Power and Protein Bars: Pick the Right Ones

So, you're at work and thinking about the junk food that you should eat for lunch today. Should it be a burger and fries? Or a grilled cheese sandwich and potato chips? Or maybe macaroni and cheese and leftover cake? That all sounds good, but if you're looking to become a healthier person, then you need to put those to the side and think about buying power/protein bars. These bars make for great work-snacks and can supply you some great nutrients and energy, and can surprisingly ease your hunger. The problem; however, is that most of those power bars that you see are just plain nasty. They look good on the cover, but once you bite into them, you feel like you just bit into a cardboard/glue combination . . . and immediately throw the rest away, along with the other 4 or 5 bars that you never even opened. If you're looking for a bar that is both tasty and efficient, then three of the top choices come from Zone Perfect (chocolate mint bars); Advantage Bars by Atkins (caramel chocolate peanut nougat); and Balance Gold (caramel nut blast). These are the best of the best. Here is a quick ingredient summary for the three bars:

ZONE Perfect - Chocolate Mint bars

Calories: 210

Fat: 7

Carbs: 24

Protein: 14

Sugar: 13

Advantage Bars by Atkins - Caramel Chocolate Peanut Nougat Bars

Calories: 160

Fat: 9

Carbs: 2

Protein: 11

Sugar: 1

Balance Gold - Caramel Nut Blast

Calories: 210

Fat: 7

Carbs: 23

Protein: 15

Sugar: 14

Each bar is great and each bar is has their pros and cons. If you are looking for best taste, then go with the Atkins chocolate peanut nougat bars. They taste VERY good . . . almost too good, as you will probably be tempted to eat a second one immediately after finishing your first one. If you are looking for protein, the Balance Gold caramel nut blast offers the most. These bars offer good taste value, but be warned . . . the chocolate melts onto your hands very quickly, so eat fast and/or have a napkin nearby. And for the love of God, don't wipe your hands on your white shirt!

If your main concern is finding something that is filling, then the Balance bars will best suit you. The weakest hunger-healer is the Zone chocolate mint bars. They have the lightest density of the bars and can only cure your smallest hunger cravings.

As far as price goes, the Atkins and Zone bars normally sell for a little over $6 for a 5-pack, although, Wal-Mart often offers the Zone bars for $5 per box, so check there first. The Balance bars go for around $5 for a 6-pack, so if getting the most out of your dollar is your top concern in these tough economic times, then the caramel blast might be your best bet.

All three bars are perfect, but if you only want to choose one, take the author's advice and go with the Atkins chocolate peanut nougat bars. They have the best taste, are extremely low in sugar, and they aid you in losing more weight than the other two bars. Now what are you waiting for? Go get some and throw away those French fries!