Protein Bar Question???
I agree, give them a quick call and ask them what you should do. I dont like protein shakes either, i add protein to my coffee. Another alternative you could ask them about is the stallone puddings that they sell in GNC. THey have like 20 g of protein and the banana tastes great. Good luck. And make that call, thats what they are paid to do answer our questions!
LisaMarie
F.A.N.:
HI!
Just like the shakes everyonehas a different opinion on bars. For me the opinion is this: They are little more than a 'glorified candy bar'...Meaning short term you may only be able to eat 1/2 but longterm you can eat many most likely, the carbs can stall wt loss and cause cravings, the sugar content in some is amazingly HIGH! (a candybar might be better nutritionally!) Some of these have ober 400 cal in them! The lower carb ones are usually full of sugar alcohols, some people can stomach that others get the big nausea/diarrhea/cramps w/ it...It can be a slippery slope (setting up to eat these longterm, a wolf in sheeps clothing), starting out to think they are helpful etc...Many feel they are unable to deliver the protein as the shakes can (it is all bound up in the food, which needs acid to break it down etc) so we may get the calories but not all of the protein!). This article sheds some interesting light on the good bad and ugly (! Be well, ask ? of nutritionist and make your own educated/informed decision!!! For me it was a slipperyslope the sugarfree food stuffs to a dangerous place of regain and cravings. but that is just me and my opinion!
Take Care,
Jamie
Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh
320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery)
Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=c1132518510
"Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"
_____________________________________
Protein Bars... The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly!
As you know, I'm a big fan of meal replacements --
they are a relatively cost-efficient way of replacing
a high-carb, high-fat meal with a high protein, low
fat, low-to moderate carbohydrate meal. Plus, meal
replacements take all the guess-work out of eating 5-7
small meals a day.
Granted, there is a down-side to meal replacements.
Some don't mix so well without a blender. And of
course, there'sthe small matter of finding something
to mix the shake with! And if you're somebody who
spends a lot of time in your car...
Well, large liquid meals and traffic jams just don't
mix. 
So protein bars would seem like the obvious
alternative, right? Well...
Yes and no.
Here's the problem...
It's much more difficult to create a great-tasting,
moist,and generally high quality protein bar without
adding a ton of sugar, corn-syrup, and/or fructose.
Obviously, this is not an issue with meal replacement
powders, since you need to mix them with water or skim
milk.
The problem with "protein bars" is that the quality of
the bar is directly proportional to how it tastes. In
short...
The better the bar is for you...
The worse it tastes.
The better a bar tastes...
The worse it is for you.
It's a rather sad reality.
If that isn't bad enough, there's another issue
here...
There is a serious problem with product labelling. In
a recent series of tests performed by ConsumerLabs
(www.consumerlabs.com), 60% of the 30 bars tested
failed to meet their labelling claims.
Wow!
Here's some of the disturbing statistics...
o 1 out of 12 protein bars met the labelling claims.
o 1 out of 8 meal replacement bars met the labelling
claims.
o 4 out of 10 diet bars met the labelling claims.
o 2 products exceed their claimed amounts of fat.
o 50% of bars tested exceeded their claimed level of
carbohydrates, some by a significant amount.
-----SIDEBAR-----
The main reason for this is that a major
ingredient in most of these bars - glycerin
(used as a sweetener, and to keep the product
moist), is not regarded as a carbohydrate by
most manufacturers.
So they don't include glycerin content in the total
tally of carbohydrates, "because it has a minimal
effect on blood sugar levels."
Um... so what?
The United States Food And Drug Administration says
glycerin IS a carbohydrate, and that's good enough for
me.
This is deceptive marketing, plain and simple...
This is a "low-carb" bar simply because 2/3 of the
carbs in the bar aren't includedin the final count.
Nice.
To be fair though - I've found that bars that are
formulated with glycerin don't cause the same "energy
crash" that I find with traditionally-sweetened bars.
In other words, I'm not adverse to using glycerin to
make a product taste good. I'd just like to have it
included in the total carbohydrate count so I REALLY
know what I'm getting.
-----SIDEBAR-----
o Of the bars that passed, 40-70% of the calories were
provided by carbohydrates, mostly sugars.
In other words, "protein bars" is a deceptive term,
since most bars contain far more carbs than protein.
ConsumerLabs says a typical bar contains...
o 49% of calories from carbohydrates, mostly sugars.
o 29% of calories from proteins.
o 22% of calories from fat.
The ConsumerLabs report is a little annoying though...
They don't report which bars failed their test. In
other words, they list and report on the 12 out of the
30 bars that passed, but nowhere do they show which
bars failed. Conspicuous in their absence however are
these brands...
o Labrada
o Muscle-Tech
o Advantage (Atkins) Bars
o American BodyBuilding
o Jenny Craig
And of course, just because a bar passes the
ConsumerLabs test does not mean it is worth buying...
