra sugar, preservatives, fat or poor quality protein hidden within their ingredients.
Workout smarter, not harder.
Have you been frustrated with no recent gains in strength, endurance, or flexibility?
Here are some smart tips to help you get more results with less time in the gym.
- Weight Training:
- Use slow and controlled movements.
- Pause at the mid-point of each rep.
- Train your muscles to failure at each set. Don’t save your strength for later sets.
- Cardio Training:
- Try interval training. Do several bursts of high intensity (1 to 3 minutes) during a cardio workout.
- Instead of 30 minutes on one machine, try 10 minutes on 3 different cardio machines (bike, stair climber, and treadmill). This helps to keep your intensity higher, and boredom lower.
- Try Skipping for 10 minutes. It burns more calories than running.
- Flexibility:
- Hold stretches for at least a minute.
- You should feel your muscles “release” at least 2 times during each stretch. You cannot effectively stretch your muscles until they relax.
- Have a buddy help you with some partner stretching.
Download: Body Weight Exercises
Download a printable workout sheet and start tracking these simple body weight exercises today:
Power Parfait
A healthy lunchbox snack for kids (and adults too)!
-8oz vanilla non-fat yogurt (substitute different flavors for variety!)
-1/2 cup uncooked quick oatmeal
-2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
-1/4 cup strawberries
-1/4 cup blueberries
Layer all ingredients in a tall glass and serve (yogurt, oats and flax, berries, repeat).
Makes 1 serving
Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 288
Protein: 27 grams
Carbs: 34 grams
Sugar: 6 grams (8%)
Fat: 6 grams (19%)
This creamy treat makes an ideal snack for both kids and adults because it combines high-quality protein (from yogurt) with simple carbohydrates (from berries) to promote muscle growth. It also has an ample amount of omega-3s (from flaxseeds) which are essential for “brain” power!