Energy Bars

[El Diablo]

What are your favorites?

I personally can't stand PowerBars. I like Clif Bars and Luna Bars (Clif Bar for women), and just had a Clif Z Bar (Clif Bar for kids) and that was pretty good.

What energy bars do you like? Which are good for you? Which suck?

Anything and everything you have to say about energy bars, go for it!

[kidcolin]

Clif are my favorite and really the only ones I get. I buy them by the box at TJ's for something like $10-11 per box. The Pumpkin Spice flavor is awesome.

[rdh009]

I used to use PowerBar protein plus, and regular PowerBars that I picked up from a local Sam's Club. Recently I switched to Promax Protein Bars (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/promax/promax.html). They are really quite tasty and an overall good bar for the monies. I recommend Cookies and Cream.

[IronDragon1]

[ QUOTE ]
What are your favorites?

I personally can't stand PowerBars. I like Clif Bars and Luna Bars (Clif Bar for women), and just had a Clif Z Bar (Clif Bar for kids) and that was pretty good.

What energy bars do you like? Which are good for you? Which suck?

Anything and everything you have to say about energy bars, go for it!

[/ QUOTE ]

Specifically in the realm of "energy bars" I prefer Powerbar triple threat, Powerbar harvest and Balance bars to Clif simply because Clif bars have Soy protein as a dominant protein source.

That being said I prefer meal replacement bars and have had most of what's currently on the market. My favorites in this area are Met-RX Big 100 bars and Myoplex Deluxe.

[J.Brown]

generally gross and not that good for you, but better than fries and a large mountain dew, so they work sometimes.

that being said i have tried them all and here is what i got for you.

if you want a candy bar type that is a more of a meal replacement the detour bars are good. taste like a snickers (they have other flavors that mimic other conventional candy bars too i believe)

i have been eating more of a snack type bar lately, 220 calories, a bit high in fat, but super tasty, like those wafer style cookies. it is called power crunch and all the flavors taste awesome, but peanut butter creme is the best.

you can get them off bodybuilding.com, i have been ordering them by the case and taking them to the cardroom to keep me away from the late night pizza and tacos that everyone orders. lol.

happy crunching. J.

[TxRedMan]

most of them suck. leanbody is okay, and promax makes a good one, but my chief complaint is too chewy. bleh.

[El Diablo]

J,

I want some mainly for an afternoon snack option.

This is the Clif Z Bar (Peanut Butter):

http://www.clifbar.com/zbar/

"INGREDIENTS: Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Peanuts, Salt), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Syrup, Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Fig Paste, Organic Peanuts, Organic Oat Flour, Organic Milled Flaxseed, Organic Oat Fiber, Natural Flavors, Organic Chocolate (Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin), Salt, Baking Soda."

http://www.clifbar.com/zbar/img/peanut_bars2.gif

It tasted good.

[J.Brown]

that one sounds good, i will give it a try.

thanks. i might send you a box or two of the ones i liked, they are more of a good afternoon snack as well.

lates. J.

[Thremp]

El D,

All the organic stuff makes me wanna vomit. Its low in protein but seems better than the vast majority. If you are eating for mostly need and just trying to remain generally healthy with no absurd goals. This is more than enough.

[cbloom]

[ QUOTE ]

"INGREDIENTS: Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Peanuts, Salt), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Syrup, Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Tapioca Syrup, ...

[/ QUOTE ]

Peanut Butter (mostly fat)
Sugar
Oats (okay)
Sugar
Sugar
...

this is a candy bar.

[El Diablo]

c,

I don't have any hardcore goals, just trying to stay in pretty good shape, get a little more cut, so focusing on reducing total calories a little bit, but nothing extreme. I'm eating smaller, earlier lunches, which makes me need an afternoon snack. I have fruit, string cheese, and nuts as options, but energy bars are a good option to have sometimes, especially when I'm running around between meetings. If I'm eating one as an afternoon snack, what would you prefer, that Clif Z Bar or the PowerBar Performance (Peanut Butter flavor) below (I don't like powerbars, just picked this as a common example for comparison - please suggest better options)?

