That Afternoon Bar

The purpose of an energy bar is to give you an immediate energy fix or snack. Some bars are tailored around athletics, where the protein and energy content varies for the needs of the athlete. But, many times this so-called snack acts more like a dessert or a bag of chips.

Consider the following tips when shopping for a bar:

• Aim for 5 to 10 grams of protein in the bar. Protein helps control hunger and supports the lean muscle mass that you want.

• Look for bars containing 170 to 270 calories. This provides enough energy to get you through until your next meal.

• Less than 5 grams of fat is usually ideal. Watch out for and avoid hydrogenated oil.
  

• Look for bars containing at least 3 to 5 grams of fibre.

• No form of sugar should be listed in the first three ingredients. One sugar you must avoid is high-fructose corn syrup.

Alive Magazine recommends the following bars which can be purchased for $1.49 to $2.99:

Source Salba's Real Whole Food Bars Certified 100% organic, these gluten-free, vegan bars provide over 700 mg of omega-3 and 3 grams of fibre.

Vega Whole Food Vibrance Bar These organic, raw bars contain a number of plant-based super foods.

Larabar Blended from 100% whole food, they are gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free with no added sugar.