What are the best protein bar ingredients when you’re looking to substitute them for a fast food that is truly poor nutrition? Most people recognize that a protein bar is healthier, but not everyone is. Here are the things to look for to know the difference between good and bad.
The nutrition label will tell you all the details you need to know to make a smart decision. Surprisingly, not many protein bars are actually healthy.
1 – Amount of protein
Simply put, the best protein bars have at least 20 grams of protein. As its name suggests, a protein bar should actually have a lot of protein. Calling a glorified cookie a protein bar because it has a little soy protein in it is unreasonable.
Research shows that 20 grams of protein is the optimal amount for muscle synthesis. Any less and your muscles don’t grow as well. Less is not helpful as your muscles cannot use it effectively.
In another study, a comparison was made of how hungry people felt after eating a yogurt snack with different levels of protein. Those who ate yogurt with lower amounts of protein (either grams or 5 grams) felt hungry much faster than those who ate higher levels of protein (14 grams or 24 grams). The higher dose of protein helped the test subjects feel fuller and they were able to last longer before having to eat dinner.
Not surprisingly, not many protein bars contain as much protein, mainly due to the higher costs involved.
2 – Choose whey protein
The history behind the development of protein supplements shows us that whey protein is by far the best option and it now comes in three forms. They use basic whey protein and casein (both found in milk) in the best protein bars. Lower quality bars will use plant-based soy protein as a filler to increase protein levels, but it’s not as good. They use it because it is a cheaper source. The more quality protein you find, the more seriously the manufacturer takes their product.
3 – More grams of protein than carbohydrates
Protein bars are classified as a food, so they must have more than just protein. To be the best protein bar, it must have more protein than any other ingredient.
The second most common ingredient is carbohydrates which are needed to replace glycogen in your body as an energy source. A common one is sugar alcohols which can cause gastrointestinal problems in some people. Most poor bars contain large amounts of sugar and artificial sweeteners which are bad carbs and make them more like candy bars.
A really good added ingredient in the best protein bars is fiber, especially if it’s a prebiotic super fiber (inulin).
4 – Fat is not all bad
Fats have the most calories per gram of any substance you can eat. As a meal replacement, you’ll want to look for a protein bar with more than 10 grams. Most bars are the same amount and type, so there isn’t much variation here. Manufacturers just haven’t started maximizing fat content yet. But don’t worry, with all the research on the benefits of fats, it won’t be long before they do.
5 – Less is better
A fairly easy rule of thumb is to look at the names of added ingredients and if you can’t pronounce them let alone identify them, it’s probably not good for you. What are some examples? I found all of these:
Cocoa Butter, Corn Syrup, Gelatin, Glycerin, Maltitol, Palm Kernel Oil, Partially Defatted Peanut Flour, Potassium Sorbate, Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Soy Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, milk, milk protein concentrate, calcium caseinate) – yes, this is a good mix, rapeseed and cottonseed oil, salt, soy lecithin, sucralose
The best protein bar is the one that will give you what you need and nothing that you don’t. Check the Nutrition Facts Label to make a wise choice or you can make your own too!