Nutrition Facts
Serv Size 65g = 1 bar

Calories 240
Calories From Fat 35
*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Amount/Serving Percent Daily Values
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 0.5g 3%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 200mg 8%
Potassium 105mg 3%

Amount/Serving Percent Daily Values
Total Carb 42g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Sugars 22g
Other Carb 12g
Protein 10g 20%
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 100% Calcium 30% Iron 40% Vitamin E 100% Thiamin 100% Riboflavin 100% Niacin 100% Vitamin B6 100% Folate 100% Vitamin B12 100% Biotin 100% Pantothenic Acid 100% Phosphorus 35% Magnesium 35% Zinc 35% Copper 40% Chromium 20% Chloride <6%
Ingredients

C2 MAX CARBOHYDRATE BLEND (ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE SYRUP, MALTODEXTRIN, FRUCTOSE)*, OAT BRAN*, MILK PROTEIN ISOLATE*, RICE CRISPS (MILLED RICE, RICE BRAN, ROSEMARY EXTRACT)*, SALTED PEANUT BUTTER*, BROWN RICE FLOUR*, PEANUT FLOUR*, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN*, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, SALT*, ALMOND BUTTER*

CONTAINS ALMOND, MILK, PEANUT AND SOY INGREDIENTS. MADE ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES WHEAT. 267882

* NATURAL INGREDIENT.

[PITTM]

tiger's milk bar's ftw.

[kerowo]

I like the Cliff Mojo Peanut Butter and Pretzel bar but can't buy them in bulk or I eat them in bulk.

[govman6767]

Army has a good one called HOOHAH bars !!!!! Apple cinnamon rules !!!

[cbloom]

[ QUOTE ]
c,

I don't have any hardcore goals, just trying to stay in pretty good shape, get a little more cut, so focusing on reducing total calories a little bit, but nothing extreme. I'm eating smaller, earlier lunches, which makes me need an afternoon snack. I have fruit, string cheese, and nuts as options, but energy bars are a good option to have sometimes, especially when I'm running around between meetings. If I'm eating one as an afternoon snack, what would you prefer, that Clif Z Bar or the PowerBar Performance (Peanut Butter flavor) below (I don't like powerbars, just picked this as a common example for comparison - please suggest better options)?



[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I get that you're not hard core, and like if you want to eat a candy bar once in a while that's not a horrible thing, just don't eat it thinking that you're eating something healthy.

It's a pet peeve of mine that there all these things like the Chewy Quaker granola bars that pretend to be healthy & whole grain and all that and they're really just candy bars.

That power bar looks pretty bad too, again the #1 ingredient is sugar. I think consuming anything where such a high % of the calories are from sugar is pretty bad (but again there's nothing wrong with eating some dessert once in a while).

If you want an actually healthy snack, you can get little packets of trail mix which is not too bad; basically nuts & dried fruit; a bit heavy on the fat & sugar bat at least it's not some kind of syrup.

The best snack bars that I've found are the "Zone" bars. For example :

A balance of 40% carbohydrate, 30% each of protein and dietary fat. Your complete satisfaction guaranteed.

