# NYTimes on protein bars



## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/dining/protein-bars.html

TL;DR - Whey protein that is used to make protein bars tastes like crap, so companies add sugar and artificial sweeteners. Whey prices have soared so companies are using soy. Protein bars can have as many calories as a sandwich, which you should eat if you can. There have been studies that show no increase in muscle mass after eating these from workouts. There are also studies that have. The bars also lack nutrients you get from real food.

What's your favorite protein bar? Mine is the Cliff Builder Chocolate Mint.


----------



## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

Vega Sport Protein Bar isn't that bad, which doesn't use whey or soy.


----------



## Alfonsina (Aug 26, 2012)

I haven't been able to ever look at one since I had a twin pregnancy when protein really counted. It was like eating your shoe. In normal life, just give me some cottage cheese.


----------



## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

deviousalex said:


> What's your favorite protein bar? Mine is the Cliff Builder Chocolate Mint.


Chocolate Mint is good as is their Vanilla Flavored protein bar ... with that said, my favorite is the ProMax Rocky Road


----------



## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

I wonder how's the Chef Robert Irvine protein bar?


----------



## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

lightish breakfast eggs or oatmeal and fruit, coffee, and water on the bike...

power bar, man they work good


----------



## jmorgan (Apr 13, 2012)

Bonk Breaker PB&J High Protein (15g)


----------



## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

Kind Bars. Dark Chocolate and Peanuts but all are good.


----------



## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

For pre-packaged I like the clif bars with peanuts or the macadamia nuts. I've started experimenting with some of the scratch labs recipes for rices cakes and liked the rice/egg omelet thingy for a protein sources. Egg keeps the rice cakes together better too. Maybe a little nutella or honey in there for on the bike goodness and a little kick of more instant energy for long days on the bike. I do find them a little bulkier than clif bars in jersey pockets but not horrible, just more squarish because of how I cut them.


----------



## phoehn9111 (May 11, 2005)

Aside from all the energy bars that are crap (artificial ingredients)
which you can spot easily, there are many which are designed to optimize
carbohydrate assimilation mixtures of dextrose, sucrose, fructose, maltodextrin.
As far as that part of the equation, all this is great if you're during a ride when
the insulin response is blunted and you actually want high glycemic load.
Problem is for the sedentaries, eating this carb mix is a disaster as far as
insulin spike, fat storage, heart disease, etc etc. The clif seems pretty good,
although the best preride bar I see is the larabar, just dried fruit and nuts.


----------



## Dunbar (Aug 8, 2010)

I like these Clif Bar protein bars. I find protein bars to be more substantial in terms of hunger management compared to cookies or gels on my 3+ hour rides. I don't think a 270 calorie snack is excessive when you're burning 1500+Kj on a ride. I'll also have a cup of greek yogurt (24g of protein) after the ride. On my 2 hour rides I prefer Fig Newtons.


----------



## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

Real food person here. I think these protein bars are all BS. I train on the bike pretty good and have always built good muscle just eating regular food. Food being as unprocessed as possible though (chicken and fish). 

I eat clif bars occasionaly when I bike commute though, to ensure I have enough calories to get home (and for convenience, they are easy to throw in back pack). But no protein bars.


----------



## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

BS stuff.


----------



## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

Poncharelli said:


> Real food person here. I think these protein bars are all BS. I train on the bike pretty good and have always built good muscle just eating regular food. Food being as unprocessed as possible though (chicken and fish).
> 
> I eat clif bars occasionaly when I bike commute though, to ensure I have enough calories to get home (and for convenience, they are easy to throw in back pack). But no protein bars.


I like real food too, nothing like a whole trout stuffed into your jersey pocket on mile 80 of a century.


----------



## jbinbi (Jan 7, 2013)

tednugent said:


> I wonder how's the Chef Robert Irvine protein bar?


Fantastic. I have done lot's of research on this, I have probably tried 50 different bars. Tastes really good, but fair amount of sugar. 

Most bars you guys have listed are not protein bars, they have way too much sugar and carbs. 

If you are really interested in reading about protein bars, check out the threads on bodybuilding.com, 

For bike riding you probably don't want protein bars as the lifters want, they would never consider a cliff bar to be a protein bar, not enough protein for the calories. However for a bike ride, a cliff bar is very good. You want carbs, not just protein.


----------



## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

NJBiker72 said:


> I like real food too, nothing like a whole trout stuffed into your jersey pocket on mile 80 of a century.


