The Best Protein Bars; Maryland Personal Trainer

In an ideal world, we would all eat healthy whole foods for every meal. However, we do not live an ideal world and sometimes life gets in the way. The fact is, at some point in your diet something is going to side track you. It might be your stressful job, your demanding kids, or even both! Having a backup meal is necessary to help you stay on track. In my experience as a trainer, the most successful dieters are the most flexible dieters.

One of the easiest back up meals is a protein bar. However, in defiance of the basic laws of economics, there are literally hundreds of competing brands of protein bars. I think so many supplement companies are able to exist is because the consumer is not aware of what is a quality bar. The easiest way to check out the quality of a protein bar is to check out its ingredients list. There are 3 main things to consider:

Type of Protein:

When it comes to protein, there are three major types - concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates. Concentrates are lower quality; they are not as pure, have more tag along carbohydrates and fat, and are cheaper to produce. Isolates are a higher quality protein (usually 90%+ protein), resulting in less extra carbs and fat in the protein powder. Hydrolysates are usually the most pure (and expensive proteins). They are also the most quickly digested.

Soy, Whey, Milk (a combination of casein and whey), and Casein are the most popular types of protein used in protein bars. Soy concentrate is by far the cheapest protein around, and I would make an effort to avoid it at all costs. If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, soy isolate is a lot higher quality. Everyone else should look for whey, casein, or milk proteins.

Fiber

Any meal replacement needs some fiber! Make sure the protein bar you get has a few grams of fiber in it. Try to get 1g fiber for at least for every 100 calories.

Avoid Trans-fat and HFCS

While this may seem like a no-brainer, many protein bars contain some form of hydrogenated fat, high fructose corn syrup, or both. While trace amounts will not kill you, watch out for either of these items ranking high on the ingredients list.

My Recommendations:

My favorite bars on the market right now are the VPX Zero Impact line (pictured above). I like the Chocolate peanut butter. The taste is nothing to write home about, but with milk protein isolate topping the protein list, almond butter topping the fat list, 6 grams of fiber and 410 calories, this beefy bar is my go-to meal replacement. Vitamin Shoppe in Bel Air, MD had a sale on these not too long ago for 24$ a box. Otherwise, search around the internet for a good deal.

If 410 calories for a bar is bit too much for your current caloric needs, I like the Metabolic Drive Protein Bars by Biotest as well. There are a bit cheaper cost-wise going for 12 bars for 19$ (free shipping) and have 240 calories a serving.

If neither of these work for you, you can always try your hand at making your own protein bars. My business partner Danny posted a recipe up recently for home-made pumpkin protein bars (you can find the recipe here). Lots of fiber and protein, and they taste good to boot!

Looks weird, tastes good!