Ingredients
Isolated Soy Protein (Soy Protein Nuggets), Rice Flour (Soy Protein Nuggets), Malt (Soy Protein Nuggets), Salt (Soy Protein Nuggets), Corn Syrup, Sugar (Chocolate Coating), Palm Kernel Oils (Chocolate Coating), Cocoa (Chocolate Coating (Cocoa)), Potassium Carbonate (Chocolate Coating (Cocoa)), Nonfat Milk (Chocolate Coating), Sorbitan Monostearate (Chocolate Coating), Lecithin (emulsifiers) (Chocolate Coating), Vanilla (Chocolate Coating), Milk Protein Isolate, Cocoa Butter, Sunflower Oil (Less Than 2%), Xanthan Gum (Less Than 2%), Natural Flavor (Less Than 2%), Soy Lecithin (Less Than 2%), Ascorbic Acid (Less Than 2%), Magnesium Oxide (Less Than 2%), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Less Than 2%), dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Less Than 2%), Niacinamide (Less Than 2%), Zinc Oxide (Less Than 2%), Fish Oil (Less Than 2%), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Less Than 2%), Calcium Pantothenate (Less Than 2%), Riboflavin (Less Than 2%), Vitamin A Palmitate (Less Than 2%), Thiamine Mononitrate (Less Than 2%), Chromium Chloride (Less Than 2%), Folic Acid (Less Than 2%), Sodium Selenite (Less Than 2%), Sodium Molybdate (Less Than 2%), Biotin (Less Than 2%), Cyanobalamin (Less Than 2%), Traces of Peanuts

Warnings
Anyone who is pregnant, nursing, has a health problem, or is seeking to lose more than 20% of their starting weight should consult a physician before starting this or any other nutritional program. For maximum shelf life, keep the ZonePerfect Nutrition Bar below 75°.

. Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 bar (50g); Servings per container: 12
Calories: 210; Calories from fat: 60

(Amount per serving is followed by % of daily value)
Total fat: 7g, 11%
Saturated fat: 4.5g, 23%
Cholesterol: 0mg, 0%
Total carbohydrate: 22g, 7%
Dietary fiber: 1g, 2%
Sugars: 13g
Protein: 16g

Still full of bad stuff but at least they have more protein so the sugar is a smaller % of the calories. Definitely shouldn't be a staple food but okay for once in a while when you can't manage a meal.

[cbloom]

You know how everything has to put "Calories from Fat" on the label now? It would be cool if they put "Calories from Sugar" on too (where sugar = any simple carb).

ps. I just noticed "CalorieKing" does this but they don't have most of these bars in the database.

For example, this is a Quaker granola bar :

Calorie Breakdown

This table shows you where the calories in this food come from.
Calories from Fat 27 (26%)
Calories from Carbohydrate 72 (70%)
Calories from Protein 4 (4%)
Calories from Alcohol 0 (0%)

This is real trail mix :

Calorie Breakdown

This table shows you where the calories in this food come from.
Calories from Fat 419 (55%)
Calories from Carbohydrate 262 (34%)
Calories from Protein 83 (11%)
Calories from Alcohol - (0%)

[Mat Sklansky]

Lara Bar.

It's an acquired taste, certainly. I have to sayn that the effects are worthwhile, however. a review (http://www.fitnesstravelgear.com/archive/larabars.html)

[Rootabager]

Screw energy bars. You guys need to get some brad booth sponsored poker water. It will give you everything you need. It contains the goja berry. Known for it's mystical properties.

[AZK]

[ QUOTE ]
Lara Bar.

It's an acquired taste, certainly. I have to sayn that the effects are worthwhile, however. a review (http://www.fitnesstravelgear.com/archive/larabars.html)

[/ QUOTE ]

Cannot recommend these enough. Stop eating all the processed junk and eat these. They taste good and are actually good for you. Somewhat lacking in protein so you might want to throw some in, but otherwise these things are amazing.

[Troll_Inc]

Kashi GoLean

http://www.epinions.com/content_75351101060

Tastes pretty good.

A couple of added bonuses:

1. It sits in your stomach like a huge meal would and you aren't hungry for at least several hours thereafter.

2. High fiber, so if you drink lots of water you will feel better due to faster colon evacuation, lowered colon cancer risk, and your poops will float. There is nothing cooler than floaters.

[fish2plus2]

id much rather eat real food, especially if i was trying to eat healthy.

