Nutrition (energy) bars have come a long way from the days when their manufacturers only catered to weight lifters. Today's energy bars come in wide variety of ingredients, sizes, textures, and prices. Not all energy bars are the same and like all food, you should choose wisely when deciding which bar to grab to satisfy your hunger or sustain your energy through the next workout.

Whether they are called "energy bars", "snack bars", or "sport bars", these compact foods can boost enough content comparable to an average meal. The vast majority of bars can be divided into three categories - protein bars, carbohydrate bars, and 40-30-30 bars.

Protein bars are those that are comprised primarily of protein, usually over 20 grams and over 30% of their content. Protein bars are most always very low in fat, yet have some amount of carbohydrate, for taste. The protein in these bars is typically of the form of milk isolate, calcium caseinate, whey, or egg whites. It should be noted that the calcium caseinate in these bars almost always contains MSG, though it will not be listed. The carbohydrate in these bars is typically very sugary to aid in the taste, such as maltose, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, or some other form or refined sugar. The fat content is usually butter (cocoa), fractioned palm oil (a poor quality saturated fat), or at worse, some form of partially hydrogenated oil. These bars are beneficial to those who need protein supplementation, but careful attention should be paid to the ingredients. Unfortunately, most of the high protein bars on the market contain MSG, hydrogenate oils, refined sugars, and sometimes herbal stimulants.

Carbohydrate bars are those that contain over 70% of their calories from a carbohydrate source, typically high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, sugar, dextrose, barley malt, or brown rice syrup, just to name some. Therefore, these bars are very high glycemic index foods and will tend to disrupt blood sugar levels especially in non-exercising individuals who have some degree of carbohydrate intolerance or insulin resistance. The protein and fat content of theses bars is very low, containing many of the same sources or those ingredients from the protein bars. Carbohydrate bars are especially useful during prolonged exercise such as a marathon or long bicycle race, where intensity is greatest.

40-30-30 bars have become some of the most popular bars over the past few years. These bars contain approximately 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 30% fat content, give or take here and there. They tend to be most beneficial to consumers because they most resemble a meal, rather than a supplement or "snack". Their ratio is agreeable to the ever-increasing number of persons with some form of insulin resistance, as the bars are slowly digested and absorbed into the bloodstream due to the increased fat content as well as protein. As with the others, attention should be paid to the ingredients, as not all 40-30-30 bars are alike. One may have its carbohydrate content coming from high fructose corn syrup, (high glycemic, highly refined sugars), while another one may contain brown rice syrup. One bar may have partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, a fat that should be avoided, while a more healthier bar contains olive or sunflower oil, or natural nuts and seeds.

So as with any food, pay careful attention to what type of energy bar you are eating. Some bars out there are unhealthier than some candy bars! Read all the ingredients, not just the amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat, calories, or fiber.

The two types of bars I recommend to my patients are Standard Process Bars and Biogenesis Bars. These bars contain high quality whey protein along with other natural ingredients, no refined or processed sugars, and only pure oils. These bars are available through my office (and through other physician offices only). They also only contain high quality ingredients with no fake or processed sugars or "bad" fats. They come in a variety of flavors most of which are rice protein based and free of dairy, corn, soy, wheat, and other additives.

Now I know what you may be thinking - I recommend these bars because you can't go into a store to buy them. The truth is though that it is hard to find healthy bars out there that aren't loaded with a lot of junk - especially high fructose corn syrup, hidden MSG, and degraded proteins and bad fats. Cliff Bars are good bars, though more on the high carb end. Just beware of some of their flavors containing added caffeine. There are also many natural fruit and nut bars out there that are good snacks as well as some soy protein bars that aren't bad. Just read those ingredients. 

Both Biogenesis bars and Standard Bars are close to the 40-30-30 ratio type, and are low on the glycemic index. They differ from other bars that make the same claims because other bars usually contain processed ingredients, impure oils & fats, fake or refined sugars, and/or hidden ingredients such as MSG.