best nutritional profile for protein bars?

Nightwanderer

Nightwanderer

Well-known member
A lot of protein bars are just candy bars with some low grade whey thrown in. What bars have decent nutritional profiles? Name the best ones you've seen so far. And no, flavor doesn't count, this is purely from a nutritional perspective.
 
Protein bars in my opinion should be just used as a junk substitute. They're handy for cravings. There might be some decent ones out there buy how are you really going to know. The only thing I really have to go on is if I eat too many do I get fat.
 
DreamWeaver said:
Protein bars in my opinion should be just used as a junk substitute. They're handy for cravings. There might be some decent ones out there buy how are you really going to know. The only thing I really have to go on is if I eat too many do I get fat.
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calories are calories....you eat too many of anything and one is bound to "get too fat". The fact of the matter is, most people have either a bias,a misunderstanding or a combination of the two in regards to protein bars

a few common things you'll overhear...
"They are just overglorified candy bars"
A: Some, yes, but the majority are low glycemic,having a good vitamin/mineral blend, and have a significant amount of a decent protein blend.

"The protein is inferior in those bars"
A: Sure,the protein quality of a whole food meal is the IDEAL source to take in but protein bars should be used as a matter of convenience. I cannot remember how many clients i've had where having a whole food meal for EVERY meal was feasible for their work/school/life schedule. There are many times when a protein bar is a much better and cheaper alternative vs.eating out or not eating at all. if a bar consisted ONLY of hydrolzed collagen/gelatin, then yes it would do very little in terms of aiding in nitrogen retention. That being said, collagen/gelation is rarely the main source of protein and it is deemed inferior as it IS an incomplete protein, but when consumed with other proteins(whey,casein,egg,soy iso etc) it forms a complementary protein source.

Another "benefit" to them and MRP's is for people new to dieting they provide a set macronutrient profile/calorie amount that they can track. Portion control/understanding is a HUGE reason many people fail at their diet and having a definitive readout of what you're eating help keeps such a person on track.

I have a feeling i'm gonna hafta clarify a few things a bit later but in summation.....they arent IDEAL but they certainly have their place in any fitness enthusiasts regimen
 
I agree as treats. Or lets just say a lesser evil again I think you would agree.

And a calorie is a calorie is not a completely correct assumption. You said it yourself the glycemic index of the calories being consumed plays a very large role as do macronutrient balance (again quoting you). So if the bar contains too much high glycemic carbs or is not balanced they way the wrapper reads then it could be almost as bad as a candy bar. I don't trust what the wrapper says so like I said it really is hard to discern whether the bar is ok.
 
snickers, j/k VPX pumpkin are the best.
I am constantly on the look out for a better bar. I am in the military and meal replacement bars are a must for at least trying to keep some resemblance of a diet while in the field. I try to avoid ones with high sugar and soy. most are candy bars and thats why I have to keep a look out.
 
DreamWeaver said:
I agree as treats. Or lets just say a lesser evil again I think you would agree.

And a calorie is a calorie is not a completely correct assumption. You said it yourself the glycemic index of the calories being consumed plays a very large role as do macronutrient balance (again quoting you). So if the bar contains too much high glycemic carbs or is not balanced they way the wrapper reads then it could be almost as bad as a candy bar. I don't trust what the wrapper says so like I said it really is hard to discern whether the bar is ok.
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we're pretty much on the same page

but the statement of "a calorie is a calorie" is oftentimes overlooked by many in our age of misinformation. nutrition is a very complex issue but when it comes down to it, many overcomplicate it more than it has to be and a person that burns more calories than they ingest will lose weight and vise versa, a person that consumes a greater amount of calories than their daily expenditure will gain weight(note, i said weight, not bodyfat,muscle etc)
 
So far the Elev8me bars are looking like my best choice,
good way to sneak some fruit into my diet, which is honestly lacking. I eat plenty of veggies but for some reason fruit I don't eat much, aside from avacados and tomatoes.

Might grab a box of the pumpkin Zero impact bars to try too,
but at over 400 calories, it might be a little rich for my purposes.

I push myself to the gym, which is about 3 miles away, it's a nice warm up, but I like to get in a few calories as soon as I get there to make sure I have plenty of energy for when the workout begins.
Transporting a full shaker cup in a backpack is a mess waiting to happen, not to mention in spring and summer here in florida it'd get hot & nasty very fast, lol
 
Nightwanderer said:
So far the Elev8me bars are looking like my best choice,
good way to sneak some fruit into my diet, which is honestly lacking. I eat plenty of veggies but for some reason fruit I don't eat much, aside from avacados and tomatoes.

Might grab a box of the pumpkin Zero impact bars to try too,
but at over 400 calories, it might be a little rich for my purposes.