[El Diablo]

All,

Bought a bunch this weekend to check out. Here's what I'm trying:

Larabar (Cherry Pie, Banana Cookie)
Luna (Chocolate Pecan Pie, Peanut Butter Cookie, Caramel Nut Brownie)
Clif Nectar (seems like a direct ripoff of Larabar, all organic w/ dates as the core component + other fruits/nuts. cranberry + almond, dark chocolate + walnut, lemon vanilla + cashew)
Larabar Jocalat (Chocolate, Choclate + Orange)

Had the "lemon vanilla + cashew" Clif Nectar bar. Tasted pretty good, but very date-y.

http://www.clifbar.com/eat/eat.cfm?location=nectar&id=318

"Ingredients: Organic Dates, Organic Roasted Cashews, Organic Goji Berries, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate, Organic Vanilla."

http://www.clifbar.com/images/e_nec_lvc_stats.gif

[El Diablo]

KKF,

I agree completely. I eat maybe 1 or 2 of these a week. However, I like having some in the house for when I run out of breakfast food and snacks or am just feeling very lazy, and also like keeping a couple in my bag for when I am running around between meetings and need a snack.

[XXXNoahXXX]

I bought some this weekend.

LaraBar Banana Cookie- Wow, very fruity. If it wasn't for the texture, it has a great natural banana taste (duh). I definitely could tell it was only the three ingredients, very natural taste which I'm not used to in bars. Might take a little getting used to, but I liked it.

Cliff Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter- OMG. tastes amazing. Like better than most candy bars by a wide margin. It's got 250 cal, 5 fat, 11 protein, and like 40 carbs (i think). I'm keeping some of these on hand for when i get a sweet tooth. Better than a legit candy bar or ice cream.

Bought Larabar Cherry Pie and a few others. Will update on taste reports.

[Troll_Inc]

[ QUOTE ]
KKF,

I agree completely. I eat maybe 1 or 2 of these a week. However, I like having some in the house for when I run out of breakfast food and snacks or am just feeling very lazy, and also like keeping a couple in my bag for when I am running around between meetings and need a snack.

[/ QUOTE ]

And it's way better than all the sudden getting hungry and hitting a snack machine for a Snickers bar, or worse deciding on drive through fast food because your will to not eat [censored] food is weakened by hunger.

Fast food will have way more calories, and the Snickers will cause your blood sugar to spike and then crash (then you'll be hungry faster).

[AZK]

try the larabar chocolate cashew cookie. I like banana cookie, apple was overwhelming, ginger snap was gross, cherry pie is really fruity too but ok, trying to remember the other flavors. Chocolate cashew cookie is my favorite, and I think there might have been a coconut one that was also good, but you have to like coconut...

[El Diablo]

All,

Had the Jocalat (from Larabar) Chocolate flavor. Ingredients pretty much the same as larabar, except cocoa instead of fruit, still mainly dates and nuts. A little higher fat/protein, a little less carbs than the larabar. Tasted pretty good. Like a pretty chocolatey brownie with nuts with a bit of date flavor. Soft and moist like a brownie. Overall a very good snack. Could definitely serve as a dessert.

[Green Kool Aid]

[ QUOTE ]

Cliff Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter- OMG. tastes amazing. Like better than most candy bars by a wide margin. It's got 250 cal, 5 fat, 11 protein, and like 40 carbs (i think). I'm keeping some of these on hand for when i get a sweet tooth. Better than a legit candy bar or ice cream.

[/ QUOTE ]

omg QFT they are amazing.

[skunkworks]

http://www.t-nation.com/img/newSite090905/metal/vertStore/mdBars/tempBigBar2.gif

Metabolic Drive protein bars from t-nation.com (http://www.t-nation.com/). Just ordered up a couple boxes of Chocolate Chunk -- wow it tastes pretty good. Looking at the ingredients label, it's also probably healthier than 99% of the other energy/protein bars out there -- all whey and casein, no soy or gelatin.

