Budget Wise: Three Tips for
- January. 19 2021
You are in a rush, you are starving, and you want food NOW! All is not lost though. You keep your cool and rather than grabbing for the nearest bag of Combos, you decide on a protein bar instead. But which brand do you reach for? Are all protein bars the same?
Heck no they aren’t!
Today we are going to take a look at a small glimpse of the various options to choose from in the world of protein bars.
When I choose a protein bar I have certain stipulations, based upon my goals.
So without further adieu, let’s take a look at some of the most popular protein bars.
Calorie Range: 180 – 260
Store Where Purchased: Target
Note: I only picked bars that I think taste good, so I won’t factor “taste” into the mix.
(180 calories, 4.5 g fat, 125 mg sodium, 27 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 13 g sugars, 10 g protein)
Label Claims: Low glycemic, high in calcium and folic acid, rich in antioxidants.
LunaPro™ (soy rice crisp [soy protein isolate, organic rice flour], organic toasted oats, organic roasted soybeans, organic soy flour, organic flaxmeal), organic brown rice syrup, organic coating (organic evaporated cane juice, organic palm kernel oil, organic cocoa, organic soy lecithin, organic vanilla), marshmallow flavored nuggets (organic evaporated cane juice, cocoa butter, oat fiber, oat flour, fructose, natural flavors, gum arabic, soy lecithin), inulin (chicory extract), vegetable glycerin, organic soy butter, organic sunflower oil, natural flavor, sea salt.
Pros: Organic, mostly whole ingredients, low in calories (3.75 per gram), fair amount of protein, good amount of fiber, low in sodium, lots of vitamins and minerals.
Cons: Contains quite a bit of soy, which some people (me) are sensitive to, i.e. stomach discomfort, problems digesting, etc. Also, it is a little small in comparison to other bars, but then again it is lower in calories as well, so it all equals out.
My Vote: A (if you are not sensitive to soy)
(200 calories, 6 g fat, 250 mg sodium, 25 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 16 g sugars, 14 g protein)
Label Claims: Excellent source of protein, excellent source of calcium, good source of fiber, all natural.
Caramel (corn syrup, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, nonfat milk, fractionated palm kernel oil, cream, milk protein concentrate, natural flavor, salt, soy lecithin, disodium phosphate), soy protein nuggets (isolated soy protein, tapioca starch, salt) milk chocolate flavored coating (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, nonfat dry milk solids, cocoa powder, soy lecithin, salt, natural flavor), corn syrup, gum arabic, guar gum, glycerine, sodium caseinate, peanuts. Less than 2% of the following: water, sunflower or safflower oil, soy protein isolate, natural flavor, salt.
Pros: High protein, good amount of fiber, good size bar in grams, contains vitamins and minerals, fairly low in calories (4 calories per gram).
Cons: Yikes, corn syrup is the first ingredient!, mostly fake ingredients, lots of sugar, no organic.
My Vote: D, there are much better options than this. Candy bar in disguise!!
Stay tuned for Part 2 where we examine Odwalla, Power Bars, and how to make your own protein bars at home…