- September 15, 2018
- Sports nutrition
- Alena Liv
Protein bars have become very popular over the past few years. They began to be sold not only in specialized sports nutrition stores, but also in regular grocery stores at the checkout counters. This popularity is not without reason, they can really be very useful for all categories of citizens, let’s try to figure out why. Let's figure out how to eat protein bars correctly.
What are they needed for?
While most of us think of protein bars as sweets just like regular grocery store candy bars, that's a little different. They can be called analogues, but not ordinary sweets. Their differences are in their usefulness and ingredients. As the name suggests, they should contain a large amount of protein. To maintain good physical shape and body tone, a complete set of essential nutrients is very important. But in the rhythm of modern life, very often there is simply not enough time for this. That’s when the best helper is a protein bar, which, due to its calorie content, satisfies hunger for a long time. The high content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates replenishes our body with the necessary elements. But for them to really bring benefits, you definitely need to know how to eat protein bars correctly.
Potential Harm
When considering what protein bars are for, don't forget about their potential harm. To do this, you need to treat a protein bar not as a snack, but as a source of concentrated protein.
In case of overeating bars:
- the load on the kidneys increases;
- the load on the gastrointestinal tract increases. In rare cases, constipation is possible, since the body is physically unable to digest such an amount of protein.
In most cases, excessive protein consumption simply forces the body to use it not as a building material, but as an energy element, which eliminates the value of the bar as an analogue of a protein shake.
Is it good or bad for health?
Initially, protein bars seem to be extremely healthy and incapable of harming our health. But it seems so only at first glance. You need to know well how to take protein bars. To the extent that a product is chosen correctly in terms of its composition, it will bring benefit or harm.
The benefits of such bars are as follows:
- They are prepared exclusively from natural ingredients.
- Replenishes protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
- Low fat.
- They are convenient to take with you anywhere.
Even taking into account all the advantages, such sweets cannot replace a balanced meal; it is still better to replenish the reserves of the necessary elements from ordinary food products. You need to remember how to eat protein bars correctly, taking into account the harm and benefits they bring. If we talk about the negative impact of such snacks, then the most important harmful aspects are as follows:
- A lot of sugar.
- Artificial sweeteners.
- Various dyes.
- Many preservatives E.
- Sugar alcohol included.
Sugar alcohol can cause bloating and flatulence in the intestines. Such symptoms after eating a candy bar should be a reason to completely abandon the products of this manufacturer, as they can significantly harm your health. If we talk about when to eat protein bars, then the answer is ambiguous, everyone makes a choice for themselves.
Rating
The rating is based on brand awareness, product quality and cost.
QuestBar
Contains 20 g of protein, 1 g of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and microelements. Cost 60 g – 160-200 rubles.
Garden of life
Contains 15 g protein, 9 g sugars and peanut butter. Recommended for weight loss. Chia seed fiber and fucoxanthin concentrate from brown algae stimulate the catabolism of adipose tissue.
The approximate cost of 12 bars of 55 g is 4650 rubles.
BombBar
Considered the best for weight loss. The bar is natural, with a lot of fiber, vitamin C, 20 g of protein and ≈1 g of sugar. Price 60 g – 90-100 rub. (Detailed review about the bombbar bar.)
Weider 52% Protein Bar
Contains 26 g protein (52%). Recommended for professional athletes and those on a protein diet. The product stimulates muscle growth. Price 50 g – 130 rub.
VPlab Lean Protein Fiber Bar
A candy bar that is popular among women due to its exquisite taste. Promotes weight loss. 25% protein and 70% fiber. Price 60 g – 150-160 rub.
Vega
Plant protein, glutamine (2 g) and BCAA. It has a sweetish taste, although it is devoid of carbohydrates. They produce 17 varieties.
The cost of 12 Vega Snack Bars, 42 g each, is 3,800-3,990 rubles.
Turboslim
Rich in plant proteins, dietary fiber and L-carnitine. Cost 50 g – 70-101 rub.
