Granola bars (or energy bars) can be delicious and nutritious.  They can also be calorie-dense and gross.  So, how do you decide which ones to buy?  It depends, of course!  If you are super active and need the calorie content for fuel/refuel purposes, a calorie-dense bar is a good thing.  If you’re more sedentary and are looking for a snack, try to stay within the 150-180 calories bar range.  I’ve tried a number of granola/energy bars and this blog is just going touch the surface of the breadth of variety out there.  Note that I’ve become increasingly interested in researching food additives (chemicals, processed ingredients from natural sources and artificial ingredients) and am still compiling the information to fully come to a stance on the issue.

I am surprised to see that so-called “health food” brands such as Fiber One, Quaker Oats and Kashi often use compounds in their foods that I can’t even pronounce.  I am also surprised, and disappointed, to find that the most prominent ingredient is often sugar-based (just because it’s brown rice syrup doesn’t make it “healthy!”).  Also, Fiber One tends to use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  Some say research on HFCS is sketchy and that it all breaks down to sugar anyway (ah, how philosophical); others point to animal research that suggests HFCS leads to weight gain due to it being metabolized differently than natural sugar (Vertanian, Schwartz, and Brownell 2007). You decide what you’re willing to risk (was the use of “risk” a rhetorical ploy? Maybe!).

And what’s with all this maltodextrin stuff in my “health” and “sports” foods?  This annoys me because I don’t understand it!  I’ve read up on Maltodextrin and am overwhelmed – apparently it’s an artificial sweetener with fewer calories than sugar and while it is processed, it’s derived from natural sources (such as corn starch).  So is it good or bad or what? (Recall Austin Powers, “oh no, I’ve gone cross eyed!”)

Enough of my philosophizing.

Clif Bars are a great option for pre- or post-workout fueling.

These are delicious and all natural, however high in calories. For the Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch (yum!): 250 calories, 6 g fat, 5 g fiber, 11 g protein. Sold at Costco for savings.

Kashi Go Lean Roll! Bars. Taste-wise, I really enjoy these.  They are like a Snicker bar only a little more “chalky.”

For the Caramel Peanut bar: 200 calories, 5 g fat, 6  g fiber, 12  g protein.  Downside, they are also loaded with additives.  I have eaten these because they are delicious, filling and easy to grab on the run. Whether they are really healthful is not a question I may adequately answer. Verdict: In a crunch, have a crunch. They are yummy but not for everyday consumption. Sold at Costco for savings.

Larabar brand bars have now been spotted at Costco, finally!

Larabar bars (that’s fun to say!) contain less than 6 ingredients each, all of which are “raw” and natural.  The only downside is they can be costly and calorie-dense.  The Peanut Butter Cookie bar has 210 calories, 13 g fat, 4 g fiber, 5 g fiber.  They are high in fat, but its all-natural fat, so it’s not really a concern. Verdict: Get from Costco for savings and enjoy raw deliciousness (but keep tabs on your calories!).

Luna Bars (in the Clif Bar family) are a good option.

They are geared towards women (which is a whole other topic for another day!) and tend to be lower in calories than their counterparts and have mostly organic ingredients.  They taste good too.  My favorite is the Peanut Butter Cookie type with stats of: 180 calories, 6 g fat, 3 g fiber, 10 g protein. Verdict: go for it.

Quaker Oats “True Delights” in Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond. I got a free, full-sized sample (thank you!) and taste-tested.

140 calories, 4.5 g fat, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein per bar.  Verdict: If you are insanely sweets-deprived like I am, you might enjoy it — but even then, only slightly.  I am very easy to please if anything has any sweetness to it and this was just kind of “meh” for lack of a better word.  It’s also full of additives (including maltodextrin, go figure). Verdict: Pass.

I am seriously considering making my own granola/energy bars and trying an all-natural foods diet.  You may end up finding me in a hippy compound somewhere wearing a potato sack (if I can bring my laptop, who am I kidding here?!).  ‘Til then – any tips on your fave bars would be great!

Tags: calories, Clif Bars, Energy Bars, Fiber One, food additives, granola bars, health food, healthy snacks, Larabar, Luna Bars, maltodextrin, natural foods, natural ingredients, nutritional information, Quaker Oats