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Are protein bars healthy: Are Protein Bars Good for You?

by alexxlab

Are Protein Bars Good for You?

Protein bars are a popular snack food designed to be a convenient source of nutrition.

Many people enjoy them because they’re a quick way to add protein and other nutrients to a busy and active lifestyle.

Given the wide variety of protein bars on the market, it’s important to know that not all protein bars are created equal.

This article reviews whether protein bars are healthy, what benefits they may offer, and the best ways to incorporate them into your lifestyle.

The nutrient composition of protein bars can differ significantly between brands — and even between flavors.

This is largely due to their varying ingredients. Many protein bars may be made from dates and dried fruit, nuts and seeds, and whole grains like oats or quinoa.

The average protein bar contains 5–10 grams of fat, 25–35 grams of carbs, and 5–10 grams of fiber (1).

In addition to offering protein and carbs, many protein bars are a good source of micronutrients, such as calcium, B vitamins, potassium, and iron.

When examining ingredient labels, be aware that some protein bars use a proprietary blend of ingredients and don’t disclose any of its details on the packaging (2).

Many protein bars also contain high amounts of added sugar and use unhealthy sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, which adds excess fructose to your diet and can increase your risk of fatty liver, obesity, and diabetes when consumed in high amounts (3, 4, 5).

Generally, most protein bars offer 150–400 calories and 10–20 grams of protein, although some contain closer to 30 grams of protein per serving (1).

The source of protein also varies. Some bars feature yogurt powder, milk, or dairy proteins like casein and whey, while others use plant-based sources like soy, pea, or brown rice. Some contain egg whites, while others rely on nuts and seeds as a primary protein source.

Moreover, some protein bars use highly concentrated protein sources like whey or soy protein isolates, instead of less processed, whole food protein options.

SUMMARY

The nutritional profiles of protein bars can vary substantially between brands and flavors, depending on the ingredients used. This influences the calorie, protein, fat, and fiber contents, as well as which vitamins and minerals a protein bar offers.

While it’s easy to grab a protein bar off the shelf whenever you’re hungry, there are certain instances in which they may be particularly beneficial.

Convenient source of nutrients

Protein bars can be a simple, ready-to-eat, nutritious snack. They come in a variety of flavors and typically last a while, making them a convenient item to keep on hand.

If you’re looking for something to have as a midday snack, a well-rounded bar containing a reasonable amount of protein and high quality ingredients may be practical option for your lifestyle.

The protein and carb contents of protein bars may likewise make them a good choice for a pre- or post-workout snack that can provide a boost of energy for exercise or aid muscle repair afterward (6).

What’s more, some protein bars are a good source of dietary fiber, which is important for digestive health and may help prevent overeating between meals (7).

Finally, many protein bars are a good source of important vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and B vitamins, helping you meet your daily needs for these micronutrients.

Weight loss

Many people look to protein bars to help support their weight loss journey.

Some research indicates that high protein diets support healthy weight loss to a greater extent than diets containing a standard amount of protein. This is likely due to the filling effects of protein, which can curb your appetite and help prevent overeating (6, 7, 8).

Note that if you choose to utilize protein bars for this purpose, healthy weight loss also requires an overall balanced diet and regular exercise.

Weight gain

To gain weight, you must consume more calories than you burn in a day. If this is your goal, protein bars may be a helpful addition to your diet.

Many protein bars are calorie dense, meaning they provide a significant number of calories in just one serving, making it easy to add calories without having to eat a lot of extra food.

For example, some protein bars may contain upwards of 350 calories per bar. These can easily be consumed between meals to add extra calories to your diet and promote weight gain.

Still, even when your intent is to gain weight, opt for protein bars that provide wholesome ingredients rather than those packed with added sugar and additives.

Meal replacement

Protein bars are often seen as a quick way to replace a meal, especially breakfast.

While a protein bar doesn’t compare to a breakfast made with a variety of healthy whole foods, some may work well in a pinch.

If you’re looking for a quick breakfast on occasion, protein bars on the higher calorie end that don’t contain added sugar or hydrogenated oils may be a good option.

Muscle gain

If you’re a very active person with a lot of muscle mass, or someone looking to gain muscle, adding more protein to your diet may aid your efforts.

In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that endurance athletes and strength-trained athletes consume 0.54–0.77 grams of protein per pound (1.2–1.7 grams per kg) of body weight (9).

Research suggests that supplementing with protein may increase muscle mass and performance when your overall physical activity level and diet are adequate (10).

