This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I keep a KIND bar in my purse for emergencies. I will usually eat half of it when I’m driving between clients just to get me through until the next meal. I like KIND bars because they have simple ingredients and they taste good. I usually get the non-coated ones that are less likely to melt and create a mess because I don’t want to show up on a client’s doorstep with chocolate all over my face. That’s not a good look. I started eating KIND bars many years ago when they were the best option in the bar aisle and honestly, haven’t taken the time to discover what’s new out there. Plus, KIND bars typically have less than 5 grams of protein, which isn’t much, and it would be nice to have some extra protein just to keep me satiated longer. Recently, a client was raving about a new protein bar that has sixteen grams of protein, so I thought it was time to try some new ones (new to me, at least). 1. Robert Irving’s Fit Crunch – Milk & CookiesThis is the one my client raved about. I have to say it was delicious. I could taste the protein a little bit, but I don’t mind that taste. What I didn’t love was the aftertaste due to the 9 grams of sugar alcohols used, but it did taste really good going down. It has 16 grams of protein (a mixture of whey and soy), which is a good amount for such a small bar. I didn’t love that it has 8 grams of saturated fat, though. That is too much for one bar. That’s 40% of the recommended daily allowance! (A Snickers bar only has 4.5 grams. In fact, the highest amount I could find in a candy bar is 7 grams in a package of Twix.) This bar also has 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of added sugar and a very long list of ingredients that I didn’t love and apparently, they didn’t love me back either. I only ate half of the bar, and my stomach was upset for about 24 hours after that. My client did not report this effect, so it must have been a personal problem for me, or maybe it was completely unrelated. Just in case, I didn’t eat the other half. 2. Aloha Coconut Chocolate Almond BarI had never heard of this brand before. This bar had good chocolate flavor, which I appreciated, but the texture of a Power Bar, which I didn’t love. However, that type of texture stands up to the heat well, and that’s a factor I have to consider in the summer. It has 14 grams of protein (a plant-based mixture of brown rice protein and pumpkin seed protein), 6 grams of fiber (mainly due to tapioca starch), 3 grams of added sugar, and 7 grams of saturated fat, mostly from the coconut. It still seems high for a so-called “health” food. The ingredient list is reasonable, and I didn’t get any stomach issues with this one. I probably won’t buy this particular flavor, though, just because of the saturated fat content. I’m not trying to clog my arteries with this thing; I’m just trying to alleviate my “hangry” state because no client deserves that. I did look at Aloha’s website to see if all of their bars contain this much saturated fat, and thankfully, they do not. I will probably try some other flavors, like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar or Chocolate Fudge Brownie Protein Bar. Those sound delicious! 3. Rx Bar-Coconut Chocolate FlavorThis bar has all simple ingredients. The front of the package says it contains 3 egg whites, 5 almonds, 4 cashews, 2 dates and No B.S. However, in the ingredients list on the back side, dates are listed as the first ingredient, which means although there are only 2 in the bar, those two dates weigh more than the other individual ingredients, which also lists chocolate, natural flavors, sea salt and coconut. It has 12 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of saturated fat. While it has no added sugars, it does contain 13 grams of sugar, which come entirely from the dates. The texture reminded me of the old-school Pemmican bars that I would buy at Sun Harvest Farm in the 90’s to take hiking. It was very sticky & chewy. I think it would hold up to the heat well, but it made me want to brush my teeth immediately. I won’t try this one again. 4. Think! Protein+150 Calorie Bar-Chocolate Almond Brownie FlavorOf all the bars, this one had the taste and texture most like a candy bar. This bar has 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, 4 grams of added sugar and 2 grams of saturated fat. The protein source is a mixture of soy and whey. I ate half of it between clients one day, and that only seemed to make my hunger worse. I’m guessing it caused quite the insulin response in my body, which is NOT something I need at this time of life. I ended up eating the other half for dessert the next day because it just felt better to eat it on an almost-full stomach than on an empty one. While I would eat this again, it’s not useful for my purpose here. 5. NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate ChipThis bar was almost too easy to eat. It tasted like a bar version of the Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, and we all know how addictive those are! This bar has 13 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, 15 grams of added sugar and 3.5 grams of saturated fat. The protein source is soy, which I could barely taste, but that didn’t stop me from eating the whole thing in one sitting. I don’t love that it has almost 4 teaspoons of sugar (1 gram = 4 teaspoons), especially since the recommended maximum is 6 teaspoons (24 grams) a day for adult women. I’d rather have the real thing. Out of all these, I’m going to try some of the other Aloha flavors. That brand was my favorite. How often will I eat these? Probably half a bar once a week. I really try to plan my meals ahead and take fresh snacks in the car, but it’s nice to have back-up available. What’s your favorite protein bar? What should I try next?
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AuthorPaige Balius - a personal trainer in Austin, Texas, helping women live their best lives! Archives
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