Coffee burns coming out the nostrils. Well played. :thumbsup:


----------



## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

energy bars, protein bars, gels...never use that junk. it's all just overpriced crap.

if you need fuel while on the bike, carry a banana, fig newtons and/or a payday candy bar.

it cracks me up to see the weekend warrior runners and cyclists with pockets full of energy products and bottles filled with magic performance liquids knocking out 5 mile runs and 20 mile rides.


----------



## expatbrit (Oct 16, 2013)

Oxtox said:


> energy bars, protein bars, gels...never use that junk. it's all just overpriced crap.
> 
> if you need fuel while on the bike, carry a banana, fig newtons and/or a payday candy bar.
> 
> it cracks me up to see the weekend warrior runners and cyclists with pockets full of energy products and bottles filled with magic performance liquids knocking out 5 mile runs and 20 mile rides.


Wait! 20 miles is huge! Sometimes I even use a water bottle with di-hydrogen oxide specially filtered and all for that.


----------



## SpeedNeeder (Aug 19, 2013)

expatbrit said:


> Wait! 20 miles is huge! Sometimes I even use a water bottle with di-hydrogen oxide specially filtered and all for that.


Definitely need a 2L hydration pack for this.


----------



## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

jbinbi said:


> Most bars you guys have listed are not protein bars, they have way too much sugar and carbs.
> 
> For bike riding you probably don't want protein bars as the lifters want, they would never consider a cliff bar to be a protein bar, not enough protein for the calories. However for a bike ride, a cliff bar is very good. You want carbs, not just protein.


20 grams of protein from a Cliff Builder is not enough for one bar? Many dietitians say it's too much to digest all at once. Cliff makes energy bars and protein bars FYI.

Also, doesn't GNC and other companies that body builders use have a history of having products that contain ingredients banned by USADA?


----------



## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

Oxtox said:


> it cracks me up to see the weekend warrior runners and cyclists with pockets full of energy products and bottles filled with magic performance liquids knocking out 5 mile runs and 20 mile rides.


I generally only start using gels, etc if I'm on a ride over 50 miles and about 4k ft climbing. For races they are kinda needed. Sometimes you need the sugar quickly.


----------



## jbinbi (Jan 7, 2013)

deviousalex said:


> 20 grams of protein from a Cliff Builder is not enough for one bar? Many dietitians say it's too much to digest all at once. Cliff makes energy bars and protein bars FYI.
> 
> Also, doesn't GNC and other companies that body builders use have a history of having products that contain ingredients banned by USADA?


Just a bit of semantics I was pointing out on what people call protein and energy bars, which to anyone not into them means the same thing, but to people serious about them, are different items.

There are lots of bars which have no banned ingredients that have upwards of 25-30g of protein and very little carbs and sugars, and lots of those carbs are fiber. I am not saying that 20g of protein is bad, is just what you are using for what. For bike riding, protein AND carbs are really important, I think if you are riding for 2 or more hours having a cliff bar at an hour break is great. You want carbs. Also, I believe if it is 90 deg out and you are riding 2+ hours, having gatorade vs. water might help with preventing muscle cramps. If you are going to be sweating out all your liquids and electrolytes, replacing more than just the liquid could be helpful.

OTH, if you are lifiting, and trying to lean out, and are using a protein bar as between meal, or or small meal replacement, you would look for something with higher ratio of protein to carbs, or % protein of total calories.

Finally, GNC is very expensive, with not a great selection. I find mail order, amazon has better prices and you can get what you want. 

I chimed in on Robert Irvines FortifX whey protein crunch, which tastes great, but has 16g of protein , 14 of carbs, 1 g of sugar, 1 g of fiber in 190 calories. I like this bar for taste and riding and maybe lifting, but for lifting:

Quest nutrition, 20G of protein, and while they have 20g of carbs, like 15-17 of that is fiber in 200 calories

A regular cliff bar is 9 G of protein for 230 calories, their builder bar is 20G of protein in 270 calories. 

IMO, any of these are better than a candy bar.


----------



## Dunbar (Aug 8, 2010)

Looking up some of the boutique bars being listed here they go for $3 a piece (or more.) Too rich for my blood. The Clif Bar protein bars are $1.50 a piece and I pay about 50 cents a serving for 190 calories of conveniently packaged Fig Newtons.


----------



## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

...you can always make your own.


