Energy Bars:

Are they all they are hyped up to be?

By Judy Torel

You see them in every grocery and convenience store by the row full. They are advertised as “energy bars” and the message is if you eat one you will suddenly feel as if you have slept for eight hours! They are also marketed as healthy alternatives to other junk foods for when you find yourself eating on the run.
According to a PR representative in Manhattan, sales of energy bars more than doubled from 1999 to 2004 and every year there is a minimum of $800 million in sales from these bars.
What exactly are energy bars and are they something you should include in a healthy eating plan?

What is an energy bar?
There are three main types of energy bars: high carb, high protein or a mixture of protein, carb and fat, in which case they are billed as meal replacement energy bars.
Although they may vary in the percentage of the macronutrients, these bars are more similar then they are different. On the positive side, most bars are low in saturated and hydrogenated fats, can have as much as five grams of fiber and contain a mixture of vitamin and minerals that have been added to the bars. But, before you put these into a health food category you may want to consider what else is in them.

Most bars contain sweeteners, such as high fructose corn syrup, grape and pear juice concentrate, barley malt or rice syrup. These may sound healthy, but in reality they are consolidated sources of natural sugars which make them more like candy than a healthy snack or meal replacement.

The higher protein bars do replace some of the sugar sources with whey or soy protein but then they add sorbitol or some other form of sugar—alcohol which the body cannot digest. These bars taste sweet without adding the sugar calories, hence the label, “high protein”, but these indigestible sugars have been linked to gastrointestinal bloating, gas, and pain.

Although it may appear that the bars vary in calorie amount, upon analysis you will find that all bars come out to be approximately 110 calories per ounce. A Powerbar Harvest weighs 2.3 ounces and has 240 calories and a Luna bar weighs 1.7 ounces and has 180 calories, but despite the appearance of being a better calorie choice, the Luna bar is just smaller.

To most people, the word energy implies these bars will make you feel energetic. The ads reinforce this by showing people running, leaping and participating in endurance activities. But, to the Food and Drug Administration, the word energy on a label means calories! So in reality, you are not getting an energy boost as much as you are ingesting calories. And at 110 calories per ounce, these bars can compete with donuts, cookies and chips!

There is no magic to the bars. As long as you are getting the same number of calories, carbs and protein, there is no performance enhancement to the bars. Most people would do better to carry an apple, low fat yogurt, turkey breast slices with whole grain crackers, or a baked potato stuffed with four ounces of low fat cottage cheese for in-between meal snacks or mini-meals on the run. With bars ranging from $1-$3.50 per bar, real food is not only healthier but also less expensive!

It is not all negative news though. The energy bars do have several positives in their corner. First, they are convenient. You can pack one in your glove compartment or purse to have in an emergency when you don’t have access to real food and your alternative is chips or cookies. Second, the bars are portion controlled. You know the total calorie amount and when it’s gone it’s gone. There is no box or bag to continue to put your hand into thereby consuming more calories.

Energy bars can be used in a pinch or occasionally when real food is not accessible but they really don’t fit into a healthy eating plan if they consistently replace the six plus servings of fruits and vegetables and the low fat real protein sources that are recommended for good health and proper nutrition.
The following are my honorable mentions in the energy bar world.

Best Tasting: Clif Bars originated in 1990 for athletes needing easy to carry and concentrated carbohydrates while hiking. They now consistently win the energy bar taste tests. They are a carb type energy bar and have 250 calories, 5 grams of fat and 10 grams of protein. They come in many flavors including chocolate chip. These bars are better to use in the summer because they don’t have a chocolate or yogurt coating so they don’t become a sticky melted mess if left in a glove compartment or other warm place.

Most Like a Real Candy Bar: Go down the energy bar aisle in your local grocery store and the Detour Bars will definitely grab your attention. The bar is designed to mimic a Snickers bar and has a nickname of “snickers on steroids”. This protein type energy bar has a whopping 3.2 ounces, 350 calories, 30 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat and 32 grams of carbs. The bar contains Designer Whey (trademarked) that is boasted as being America’s number one protein since 1993.

Highest Protein Bar: Pro 42 Bars have the highest protein content of all the energy bars, a full 42 grams of ISS protein blend, including calcium caseinate, whey protein and hydrolyzed protein. These bars are low sugar and have a carb count of only 11 grams. The reason for this is that the bars contain glycerine, a sweetener derived from vegetables which has a lower carb gram amount then the sweeteners used in other bars. The flavors include Almond Rocky Road and Peanut Butter Collision.

Most “health food-like”: Odwalla Bars are made with only organic ingredients including fruits and grains. Flavors include Superfood with Spirulina and Cranberry C- Monster. The bars boast high content of antioxidants and other healthful nutritional supplementation. The Superfood Odwalla bar is 2.1 ounces and 230 calories. It contains 4 grams of fat (none of it saturated), 43 grams of carbs derived from brown rice syrup and other natural sweeteners and 4 grams of protein.

Judy Torel is a therapist/personal trainer with a Master’s degree in psychology. She is certified through the American College of Sports Medicine as a fitness trainer and works out of Planet Fitness and Deb's Sweat Shop Extension. She can be reached at JTOREL2263@yahoo.com