It just means it meets its label claims, and that all
the nutrients are reported in the Nutrition Facts
panel.
Some of the brands that DID pass...
o GeniSoy Soy Protein Bar
o Barry Sears, Ph.D. Zone Perfect Nutrition Bar
o Balance Bar -- Nutritional Food Bar
o Xetalean Diet and Energy Bar
o Eas Myoplex Lite Nutrition Bar
o Met-Rx Food bar
In order to get a better grasp on the whole "protein
bar extravaganza" I've experimented with about 10
different brands over the last couple of weeks.
I only experimented with brands that listed the
sweetening agent (sugar, glucose/fructose, corn syrup,
high-frustose corn syrup) after the protein source on
the ingredients panel.
Why?
Ingredients are listed according to weight. If the
sweetening agent is listed first, it no longer
qualifies as a protein bar in my books. It's a carb
bar, or more accurately...
A sugar bar.
The best quality bars (ingredient wise) tasted pretty
awful. I'm not sure anyone would want to eat them on a
regular basis. The best tasting bar I encountered was
Muscle-Tech's Meso-Tech bar (cookies and cream
flavor).
Unfortunately anything that tastes this good can't
possibly be good for you, and the Meso-Tech bar
contains 28 grams of sugar per serving. And 15-20
minutes after consumption my blood sugar levels
sky-rocketed, leaving me dying to lie down!
High blood sugar levels and the corresponding rise in
insulin means that Meso-Tech bars are NOT a dieters
best choice (they might make a decent post-workout
snack, where a swift rise in blood sugar can support
faster recovery).
On the other hand, the best tasting, best-for-you bar
I encountered was MuscleTech's Nitro-Tech bar. The
strawberry flavor is down-right unbelievable. The
"S'mores" flavor is pretty good too. The "Crunchy
Chocolate Crisp" flavor contains 4 grams of dietary
fiber -- not bad for a protein bar!
It contains no sugar (it's sweetened with malitol (a
non-digestible sugar-alcohol) and glycerin). Carb
content varies according to flavor...
Strawberry - 4 grams carbs (not including glycerin).
S'Mores - 7 grams carbs (not including glycerin).
Crunchy Chocolate Crisp - 9 grams carbs (not
including
glycerin).
Nitro-Tech bars contain 35 grams of protein compared
to 25 for the MesoTech bar. It did not send my blood
sugar levels sky-rocketing, and it tastes like it
should.
Here's the bottom line on "protein bars"...
o Keep a careful eye on the ingredients label -
especially the sugars/carbs/fats. In general, the
lower down the sweetener in the list of ingredients,
the better the bar is for you.
o If possible, experiment with a few of the higher
quality bars before you buy a boxful (MuscleMaster
sells them individually)...
You need to find the optimum blend of taste,
ingredients and product quality that works for YOU!
o Pay attention to how you feel 20-30 minutes after
you consume the bar. If you suddenly catch a dose of the
"yawns", this bar is likely not for you.
o Most "protein bars" don't contain a whole lot of
fiber, and don't do a great job of filling you up.
Eat a medium serving of high-fiber, low glycemic fruit
with your bar - apples, pears, strawberries, or
raspberries. It'll really fill you up!
o Choose higher-quality whey protein over soy whenever
possible.
Whatever way you slice it...
A protein bar makes a convenient snack that is far,
farbetter for you than a fast food alternative!
Written by Paul Crane
President, Ultimatefatburner.com
So protein bars would seem like the obvious
alternative, right? Well...
Yes and no.
Here's the problem...
It's much more difficult to create a great-tasting,
moist,and generally high quality protein bar without
adding a ton of sugar, corn-syrup, and/or fructose.
Obviously, this is not an issue with meal replacement
powders, since you need to mix them with water or skim
milk.
The problem with "protein bars" is that the quality of
the bar is directly proportional to how it tastes. In
short...
The better the bar is for you...
The worse it tastes.
The better a bar tastes...
The worse it is for you.
It's a rather sad reality.
If that isn't bad enough, there's another issue
here...
There is a serious problem with product labelling. In
a recent series of tests performed by ConsumerLabs
(www.consumerlabs.com), 60% of the 30 bars tested
failed to meet their labelling claims.
Wow!
Here's some of the disturbing statistics...
o 1 out of 12 protein bars met the labelling claims.
o 1 out of 8 meal replacement bars met the labelling
claims.
o 4 out of 10 diet bars met the labelling claims.
o 2 products exceed their claimed amounts of fat.
o 50% of bars tested exceeded their claimed level of
carbohydrates, some by a significant amount.
-----SIDEBAR-----
The main reason for this is that a major
ingredient in most of these bars - glycerin
(used as a sweetener, and to keep the product
moist), is not regarded as a carbohydrate by
most manufacturers.
So they don't include glycerin content in the total
tally of carbohydrates, "because it has a minimal
effect on blood sugar levels."
