Protein bars are one of the most convenient on the go protein snacks today. However, they all consist of different ingredients which make them stand out from one another.
There are various protein bars that have been introduced to our markets today. These include PROBAR, Quest mint chocolate chunk, Detour Caramel bar, among others. Well, they are all protein bars that contain high protein content which will effectively fuel your body with energy for your work outs. One of the major benefits of taking these protein bars before your workout is that the protein helps to rebuild your muscle tissues even after intense workout sessions. Therefore, they are definitely a must have snack especially if you are keen on proper muscle growth and fat metabolism. However, you should be careful when choosing the perfect protein bar for your body.
It is okay to eat a protein bar everyday especially if it has very little added sugar and is made of natural and organic ingredients. It is highly recommended that you eat a protein bar with minimal sugar because it prevents you from experiencing gastrointestinal upset. Protein is a very essential meal to have pre and post workout and protein bars are very affordable sources of protein. This allows most people to buy them regularly and eat them when they need to.
You shouldn’t be keen on the taste of a protein bar alone as most “delicious” protein bars are not the best sources of protein. Yes, that’s right! Some brands make really tasty protein bars but that ‘s just about it with their products. They contain a lot of sugar and added flavors which makes them more of candy bars rather than protein bars that will feed your body with all the necessary protein. However, there are still protein bars in the market that are actually tasty and still very nutritious.
Therefore, you should ensure that you pick a protein bar that is nutritious and low in calories. The good news is that most brands normally write the ingredients they have used on the packages of their products. A good protein bar that is good for consuming before and after workouts should consist of only 300 calories or less. In addition to this, it should also have less than 15 grams of fat. Always remember that you are not supposed to take a protein bar that is full of calories and artificial flavor. You should also choose a protein bar that will give you high protein content throughout.
What to consider when choosing a healthy protein bar
Ingredient contents
Well, this is the most important thing to consider when choosing a healthy and nutritious protein bar. You should ensure that you get a protein bar that has ingredients with whole foods such as egg white and dried real fruit. The other ingredients that you should be looking for are nuts and even oats as they are also good sources of protein. It is recommended that you buy a protein with such ingredients as you will be able to consume real protein every time you eat the protein bar.
You should ensure that you choose a protein bar that has at least 20g of pure protein regardless of the flavor it comes with. This enables your body to receive enough protein content that is required for muscle tissue repair after your workouts. Some protein bars are made of GMO ingredients which contain nutrients that are genetically modified and not organic. You should avoid such products as they are highly discouraged even by top nutritionists.
The ideal ingredients for a healthy and nutritious protein bar should be organic foods and one that is gluten- free. In addition to this, you can also look for a protein bar that gets its protein from vegetables such as soy. The main benefit of taking gluten- free protein bars is that you will have increased levels of energy every time you head out for your workouts. This makes such products great pre- workout protein bars.
Amount of sugar in the protein bar
Without doubt, a lot of people usually prefer protein bars that are very tasty and delicious. I don’t really blame them as the taste of these protein bars is actually a major selling for some of the brands in the market. However, you should be careful not to choose a protein bar that has unnecessary high levels of sugar to make it sweet.
Protein bars are essentially made to be highly nutritious and not just candy bars that contain too many calories. Therefore, you’d rather choose a protein bar that has an average and natural taste but high in protein and low in sugar than a protein bar with added flavors and high levels of sugar. You should eat a protein bar that comes with at most 10 grams of sugar because most of the protein bar ingredients such as cacao already contain sugar.
However, there are some protein bars that come with unsweetened fruits and chocolate which are ideal for you especially if you don’t like sugary protein bars.
The protein quantity in the protein bar
The main point of eating a protein bar is so that you can feed your body with protein whether pre and post- workout. Protein bars normally come with different amounts of protein in them which range from as low as 4 grams to as high as 20 grams. Well, not everyone is required to consume a high protein bar as the amount of protein that you need for your body depends on your goals and activities.
You should get a protein bar that comes with low protein content if you normally do light activities such as taking short walks. However, you should probably take a protein bar that comes with 20 grams of protein before an intense work out in the gym. This is because such a protein bar contains all the protein that you will require to fuel your body during your work out.
Basically, you should ensure that you eat a protein bar that enable you to get all the required protein by your body during your activities.
Conclusion
Protein bars are nutritious snacks that are affordable and offer great convenience to anyone looking to consume proteins on the go. In addition to this, they also come in different tasty flavors which make them very delicious. However, you should always be careful when choosing a protein bar. Always keep in mind that you can eat a protein bar every day only if it has low sugar, 100% organic and is made of real foods that have high protein content.
Below are some of the best protein bars in the market today.
Product | Protein quantity | Ingredients | Availability |
Rise Almond Honey | 20 grams | Almond, honey, whey protein isolate | |
Pro Bar | 20 grams | Soy protein, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa | |
Quest Blueberry Muffin | 20 grams | Almond, cocoa butter, protein blend, sunflower | |
Oatmega protein bar | 14 grams | Unsweetened white chocolate, raspberry, Omega 3, whey protein |
FAQs
Should I eat protein bars before or after my workout?
You can eat a protein bar both before and after your workout. They are really good sources of protein which makes them the ideal protein snack on the go.
Do I have to workout to eat protein bars?
No, you can eat protein bars without working out and you’ll be fine. They are low- calorie protein snacks therefore they won’t cause any harm to your body.
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