by Dr. David Minkoff April 14, 2020 5 min read
When you go to your local grocery or health food store, you probably see ten or twenty brands of protein bars, lined up in eye-catching packaging, each promising to supply your body with impressive levels of protein and nutrition.
But is it true? These bars are promoted as:
Most of these claims are overblown. And where they are true, the good usually contain some questionable – and very unhealthy – ingredients.
The reality is that most of these bars have more in common with a glazed donut or a candy bar than a nutritious snack.
Let’s see how this works. Here are the nutrition facts of a generic glazed donut compared to one of the most popular bars on the market: The Clif Bar (we’re not trying to pick on Clif, we just happened to look at the nutrition facts recently).
Glazed Donut |
Clif Bar [1] |
· Calories: 220 · Total fat: 12g · Saturated fat: 5g · Net carbs: 24g · Sugar: 10g · Fiber: 1g · Protein: 3g |
· Calories: 240 · Total Fat: 5g · Saturated fat: 1g · Net carbs: 39g · Sugar: 22g · Fiber: 5g · Protein: 10g |
Now, the Clif Bar is promoted as being an energy bar with 70% organic ingredients. The truth? The abundance of carbs and sugar make this product very high on the glycemic index, dangerous for diabetics, and likely to spike your blood sugar, followed by the inevitable crash.
This same problem exists with other “healthy” bars, such as the RXBAR (13 grams of sugar) [2], the Perfect Bar (18 grams of sugar) [3], and the Pro Bar Base (13 grams of added cane sugar) [4].
Right – the low-sugar bars. Everything from Pure Protein Bars, Muscle Milk, and the famous Built Bar promote that they are low in sugar. And while this is true, there’s a saying that applies:
“If it sounds to be too good to be true, it probably is.”
Most “low sugar” bars are made with compounds called sugar alcohols to provide low-carb sweetness, as sugar alcohols are partially resistant to digestion and function like dietary fiber. [5] They are called sugar alcohols because the chemical composition resembles both a sugar and an alcohol – but it isn’t either one.
Common sugar alcohols include:
Unfortunately, the “free sugar” in sugar alcohol could be classified as too good to be true. While some forms of sugar alcohols appear naturally in various fruits and vegetables, what you get in a protein bar is usually made from plant-based carbs that have been chemically altered. [6]
Further, sugar alcohols are known to trigger an array of physical problems when consumed regularly:
To give you an idea, the following popular protein bars use sugar alcohols as a sweetener:
Beyond sugar alcohols, most of these bars contain several not-so-great ingredients they use as fillers, additives, cheap protein (soy and whey), and more. Some of the worst ingredients include:
Whey protein has become one of the top supplemental proteins available – partially because it is cheap and easy to produce, and partially because it has a very high bioavailability.
When milk is turned to cheese, the colorless liquid left over is whey, and when it is dried and turned into powder, you have whey protein. It comes in many forms, including:
We avoid whey protein for three reasons:
So, now that you know all the ugly and bad, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.
It’s called the BodyHealth Bar.
We carefully researched and developed this bar to be the ideal snack, and the best of both worlds: delicious AND healthy.
We sourced ingredients that are entirely organic, non-GMO, vegan, natural, and healthy, and this revolutionary bar provides:
Let’s face the truth: if you don’t mind the sugar, you can go with one of the entirely fruit and nut-based bars like the RXBAR or Perfect Bar, which are at least honest about what’s in them.
But if you want the ideal, healthy snack for you and your family that offers low carbs, great health benefits, and is safe for virtually anyone – there’s no arguing that the BodyHealth Bar is perfect for you.
If you don’t believe us, check the ingredients and try one yourself!
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by Dr. David Minkoff
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