SUMMARY

Protein bars can be a convenient way to add carbs, protein, vitamins, and minerals to your diet. Also, they may curb appetite, fuel a workout, or support muscle repair after exercise. Still, they can’t replace the quality and nutrient composition of whole foods.

Countless protein bar options are available today. This can make it difficult to determine which one is best for you, as well as easy to choose one that may not be a good fit for your goals.

Some protein bars are so high in calories and added sugar that they might as well be in the candy aisle.

To enhance the flavor, many use added sweeteners, which can vary from more natural sweeteners like dates or stevia to unhealthy ones like high fructose corn syrup. Many protein bars use cane sugar or honey, which may not align with your personal preferences.

Additionally, while the fat in some protein bars often comes from whole nuts and seeds, others use highly processed plant oils, like palm, canola, peanut, or soybean oil.

If you’re eating protein bars solely for their protein, keep in mind that most people consume more protein than they need, so you may already be getting enough of this nutrient (11).

Eating protein in excess doesn’t appear to benefit the health of the average person, and doing so may be harmful in some cases.

One review of 32 human studies found that eating more protein than the recommend dietary allowance (RDA) of 0.36 grams per pound (0. 8 grams per kg) of body weight was associated with an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and bone, liver, and kidney disorders (12).

However, other studies report that high daily protein intake of around 1.4 grams per pound (3 grams per kg) of body weight is safe, at least in the short term.

For example, a study in 14 resistance-trained men showed that a daily protein intake of over 1.5 grams per pound (3.3 grams per kg) of body weight for 6 months was not associated with any adverse health effects. Other studies have shown similar results (13, 14).

Although more research on the long-term health effects of high protein diets is needed, it’s likely that for most people, consuming the recommended 0.36 grams of protien per pound (0.8 grams per kg) of body weight daily is sufficient.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that some people, including athletes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those with certain chronic illnesses, need more protein on a daily basis than the general population.

Lastly, protein bars can vary greatly in their cost and may not be worth their price tag. In addition to checking for high quality ingredients, it may help to compare the unit price and determine which brands offer the greatest value.

The right protein bar for you depends on your goals and values. Select those with a short ingredient list that primarily use whole foods rather than highly processed ingredients. Choosing protein bars that have minimal to no added sugars is also recommended.

SUMMARY

Protein bars not only vary in nutritional content but also ingredients. Some are high in added sugar and may be an unnecessary source of excessive protein. Examine the packaging to determine whether a protein bar meets your personal goals and needs.

If you’re looking for other ways to incorporate more protein-rich foods into your diet, here are a few ideas:

  • raw nuts and seeds
  • cheese
  • hard-boiled eggs
  • nut and seed butters
  • unsweetened yogurt
  • dairy or high-protein nondairy milks
  • cottage cheese
  • beans and lentils
  • tofu and tempeh
  • seitan
  • lean meats and fish
  • certain whole grains

Meeting your protein needs is easy with a well-balanced diet. Incorporate some healthy protein-rich foods into each meal and snack to help you feel fuller longer, fuel your workouts, and support an overall healthy lifestyle.

SUMMARY

Protein bars aren’t the only way to add more protein to your diet. Incorporating protein-rich whole foods into your meals and snacks is a good way to meet your protein needs and support a healthy lifestyle.

Protein bars are a convenient way to add more protein and other nutrients to your diet. However, not all protein bars are created equal.

Some are high in calories and added sugar and use ingredients you may want to avoid. Others may be an appropriate choice to fuel your workout, stabilize your blood sugar between throughout the day, or even start your morning on the go.

There are plenty of other ways to get more protein in your diet, but if you choose to eat protein bars, be sure to look at the nutrition panel and ingredient list to help you decide which one is best for your lifestyle.

Are Protein Bars Good for You?

Protein bars are a popular snack food designed to be a convenient source of nutrition.

Many people enjoy them because they’re a quick way to add protein and other nutrients to a busy and active lifestyle.

Given the wide variety of protein bars on the market, it’s important to know that not all protein bars are created equal.

This article reviews whether protein bars are healthy, what benefits they may offer, and the best ways to incorporate them into your lifestyle.

The nutrient composition of protein bars can differ significantly between brands — and even between flavors.

This is largely due to their varying ingredients. Many protein bars may be made from dates and dried fruit, nuts and seeds, and whole grains like oats or quinoa.

The average protein bar contains 5–10 grams of fat, 25–35 grams of carbs, and 5–10 grams of fiber (1).

