Fitness protein bars, energy bars, and breakfast bars are all over the grocery store shelves, each claiming to offer you a nutritional boost. However, the protein bars you are purchasing might not be as beneficial as you believe. It can be challenging to distinguish between items that offer good nutrition and those that simply add extra calories, fat, and sugar to your diet when there are so many different brands and product categories available. Although having many alternatives is great, how can you choose the best protein bars for fitness so you can get those muscles ripped?
In this post, we will discuss the top ingredients, nutrients, and other factors to consider while purchasing fitness protein bars. Therefore, keep these things in mind the next time you’re selecting the best protein bar for you:
Choosing the Best Protein Bars For Fitness
Practically, nothing is more convenient to eat on-the-go than a protein bar when you’re rushing from work to the gym. They guarantee all the nutrients you need to fend off hunger and strengthen your muscles, together with great taste. Keep these points in mind the next time you need to restock:
1. Pre vs Post-Workout Ingredients
The timing and purpose of your protein bar consumption can help you cut down your alternatives.
If you’re getting ready for rigorous exercise, top off your fuel supply with protein bars before workout that contain both protein and quick-digesting carbohydrates. Limiting fat, fibre, and high protein intake before a workout is advisable because these nutrients might cause digestion to take longer than usual and may have an adverse effect on how you feel throughout exercise.
To support the process of muscle repair and recovery after exercise, your muscles require a combination of carbohydrates and top-notch protein. Look for bars that provide a whole amino acid profile from animal sources such as casein and whey protein isolate or egg protein.
If you choose plant-based proteins, ensure the ingredient list offers a variety of proteins from sources such as different kinds of pea, rice, bean, and seed.
2. Less Added Sugar
People search for the best protein bars before workout but many only consider the protein content and neglect to look at the added sugar, which in some brands may be as much as 30 grams (similar to that of a typical candy bar).
Keeping an eye on the added sugar content of convenience foods you may frequently rely on (like protein bars) can help you keep your daily intake in check, especially when you take into account that the American Heart Association advises men to consume no more than 9 teaspoons (roughly 36 g) of added sugar a day.
Additionally, we recommend evaluating the added sugar content and selecting protein bars with fewer than 10 g of added sugar per bar if you’re seeking the best protein bars for women who want to achieve their weight loss goals.
3. Fibre
Nobody likes to feel bloated and fibre can help in moving food through your digestive system. So, if you’re searching for the best protein bars for weight loss, make sure your protein bar has at least 5 grams of fibre per serving.
4. Carbs
For two key reasons, you should look for carbohydrates and whole grains in your protein bar.
Many people still avoid carbohydrates or believe that all they need after working out is protein. However, carbohydrates are required (either before or after a workout) to ensure that the protein is quickly absorbed and used for muscle growth.
Additionally, because the combination of carbohydrates and protein slows the digestion of carbohydrates, they can give people energy throughout the rest of their day (or lower the glycemic impact of the carbs by themselves).
5. Adequate Protein
The one thing we advise for people who exercise is to make sure their protein bar contains an adequate amount of protein.
Many fitness protein bars claim to include a lot of protein, however many only contain 10 to 15 grams. However, experts recommend searching for protein bars with 20 to 30 g of protein.
6. A Good Ratio of Protein to Carbs
We suggest looking for bars that supply protein and carbohydrates in a 1:3 ratio in order to give the optimum fuel for the muscle and to enable good performance. This harmony enables a sufficient supply of energy through adequate carbohydrates, and the ideal quantity of protein for muscle repair and rebuilding.
7. Food Sources of Leucine
We recommend shopping for protein bars that include leucine-rich foods. Whey protein, a kind of dairy protein, contains the largest concentration of leucine but soy or pea protein, whole eggs, and beans also contain leucine in adequate quantities.
Leucine stimulates protein synthesis, which helps to initiate the process of regenerating muscle, thus it can help you get the most out of your workouts. To enhance muscle protein synthesis, we also suggest looking for whey, soy, pea, or whole-egg protein (not eggwhite) in your protein bar.
8. Real-Food Protein Sources
Try the protein bars with protein extracted from whole foods if you’re looking for the best protein bar for weight loss. Protein, in its natural state, is superior to protein isolates in terms of its effectiveness.
Conclusion
It may not always be easy to choose the best protein bars for fitness but at least you now know exactly what to look for. There are several benefits of including nutrition bars into your diet and you can decide which ones you think would best help you reach your fitness and weight goals. Just keep in mind to read the nutritional labels and be aware of the ingredients in everything you eat.
