Most energy bars are well packaged, sugar laden, highly processed junk food and many people eat them way too often. That said, a few reasonably healthy bars do exist and having one of these on hand when you are in a pinch can be a true lifesaver. Follow these simple guidelines for both selecting an energy bar and knowing when you should eat it. For a ready-made list of bars that win my stamp of approval, skip to the bottom.
How to Pick an Energy Bar
Most energy bars are a far cry from the healthy snack they claim to be, however you can outsmart deceptive marketing jargon by following these three steps.
- Ignore all health claims on the front side of the packaging.
- Turn to the backside of the packaging and read the list of ingredients. I look for bars that contain very few minimally processed ingredients. The first ingredient should not be a sweetener and the bar should not contain any high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils.
- Look at the nutrition breakdown and see if it meets this criteria: 220 calories or less, under 19 grams of sugar, and at least 7 grams of protein. Since around 75% of adults do not digest dairy properly, I often look for bars that are free of whey protein.
Remember, even the best quality bars are still processed and by no means a replacement for fresh whole foods.
When You Should Eat an Energy Bar
An energy bar can be the perfect fix when you are out and about, your blood sugar is dropping, and food is nowhere in sight, as a pre-workout energy boost, or when you need to subdue a hungry, cranky child. I always keep one in my car and my purse for such occasions. Bars are also handy as a quick, easy to digest fuel during long endurance training sessions (ex: 3+ hour bike ride). For the most part, however, energy bars should be thought of as an emergency fall back and limited to about 2 per week.
Energy Bars That Make the Cut
- Hammer Bar- almond raisin: 220 calories, 15g sugar, 10g protein
- Hammer Bar- chocolate chip: 220 calories, 17g sugar, 9g protein
- Raw Organic Food Bar- chocolaty chocolate chip: 200 calories, 18g sugar, 10g protein
- Think Organic- chocolate coconut: 160 calories, 13g sugar, 4g protein
- Organic Food Bar- original (these numbers are for ½ bar): 150 calories, 10g sugar, 7g protein
- Heart Thrive Oat Cakes by Suncakes (these numbers are for 1 heart): 178 calories, 8g sugar, 7g protein