In addition to offering protein and carbs, many protein bars are a good source of micronutrients, such as calcium, B vitamins, potassium, and iron.

When examining ingredient labels, be aware that some protein bars use a proprietary blend of ingredients and don’t disclose any of its details on the packaging (2).

Many protein bars also contain high amounts of added sugar and use unhealthy sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, which adds excess fructose to your diet and can increase your risk of fatty liver, obesity, and diabetes when consumed in high amounts (3, 4, 5).

Generally, most protein bars offer 150–400 calories and 10–20 grams of protein, although some contain closer to 30 grams of protein per serving (1).

The source of protein also varies. Some bars feature yogurt powder, milk, or dairy proteins like casein and whey, while others use plant-based sources like soy, pea, or brown rice. Some contain egg whites, while others rely on nuts and seeds as a primary protein source.

Moreover, some protein bars use highly concentrated protein sources like whey or soy protein isolates, instead of less processed, whole food protein options.

SUMMARY

The nutritional profiles of protein bars can vary substantially between brands and flavors, depending on the ingredients used. This influences the calorie, protein, fat, and fiber contents, as well as which vitamins and minerals a protein bar offers.

While it’s easy to grab a protein bar off the shelf whenever you’re hungry, there are certain instances in which they may be particularly beneficial.

Convenient source of nutrients

Protein bars can be a simple, ready-to-eat, nutritious snack. They come in a variety of flavors and typically last a while, making them a convenient item to keep on hand.

If you’re looking for something to have as a midday snack, a well-rounded bar containing a reasonable amount of protein and high quality ingredients may be practical option for your lifestyle.

The protein and carb contents of protein bars may likewise make them a good choice for a pre- or post-workout snack that can provide a boost of energy for exercise or aid muscle repair afterward (6).

What’s more, some protein bars are a good source of dietary fiber, which is important for digestive health and may help prevent overeating between meals (7).

Finally, many protein bars are a good source of important vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and B vitamins, helping you meet your daily needs for these micronutrients.

Weight loss

Many people look to protein bars to help support their weight loss journey.

Some research indicates that high protein diets support healthy weight loss to a greater extent than diets containing a standard amount of protein. This is likely due to the filling effects of protein, which can curb your appetite and help prevent overeating (6, 7, 8).

Note that if you choose to utilize protein bars for this purpose, healthy weight loss also requires an overall balanced diet and regular exercise.

Weight gain

To gain weight, you must consume more calories than you burn in a day. If this is your goal, protein bars may be a helpful addition to your diet.

Many protein bars are calorie dense, meaning they provide a significant number of calories in just one serving, making it easy to add calories without having to eat a lot of extra food.

For example, some protein bars may contain upwards of 350 calories per bar. These can easily be consumed between meals to add extra calories to your diet and promote weight gain.

Still, even when your intent is to gain weight, opt for protein bars that provide wholesome ingredients rather than those packed with added sugar and additives.

Meal replacement

Protein bars are often seen as a quick way to replace a meal, especially breakfast.

While a protein bar doesn’t compare to a breakfast made with a variety of healthy whole foods, some may work well in a pinch.

If you’re looking for a quick breakfast on occasion, protein bars on the higher calorie end that don’t contain added sugar or hydrogenated oils may be a good option.

Muscle gain

If you’re a very active person with a lot of muscle mass, or someone looking to gain muscle, adding more protein to your diet may aid your efforts.

In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that endurance athletes and strength-trained athletes consume 0.54–0.77 grams of protein per pound (1.2–1.7 grams per kg) of body weight (9).

Research suggests that supplementing with protein may increase muscle mass and performance when your overall physical activity level and diet are adequate (10).

SUMMARY

Protein bars can be a convenient way to add carbs, protein, vitamins, and minerals to your diet. Also, they may curb appetite, fuel a workout, or support muscle repair after exercise. Still, they can’t replace the quality and nutrient composition of whole foods.

Countless protein bar options are available today. This can make it difficult to determine which one is best for you, as well as easy to choose one that may not be a good fit for your goals.

Some protein bars are so high in calories and added sugar that they might as well be in the candy aisle.

To enhance the flavor, many use added sweeteners, which can vary from more natural sweeteners like dates or stevia to unhealthy ones like high fructose corn syrup. Many protein bars use cane sugar or honey, which may not align with your personal preferences.

Additionally, while the fat in some protein bars often comes from whole nuts and seeds, others use highly processed plant oils, like palm, canola, peanut, or soybean oil.

If you’re eating protein bars solely for their protein, keep in mind that most people consume more protein than they need, so you may already be getting enough of this nutrient (11).

