Protein Bar Hacks: Tricks to Maximize Your Snack Game

Some people have the impression that the term “protein” implies unlimited consumption of protein bars, but this isn’t the case.

Many protein bars are nothing more than glorified candy bars with a higher protein content. In fact, some low-quality protein bars have very little protein.

And there is nothing wrong with that, as some of these protein bars are absolutely delicious. Even if this is the case, they are not exactly what you would consider ‘macro friendly’. This is because they have the same amount of sugar, carbohydrates, and fat as ordinary chocolate bars, yet many consumers are unaware of this.

To be on the safe side, you need to be cautious when taking protein bars. To help you make the right decision when taking the bars, here are a few tips to consider:

Know why you are eating the bars

Peanut butter protein bars and other types of protein bars are not designed to be weight loss or meal replacement bars. However, it is simply a protein-rich dietary item. They often taste like chocolate bars but with more protein.

Before you buy protein bars or incorporate them into your diet, consider why you’re consuming them in the first place.

If you believe this is due to the fact that they are healthier or have fewer calories than chocolate bars, you should avoid taking them.

Experts recommend protein bars if you want an easy approach to adding more protein to your diet and enjoying the flavor of the bars.

If you don’t like the taste of a protein bar but eat it because ‘it’s better than a chocolate bar’, you should reconsider your actions as you are taking them for the wrong reasons.

Ensure the bars have at least 20 grams of protein.

Protein serves a variety of critical functions in our systems, including serving as a building block for our tissues and organs. Getting some post-workout protein is critical for muscle recovery and growth, so if you choose a bar, make sure it has a sufficient amount of protein.

Be aware of bars containing protein concentrates or soy “crisps”; as they aren’t always the greatest option because the body won’t use them as rapidly as more complete forms of protein. Bars with pea protein are typically a fantastic choice.

To get the most from your bars, ensure that every bar you take contains at least 20 grams of protein so you know it’s a ‘quality bar’. Of course, serving sizes vary; for example, some businesses sell ‘bite-size’ bars, which have a lower protein value.

If the carbohydrate level is more than double the protein content, it indicates a terrible bar, and you should avoid it. This is because you can literally buy some cereal bars or breakfast biscuit bars that include a lot of carbs but only a few grams of protein. You wouldn’t consider having these in your diet, would you?

Be cautious about the number of calories in the protein bar

You might be surprised to learn that the protein bars you’re eating ‘to be good on your diet’ might have the same, if not more, calories than conventional chocolate bars.

A standard chocolate bar comprises the following:

• 229 calories.
• 11g fat,
• 30g carbohydrates.
• 22 grams of sugar
• 3.2-gram protein
• A chocolate caramel.

A protein bar might contain the following:

• 380 calories
• 19g fat
• 31g carbohydrates
• 8g sugar
• 15g sugar alcohol
• 26g protein.

In such a case, the protein bar has a significantly higher total calorie count, as well as more carbohydrates and fats.

If you swapped your daily snicker bar for this, you would consume an additional 151kcals every day. Based only on calorie consumption, this may result in a one-pound weight gain over a month.

So, if you’re dieting to lose weight, preparing for a contest, or simply searching for a simple way to add more protein to your diet, this type of protein bar will provide you with a lot more calories than a conventional chocolate bar. And you don’t want this, do you?

To be on the side when buying protein bars, you should carefully analyze the labels. As a rule of thumb, ensure that your protein bar has as few calories as possible.

Ensure the bar has at least 3g of fiber.

Choosing a bar with a high fiber content helps keep you feeling fuller for longer and promotes good intestinal health. Most people do not consume enough fiber, so keep this in mind not only when purchasing a fast snack after the gym but also when conducting your monthly grocery shopping.

As you are reading the protein bar label, ensure it has at least 3g of fiber.

Stay away from an overly processed bar.

While a bar may appear healthy on the shelf, flipping it over reveals a lengthy list of unpronounceable components. It may not be the greatest option for you and your body.

This is a common sense rule that you can implement whenever you go grocery shopping: choose foods with high-quality ingredients that will fuel your body the best way possible.

Going back to the label, whenever you read a label, and you can’t even pronounce the names of the ingredients, you are simply better off staying away from the protein bar.

Avoid protein bars with more than 15 grams of sugar

It’s easy to be misled into believing something is healthy when it’s actually loaded with hidden sugar. Surprisingly, one survey (published by Food Navigator USA) discovered that more than one-third of nutrition bars have more saturated fat than a donut.

And if that wasn’t terrible enough, ten of these “healthy” bars contained more sugar than the doughnuts.

When making the purchase, look over the ingredients. If sugar or glucose syrup is listed as one of the key ingredients, stay away from the bar. Any sugar in a protein bar should be in trace levels and the sugar should originate from natural sources like dates, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup.

Parting shot

These are some of the tips that you should consider when you are buying your next protein bar. To be on the safe side, ensure that you buy your bars from a reputable brand. And even when doing this, always go over the ingredient list and confirm whether the bar has any harmful ingredients.

As a rule of thumb, avoid any bar that doesn’t align with your goals.