Three Energy Bars To Avoid

Powerbars have come along way over the years. Remember those early bars that looked like something from the NASA lunch menu?

With so many on the market it can be difficult to make the right choice when selecting an energy bar. Here are my picks for Energy bars to avoid.

1) Zone Perfect Nutrition Bar, All-Natural, Chocolate Mint

I was disappointed to discover how much sugar, calories and processed ingredients were in this bar. I love these! Oh well, time to make a better choice.

The Zone Chocolate Mint bar contains 14g of protein however it's also packed with 13g of sugar. And at 210 calories, it's also on the higher side of the protein bar market. (the average is around 170)

A better alternative is "Blue Diamond Oven Roasted Almonds - Mint Dark Chocolate". At 160 calories and with more than 10% of your daily fiber, these tasty almonds are a healthy snack choice. At 4g per serving these have less sugar also.

2) Fiber One Chewy Bars, Chocolate Peanut Butter

These are tasty but despite sounding healthy they are really not a great option. The biggest concern with these is artificial colorings that are used to make the product more visually appealing. Unfortunately, many of theses cheaper colorings are also very dangerous and have been linked to some potentially deadly side effects. Not what I'm looking for from a sports bar.

A much better and safer option is "The Simply Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar" This bar is low on calories, only 160, and high on protein at 16g. I haven't tried these so I'd love to hear from you if you have.

3) PowerBar Energy Bar, Cookies & Cream Caramel Crisp

While this bar does provide about 12g of protein it's loaded with sugar, calories and is highly processed. This bar contains 5 teaspoons of sugar per serving!

A better option? Unfortunately, If you are a big "cookies and cream" fan there is no good alternative I can find. That said the "Original Powerbars" I mentioned early are a better option and come in Peanut Butter and Chocolate (both cookie flavors on their own). They provide more protein and dietary fiber with less trans fats.

Conclusion:

While there is a wider variety than ever and a lot of improvements have been made, the advances haven't always been about making these bars a healthier snack. The good news is that there are healthier alternatives available.

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