A member of our team had a friend in college who was trying to lose weight. The friend said she was hardly eating anything at all. She predominantly lived off nut-based protein bars, Babybel Cheese and coffee with skim milk and artificial sweetener.
Our future team member was confused. But, when she read the nutrition labels of the protein bars and did some mental math, she realized her friend was eating well over 2,000 calories a day. And the amount of sugar was jaw-dropping. Her friend had essentially been living off candy bars, coffee and cheese.
She recounts telling her friend, “If you want to be healthy, stop eating these and try eating chicken for protein. Have a vegetable at least occasionally.”
That was over 20 years ago. In case you’re wondering, Babybel Cheese doesn’t have added sugar. But protein bars haven’t stopped being a source of hidden sugar in the last two decades!
Protein bars can be a good source of fuel. They aren’t all terrible! We love talking about getting outside and going for long walks and hikes. A long hike can call for extra calories to help you power through. Protein bars are lightweight and can be perfect for the job. But you have to read the label. And, you must remember that many of them are meal replacement bars, not snacks to eat whenever you like.
They are designed for folks who need calorie- and protein-dense food. “The nice thing about bars is that they offer a quick fueling option for busy days, and allow athletes to get enough calories and protein on these days and prevent under-fueling,” said sports dietician Katie Kissane.
Ms. Kissane said that some bars are candy bars branded as health food. She said, “I would advise to look for a bar made with more whole ingredients and lower in added sugars. If you are examining a bar and one of the first few ingredients is a type of sugar, it’s probably not a great choice — especially if the bar is meant for a healthy snack between meals.”
The labels of protein bars can fool you. Sometimes there is more than one serving in a bar. You can easily miss that. When you want a protein bar because of planned exercise or missing a meal, go for one with more than 20 grams of protein. And pay close attention to the carbs and added sugars. Some protein bars on the market have 30 grams of added sugar! While that’s at the high end of the spectrum, many have 20 grams, which is on par with many candy bars.
Part of why protein bars have so much sugar in them is to give them a long shelf life. It is a preservative. Sugar can be added in the form of concentrated fruit juice, agave syrup and high fructose corn syrup. All types of sugar will impact your blood sugar. Protein is supposed to fill you up and give you long-lasting energy. However, eating high amounts of sugar can cause spikes that leave you hungry and tired when you come back down.
These bars can sound amazing. Take, for instance, Orgain Organic Vegan Protein Bars Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. When you hear the beginning of the name, it sounds healthy, and the end sounds tasty. But it only has 10 grams of protein along with 19 grams of carbs, six grams of added sugar and only one gram of fiber. It is highly processed, and — with so little fiber — it has nothing to keep you full or help your blood sugar stay balanced. So, read labels and avoid getting sucked in but empty promises and hidden sugar.
