When you look through the selection of healthy nutrition bars at your local health food or grocery store, have you ever noticed how many really don’t seem to be that good for you? The packages promise natural ingredients, great tasting nutrition and other lovely assurances. However, when you take a closer look at what you’re getting, the whole story isn’t quite as appealing.
When you really want to choose healthy nutrition bars, the claim on the front of the package is the last thing you should read. In fact, if at all possible, don’t read it at all! The information you want is in the ingredients list and the nutrition table. That will help you to understand what’s really going on behind that attractively designed package.
Healthy Nutrition Bars Generally Aren’t
The main problem with products packaged as healthy nutrition bars is that they usually simply aren’t good for you at all. Regardless of the claims printed on the packages, they’re notorious for being high in sugar and surprisingly low in protein. They have moderate amounts of fiber, depending on the product. The result is that they leave you feeling hungry shortly after you eat them and didn’t benefit you much in the first place.
This may leave you wondering if healthy nutrition bars really exist. The fact is that they do, but you need to be careful about your choices. They are certainly in the minority. The best way to make sure you’re buying the type of product you want is to know what to watch for.
How to Spot the Right Nutrition Bar
These are the characteristics that usually make up a healthy nutrition bar. Start by looking at fiber content. You’ll want to make sure your bar contains a minimum of 5 grams of fiber. Ideally, you’ll want that fiber to come from all-natural sources, too. Fiber is not only great for keeping you regular but it is also wonderful for filling you up and keeping you feeling satisfied.
Next, make sure your bar contains enough protein. When a bar contains both protein and fiber, you’ll definitely find it satisfying. It will also help to keep your blood sugar levels steady. This way, you won’t experience spikes and crashes in energy levels. You also won’t find yourself suffering from food cravings that can come with blood sugar rising and falling.
Calories are also very important to consider. The number of calories you want will be different depending on your goal. If you’re trying to build muscle, you’ll want a high protein bar that has at least 200 calories in it. However, if you’re aiming to lose weight and burn fat, then you probably won’t want to eat more than 150 calories per bar.
Examples of Great Bars to Eat on the Go
Some examples of bars that can tick those boxes include: Oatmega Bars, 88 Acres Bars, RXBar, Raw Crunch bars, and Health Warrior Chia Bars.