In the fourth part of our nutrition series, we're looking at energy bars. Some people use energy bars as a big part of their calorie intake. As a solid food, the calorie to volume ratio is relatively high. Other people use energy bars primarily as a break from the sugary taste and feel of gels or drinks. Excluded from this post are recovery or muscle-building bars, since those have a primary purpose other than fueling during activity.
I tend to classify energy bars by texture, since that generally determines how easy the bar will be to eat during exercise. I don't recommend any particular type - I've eaten them all, and they all did the job at the time. Looking at the calorie/carb/fat/protein profile, you can see that they don't differ all that much. More than protein-per-bar or calories-per-bar, people are usually looking for something that has good taste and texture, or ingredients that conform to their diet or lifestyle. For my own self, I'll eat Grainy bars if I'm not breathing hard. If I'm gasping, I'll go for the Butter-style or Extruded (if it's not cold). Read on!
Butter: Easy to chew and swallow, even when it's cold. Made with almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, etc. Dates also feature prominently. Haven't found a dairy butter bar, yet.
Butter-type bars will include a bit of protein and fat from whatever butter they use, whether it's derived from a tree nut, peanut or sunflower seed. If the bar doesn't also include a lot of unground grains, you won't spend time picking bits out of your teeth after eating.
Example: Hammer Bar, Picky Bars
Profile of Hammer Bar, Almond Raisin flavor:
Calories: 220 Carbs: 25g Fat: 9g Protein: 10g
Grainy: These feel more like real food, or granola, which can be pleasant.
These bars probably have some form of sugar, like brown rice syrup or cane syrup, and some form of protein, like soy protein isolate; but the main thing is, they have some solid grain, like whole oats, which gives the bar its distinctive (and, ideally, appealing) texture.
Examples: Clif Bar, ProBar, some PowerBar
Profile of Clif Bar, Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch flavor:
Calories: 240 Carbs: 40g Fat: 7g Protein: 10g
As a subset of the Grainy: the Brownie: Grains are involved, but mostly finely-ground. These are pretty easy to eat during activity, and also feel like real food...but there's less tooth-picking.
Example: Bonk Breaker
Profile of Bonk Breaker Bar, Espresso Chip flavor:
Calories: 220 Carbs:37g Fat: 5.5g Protein: 6g
Extruded: Classic bars from the 80s, 90s and today.
You know the ones I mean. Impossible to eat when cold, gooey when hot....you almost don't need to chew (that's why it works when you're breathing hard). Tastes a little bit like nostalgia. In content, they're actually pretty similar to the Grainy bars when you look closely; they have a form of sugar (or four or five), soy protein isolate, oil, salt, sugar...all the things that make food good.
Examples: PowerBar Performance Energy Bar
Profile for PowerBar, Vanilla Crisp flavor:
Calories: 240 Carbs: 45g Fat: 3.5g Protein: 8g
Choices for the restricted among us
There are energy bars that cater to a variety of dietary restrictions and allergies. Among them are Bonk Breaker bars, which are gluten and dairy free, and some are soy free; and Picky Bars, which are also gluten and dairy free.
If you're looking for nut-free bars, you'll look harder, but there are a few companies, like Avalanche, making bars on dedicated peanut/tree nut-free equipment.
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