Protein bars, energy bars and diet snacks.
Not all sports bars are the same. They range greatly in terms of activity and pre-set objectives.
There are thousands of sports bars on the market, each with different characteristics, and those approaching the sector can often find themselves confused about which to choose.
Let's take a look at three major options to help facilitate your choice:
1) Protein bars: these bars contain a high percentage of proteins andare used both for dietary purposes, by those who are on a diet to lose a few extra pounds, and by sportspeople wishing to increase their lean muscle mass (i.e. bodybuilders). There are currently a number of protein-based products on the market and the advice we give is to check the protein percentage contained within the product. Generally speaking, the higher the protein percentage the higher the cost of the product. At the moment, most bars on the supplement market contain up to about 60% protein per bar, a very high percentage. Your choice may also be influenced by the source of the protein contained in said bars, e.g. milk, egg or soy proteins etc.
2) Energy bars: this category can mislead novices looking to purchase supplements. All bars are energetic, in the sense that they all provide a caloric intake. Generally speaking, in the world of supplements, the term ‘energy bar’ relates to high carbohydrate products, which are mainly used in aerobic or endurancesports. These bars contain a high percentage of carbohydrates in different forms (maltodextrin, dextrose etc.) and have a reduced protein and fibre content, so as to favour quick digestion in high-stress conditions. There are also plenty of energy bars on the market and we think the real difference lies in the ingredients that provide added value (e.g. vitamins, amino acids etc.), in addition to their more general formula (e.g. slow and fast release carbohydrates, absence of artificial colourants).
3) Diet snacks: it’s easy to use this product in the wrong way. Diet snacks are essentially ‘balanced’ bars, i.e., they contain a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats and are intended to be consumed by sportspeople as a snack tointerrupt hunger, or by those wanting something light and nutritious.
What we recommend when choosing this sort of product is identifying why exactly you want to use it before making a careful decision about the quality of the product. The absence of hydrogenated fats is definitely a plus that you shouldn’t ignore. The lack of artificial preservatives or the percentage of polyols are other important aspects to take into consideration.
Fortunately, there is a whole host of excellent products on the market, developed with the utmost care, with an excellent flavour to boot.
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