Nutritional Value of Protein Bars

Protein bars must be good for you, right? They are sold as nutritional supplements so they must be nutritional. This kind of thinking can get a person in trouble. While most protein bars have value as a protein supplement, there are some that just don’t make the grade. While most use quality protein sources and a mix of complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, some are no more than candy bars with a fancy name.

It is important to research protein bars before buying them. A quick search of the protein bar you are interested in (or a search under “Protein Bars” in general) will yield some useful information. Look at the nutritional profile and read the ingredients. They should have some form of protein blend or high quality whey , soy, or milk protein as one of the first ingredients. This tells you that it is high in quality protein, along with the protein content value on the nutritional value table.

Protein bars use sugar to give them the necessary flavor. The amount of sugar will vary by bar, but should only be about a third of the total carbohydrate content. There are some bars out there that use sugar alcohols to add sweetness without the sugar. The fats and oils make the bar more palatable and give it a smoother texture, while holding it all together. It is important that the majority of these fats come from unsaturated sources, with minimal saturated, and no trans, fats

The overall caloric content of a protein bar will depend on a couple of variables. The first. of course, is the total nutrient content. The more of each nutrient the bar contains the more calories it will contain. Carbohydrates and proteins contain about 4 calories per gram, while fat contains about 9 calories per gram. This gets a little confusing when you throw in sugar alcohols because they count toward the carbohydrate content, but contain little or no calories.

Vitamin and mineral content is important if the bar is going to be used as a meal replacement, even occasionally. When we eat whole foods we get the vitamins and minerals in those foods. Unfortunately, when we start taking in supplemental protein (or carbohydrates and fat for that matter) we lose some of those vitamins and minerals. When reading the nutritional table on the protein bar be sure to check out the vitamins and minerals on the bottom.

Many protein bars can be used as meal replacement bars when a meal on the go is needed. The best bars for this purpose are those with a nutrient breakdown similar to what you would eat in a normal meal. If a normal meal contains 50 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 20 percent fat, then the protein bar should mirror that. If it is 40 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat, then find a bar that follows the same trend. The nutrient breakdown might not work out perfectly, but it should be close.

A bar that is used simply for extra protein, and not as a meal replacement, should be lower in carbohydrates, especially sugar, and fats. It should be closer to the content of a regular protein shake. These bars should only be used to supplement the protein of a meal or as a protein boost between meals, or after a workout, not as a meal replacement. The extra amino acids will boost muscle recovery, but they will need additional vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to be properly processed.

A protein bar can be a very nutritional choice, depending on what it is used for and the overall nutrient content. A protein bar should have a good nutritional breakdown, with only one third or less of the carbohydrates coming form sugar, good quality protein, and most of the fats coming from unsaturated sources. Then, after all of that is fleshed out, the bar should taste good too, so you will eat it when needed. The good news is, there are bars out there that fit that entire profile.