Eating protein in excess doesn’t appear to benefit the health of the average person, and doing so may be harmful in some cases.

One review of 32 human studies found that eating more protein than the recommend dietary allowance (RDA) of 0.36 grams per pound (0. 8 grams per kg) of body weight was associated with an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and bone, liver, and kidney disorders (12).

However, other studies report that high daily protein intake of around 1.4 grams per pound (3 grams per kg) of body weight is safe, at least in the short term.

For example, a study in 14 resistance-trained men showed that a daily protein intake of over 1.5 grams per pound (3.3 grams per kg) of body weight for 6 months was not associated with any adverse health effects. Other studies have shown similar results (13, 14).

Although more research on the long-term health effects of high protein diets is needed, it’s likely that for most people, consuming the recommended 0.36 grams of protien per pound (0.8 grams per kg) of body weight daily is sufficient.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that some people, including athletes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those with certain chronic illnesses, need more protein on a daily basis than the general population.

Lastly, protein bars can vary greatly in their cost and may not be worth their price tag. In addition to checking for high quality ingredients, it may help to compare the unit price and determine which brands offer the greatest value.

The right protein bar for you depends on your goals and values. Select those with a short ingredient list that primarily use whole foods rather than highly processed ingredients. Choosing protein bars that have minimal to no added sugars is also recommended.

SUMMARY

Protein bars not only vary in nutritional content but also ingredients. Some are high in added sugar and may be an unnecessary source of excessive protein. Examine the packaging to determine whether a protein bar meets your personal goals and needs.

If you’re looking for other ways to incorporate more protein-rich foods into your diet, here are a few ideas:

  • raw nuts and seeds
  • cheese
  • hard-boiled eggs
  • nut and seed butters
  • unsweetened yogurt
  • dairy or high-protein nondairy milks
  • cottage cheese
  • beans and lentils
  • tofu and tempeh
  • seitan
  • lean meats and fish
  • certain whole grains

Meeting your protein needs is easy with a well-balanced diet. Incorporate some healthy protein-rich foods into each meal and snack to help you feel fuller longer, fuel your workouts, and support an overall healthy lifestyle.

SUMMARY

Protein bars aren’t the only way to add more protein to your diet. Incorporating protein-rich whole foods into your meals and snacks is a good way to meet your protein needs and support a healthy lifestyle.

Protein bars are a convenient way to add more protein and other nutrients to your diet. However, not all protein bars are created equal.

Some are high in calories and added sugar and use ingredients you may want to avoid. Others may be an appropriate choice to fuel your workout, stabilize your blood sugar between throughout the day, or even start your morning on the go.

There are plenty of other ways to get more protein in your diet, but if you choose to eat protein bars, be sure to look at the nutrition panel and ingredient list to help you decide which one is best for your lifestyle.

benefits and harms, whether they help gain and lose weight

The content of the article:

  1. What are they for
  2. How

    3. work

  3. Pros and Cons of Protein Bars
  4. How to eat properly
  5. Benefits of protein bars during training
  6. Slimming protein bars
  7. Mass Gain Sports Bars

On proper nutrition and diet, it is especially important to diversify the diet. So healthy food will be more saturated and not get bored. You will enjoy the taste of your favorite dishes without compromising the quality of your body.

Convenient and versatile topping can be added to coffee, tea or cocktails. Pour over cheesecakes, PP-pancakes or pancakes, fruit salad, ice cream, cake and any other desserts.

What are they for

Protein bars are a protein snack that you can take with you or quickly eat if you are in a hurry and do not have time to eat a full meal. They can also make up for the lack of protein in the diet and maintain it in good condition, using instead of protein shakes and supplements. Such a sports snack helps build muscle or, conversely, dry out and lose weight, depending on the composition and KBJU.

Protein bars can be a healthy alternative to sugary muffins. Sweet tooth to the delight – this product can easily replace chocolate or a bun with benefits for the quality of the body.

Bars are used for various purposes, the main ones are:

– replace sugar-containing sweets with PP;

– quickly replenish energy before or after training;

– increase the amount of protein in the diet with intensive sports;

– have a bite to eat in a hurry instead of fast food;

– lose weight, get rid of excess weight and reduce the percentage of fat in the body;

– restore the level of vitamins and minerals in the blood.

However, do not forget that protein bars will not replace your full meal and will not enrich your body with all the necessary nutrients. Excessive consumption of snacks can negatively affect the gastrointestinal tract or cause spikes in blood sugar levels. This is a great snack, but not the basis of the diet.