Protein Big Block
Contains protein (50%) and carbohydrates. Used for bodybuilding. The price of a 100 g bar is 230-250 rubles.
VPLab High Protein Bar
Includes 20 g of protein (40%), vitamins and microelements. Energy value – 290 kcal. Cost 100 g – 190-220 rubles.
Power System L-Carnitine Bar
Recommended for weight loss. 300 mg L-carnitine. Cost 45 g – 120 rub.
VPLab 60% Protein Bar
60% whey protein and minimal carbohydrates. Promotes muscle growth. Cost 100 g – 280-290 rubles.
Professional Protein Bar
Includes aminocarboxylic acids, trace elements and vitamins. 40% of the composition is represented by proteins. Calorie content – 296 kcal. The cost of a 70 g bar is 145-160 rubles.
Power Crunch Protein Energy Bar
Contains polypeptides and stevia extract. Includes 13 g protein and ≈4 g sugar. A 40 g bar of the “Red Velvet” variety costs 160-180 rubles.
Luna
The composition includes 9 g of protein, 11 g of sugar, vitamins and fiber. No dairy ingredients. 15 bars of 48 g cost 3,400-3,500 rubles.
Rise Bar
Includes 20g protein (almonds and whey protein isolate) and 13g sugar (natural honey). The cost of 12 bars of 60 g is 4,590 rubles.
Primebar
Soy, whey and milk proteins make up 25%. 44% comes from carbohydrates. The product also contains dietary fiber. The cost of 15 pieces of 40 g is 700-720 rubles.
Everyday protein
Includes 22% milk protein and 14% carbohydrates. The energy value of 40 g of product is 112 kcal. The cost of a 40 g bar is 40-50 rubles.
How to use?
If you want to reap the ultimate health benefits, you need to have a good understanding of when is the best time to eat protein bars and how to incorporate them into your diet. It all depends on what result you are striving for. If you actively go to the gym and want to lose excess weight, these bars should be consumed about an hour before the start of classes. The resulting calories will be “burnt” in the gym, and the workout will be much more intense.
High quality bars have an excellent composition, which does not contain excess sugar or fructose. That is why you can eat them on a par with other usual sports supplements. After purchasing a candy bar in a store, carefully study its composition, as well as what recommendations for use are given by the manufacturer. As a standard, they advise eating no more than 1-2 bars per day. Exceeding the dose or replacing regular food with it is strictly prohibited. Only in case of high physical activity is the dosage exceeded. How to eat protein bars correctly and at what time, we will consider below.
Complete sports nutrition or not?
Many athletes are interested in whether such a product can replace other sports supplements, for example, the same gainer or protein. There are several important points to consider here:
- Firstly, almost all protein bars are high in calories. On average, 100 grams of product can contain the same amount of calories. As a rule, it is difficult for the stomach to cope with such volumes, so many useful components come out without being absorbed;
- secondly, most bars still contain a small amount of sugar;
- thirdly, the cost of the smallest bar of 30-40 grams can cost 50-70 rubles. If you take an additive of greater weight (for example, like Snickers), then the price can be about 160-200 rubles. If you eat such a delicacy every time after a workout, you will have to seriously “wear out” your budget.
When is the best time to have a snack?
When is the best time to eat a protein bar? Let's try to figure it out. They are eaten to restore reserves of all nutritional components, headed by protein.
This supplement is taken mainly in the following cases.
If there is an urgent need to have a snack, but there is no opportunity to eat a full meal. There are no recommendations in this case, it all depends on you, the main thing is to maintain the norm.
An hour or two before training. This advice is given by coaches to their players and for a reason. Due to their caloric content and high content of fast carbohydrates, they give athletes a sharp surge of strength and energy, which is very necessary during training. This option is also used by those losing weight, as it increases the intensity of exercise.
Athletes often eat protein bars during gym workouts to help maintain blood glucose levels. In this way, the athlete also satisfies intense hunger, which very often occurs during exercise and is negatively affected by intensity. Due to its easy digestibility, such a snack does not lead to a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
Athletes often use the above bars to close the so-called “carbohydrate window”.
