Are Protein Bars just Glamorized Candy Bars?

Protein Bars!! This might be a controversial topic so I wanted to share my thoughts on them, the benefits of protein bars, what I look for in protein bars, and my top 3 favorite protein bar options!

My Thoughts on Protein Bars!

Aren’t protein bars just glamorized “healthy” candy bars that are more expensive and taste……chalky?

There are plenty of worthless protein bars out there that are far worse for you than a candy bar.  Some protein bars are just a ton of chemicals.  That not only leave your body feeling like crap, but you are hungry for more because it didn’t quite satisfy. I definitely believe that I would rather you just eat a candy bar over a chemical protein bar aka wannabe candy bar.  

But companies have seen the need to create a high quality, clean, simple protein bars.  These bars are a great option to provide energy, satisfy cravings AND TASTE DELICIOUS!! <3 I mean really what’s the point if it tastes like crap??  Just because it is called a protein bar doesn’t mean that it has to taste like one! 

The Benefits of Eating Protein Bars:  

1. It is an easy way to get in extra protein in your diet. – This is nice if you are like me and you don’t eat meat at every meal and you can no longer eat eggs. Eating protein is important for our body to make sure our muscles have all the amino acids available in order to build muscle.  A protein bar is a great option to make sure you are getting in protein for the day and satisfy your hunger. I feel my best when I have some protein at each meal.  For me personally, I find it difficult to get in more than 100 grams of protein per day unless I am really trying so protein bars are good for me to make sure that I am getting at least 70-80 grams protein per day which is where I like to be at minimum.
2. It is a great way to satisfy sweet cravings without the crash! – Sometimes I just want chocolate or some kind of sweet! And it is easy to turn to sweets, but I always find myself getting a sugar hangover or feeling bloated if I eat even a little ice cream/cookies/cake each day.  Daily sweets just don’t work for me if I want to feel my best!
   Protein bars are balanced with fiber, protein, fats and carbs so you feel satisfied and your blood sugar stays balanced.  This helps my brain and body to feel energized so I can focus AND satisfy my body for something sweet!  WIN-WIN!
3. Protein bars are convenient! – Bars are PERFECT to keep you fueled throughout the day. They are especially nice when I am super busy or I am traveling! I traveled a lot this year and protein bars were a life saver! I would pre-buy and bring with me because purchasing on the go usually ends up in spending even more money. So by preparing I not only saved some money, but I had healthy options available whenever I was hungry. (and much better than spending lots of money on fast food!!) This helped me to avoid situations where I would just buy food because I had no other option AND I NEEDED FOOD NOW.  Sometimes I get so hungry that I cannot think or make decisions and that is never a good place to be in…..  Preparation is key!

Note: Another reason I think protein bars have been so helpful for me lately is because I can no longer eat eggs. When traveling, eggs are the easiest protein option readily available especially at a hotel breakfast. Unfortunately, my body starts shaky, sneezing, and my brain feels foggy after eating eggs even if I rarely eat so it’s not worth it to me to feel like that. Protein bars can easily have just as much protein as 1-2 eggs so it’s been a great on-the go option for me. 🙂

But the number of protein bars available today are endless! So how do you know what is a healthy protein bar or just a glorified candy bar? Here are some of the things that I look at when reviewing the back of the label.

What I Look for In Protein Bars:

1. Simple ingredients – You want to be able to recognize the ingredients listed on the label. Some protein bars list 20+ ingredients…talk about yuck! I swear candy bars have less ingredients than that! You are just ingesting a giant bar of chemicals and no one wants that inside them.
2. Avoid artificial sweeteners. – I don’t like eating bars that have sucralose or aspartame. I believe chemically based sweeteners are worse for the body then actual sugar.  There is a lot of research done that shows that these sweeteners not only damage the body and brain, BUT leave you still feeling hungry.  They also are known to cause lots of digestive distress which I personally have seen occur in my body from overeating these sweeteners.  My body agrees with natural sweeteners like stevia and erythritol, but I stil don’t believe in overdoing these.  If you are trying to cut back on sugar natural sweeteners great options, but if you need energy and mostly stay away from sugar, having some sugar isn’t bad for you.  Sometimes a quick supply of glucose in the body can be VERY helpful and nourishing.  Experiment, be open minded, and listen to your body.<3
3. Low-Glycemic – I look for protein bars that are under 14-15 grams of sugar.  A small protein bar should not have more sugar than this, if there is more than 20 grams of sugar in a protein bar, I would tell you to just go eat a candy bar.  Always look for at least some protein, fiber, and fat. There isn’t really a specific rule or number.  In general, you likely want at least 10 grams of protein or more, 2 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of fat. The balance of all these macronutrients is what keeps the bar at a low-glycemic index. This is just a general guideline and dependent on your goals and what fits into your days. Ie. You might want a bar higher in protein if you are using the bar for breakfast or on the go.  Or you might want a bar with more fiber because you need more in your diet, etc. *Note* There are some real food bars made with fruits and nuts that have at least 20 grams of sugar or more in their bar and little protein and fat.  There is nothing wrong with eating these bars just keep in mind this is ideal when you need a quick energy source in the body.  Overall listen to your body!  It always wins!!
4. Tastes GOOD! – I don’t eat food that doesn’t taste good. The protein bars that I eat taste AMAZING and I love them! If it doesn’t taste good, I don’t eat them!

Ok so now you know the basics of what I look for! So what are my FAVORITE protein bars? Ok, ok, I will share with you!

1. Square Bars – I instantly fell in love with these bars. *disclaimer* I am now a brand ambassador for the bars. But they are SERIOUSLY amazing, so nourishing I can feel the energy fuel my body and it is packed full of whole food nutrients.  They digest so easily in my body and never leave me feeling bloated and uncomfortable.  These bars are vegan and soy-free which I love because I prefer to avoid whey protein as much as possible. The protein source comes from sprouted brown rice which makes it easy to digest.  It is sweetened with coconut nectar which is low glycemic and packed full of amino acids.  There is 11-12 grams of protein in EACH bar! This keeps me full and satisfied and the dark chocolate coating is perfect to satisfy ANY chocolate craving.  The fats are all made with coconut so its filling and easy fat-burning energy for the body! <3 Just writing this is making me want to eat one! Ever since eating these I have felt a lot more energy and I don’t crave other sweets because these taste SO good and I feel SO good on them! #nobloodsugarcrashes #justnourishment #justgooddarkchocolate  (yes i just hashtagged lol)

      My FAVORITE flavor is almond spice. It has a bit of cinnamon in the bar which makes it taste heavenly.  They are honestly all good, but there is something about that almond spice. I still need to try Chocolate Peanut butter and Chocolate Mint ASAP which I will probably put in an order for…… YUM! I daydream about these babies.

2. My Smart Bar Dark Chocolate – These bars are made by USANA Health Sciences! My favorite flavor is the dark chocolate! These bars are perfect snack at only 150 calories and I love having these as a smaller option when I am not quite as hungry! It is low in sugar (5 grams), packed with fiber and protein (10 grams) to keep my full and satisfy my chocolate cravings! (I love ending my night with chocolate!)  These bars have a mixture of whey and pea protein, which usually I would avoid the whey but my body reacts fine to this clean source of whey so I will continue on eating them. They are packed full of MCTs which keep me full and satisfied! YUM!! <3 We have 2 other flavors as well…coconut cashew and peanut butter which are delicious too!  Interested in trying for yourself? Click here to shop! {FYI – affiliate link  – thanks for the love}

3. Kind Bars – Kind bars are another option that I like especially if I want something more savory or not coated in chocolate.  I try to not eat too many as I have a theory that too many nuts are not good for my digestion. But I like these when I don’t want to eat chocolate, but need a little snack. I prefer to buy the bars that have only 5 grams of sugar or less, not that the others aren’t a good option, but this is just my preference.  For a  last minute for breakfast, I like to have more protein, so I choose the Strong KIND Protein bars specifically the honey mustard.  They have some other interesting flavors (Smoked BBQ and Thai Sweet Chili – weird right??) and which I tried, but didn’t really suit breakfast haha.  This flavor was the only one that I could handle for breakfast.

Have you tried any of these protein bars? I would love to hear your favorite bars and if you have any suggestions on ones to try! Let me know by posting a comment below! Or leave a comment on my latest instagram post @chelseajolene!

MWAH! Sending lots of love!

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