And so you don’t have to wonder if protein bars are healthy, if they are harmful, how and when to eat them, and how they work, we have collected all the information, research and instructions in this article.

How they work

Protein bars are perfect for a quick and easy snack. They are high in protein and low in sugar. Such a snack helps the body quickly restore the expended energy and satisfy hunger without gaining excess weight.

Pros and cons of protein bars

A protein snack has many properties that benefit the body of any person, and not just athletes, as is commonly believed.

In 2011, scientists conducted studies that showed that whey protein bars 4 hours after consumption reduce the level of the hormone “ghrelin”, which is responsible for the feeling of hunger. So they established a huge advantage of a protein snack over other snacks – it reduces appetite and helps to eat less .

2 more studies conducted in the US, Minnesota and Australia have shown that whey protein helps to lose fat while maintaining and even increasing muscle mass, improve athletic performance and relieve stress .

The participants who took the protein showed greater gains in muscle mass after 10 weeks of resistance training than did the control group. The subjects also showed fewer symptoms of depression than those who did not take the protein.

Main advantages of bars :

– High-quality replacement of sugar-containing sweets with proper nutrition and a low-carbohydrate diet;

– Improving the functioning of the body due to the acceleration of the production of hormones and enzymes;

– Decreased cravings for sweets;

– Fast saturation and replenishment of energy;

– Getting plenty of protein without consuming extra calories;

– It is convenient to take a snack with you for a snack due to the small size and individual packaging.

But in order to understand whether such a snack will be useful or harmful for you, you need to weigh the pros and cons, as well as the possible harm that they can cause.

The main danger can be – excessive consumption of this snack. You should not eat more than 2-3 bars a day, and even more so replace them with full meals.

An excess of the protein they can cause in the body can cause an allergic reaction , as well as health problems if you have a tendency to kidney or liver disease.

It is best to eat a high-protein diet only during periods of muscle gain, reducing protein intake the rest of the time.

Potential Hazards of Protein Bars:

– With excessive consumption, individual protein intolerance and food allergies to components may occur;

– Increased load on the kidneys can exacerbate chronic and hereditary diseases;

– If you do not monitor the number of bars eaten per day, problems with the gastrointestinal tract may occur;

– If you choose the wrong bar, you can get the opposite result of what you expected, for example, gain weight instead of losing weight.

How to eat properly

Depending on the ingredients and the ratio of BJU, there are different bars:

– Low-carbohydrate – contain a minimum amount of carbohydrates, suitable for a diet on low-carbohydrate diets and drying;

– Carbohydrate-protein – with a balanced ratio of carbohydrates and proteins, ideal for maintaining weight;

– Protein – characterized by a maximum protein content, ideal for gaining lean muscle mass and reducing the percentage of fat;

– Energy – contain a large proportion of carbohydrates, help to energize before training and gain weight.

From this description, it becomes clear that while some bars will help to gain mass, others will be suitable for weight loss. For athletes who want to gain weight, low-carb bars will be completely useless, and high-calorie bars will not help you lose weight, even cause the opposite effect.

High protein bars can contain between 30% and 70% protein, but the higher the protein content, the more taste suffers. It is better to choose bars with up to 30-45% protein content – they maintain a balance between useful properties and taste.

To choose the right protein bars, you need to rely on what they are eaten for. There are several possible targets:

– Gaining weight and muscle mass;

– Quick snacks and maintenance of the caloric content of the diet;

– Slimming.

When choosing a snack, pay attention not only to the calorie content, what it consists of, and the ratio of BJU, but also to the useful additives it contains. Preferably buy bars that have added fiber, sodium, various vitamins and other beneficial substances. The protein from them is absorbed better, and the need for taking dietary supplements additionally becomes less.

Benefits of protein bars during training

Protein snacks help speed up muscle recovery during increased physical activity. The amount of protein in a bar is comparable to a serving of cottage cheese or chicken breast.

Often, for the regeneration of muscle fibers during intense training, you need a large amount of protein, which is difficult to obtain from standard food. For this, athletes use protein shakes or bars when there is no time and they need a “quick” protein. It is best to take bars in equal intervals between main meals.

It is especially important to help muscles recover after a workout. For this, bars with a protein content of approximately 20 g are suitable. Carbohydrate-containing snacks are suitable for energy before training.

An added bonus in workout bars is their creatine monohydrate content, which helps build muscle and increase strength due to its ability to reduce muscle fatigue by neutralizing the acids produced during exercise.

