The Skinny on Nutrition/Protien Bars

Need extra energy or protein? Having trouble eating healthy? Why not try one of those Nutrition/Protein bars that everyone at the gym seems to be eating. But, which one will fit your needs? Which one tastes the best? Your friendly fitness advisor went out in search of nutrition in a nutshell.

The first bar I came across was the Slim-Fast Meal-On-the-Go bar. At only 220 calories and 5 grams of fat, it started out good. The 34 grams of carbohydrates (mostly table sugar) is a lot more carbohydrates than you need. However, it's still packed with vitamins and minerals for energy and health. Still a little too sweet for my taste.

Rating - 7.0/10

The second bar I tested was the Met-Rex food bar. If you're into hard core training the 27 grams of protein will fit your needs. At 4 grams of fat, it's an excellent low-fat snack. If you're watching your weight the 340 calories in this bar may not be the way to go.

Rating - 7.5/10 - Rating

The third bar I tested was the Pure Protein bar by Worldwide Sports Nutrition. As you probably guessed it's high in Protein, 34 grams. At 5 grams of fat, a very good low-fat snack. A little lower in calories (290) than Met-Rx (340), but still may be too high for those weight watchers.

Rating - 7.5/10

The last bar I sampled was the Balance Gold bar. This bar follows a "40-30-30" eating plan, providing 40% of it's calories from carbohydrates and 30% each from protein and fat. I like the idea of having an even balance among carbohydrates, protein, and fat calories, hence the name Balance Gold. This may be the best bar to help you stay slim and energetic. At 7 grams of fat, a decent low-fat snack. The Balance Gold is nutrient dense with a good amount of 23 essential vitamins and minerals. The 15 grams of quality protein make it a decent snack for resistance training athletes.

Rating - 7.75/10

As with all food supplements, Nutrition/Protein bars are not intended to replace healthy eating, they are to be used in conjunction with a sound diet!

Until next time stay healthy and fit!

Jerry Del Priore

Jerry Del Priore , has four years experience as a Personal Trainer. He currently is working in a Recreation program with disabled kids in a foster care and adoption agency in Manhattan and a has a Bachelor Science degree in Sports Medicine.