[mediumpimpin]

If your trying to make gains Detour protein bars are awsome. The main one taste like snickers and has 30grams of protein.

[TalkingDonkey]

Homemade FTW. Whole wheat flour, chopped walnuts/pecans, orange juice, apple juice, cinnamon, dried mixed fruit. Waaaaaaaay more bang for the buck and I would bet good coin they taste 5x better than ANY commercial bar. Maybe when I stop being lazy I'll post the recipe.

[El Diablo]

All,

Just had Luna Chocolate Pecan Pie. Pretty much just like a candy bar. Delicious. Main ingredient is soy rice crisp, this is sorta like a rice crispies treat w/ chocolate.

Seems a lot better for you than a candy bar, though.

[john voight]

I live by these:

http://www.promaxnutrition.net/products/promax.php

you can get them at your local Trader Joe's

[El Diablo]

AZK,

Just had Larabar Cherry Pie. I thought it was great. Tasted just like cherries and nuts. Didn't have much date flavor at all, very tasty.

[mediumpimpin]

[ QUOTE ]
If your trying to make gains Detour protein bars are awsome. The main one taste like snickers and has 30grams of protein.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seriously, I cannot reiterate how good these are. It's hands down the best energy/protein bar ever.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/next/detour.html

[AZK]

[ QUOTE ]
AZK,

Just had Larabar Cherry Pie. I thought it was great. Tasted just like cherries and nuts. Didn't have much date flavor at all, very tasty.

[/ QUOTE ]

The cherry is good but a little too much cherry for me. If you want dates try the cashew cookie bar. It is my favorite flavor hands down, 2nd is banana cookie.

[El Diablo]

AZK,

No, I don't really like the date flavor. I love banana flavor stuff, but didn't love the banana cookie because I thought it was too date-y. Not horrible, but I didn't really dig it.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Cliff Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter- OMG. tastes amazing. Like better than most candy bars by a wide margin. It's got 250 cal, 5 fat, 11 protein, and like 40 carbs (i think). I'm keeping some of these on hand for when i get a sweet tooth. Better than a legit candy bar or ice cream.

[/ QUOTE ]

omg QFT they are amazing.

[/ QUOTE ]

same. I used to buy other flavors of clif bar, but I like the chocolate chip peanut butter one so much that that's all I buy anymore. I've litteraly had over a thousand of them and I still don't get tired of them.

[Subfallen]

[ QUOTE ]
http://www.t-nation.com/img/newSite090905/metal/vertStore/mdBars/tempBigBar2.gif

Metabolic Drive protein bars from t-nation.com (http://www.t-nation.com/). Just ordered up a couple boxes of Chocolate Chunk -- wow it tastes pretty good. Looking at the ingredients label, it's also probably healthier than 99% of the other energy/protein bars out there -- all whey and casein, no soy or gelatin.

[/ QUOTE ]

EZ answer, best answer. Biotest for the win early and often.

[XXXNoahXXX]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Cliff Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter- OMG. tastes amazing. Like better than most candy bars by a wide margin. It's got 250 cal, 5 fat, 11 protein, and like 40 carbs (i think). I'm keeping some of these on hand for when i get a sweet tooth. Better than a legit candy bar or ice cream.

[/ QUOTE ]

omg QFT they are amazing.

[/ QUOTE ]

same. I used to buy other flavors of clif bar, but I like the chocolate chip peanut butter one so much that that's all I buy anymore. I've litteraly had over a thousand of them and I still don't get tired of them.

[/ QUOTE ]

This past week I mixed in a couple chocolate almond which were OK, but I actually really liked the chocolate mint ones. tastes like one big girl scout mint cookie. definitely gonna be added to the rotation, but the choc pb will always be #1.

[Green Kool Aid]

bought a few cases of choc pb clif bars today

seriously unreal how good

[PITTM]

i just had a larabar for the first time the other day. so far ive had cinnamon roll and apple pie. They are both very, very, yummy.