If the bar contains L-carnitine, then a snack will not only dull the appetite, but also help the body use “stored” fats as an energy source. L-glutamine promotes the production of glycogen, which allows you to save energy for physical activity for a longer time, so it is better to eat a snack with it before training.

The effect of the use of these additives is manifested over time, with daily use.

When you can have a snack bar:

– After the end of the workout, to accelerate muscle growth and achieve weight loss;

– During training, if you feel very hungry, which affects the performance of the exercises.

Slimming protein bars

The bars themselves, like any other product, do not have fat-burning properties. The main rule when losing weight is that the number of calories spent per day should be more than what you received from the diet. For this, low-calorie bars are suitable: high-protein or high-carbohydrate.

High-protein snacks are good for snacking throughout the day, while high-carb snacks will give your muscles quick energy and help increase the intensity of exercise, so you should eat such a bar an hour before a workout.

When choosing a snack, you should pay attention to what it is made of. A bar with sugar or molasses can contain the daily calorie intake for weight loss.

Here you can think: do people get better from the bars for weight loss. Such cases are quite common when they do not read the composition and KBJU of the product and eat them in unlimited quantities.

It is important to understand that the caloric content of the diet will be different for women and men, and it must be calculated individually for each, depending on the level of activity. Therefore, the allowable calorie intake for one snack will be different for everyone.

Weight Gain Sports Bars

When gaining mass, it is very important for girls and boys to maintain a calorie surplus, but in reality, eating 5-6 times a day is quite problematic. In such situations, high-calorie bars, which can contain up to 25% of the daily calorie intake, will save. They allow you to maintain the level of protein in the body necessary for muscle growth throughout the day. To do this, you can consume 2-4 bars per day. The main advantage of the snack in this case is its convenience. You can always take a bar with you and refresh yourself on the road. You can snack on bars during weight gain before, during, and after training.

When gaining muscle mass, you need to carefully consider the choice of a bar, because a balanced composition is very important in this regard. Both carbohydrates and proteins are equally important for muscle growth. Proteins are the material for building muscle tissue, but without carbohydrates, which provide energy for this process, you will not be able to play sports.

Therefore, when choosing bars for gaining muscle, pay attention that the ratio of proteins and carbohydrates in the composition is either 1:1 or 1:2:

– for a set of dry muscle mass, it is worth picking up bars with fewer carbohydrates – high-protein ones;

– for weight gain, the content of proteins and carbohydrates should be equal, protein-carbohydrate ones are suitable for this purpose.

Harm or benefit: Dealing with protein bars

Today, protein bars are a very popular snack not only for athletes. The packages of these treats scream health benefits, but are they?

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Sometimes you just want to eat an energy bar without even going to the gym. Isn’t it harmful?

Energy bars can contain a range of ingredients ranging from good to bad. Along with nuts and chia seeds, sugar and sweeteners can be added to mask the bitter taste of some of the healthier ingredients.

As you understand, it is possible to determine whether a bar is healthy only by its composition. Most protein bars contain healthy ingredients: nuts, seeds, dried fruits, whole grains. But to tie these ingredients together and improve the overall taste, manufacturers may add sugar syrups, artificial sweeteners, chocolate, milk, eggs, or yogurt powder.

If you look at the ingredients, you might be confused, which is why the USDA issued a special recommendation on what an average 63-gram protein bar should contain in order for it to be of any benefit:

  • Energy 250 kcal
  • Protein 20 g
  • Fat 9 g
  • Carbohydrates 26 g
  • Fiber 10 g
  • Sugar 8 g
  • Calcium 150 mg
  • Iron 1. 08 mg
  • Potassium 120 mg
  • Sodium 170 mg
  • Fatty acids 3.5 g
  • Cholesterol 5.04 mg 1%

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Using this as a guideline, the protein bar is a great source of protein, fiber and calcium. It is also a good source of carbohydrates and iron.

Weight Loss

The high protein content in the formula can have a “fullness effect”, curbing the urge to snack between meals or eat more than you need at mealtimes.

A 2019 study of 62 overweight women in Korea showed how eating a protein bar daily reduced calorie intake. The researchers found that, on average, women reduced their daily calorie intake by 39%. They also achieved weight loss and improved blood cholesterol levels.

Weight gain

Protein bars can also be useful if you need to gain weight, for example if you have a thyroid imbalance or find it hard to find time to eat regularly.

If you need to increase your daily calorie intake, a protein bar can give you about 250 extra calories a day, and some give more.