What Are Nutrition Bars?
Nutrition bars are a category of products designed to provide a quick meal replacement option for athletes and generally people on the go. Many bar choices are designed to provide a high protein option. Additionally, there are quite a few energy bars available, which are ideal for endurance athletes.
Nutrition Bars & Protein Intake
When it comes to protein intake, the importance of eating a protein based meal every three hours cannot be overstated. As well, grams of protein per lb of body-weight (one gram per pound, at least) cannot be overstated. That being said, making it happen in real life can be quite a challenge. College or high school kids, for example, have no real time to eat beyond lunch. How would you get in a whole food meal in that situation? Add to that athletic practices that last last up to three hours after school with no provision for food. These kids haven’t eaten since lunch! How can they perform at all let alone at their best without fuel!
As well, many people with demanding or fast paced jobs find themselves in a similar dilemma. They have little time to eat! Whole food meals should occupy most of your eating plan. Still, the concept of convenience for these types of situations makes a lot of sense. We have two options: bars and shakes. High protein bars can be eaten quickly. They provide protein and nutrients that will tide you over until your next meal. There are a lot of choices: high carb/low carb, high fat/low fat, big bars or small bars. The list is endless and can fit any need.
What Are Energy Bars?
Beyond that, we have energy bars. These are more athlete–designed. They are meant for use during any type of demanding endurance event. An example is a triathlete eating a bar while riding their road bike. These are bars high in carbohydrates and usually low in protein. In addition, they are easily digestible and can be eaten during your actual event. Since carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy these make a lot of sense. They usually have both fast and slow-digesting carbs to promote extended energy.
Of course, you can use a bar like this as part of a quick meal. However, total carbohydrate intake must be monitored to help control fat gain, if that is your concern. Carbohydrates are critical and are not really the villain many people may think. However, to many carb calories beyond what you need for energy will be stored as fat. This is true especially when it comes to simple or sugary carbohydrates.
Benefits of Nutrition Bars
- They provide a quick meal solution for those people on the go.
- High protein bars are a convenient source of protein.
- Energy bars provide sustained energy for endurance athletes.
The big thing with bars is the choices. You have a lot to choose from with many offering quite a few flavor and texture selections. Most of the bars can taste quite good. You also have several that are almost like a candy bar in texture and taste. You can tailor the bar to your needs based on the size of the bar and the ability to eat it quickly. For example, if you need a really fast choice, it would make sense to go with a smaller bar. This is in contrast to some big, chewy monster that will take a half hour to eat.
Product Choices And Timing
When choosing a nutrition bar, especially a high protein one, pay careful attention to what you are getting. What is the sugar content, the total carbohydrate content, the sodium content and the fat content. What exactly are they putting in this thing? Yes, there are many quality choices but careful label reading is a must. I suggest a low fat/low carb bar. Nothing that’s too much like a candy bar, or so big you get 600 calories out of it. Personally, I’ll go with a small bar and a protein shake for a good meal replacement. This is when I can’t get to a whole food meal. However, I understand a shake is not always feasible. A bar can be carried a lot easier and does not require adding liquid and mixing. On the downside, some bars are nothing more then a candy bar with “high protein” on the label. Not to mention all the junk that comes with typical candy bars.
Energy Bars
Energy bars, on the other hand, are simpler to choose from. It really comes down to user preference in terms of taste and ease of digestion. Of course, you’ll want to check the ingredients and watch the ratio of simple to complex carbohydrates. This may be more sport-specific than anything else. The big advantage of bars is convenience. Timing is whenever it works for you. The main thing is to not let a bar replace a real meal. Use them when you can’t get to a meal. Energy bars are typically part of an endurance athlete’s training and are used accordingly.