But not only athletes and those losing weight love such snacks, but also ordinary people. They also need to know when to take protein bars correctly. If you don't play sports, you should choose bars without guarana and caffeine.
Protein bar recipe, classic version
A natural and safe composition is something that not every bar can boast of. If you love and know how to cook, you should make a classic homemade protein snack. There are many recipes for such products, but we propose to consider the most popular of them.
What you will need:
- 1/4 cup water;
- egg whites 2 pcs.;
- banana 1 pc.;
- a glass of oatmeal;
- three tablespoons of oil;
- fruits as desired (raspberries, currants, apples, blueberries);
- milk powder 0%, 1/2 cup.
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Mix the ingredients in a large bowl, add finely chopped fruit and blend everything with a blender until smooth. Place baking paper on a baking sheet, grease with oil and spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheet. Put it in the oven.
The proteins of this snack are perfectly absorbed due to the absence of a high percentage of fat. As a rule, bars are great for quickly gaining lean muscle mass. There is no clear answer to the question of when you can eat a protein bar. They can be consumed both before going to the gym and upon arriving home, as you like.
Method of use
Protein bars can be eaten 2-3 times a day: in the morning immediately after waking up, in the afternoon instead of a snack and after training. If you are losing weight, then you should not hope that only this delicacy will contribute to weight loss.
Be sure to exercise and eat properly, and eat no more than two bars a day, and try to consume them at least four hours before bedtime. To gain muscle mass, athletes can increase the daily “dose” to 4 servings.
Main types
Protein bars are:
- Based on whole grains. Very popular among people losing weight. The composition of such bars is balanced, it contains a complete set of vitamins, a small percentage of fat and sugar. They are easily digestible and completely satisfy the feeling of hunger. Athletes often eat such a treat after physical activity in the sports hall; this speeds up metabolism and, as a result, fat burning.
- Based on L-carnitine, with a very small percentage of calories. This is another favorite type for those losing weight or just athletes, since they are based on the very powerful fat burner L-carnitine. Their big advantage is that they increase stress resistance, as well as intellectual and physical energy.
- Bars with a huge protein content. Thanks to the purest protein that is included in their composition, athletes receive a rapid increase in lean muscle mass. Among other things, they can be consumed on a low-carb diet.
- With a high percentage of carbohydrates. They were created for athletes who want to gain body weight. As a rule, they are very high in calories, from 400 calories in one bar. Anyone who knows when to eat protein bars with such high carbohydrate levels will gain weight easily.
- Oatmeal based. Such bars are very popular among those losing weight, they are low-calorie, and can be consumed at any time of the day.
How to take protein bars
As we can see, bars vary in composition and purpose, so it is important to choose the right product in accordance with your training goals and, accordingly, consume it at the right time.
High protein
Remember that this is not a pure source of protein, like some proteins and amino acids, it necessarily contains carbohydrates, so it is important to consume them in a timely manner and take into account the BCFA of the bar when calculating the daily nutrient intake. These bars can be taken both before and after training. At this time, all nutrients will be absorbed, restoring muscles, but you should not consume it before bed and in the evening , otherwise carbohydrates will be absorbed in the form of subcutaneous fat.
High carb
Such bars are suitable for those who are gaining weight , so you can use it at any time when hunger strikes as a light snack, as well as after training, when muscles need not only protein, but also a large amount of carbohydrates. You just need to pay attention to the sugar content in the composition ; a large amount of it is undesirable, as it can lead to unwanted weight gain in the form of subcutaneous fat.
Low calorie
Namely, bars with carnitine are consumed 30-60 minutes before training . L-carnitine is much more effective if taken before training, as it accelerates the transport of fatty acids into muscle mitochondria for rapid conversion into energy. After training it is ineffective. Therefore, consuming such a product after training is unnecessary.
Cereals
Look carefully at the composition and compare it with your goals. This product is suitable as a meal replacement before exercise and during the day . But you shouldn’t eat high-carbohydrate bars late at night, especially if they contain a lot of sugar and fat.