----------



## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

Dunbar said:


> Looking up some of the boutique bars being listed here they go for $3 a piece (or more.) Too rich for my blood. The Clif Bar protein bars are $1.50 a piece and I pay about 50 cents a serving for 190 calories of conveniently packaged Fig Newtons.


Fig newtons are great. The Trader Joe's ones are even better but they are not protein bars. That said a protein bar is not what you need on most on bike rides. Might be good after one though.


----------



## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

NJBiker72 said:


> Fig newtons are great. The Trader Joe's ones are even better but they are not protein bars. That said a protein bar is not what you need on most on bike rides. Might be good after one though.


Exactly. I'm not sure how this thread got hijacked by energy bars....


----------



## Dunbar (Aug 8, 2010)

NJBiker72 said:


> Fig newtons are great. The Trader Joe's ones are even better but they are not protein bars. That said a protein bar is not what you need on most on bike rides. Might be good after one though.


We're talking about protein bars in the context of something you can stuff in your jersey pocket and eat while on a ride. I said that I prefer them on longer rides simply because they're more filling when I'm on the bike for 3+ hours. Fig Newtons being an example of something I'll eat on a shorter ride. I agree that I would not bother with a protein bar any other time. And I ain't paying $3 or more for one snack except maybe on a special occasion (like a century or multi-day tour.)

Now if you guys want to argue about what a protein bar is THAT is silly IMO.


----------



## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

I've eaten some pretty crappy tasting energy bars. I'm going to make my own this year. There are a lot of recipes out there to make your own with all natural ingredients. The Global Cycling Network has one I'm going to try.

I ate fig newtons toward the end of last year. I never thought about fig newtons before going on a Tour de Cure ride last year. I've seen some riders eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into triangles and individually wrapped when we go on group rides.

I'm not going to buy "crap in a wrapper" anymore.


----------



## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

Dunbar said:


> We're talking about protein bars in the context of something you can stuff in your jersey pocket and eat while on a ride. I said that I prefer them on longer rides simply because they're more filling when I'm on the bike for 3+ hours. Fig Newtons being an example of something I'll eat on a shorter ride. I agree that I would not bother with a protein bar any other time. And I ain't paying $3 or more for one snack except maybe on a special occasion (like a century or multi-day tour.)
> 
> Now if you guys want to argue about what a protein bar is THAT is silly IMO.


If you want a filling protein bar, Detour is excellent. I shy away from chocolate on rides though as they tend to melt. Not syre if they still make tge oatmeal Detour bars.


----------



## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

Protein bars are generally after workout. The only time I eat them during a ride is when I'm trying to minimize my calorie intake. I do this as a way to keep myself fuller.


----------



## Rackerman (Jan 9, 2014)

I eat them as a meal replacement when busy and on the run and it's better than having nothing at all and letting your body go hungry. I don't think I would ever try to eat (Digest) one of these on a ride. They are pretty thick and not easy to eat. If they are cold, they are like biting into a brick.

My personal choice is the Quest Bar that is normally sold at weightlifting protein shops like GNC or Popeyes or get them online. They have a good amount of protein, low sugar and good fiber. They are not cheap but there are a ton of different flavors to chose from.

The higher salt and potassium make them a good choice pre-ride as well but I'll take it a good couple of hours before I ride.

Again, not for everyone. Not cheap and better than going hungry, especially if traveling (Flying) and trying to eat clean.


----------



## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

many of the protein bars are simply glorified grease, or saturated fat, those are the ones i think need to be avoided. you have to pay very close attention, as the first response to the op does so ably above, to the ingredient labeling on the package. although labels dont break down the particular percentages relative to nutrient value among ingredients, the ingredients themselves are nonetheless listed chronologically and in proportion to how they compose the bar--as in, first ingredient is the most, second the second most, and so on. gives you a very clear idea of exactly what it is you are actually consuming. 

in addition, and if you look through the numbers as they are listed on the label, the high saturated content of the vast majority of so called "protein bars" is usually pretty alarming, almost as if its expected to be ok to tolerate excessive "bad" fat because it contains protein, which is "good" for maintaining and building muscle mass. yuk. i dont want to get into the saturated fat is good for you argument here all over again, but suffice to say that if i want "bad" fat, its gonna be in the form of a sizzling hot strip steak, chock full of nutrients including iron and vitamin b, and seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper to make it taste good. not every day, but once in a while, once in a while, red meat can be very very good for you. 

i used to like the taste and flavor of zone bars, but then i took a closer look at the saturated fat content, enough for the entire day in one bar. and this is processed fat, you understand. no other real nutrient value, like vitamins or minerals, mostly fat. and saturated at that. certainly not the best choice for before a ride. and not really doing a whole lot for you unless you're kinda desperate for relatively empty calories after. they've lowered the saturated fat content and added 100 percent a and c to some varieties. others are still heavy on the fat. crap shoot, no thanks, im kinda done with them as many people often are once they get past the fancy packaging and realize what it is they are actually putting in their bodies. 

