Saturday, September 19, 2009

Picking A Protein Bar


In this day and age of fast paced, grab-and-go meals, consumers turn to protein bars for their ‘healthy’ fast food. The question is, with so many bars out on the market, which one should you choose? Maybe a better question would be which bar is right for YOU.

If you’re a bodybuilder you might choose one type of protein bar, but if you’re someone wanting to manage your weight, and your keeping a close eye on your calorie intake then you most likely would select an entirely different type of bar.

The other factor that becomes huge in the selection process is maybe the most important of all: TASTE.

I mean, seriously, regardless of how healthy a bar may be, it’s doubtful that you’ll eat it if you don't like the taste of it. The probelm is that with the emphasis the past few years on low-carb, no-sugar, we now have an industry full of protein bars that are just that, and unfortunately the taste reflects this sugar-free, low carb push.

So what to do? Although it may sound a little anti-healthy, the answer is to compromise a bit and choose a bar that tastes good while containing a good source of protein. You might get a little more carbohydrates or sugar than you think you need to, but at then end of the day, if you actually enjoy the taste you are much more likely to consume a bar that has enough of the protein your looking for, and if the sacrifice is a few extra carbs or sugar, then it's a small price to pay, especially when considering that your working out & burning calories in the process.

Another factor to keep in mind is that if you're eating a protein as a Post-Workout Meal, then a bar that contains sugar is actually beneficial since this will help spike your insulin level and rapidly get protein to your muscles.

So, when selecting a protein bar, find you one that contains the protein your wanting but you also enjoy!

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