18 AMERICANWAY
NOVEMBER 1 2007
C H O O E W I
E L Y
S
S
PHOTOGRAPHSBYARTURORODRIGUEZ/IAAGENCY.COM
TheMost Edible
After sampling30flavors frommore
than a dozen brands, we offer the following six taste-conscious recom-
mendations. Yes, only six— out of 30.
Energy bars fly off store shelves
inAmerica to the tune of $800
million a year.We talked to reg-
istereddietitianCynthiaSass,
Prevention
’s nutrition director, to
find outwhat’s fueling the craze
and how to smartly consume the
bars.
—HALEYSHAPLEY
Whyhave energybars become so
popular?
“The term
energy bar
—who
doesn’twantmore energy or needmore
energy?The name [itself] sort of implies
something that youwant. Theway that
they’remarketed, a lot of people really
believe there’s something in that bar that
they need, that they’remissingout on.
They see it as anutrition insurancepolicy,
so to speak. Plus, they’re available and
they’reportable. You canget an energy
bar at a coffee shop, at a convenience
store—prettymuchanywhere yougo.”
If you’re looking for a snack, look else-
where.
According toSass, if you add an
energy bar to your diet each day on top
of the usual meals you eat but don’t find a
way to burn the extra calories, you’ll actu-
ally add20pounds in one year. “I’dmuch
rather see someone eating an apple or a
quarter cup of almonds as a snack,” she
says. “The nutritional value is very varied
in these bars. A lot have reallyminimal
ingredients, but others, you look at the
ingredients list, and it’s like a science
experiment.”
Theydo, however,workas ameal
replacement.
Energybars canbe agood
choice, especiallywhen you’re traveling
or can’t sit down for ameal. To choose
the right energybar for this purpose,
Sass recommends thinkingabout a turkey
sandwich, which typically has 30grams
of carbohydrates, between 10and 15
grams of protein, andfivegrams of fat. A
bar that has roughly those numbers, with
some fruits and vegetables added, will
provide awell-roundedmeal.
Goingona longhike or abike ride?
Look for barswith high carbohydrates,
lowprotein, and low fat. “If the bar is too
high in protein or fat, itwill be digested
and absorbed slower, and itwon’t get into
the blood andprovide energy,” Sass says.
But if you’re strength training…
Eating
a barwithmore protein and fewer carbo-
hydrateswill help you buildmuscle. The
optimal choice, though, is to eat ameal
within an hour of finishing yourworkout.
THEENERGY
BAR-OMETER
<
SnickersMarathonEnergyBar in
Multi-GrainCrunch
The familiar Snickers
ingredients peanuts, caramel, and chocolate
are blendedwithwhole grains in this line of
energy bars.
CALORIES:
220
PROTEIN:
10g
CARBS:
29g
FAT:
7g
SATURATEDFAT:
2.5g
<
PowerBar Harvest inAppleCinna-
monCrisp
Part of thePowerBar family,
theHarvest line has barsmadewith oats,
fruit, andwhole grains.
.com/products/harvest
CALORIES:
240
PROTEIN:
10g
CARBS:
42g
FAT:
4g
SATURATEDFAT:
0.5g
Clif Bar inChocolateChipPeanut
Crunch
>
TheClif Barwas developed in
the early 1990s for athletes and is now
available in nearly20flavors. Seventy
percent of the ingredients used are organic.
CALORIES:
250
PROTEIN:
11g
CARBS:
43g
FAT:
6g
SATURATEDFAT:
2g
Tiger’sMilk inPeanut Butter Crunch
>
Introduced in the 1960s, Tiger’sMilk touts
itself asAmerica’s original nutrition bar.
EachTiger’sMilk bar contains 16 vitamins
andminerals.
CALORIES:
150
PROTEIN:
6g
CARBS:
18g
FAT:
6g
SATURATEDFAT:
2g
Organic FoodBar inWildBlueberry
>
Whole foods, sprouted superfoods (likeflax),
and antioxidantsmake up these kosher
organic bars.
CALORIES:
300
PROTEIN:
9g
CARBS:
35g
FAT:
12g
SATURATEDFAT:
1.5g
<
BumbleBar inOriginal Flavor
These
flaxseed- and sesame-seed-basedbars are
gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, and
certified organic.
CALORIES:
230
PROTEIN:
6g
CARBS:
20g
FAT:
15g
SATURATEDFAT:
2g
