The results are in!

I always make sure to NEVER skip meals.  With my hectic schedule that can sometimes be a challenge.  I am determined to prevent a mid afternoon blood sugar crash.  It's not a fun place to be!  So I have been testing out different meal replacement bars and have finally found a couple that I really like.  Some of the ones I tested were more like designer candy bars packaged to look like healthy treats.  When, in fact, sneaky words for sugar were used to trick the consumer: evaporated cane juice, molasses, dextrose, etc...  Some of them tasted like cardboard and some of them tasted like dessert.  I found a couple that were perfectly in the middle: HEALTHY WITHOUT TASTING TOO HEALTHY!  Below are my test results: WILD BAR Mountain Mint flavor: A raw superfood bar claiming to support sustained energy and stamina.  It's rich in antioxidants (more than dark chocolate and blueberries), B12 & Omega 3s.  It's sweetened with organic agave nectar and very high in fiber.  The company states that this bar will actually enhance your mood.  The ingredients are whole foods, mostly organic and super pure.  The main ingredients are raw cacao and wild blue green algae.  I really liked this bar because it only has 185 calories, 9.5 grams of fat (of which 7.5 are good fats), 19 grams of carbohydrates with FOURTEEN grams of fiber (so that means only 5 grams of net carbs), and 5.5 grams of protein.  It tasted great but it's $5.39 for just one bar.  I found others that I liked better for less $$$! COMFORT BAR Itlalian Chocolate Vanilla Almond flavor: With 15 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, this bar is a great pre-workout snack.  It only has 180 calories, but 13 grams of the total 23 grams of carbohydrates are sugar.  The FIRST ingredient is organic brown rice syrup (a fancy word for sugar).  The list of mostly organic ingredients is more like a paragraph than a sentence.  It tastes really good but it was too sugary for me.  It's priced at $2.39 per bar. OMEGA SMART BAR soy-free Pumpkin Spice flavor: On the front alone it claims: An Excellent Source of ALA Omega 3 Fatty Acids! Gluten-Free, Vegan, Non-GMO, Whole Food Antioxidants, Sweetened with Low-Glycemic Agave Nectar, Made with Organic Flax and Figs!  I like the short list of ingredients and the fact that it had 8 grams of fiber, but I really didn't love the taste.  It was very similar to cardboard with a hint of pumpkin YOTTA BAR Natural Apple Cinnamon flavor: This bar boasts: Sneak more VEGGIES into your diet! One serving of VEGGIES & fruits per chewy granola bar!  This bar only has 2 grams of fiber and 11 grams of sugar.  It tasted so-so, but I could REALLY taste the sugar! FOUR different kinds!  It only has 120 calories but I didn't feel satiated after I ate it. GNU FOODS FLAVOR AND FIBER BAR Peanut Butter flavor: There's a picture of a little birdie on the front that says: "It works!" making reference to the high fiber count of 12 grams for regularity and heart health.  I liked this one because it was very low in fat and had more fiber than sugar.  The sugar count was 9 grams but it comes from fruit juices and plums.  No fancy schmancy words trying to trick the consumer!  It tastes good, but it's not too sugary.  With only 150 calories, this is a perfect mid-afternoon snack.  It's only $1.69! OMEGA 3 CHIA GREENS ENERGY BAR Chocolate flavor: Yummy!  I loved the chia seeds in this!  It tasted more like a dessert, so there is defintiely a generous amount of "natural" sugar in it: 21 grams!!!  It has 6 grams of fiber and 8 grams of healthy fats.  With a calorie count of 250, this is more like a small meal.  It has tons of organic ingredients, no PROCESSED sugar, salt, corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, synthetic sweeteners, preservatives or genetically modified foods of any kind.  Even though there aren't any fancy words for sugar in this, it still had quite an effect on my blood sugar.  This is not a bar that I can eat in the morning before I get my metabolism going for the day.   This one is best as a post-workout snack or meal replacement for me.  This bar is $2.99 AMAZING GRASS™ ORGANIC GREEN SUPERFOOD BAR Chocolate flavor: SO YUMMY! Strangely, even though the sugar content is HIGHER in this one than ANY of the other bars (27 grams), it doesn't spike my blood sugar.  With 6.5 grams of healthy fats, 4 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of protein, this 230 calorie bar is quite the meal replacement.  I don't have to take very much insulin with it and I'm really surprised about that.  Every ingredient is organic and whole.  The only time sugar is mentioned in the ingredients is in the organic dark chocolate coating.  I will sometimes eat one before a workout and it really sustains me without getting a stomach cramp.  I can taste the little pieces of fruit in the bar but it's not overpowering.  This bar costs $2.99 PERFECT FOODS BAR Peanuts & Carob Chip flavor: Ok, so this bar is out of control!  This is probably the YUMMIEST of all the bars, but it has almost 300 calories.  The ingredients list is rather impressive and extensive.  They are all complete and nutritious.  The fat content is on the steep side: 15 grams, but 13 of them are polyunstaurated (essential) fats.  Wih 26 total carbohydrates, only 3 of them are fiber, and 17 of them are sugars (all from fruit).  There is a whopping total of 18 grams of protein!  The company's slogan is: STAMINA, ENDURANCE, ENERGY...  A very valid claim.  But seriously, eat this thing with caution!  This bar is sooooo good and it's easy to eat one everyday.  Eat in moderation per the high fat content and calories. This one is about $2.89. So, who wins?  All things considered, my body feels best with the AMAZING GRASS™ ORGANIC GREEN SUPERFOOD BAR.  I don't need tons of insulin when I eat it and that's huge for me.  I feel good when I eat one: I don't glare at the fat content, and the 230 calories are just enough (but not too much) to get me through the afternoon or a hardcore workout.  I almost ALWAYS have one in my purse or gym bag so I don't crash in the middle of the day.  It's important to arm yourself with healthy ammunition for busy days.  We ALL have them!

Posted: 9:57 PM, Wednesday, December 17, 2008

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