Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch The Clif Bar | Snickers Marathon Energy Bar | energy bars | Organic Food Bar
The Most Edible
by
American Way Staff
THE
ENERGY BAR-OMETER
|
Energy
bars fly off store
shelves in America to
the tune of $800
million a year. We
talked to registered
dietitian Cynthia Sass,
Prevention's nutrition
director, to find out
what's fueling the
craze and how to
smartly consume the
bars. - Haley
Shapley
Why
have energy bars become
so popular?"The
term energy bar - who
doesn't want more
energy or need more
energy? The name
[itself] sort of
implies something that
you want. The way that
they're marketed, a lot
of people really
believe there's
something in that bar
that they need, that
they're missing out on.
They see it as a
nutrition insurance
policy, so to speak.
Plus, they're available
and they're portable.
You can get an energy
bar at a coffee shop,
at a convenience store
- pretty much anywhere
you go."
If
you're looking for a
snack, look
elsewhere.
According to Sass, if
you add an energy bar
to your diet each day
on top of the usual
meals you eat but don't
find a way to burn the
extra calories, you'll
actually add 20 pounds
in one year. "I'd much
rather see someone
eating an apple or a
quarter cup of almonds
as a snack," she says.
"The nutritional value
is very varied in these
bars. A lot have really
minimal ingredients,
but others, you look at
the ingredients list,
and it's like a science
experiment."
They
do, however, work as a
meal
replacement.
Energy bars can be a
good choice, especially
when you're traveling
or can't sit down for a
meal. To choose the
right energy bar for
this purpose, Sass
recommends thinking
about a turkey
sandwich, which
typically has 30 grams
of carbohydrates,
between 10 and 15 grams
of protein, and five
grams of fat. A bar
that has roughly those
numbers, with some
fruits and vegetables
added, will provide a
well-rounded meal.
Going
on a long hike or a
bike ride? Look
for bars with high
carbohydrates, low
protein, and low fat.
"If the bar is too high
in protein or fat, it
will be digested and
absorbed slower, and it
won't get into the
blood and provide
energy," Sass says.
But if you're
strength training
…Eating a
bar with more protein
and fewer carbohydrates
will help you build
muscle. The optimal
choice, though, is to
eat a meal within an
hour of finishing your
workout.
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Tiger's Milk in Peanut Butter Crunch
Introduced in the 1960s, Tiger's Milk touts itself as America's
original nutrition bar. Each Tiger's Milk bar contains 16 vitamins
and minerals. www.tigersmilk.com
CALORIES: 150 PROTEIN: 6G CARBS: 18G FAT: 6G
SATURATED FAT: 2G
BumbleBar in Original Flavor These
flaxseed- and sesame-seed-based bars are gluten free, wheat free,
dairy free, and certified organic. www.bumblebar.com
CALORIES: 230 PROTEIN: 6G CARBS: 20G FAT: 15G
SATURATED FAT: 2G
Organic Food Bar in Wild Blueberry
Whole foods, sprouted superfoods (like flax), and antioxidants make
up these kosher organic bars. www.organicfoodbar.com
CALORIES: 300 PROTEIN: 9G CARBS: 35G FAT: 12G
SATURATED FAT: 1.5G
Snickers Marathon Energy Bar in Multi-Grain
Crunch The familiar Snickers ingredients peanuts, caramel,
and chocolate are blended with whole grains in this line of energy
bars. www.snickersmarathon.com
CALORIES: 220 PROTEIN: 10G CARBS: 29G FAT: 7G
SATURATED FAT: 2.5G
Clif Bar in Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch
The Clif Bar was developed in the early 1990s for athletes and is
now available in nearly 20 flavors. Seventy percent of the
ingredients used are organic. www.clifbar.com
CALORIES: 250 PROTEIN: 11G CARBS: 43G FAT: 6G
SATURATED FAT: 2G
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