The ups and downs of energy bars

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The ups and downs of energy bars
By Becki Walker
from Salem Monthly, Section Wellness
Posted on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:20:25 PM PDT
To some, the home-cooked meal has become an elusive creature. Thedays of waking up and sitting down to a breakfast of bacon, eggs,and toast are few and far between for most of us, who now turn tofoods like energy bars to supplement our diets or replace mealsentirely. Though it may not be worth bemoaning missing out on thosecholesterol-laden feasts of yore, is getting breakfast from a mylarwrapper any better?
Our daily nutritional needs are diverse -- according to the Foodand Nutrition Center, a government agency operating under the USDA,the average person sticking to a 2,000 calorie diet needs about 50grams of protein, 25 grams of fiber, 300 grams of carbohydrates, 65grams of fat, and a number of vitamins and minerals. This is allrelative; a long-distance runner should consume more fat andprotein than a sedentary counterpart, and women have differentmineral needs than men.
If you choose wisely, energy bars can be an effective way to helpmeet your nutritional goals. However, not all energy bars arecreated equal.
First, consider an average candy bar; let's say a Snickers. It has280 calories, 30 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of fat, providing youwith only a mere gram of fiber. A Powerbar has the same amount ofcalories, 16 grams of sugar, and 5 or 6 grams of fat, but contains7 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Compare those to Larabars,which are sold at LifeSource. They contain only 190 calories, 20grams of sugar, 12 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein, and 4 grams offiber. Since the Larabar is made from unprocessed, dehydratedfruits and nuts, the fats are the healthy Omega-6 variety, and thebar provides you with 1.5 servings of fruit for the day, all forabout 100 fewer calories than the average energy bar. Also, theLarabar's fruit is dried, which means it retains heart-nurturingenzymes and antioxidants as well.
LifeSource store manager Jeff Watson makes sure that none of thebars on his shelves have artificial colors or flavors, and aminimum of refined sugar. Refined sugars provide a short-termenergy burst, followed by a "crash," as anyone who's ever eaten agiant slice of birthday cake knows all too well. Sweetening withfruit provides a more sustained source of energy, and doesn't leaveyou feeling lackluster after an hour or two. Lack of sugar needn'tmean lack of taste -- according to Jeff, energy bars have come "along way from the chewy, wear-your-jaw-out things they used to be." The Larabar has only five ingredients: dates, almonds, apples,walnuts, and raisins.
When it comes to energy bars, the bottom line (and the line that'sbest for your bottom) is to choose carefully. Watson suggestsglancing at the label.
"If it looks like it would take you half an hour to read theingredients, that's a sign you shouldn't buy that product."