Um... so what?
The United States Food And Drug Administration says
glycerin IS a carbohydrate, and that's good enough for
me.
This is deceptive marketing, plain and simple...
This is a "low-carb" bar simply because 2/3 of the
carbs in the bar aren't includedin the final count.
Nice.
To be fair though - I've found that bars that are
formulated with glycerin don't cause the same "energy
crash" that I find with traditionally-sweetened bars.
In other words, I'm not adverse to using glycerin to
make a product taste good. I'd just like to have it
included in the total carbohydrate count so I REALLY
know what I'm getting.
-----SIDEBAR-----
o Of the bars that passed, 40-70% of the calories were
provided by carbohydrates, mostly sugars.
In other words, "protein bars" is a deceptive term,
since most bars contain far more carbs than protein.
ConsumerLabs says a typical bar contains...
o 49% of calories from carbohydrates, mostly sugars.
o 29% of calories from proteins.
o 22% of calories from fat.
The ConsumerLabs report is a little annoying though...
They don't report which bars failed their test. In
other words, they list and report on the 12 out of the
30 bars that passed, but nowhere do they show which
bars failed. Conspicuous in their absence however are
these brands...
o Labrada
o Muscle-Tech
o Advantage (Atkins) Bars
o American BodyBuilding
o Jenny Craig
And of course, just because a bar passes the
ConsumerLabs test does not mean it is worth buying...
It just means it meets its label claims, and that all
the nutrients are reported in the Nutrition Facts
panel.
Some of the brands that DID pass...
o GeniSoy Soy Protein Bar
o Barry Sears, Ph.D. Zone Perfect Nutrition Bar
o Balance Bar -- Nutritional Food Bar
o Xetalean Diet and Energy Bar
o Eas Myoplex Lite Nutrition Bar
o Met-Rx Food bar
In order to get a better grasp on the whole "protein
bar extravaganza" I've experimented with about 10
different brands over the last couple of weeks.
I only experimented with brands that listed the
sweetening agent (sugar, glucose/fructose, corn syrup,
high-frustose corn syrup) after the protein source on
the ingredients panel.
Why?
Ingredients are listed according to weight. If the
sweetening agent is listed first, it no longer
qualifies as a protein bar in my books. It's a carb
bar, or more accurately...
A sugar bar.
The best quality bars (ingredient wise) tasted pretty
awful. I'm not sure anyone would want to eat them on a
regular basis. The best tasting bar I encountered was
Muscle-Tech's Meso-Tech bar (cookies and cream
flavor).
Unfortunately anything that tastes this good can't
possibly be good for you, and the Meso-Tech bar
contains 28 grams of sugar per serving. And 15-20
minutes after consumption my blood sugar levels
sky-rocketed, leaving me dying to lie down!
High blood sugar levels and the corresponding rise in
insulin means that Meso-Tech bars are NOT a dieters
best choice (they might make a decent post-workout
snack, where a swift rise in blood sugar can support
faster recovery).
On the other hand, the best tasting, best-for-you bar
I encountered was MuscleTech's Nitro-Tech bar. The
strawberry flavor is down-right unbelievable. The
"S'mores" flavor is pretty good too. The "Crunchy
Chocolate Crisp" flavor contains 4 grams of dietary
fiber -- not bad for a protein bar!
It contains no sugar (it's sweetened with malitol (a
non-digestible sugar-alcohol) and glycerin). Carb
content varies according to flavor...
Strawberry - 4 grams carbs (not including glycerin).
S'Mores - 7 grams carbs (not including glycerin).
Crunchy Chocolate Crisp - 9 grams carbs (not
including
glycerin).
Nitro-Tech bars contain 35 grams of protein compared
to 25 for the MesoTech bar. It did not send my blood
sugar levels sky-rocketing, and it tastes like it
should.
Here's the bottom line on "protein bars"...
o Keep a careful eye on the ingredients label -
especially the sugars/carbs/fats. In general, the
lower down the sweetener in the list of ingredients,
the better the bar is for you.
o If possible, experiment with a few of the higher
quality bars before you buy a boxful (MuscleMaster
sells them individually)...
You need to find the optimum blend of taste,
ingredients and product quality that works for YOU!
o Pay attention to how you feel 20-30 minutes after
you consume the bar. If you suddenly catch a dose of the
"yawns", this bar is likely not for you.
o Most "protein bars" don't contain a whole lot of
fiber, and don't do a great job of filling you up.
Eat a medium serving of high-fiber, low glycemic fruit
with your bar - apples, pears, strawberries, or
raspberries. It'll really fill you up!
o Choose higher-quality whey protein over soy whenever
possible.
Whatever way you slice it...
A protein bar makes a convenient snack that is far,
farbetter for you than a fast food alternative!
Written by Paul Crane
President, Ultimatefatburner.com Most Active
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