ZonePerfect All-Natural Nutrition Bars, Chocolate Peanut Butter | drugstore.com

so while i might still go for a bar for protein to maintain muscle, i have to have some kind of accompanying nutrient value (which usually qualifies the protein bar as an energy bar, i suppose), either vitamins of whole grain. plus low fat. plus it has to taste ok. power bar harvest work pretty good for me, low in saturated fat, some fiber, some whole grain, some minerals, low calories, a good bit of oats (whole grain). and they taste yum-o, only thing that would be better is if they were organic

Amazon.com: PowerBar Harvest Apple Crisp, Box of 15: Sports & Outdoors


----------



## Dunbar (Aug 8, 2010)

easyridernyc said:


> i dont want to get into the saturated fat is good for you argument here all over again, but suffice to say that if i want "bad" fat, its gonna be in the form of a sizzling hot strip steak


You'll get a lot more than 3-5g of saturated fat from a strip steak. I'm really not too concerned about that amount of fat when I'm burning 1500-2000Kj on a ride. And oh yeah, saturated fat isn't bad for you 

I can't believe how many food snobs there are in this thread.


----------



## nayr497 (Nov 8, 2008)

You can learn a whole lot about people by what they eat.

I'm always amazed by people who eat "energy foods" they purchase, but never eat a piece of fruit or a raw vegetable. Then again, a lot of these people will drive a car...to arrive at a place to exercise.

I'm determined to get more of these people to jog or walk or...CYCLE to wherever they workout, or, ride a bike there, then realize cycling is more fun, and ignore the gym and just keep riding


----------



## Charlie the Unicorn (Jan 8, 2013)

I never eat these things anymore. I'd rather have a greek yogurt or Siggi's Skyr.


----------



## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

Dunbar said:


> You'll get a lot more than 3-5g of saturated fat from a strip steak. I'm really not too concerned about that amount of fat when I'm burning 1500-2000Kj on a ride. And oh yeah, saturated fat isn't bad for you
> 
> I can't believe how many food snobs there are in this thread.


the steak thing, is certainly never before a ride, I didn't mean to imply that, just mentioning in the context of the protein/fat thing. for me, a good steak is about a lot of things, mostly the b vitamins, then the protein. if I have one, and I mean a reasonably sized, not sixteen, more like eight to 12 ounces, max, the next day and after a slow burning warm up, my muscles feel as if they are about to explode. im not a doctor or nutritionist, I just ride a bike, but I think there is something going on there with the combination of protein, minerals, and vitamins, expecially b vitamins. nothing else quite like it. 

but having said that, and I recently addressed this issue on a similar thread, I will never eat ANYTHING consistently containing an excess of saturated fat. never. like holding a loaded GUN to your own head, man. intentionally increasing the risk factors associated with high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and yes, HEART ATTACK, to me, is madness. talk about fat if you want, but distinguish first between good and bad, THEN make the case, such that it is, for saturated fat. to promote its consumption, excessive or otherwise, without clarification, usually tends to be kinda irresponsible. ask your doctor. 

also I agree enthusiastically with the props for carbs vs protein to fuel energy and yes, condition, if not necessarily build muscle mass. carbs break down slowly into the sugars that fuel muscle production. protein builds and fuels too, but fuels, and I suspect,metabolizes, much less efficiently...


----------



## BigTex91 (Nov 5, 2013)

nayr497 said:


> Then again, a lot of these people will drive a car...to arrive at a place to exercise.