I push myself to the gym, which is about 3 miles away, it's a nice warm up, but I like to get in a few calories as soon as I get there to make sure I have plenty of energy for when the workout begins.
Transporting a full shaker cup in a backpack is a mess waiting to happen, not to mention in spring and summer here in florida it'd get hot & nasty very fast, lol
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You could always take a shaker with just the powder and mix with water at the gym, right?
 
Iron Warrior said:
Ostrims are great ! I'll have Zero Impact with an ostrim to add more protein with less carbs into the equation. I'm addicted the pepper flavored ones !
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Oh snap! Good call! I'd like to have some of those Pumpkin bars and Ostrims for when I go to hangout at someone's apartment at night. Every girl's apartment I've ever been to is stocked with the dumbest junk. "Snackwells? HTF am I going to build mass with Snackwells?"
 
I really like Worldwide Pure Protein bars. To me atleast, them seem like they hold the best nutritional value of most bars. Plus I like the taste. I also like the low sugar Detour bars.

I don't eat them often. I keep a couple around for emergency/junk cravings.
 
KingMeso said:
I really like Worldwide Pure Protein bars. To me atleast, them seem like they hold the best nutritional value of most bars. Plus I like the taste. I also like the low sugar Detour bars.

I don't eat them often. I keep a couple around for emergency/junk cravings.
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Bingo! Thats really the way to approach them....they come in handy in certain situations, just shouldnt be a staple of one's diet. I'm partial to Supreme Protein Bars from Prosource....lol, but then again some might say i'm biased;D
 
Met-rx makes a meal replacement bar that has 5 gm fat, 1gm sat fat, and a reasonable amount of carbs (I forget the exact amount), but I think it has some ungodly amount of protein, like 50 gm. That is the most reasonable one I've seen. Most of them are loaded with sugar and bad fats. I try to steer clear unless I'm desperate.
 
Another vote for VPX... I like the Pumpkin and keep a couple around in case I get stuck in an airport or meeting where I can't eat or make a shake.
 
Despite assertions to the otherwise, they are mostly low-quality and unwise food choices, IMHO.

Better choice:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup fine grain oats (you can use 1 cup, depending on texture preference)
6 tablespoons natural peanut butter
6 scoops favorite whey/casein/what have you
1 teaspoon natural vanilla
1/2 cup water

Method:

Combine oats, protein and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl, and fold in. After a thorough mixing, the 'batter' should be crumbly and dry, forming into little clumps. Add in 1/2 cup water and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Pre-grease a cooking sheet with Pam, place batter onto sheet, and place in the fridge or freezer. If you decide to place in the freezer, ensure you pre-cut the squares, in order for easy access.

This entire process takes about 20 minutes, and you can ensure only high-quality, whole ingredients are used.

I think 'a calorie is a calorie' is an oversimplification of how our body uses calories, and an under appreciation of food 'quality'. For example, a gram of polyunsaturated fat found in natural peanut butter, and a gram of trans fat found in McDonald's fries have the same caloric value - do they affect our metabolic pathways the same? The answer is no.

I appreciate the fact our bodies are bound by the laws of thermodynamics, however they speak to quantity - that is, calories in vs., calories out dictates the amount of weight put on but not the quality of weight put on. For those who stringently and over-simply follow 'calories in vs., calories out', here is a challenge: you eat a diet comprised in sole by low-grade whey, sugar, and trans fats, balancing your macronutrient profile how you may; on the other hand, I will eat nothing but whole, unprocessed protein, carbohydrate, and fat sources, and the results would speak for themselves.

Lesson of the day: certain foods exert metabolic effects on our bodies irrespective of their caloric value (i.e., counting calories is only half of the battle).
 
Like I said junk alternatives at best and damn!! just because the print it on the lable it's true.
 
I watched Iron Man again and brought a VPX pumpkin protein bar and an Ostrim. The VPX bar is good! Gonna get me some for 'clutch situations' whereas I can't bring a tupperware container of food.
 
EAS Myoplex Deluxe bars are absolutely delectable and have 30 grams of "HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN" quoth Brady Quinn, only 10g fat, and 36 carbs. If they weren't so damn expensive, I'd love to have them every post-workout.
 
MrBrightside said:
EAS Myoplex Deluxe bars are absolutely delectable and have 30 grams of "HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN" quoth Brady Quinn, only 10g fat, and 36 carbs. If they weren't so damn expensive, I'd love to have them every post-workout.
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I wouldn't recommend any protein bars post-workout, unless you were bulking in which case I'd suggest a Snickers or a Milky Way bar blended in vanilla whey isolate with water. Yum.
 
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