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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:
Full meal replacements,
Healthy snacks,
Delicious,
Natural, and
Great sources of protein
Let’s start with the ugly.
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.
Nutrition Facts – The Donut Comparison
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].
Okay – But So Many Bars Promote Low Sugar!
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.”
Sugar Alcohols
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:
Erythritol
Sorbitol
Xylitol
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:
Digestive issues: Sugar alcohols have been known to damage the healthy bacteria in your digestive system and adversely affect your metabolism. This results in a laxative effect, bloating, gas, and intestinal trouble. [7] In fact, the FDA regulates sugar alcohols and requires any product with high quantities or that may be over-consumed (like mints or gum) to have a label that reads, “Excess consumption may have a laxative effect.” [8]
Blood sugar spikes: Despite being promoted as safe for diabetics, the truth is that they are partially digested – which can lead to unexpected increases in blood sugar levels and insulin responses.
To give you an idea, the following popular protein bars use sugar alcohols as a sweetener:
Built Bar [9]
Quest Protein Bar [10]
Carb Killa [11]
Muscle Milk Bar [12]
And the Kicker: Hidden, Nasty Ingredients
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:
Soy and soy-related products: Soy is one of the cheapest and most genetically modified food sources commercially available (up to 90% of soy grown in the US is GMO). And not only is soy known for causing digestive problems and allergic reactions, but it also contains isoflavones – compounds like estrogen that are linked to ovarian cancer, impairing female fertility, and other health problems. [13,14] Common soy products in protein bars include soy protein isolate and soy lecithin.
Palm oil, palm kernel oil, and modified palm kernel oil: Variations of palm oil and palm kernel oil are in thousands of products – and this is not good news. This oil is often used as a low-cost substitute for trans fats. Unfortunately, all variations of palm oil contain a high concentration of saturated fats – which can increase LDL (the bad cholesterol linked to heart disease).
Maltodextrin:This misleading flavorless white powder is an additive in many bars to improve the texture, taste, and shelf life of various foods and bars. The catch? It is often made from genetically modified organisms (GMO), has a higher glycemic index than sugar (causes your blood sugar to spike), can negatively affect your gut bacteria, cause weight gain, gas, bloating, skin irritation, and breathing difficulties. [15] Sound bad? We think so too.
Whey Protein
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:
Whey protein isolate: Heavily filtered and processed to include a high concentration of protein without much else
Whey protein concentrate:Partially filtered whey with a higher protein content than plain whey
Hydrolyzed whey concentrate: Whey concentrate that has been subjected to an enzymatic process that is claimed to make it easier to digest [16]
We avoid whey protein for three reasons:
Whey protein is known to cause digestive trouble when taken in quantity, including nausea, increased bowel movements, cramping, bloating, fatigue, headaches, and reduced appetite [17,18]
As it is based on milk, all forms of whey protein contain varying amounts of lactose, which is a known allergen for millions of adults and children in the US
Whey protein is not vegan
Okay, Enough of the Bad and Ugly – Here’s the Good:
So, now that you know all the ugly and bad, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.
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:
Organic MCT oil for clean, sustained, and rapid energy
Soy-free, organic pea protein fortified with our proprietary PerfectAmino blend for a complete protein
Natural flavor
Honest sweetening with natural monk fruit extract – an alternative sweetener with no negative health effects [19]
Superfood and vegetable blend for optimal health
Only seven grams of net carbohydrates – we use organic chicory root to provide fibrous and healthy carbs
Organic sunflower tocopherol for an antioxidant boost
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!
*This website, including products, articles, and educational content are not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. This website does not provide medical advice. The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only.
Dr. David Minkoff
Dr. David Minkoff is a world-renowned elite medical doctor, international speaker, nutritionist, and triathlete who has devoted his career to helping everyone achieve and maintain their ideal health and fitness.
With decades of experience in the modern medical system, Dr. Minkoff had a breakthrough in holistic medicine that led to a deep understanding of the root causes of physical ailments and a truly effective approach at treating patients as whole – not just addressing the symptoms. His research in this area led to the creation of his international clinic, Lifeworks Wellness Center, and BodyHealth – a nutrition company that now manufactures and distributes cutting-edge nutritional solutions for the many health problems of today.
by Dr. David MinkoffJanuary 06, 20227 min read0 Comments
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That sugar is there, and insulin is happily converting it to fat, but your cells aren’t getting it so of course they’re hungry and will keep telling you to eat more until they finally get some.
by Dr. David MinkoffDecember 23, 20216 min read0 Comments
I’ve been asked many times about the one vitamin or supplement a person needs for good health, about this or that diet, about going Vegan or going Carnivore, and much more.
So I wanted to take a moment to look at some things here. Not the pros and cons of different diets or the importance of one vitamin over another, but instead — how you can determine what is right for you.
by Dr. David MinkoffDecember 09, 20216 min read0 Comments
Especially as they get older, women can find it easier and easier to gain weight and harder and harder to lose it.
But more and more this is happening with younger women as well — and there is an exact reason for this.
It has to do with hormones, the messenger chemicals in our body that tell our cells how to use the foods we eat, whether to store fat or lose it, increase or decrease energy. They even affect our moods.
And when they get out of control, it can become harder and harder to climb back out of the hole.
So let’s take a look at exactly what’s happening here. First, we’ll define a couple of things.
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