 I sometimes drive a car to arrive at a place to ride my bike.... (not a fan of riding around idiot drivers). On topic: Some of the protein bars are better than others, especially in the saturated fat department. But all of them are better than a cinnamon roll or a donut. I usually have one for breakfast (choosing one that has more or less carbs depending on when I'll be exercising that day). But, yes, real food is preferable. For quality, semi-portable protein, it's hard to beat a hard-boiled egg. I think post-workout, cardio or weights, a smoothie works pretty well - better than the protein bars. Coconut water, kale, ice, banana and some frozen berries or mango along with some protein powder seems to do the trick for me. Sometimes I'll add some almond butter for some extra protein and good fat. I fell into the "energy bar" trap a long time ago. Now I've realized that for anything less than an hour-and-a-half (unless it's been five hours since a meal), I don't need anything before or during. Only when it gets longer than that do I need to fuel. Fuel for a short ride only makes weight loss harder. Oh, and just so there's no confusion, I'm not a food snob, I (try to) eat healthy 90 percent of the time and exercise so I CAN eat that juicy steak or Slater's 50/50 burger along with a good beer on occasion!


----------



## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

BigTex91 said:


> I sometimes drive a car to arrive at a place to ride my bike.... (not a fan of riding around idiot drivers). On topic: Some of the protein bars are better than others, especially in the saturated fat department. But all of them are better than a cinnamon roll or a donut. I usually have one for breakfast (choosing one that has more or less carbs depending on when I'll be exercising that day). But, yes, real food is preferable. For quality, semi-portable protein, it's hard to beat a hard-boiled egg. I think post-workout, cardio or weights, a smoothie works pretty well - better than the protein bars. Coconut water, kale, ice, banana and some frozen berries or mango along with some protein powder seems to do the trick for me. Sometimes I'll add some almond butter for some extra protein and good fat. I fell into the "energy bar" trap a long time ago. Now I've realized that for anything less than an hour-and-a-half (unless it's been five hours since a meal), I don't need anything before or during. Only when it gets longer than that do I need to fuel. Fuel for a short ride only makes weight loss harder. Oh, and just so there's no confusion, I'm not a food snob, I (try to) eat healthy 90 percent of the time and exercise so I CAN eat that juicy steak or Slater's 50/50 burger along with a good beer on occasion!


eggs are excellent sources of protein (and minerals). and if you exercise regularly they can really add an excellent source of lean protein to the diet. people complain that they are high in cholesterol, so dont eat the yolk, i say no way, shyt that's the best part. scramble two in a pat of sizzling butter add some salt and pepper. a slice or two of wheat toast and i am done. maybe not the perfect food. but close. 

i like burgers. but i've got them down, way down to a few times, literally, in a year. jackson hole makes good ones. small, kind of ruins the effect, the in between size kinda sucks, especially at a premium price. small, but good. 

otherwise give me a broiler, a lean new york strip, some extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and crushed garlic. maybe some good dijon, that maille stuff works good. if im feeling adventurous i might get a leafy salad with tomatoes on one side, a whole wheat bulghur/cousoucs on the other..all she wrote


----------



## xxl (Mar 19, 2002)

I use Clif Bars (the "traditional" lower-protein ones, not the Builder Bars), mostly for the convenience of packability on the bike; I can shove six Clif Bars into my jersey pockets easier than I can a half-dozen bananas, and at about a buck a bar (when I get 'em), they're not too pricey, and they don't taste too bad. I don't eat them any other time, though.

I'll also use bananas, panini, PB&J's, dried fruits, nuts, etc., as I'm a fan of "real" foods in general.


----------



## dwl (Mar 4, 2012)

Oxtox said:


> energy bars, protein bars, gels...never use that junk. it's all just overpriced crap.
> 
> if you need fuel while on the bike, carry a banana, fig newtons and/or a payday candy bar.
> 
> it cracks me up to see the weekend warrior runners and cyclists with pockets full of energy products and bottles filled with magic performance liquids knocking out 5 mile runs and 20 mile rides.


Or maybe eat some slow carb release foods before a century ride or whatever.


----------



## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

nothing replaces whole foods for nutrition.

if you are looking for on the run calories (MRB - meal "replacement" bar) with your protein (as in a weight gain cycle) protein bars are a good way to get those calories on the run. being cyclists, weight gain is generally not high on the list of wants. the zero impact protein bar is pretty clean (as far as bars go) and tastes good....but make sure you have plenty of water to wash it down!

Zero Impact High Protein Bars | VPX Sports




if you want on a low cal, on the run protein supp, healthy n fit makes a pretty clean product....they make it in egg protein as well -


https://www.behealthynfit.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=27


----------



## runabike (Jun 18, 2013)

I make these all the time. i absolutely love them. I throw in chocolate chips to make them even better. 

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bars Recipe : Food Network


----------

