danmirage
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- Joined: 11/20/2005
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The best meal replacement/Protein bars I have seen - EVER!
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Wednesday, October 01, 2008 12:07 AM
I am in an intensive pre-med program of exercise science and biosciences. Needless to say, I have very little time to do anything but study, research, and endeavor to squeeze in training, eating, and sleep! Enter the need for nutrition on the go! I want foods that are whole, nutritious, eat easily and support my sharpness of mind and muscle maintenance, as well as overall health and performance! Let me share with you the 3 meal replacement bars that I like. Thats all I have found so far that pass the criteria list I will give later... Two of them I can eat, and the other...I wish I could eat it. It taste good and makes you feel like a god (#1). But I have some interesting allergies...so I can't...otherwise it would be MY personal #1 pick. How do I eat them? I eat a vegetable with my bars ALWAYS to slow down the gut clearance of the nutrients. I aim for 500 calories usually 2 bars. I have 12-16 ounces of water with the 2 bars I eat. I would take bar #1 or #2 and cut them into pieces into a zip lock bag (no chocolate coating!) I eat them as one of my meals when I am between (or in) classes and have few options. Criteria? No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. 20 + grams of protein with 20-30 grams of carbs and GOOD fats. It must have good fat. Must not taste like garbage. #1 Greens Plus Protein Food Bar - Natural Flavor Cost? Usually 12 for $26-30 Calories 250 Total Fat 11g Total Carb 20g Protein 20g What is in it? Organic Peanut Butter, Whey Protein Isolate, Organic Agave Nectar, Organic Quinoa Sprout Powder, Original GREENS+ Powder (Gmo-Free Soy Lecithin, Hawaiian Spirulina, Organic Apple Fiber, Organic Barley Grass, Organic Wheat Grass, Japanese Chlorella, Hydroponic Soy Sprouts, Organic Brown Rice Bran, Sprouted Barley Malt, Alfalfa Grass, Royal Jelly, Montana Bee Pollen, Acerola Berry Juice, Natural Vitamin E, Licorice Root, Milk Thistle Seed Extract, Echinacea Root Extract, Siberian Eleuthero Root Extract, Astragalus Root Extract, Licorice Root Extract, Organic Red Beet Juice, Dunaliella Salina Algae, Organic Nova Scotia Dulse, Organic Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Organic Japanese Green Tea Extract, Grape Seed, And Skin Extract, Organic Swedish Bilberry Extract), Organic Brown Rice Crisps, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Natural Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E). Unless you have an allergy to any of these ingredients...these are amazing. They would be my #1 choice. Read the ingredients! Whey, Quinoa, Spirullina and Chlorella! Milk Thistle , Echinacea, Siberian Eleuthero Root , Astragalus, etc...awesome! They do coat your teeth like a peanut butter sandwich while you are eating them...if you are not skilled. But that lasts a minute or so. I like the taste and many other people say they do. The texture is very interesting. Hard to explain: creamy/grainy? They also come in a flavor called "Peanut Butter & Chocolate" HOWEVER, note that you get 20% less protein and 20% more carbs. #2 Organic Food Bar - Organic Protein Bar Cost? Usually 12 for $23-30 Calories 330 Total Fat 13g Total Carb 33g Protein 22g What is in it? Certified Organic Almond Butter, Organic Brown Rice Protein, Organic Dates, Organic Agave Nectar, Organic Bio Sprouts™ - Flax, Organic Biodynamic™ (Demeter) Raisins, Sesame Seeds. You are wondering if that is a complete protein? Flax + Almond + Rice + Sesame + Dates...Yes. But its not whey protein! Later when I have time I will crunch this for its real protein profile and tell you how good it really is. For now, my back of the envelope calculation says it is fine! These are easy to eat. No coating. Nutty. No junk. #3 Thinkthin Protein Bar (Creamy Peanut Butter, Chunky Peanut Butter, Chocolate Fudge, Brownie Crunch, Chocolate Mudslide, Dark Chocolate Flavor, White Chocolate Chip Flavor) Cost $15-20 for 10 bars (or 20 at a time on Amazon pre-order (which you can easily change, put off, cancel, or order instantly) and get 20 for $25! Calories - 250 Total Fat: 10g Total Carbs: 22g Protein: 20g What is in it? For Creamy Peanut Butter: Protein blend (calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate), coating (maltitol, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, sodium caseinate, dairy oil, soya lecithin, natural flavors, salt), glycerin, maltitol syrup, ground peanuts, cocoa butter, water, peanut flour, natural flavors, soya lecithin, tricalcium phosphate, salt. Vitamins and Minerals: ascorbic acid, d-alpha tocopherol, niacinamide, zinc oxide, vitamin A palmitate, electrolytic iron, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, copper gluconate, riboflavin, thiamin mononitrate, folic acid, biotin, potassium iodide, vitamin B12. I don't recommend all the flavors...but the flavors are all acceptible. Chocolate coated. Most eat easily unless hot and melty. OR, by the same company... Thinkpink protein Bar (White Chocolate Raspberry, Peanut Butter Caramel, Blueberry Dark Chocolate) Cost $15-20 for 10 bars Calories - 230 Total Fat: 8g Total Carbs: 26g Protein: 20g Don't be put off by the COLOR pink... Peanut Butter Caramel is probably their best flavor. What is in it? Protein blend (calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate), glycerin, coating (maltitol, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, sodium caseinate, dairy oil, soya lecithin, natural flavors, salt), maltitol syrup, ground peanuts, water, cocoa butter, peanut flour, dicalcium phosphate, lecithin, salt, natural flavors. Vitamins and Minerals: ascorbic acid, d-alpha tocopherol, niacinamide, zinc oxide, vitamin A palmitate, electrolytic iron, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, copper gluconate, riboflavin, thiamin mononitrate, folic acid, biotin, potassium iodide, vitamin B12. CONTAINS: MILK, SOY, PEANUTS. You can see why #3 is lowest on the list: maltitol, natural flavors... Not as massively healthfull overall as #1 and #2. But there are no glaring problems with them either. Plus, they are very affordable and do meet the basic requirements.
<message edited by danmirage on Wednesday, October 01, 2008 12:08 AM>
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