Today please enjoy a guest blog by Carrie Banner Aprik, MS, RD. She is the owner of Nutrition4Motion, and is the consulting dietitian for Oakland University Athletics, Michigan State University Sports & Cardiovascular Nutrition, and elite figure skaters at the Detroit Skating Club. She also teaches an introductory nutrition course at Michigan State University.
Be Extraordinary,
RDKate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the list of most common
questions I get as a sports dietitian, “what’s the best bar?” ranks among the
most frequent. Bars – which refer to protein bars, snack bars, granola bars,
meal bars, cereal bars, etcetera – can be a useful tool for athletes who often
are pressed for time and need quick and easy foods that travel well and taste
good. The answer to the “best bar”
question depends on what role the bar plays in the athlete’s diet. The athlete
should first ask themselves:
Are you looking for a meal
replacement? Meal component? Or snack?
When are
you eating it? Pre-workout? Post-workout? Or some other time?
What
nutrients do you need more of – carbohydrates or protein?
Who knew picking out a bar could be so involved?!
For athletes, bars that provide
enough calories to replace an entire meal are hard to come by. A male college
athlete, for example, may need to consume upwards of 800 calories per meal. Would
a meal replacement bar fill him up? Certainly not! For most active people, even
those without extreme calorie needs, bars should more appropriately serve as
additions to a meal, and contribute additional nutrients that are lacking in
that meal. Every brand of bar contains different amounts of carbohydrates,
protein, and fats. Some are even enriched with vitamins, minerals, and/or
fiber. Here are some meal examples:
In
this meal, the bar provides additional carbohydrate and fat:
-4 oz grilled chicken w/1 tbsp
Italian dressing
-1 cup steamed vegetables
-8 oz low fat milk
-1 small apple
-1 package Nature Valley Oats ‘n
Honey Granola Bar
In
this meal, the bar provides additional carbohydrates, protein, and fat:
-6 oz fat free Greek yogurt
-1 cup roasted vegetables
-1/2 cup fruit salad
-1 small baked potato
-1 Kashi GoLean Roll bar
|
|
Calories
|
Carbohydrate (g)
|
Protein (g)
|
Fat (g)
|
Fiber (g)
|
Other nutrients*
|
|
Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey Bar
|
190
|
29
|
4
|
6
|
2
|
Small amount of Iron
|
|
Kashi GoLean Roll Bar
|
190
|
27
|
12
|
5
|
6
|
Good source of 5 vitamins & minerals; moderate amount
of 4 vitamins & minerals; small amount of potassium
|
|
Luna Bar
|
170
|
27
|
8
|
5
|
5
|
Good source 19 vitamins & minerals; moderate amount of
5 vitamins & minerals; small amount of potassium
|
|
Clif Bar
|
230
|
44
|
9
|
3.5
|
5
|
Good source of 8 vitamins & minerals; Moderate amount
of 14 vitamins & minerals, small amounts of chromium & potassium
|
|
Soy Joy
|
130
|
16
|
4
|
6
|
2
|
Small amounts of potassium,
vit A, calcium, & iron
|
|
Power Bar
Performance Energy Bar
|
230
|
45
|
8
|
3.5
|
2
|
Good source of vit C, calcium, & iron; moderate amount
of thiamin & riboflavin, small amount of potassium
|
|
Nature Valley Trail Mix Bar
|
140
|
25
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
Small amount of iron
|
|
Kind Bar
|
180
|
23
|
3
|
10
|
2.5
|
Moderate amount of vit C & calcium; small amount of
iron
|
*Small amount = <10% of daily value
Moderate amount = > 10-20% daily
value
Good source of = > 20% daily value
No comments:
Post a Comment