Do you feel like you’re always on the move? Juggling work, the gym and leading a somewhat satisfactory social life can leave you burnt out and hungry with no time to prepare a proper meal. Think of it this way, you need all the energy you can get to push through your daily activities, regardless of your lifestyle choices. Sometimes that comes in the form of a full-blown healthy meal while others, well, you’d be lucky if you managed to squeeze a few bites in. It can be tricky to maintain a healthy diet when you’re super busy.
With that in mind, there is a convenient and compact solution to this issue. Whether you’re looking for a practical on-the-go snack to squash your hunger or you’re looking for low-calorie, healthy food to help with your muscle mass, we have just the suggestion for you – a delicious, rich in proteins bar is all you need. Never tried them before? No biggie, we’re here to fill you in on all the details.
Contents
Who Needs Protein Bars?
The conventional answer would be that it’s meant for people who are looking to build on muscle mass while sticking to a high-protein diet. By doing this, you ensure you consume all the macronutrients that are crucial for muscle growth and health. In addition, many people take protein bars to help support their weight loss or weight gain journey.
But who says protein bars are for weight watchers and gym enthusiasts only anyway? Everyone who wants to lead a healthy lifestyle can reap the benefits of this tasty blend of natural ingredients, such as dried fruit, nuts and whole grains. It’s a wonderful low-sugar alternative that can be an essential snack for everyone with hectic daily schedules.
When Should You Have Protein Bars?
If you’re following a gym regimen or want to cut down on your weight, then the best thing to do is take a protein bar before and after each workout. Eating protein bars beforehand has a positive impact on your overall performance whereas taking one after helps with muscle repair and growth. Evidently, you be benefitting either way so it’s up to you to decide which method is more appropriate.
On the other hand, if you’re someone who just wants to tickle your tastebuds with something sweet yet healthy, then you can eat protein bars at any time during the day. It’s the perfect way to curb your appetite in between meals and give you a boost in energy when you need it the most. All you have to do is just dip in your pocket or bag and you won’t be feeling super hungry anymore.
Now when it comes to your daily protein intake, it depends greatly on your weight and level of physical fitness. Generally speaking, you should be taking about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for the best results.
What Protein Bars Should You Avoid?
While the majority of protein bars are completely safe, you should still look out for potentially unwanted ingredients. For starters, it’s a good idea to stay away from bars that contain oils, such as palm or kernel, as well as trans fats which can do you more harm than good. Moreover, any rich in proteins bar should have very low levels of sugar, if any. For example, if you see high fructose corn syrup as the main ingredient, then you definitely shouldn’t get it. Consuming high levels of sugar, even the artificial kind, can lead to bloating, cramps and all sorts of other gastrointestinal issues.
Benefits of Eating Protein Bars
Before we wrap this discussion up, let’s list only a handful of the numerous benefits protein bars have to offer.
Rich in Proteins and Fibres
Bars that have at least 20-30 grams of protein along with a few grams of fibre is more than enough to keep your belly full and satisfied until your next proper meal. Instead of munching on junk food all the time, turn to protein bars as a much healthier way to dull those random hunger pangs during the day.
However, you need to remember that protein bars aren’t meal replacements. This means that you shouldn’t skip breakfast, lunch or dinner in favour of a protein bar because you think it’ll help you lose weight faster. This can have serious consequences on your overall well-being.
Effective Way to Reduce Calorie Intake
Most protein bars have about 250 calories which is more than enough to keep you going. Nonetheless, you might want to check the ingredients list on the packaging to ensure you’re getting your desired daily dosage. If you end up consuming more calories than intended, you’ll start to gain weight instead of losing it.
Provide Continuous Energy Supply
You know all those times when you felt like you’re ready to take a nap but you didn’t have the time? How about switching it up and actually having the energy to go through a full day without a nap? Because that’s exactly what you’ll be doing once you start implementing protein bars into your diet since they provide a continuous source of energy.
Delicious Snacks In-Between Meals
Most of the time, when someone mentions healthy food, your mind probably doesn’t wander immediately to its mouth-watering taste. This is why some people don’t even like it and would never even consider trying it. But what if there’s something that’s healthy and tasty at the same time? You guessed right, we’re thinking about protein bars.
