References & Sources for this Article

Which protein bars are recommended?

In recent decades, there has been an increased interest in a healthy lifestyle, including both sports practice and the consumption of quality food. The focus was on nutrients and not just the total calories of food. This has led to the joint emergence of supplements and functional snacks, such as protein bars. It is the search for adaptability to daily life, lifestyles, nutritional benefits, and improved sports performance.

Expansion of sports supplementation

Traditionally, sports supplementation has been considered to be all products specifically designed to improve sports performance. The consumption of these products was linked to training. Due to this purely sports-oriented approach, until a few years ago, the consumption of these products by people with a less active lifestyle was not considered.

Protein bars were originally intended primarily for athletes and bodybuilders. Therefore, their nutrient content was high in whey protein, polyalcohols, and low in saturated fats. The trend in recent years regarding healthy snacks has been growing. More and more products contain high levels of fiber and protein, and lower content of saturated fats and sugars.

What is a good protein bar made of?

With this premise, let's analyze the most common ingredients. What are the characteristics we should consider when choosing protein bars?

Protein powder

To formulate a product with high protein content, protein powder is usually used. Currently, we can find options that use protein powder of animal or plant origin.

Among animal proteins, dairy protein is the most used in the protein supplement market. Both in its typical powder presentation or as the main ingredient in protein bars and other similar products. This is the case with our Joe´s Core Bar or Joe´s Soft Bar where we use 32% dairy proteins in their formulation.

Other options mix dairy with plant-based, as in the case of the 60% Protein Bar. It contains a combination of milk proteins (isolate and caseinate) with hydrolyzed collagen protein and soy vegetable protein isolate. In addition, it has added L-glutamine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine amino acids.

Whey protein accounts for 20% of the total dairy protein. It is a protein of high biological value due to its amino acid profile and its rapid and easy digestibility. Casein accounts for 80% of dairy protein and, unlike whey protein, its digestibility is much slower.

Whey proteins have different qualities depending on the extraction method. It can vary between 60% and 90% purity. Despite this, the nutritional quality is the same as it depends on the raw material, but the effectiveness will be lower. The remaining compounds are divided into carbohydrates and fats.

Sweeteners

According to the RAE, a sweetener is defined as "a substance that sweetens food, beverages, or medicines, whether of natural or synthetic origin."

They are divided into two categories: those with caloric value, such as sugar and honey. And those with low caloric value, which are used as sugar substitutes.

Most sugar substitutes approved for use in food are artificially synthesized compounds. However, there are also some natural substitutes that are considered artificial due to the production processes used. For example, sucrose is converted to sucralose, lactose to lactitol, and glucose to sorbitol.

Sucralose is a calorie-free sweetener used to reduce the sugar content in products. It is extremely sweet, approximately 600 times sweeter than common sugar. Only a small amount is needed to match the sweetness of sugar. It is commonly found in products labeled "light" or "diet." It is also found in sports supplements, such as our Joe´s Core/Soft bar and 60% Protein Bar.

It is accepted by the FDA, the EFSA, and various international food safety organizations. The FDA conducted more than 100 safety studies representing more than 20 years of research. These determined the safety of this sweetener. Its chemical structure prevents enzymes in the digestive tract from breaking it down, which is an inherent part of its safety.

Most (85%) of the sucralose consumed is not absorbed by the body. It is excreted unchanged in the feces. Of the small amount that is absorbed, about 15% is rapidly filtered by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. It is not broken down for energy and therefore does not provide calories.

Fats

Fats are of great importance to the food industry. They are responsible for various functions within food technology to achieve the quality of the final product. They help to give flavor and aroma to foods, in addition to modulating their texture.

Fats provide 9 kcal per gram, and the general recommendation is that they do not exceed 30% of the daily energy intake. Therefore, it is important to review food advertising and labeling. Nutritional declarations help us by indicating the advantages of the product compared to others.

Nutritional declarations related to fat content:

Reduced fat content: if the reduction in content is 30% or more compared to a similar product.
Low fat content: contains less than 3g of fat per 100g in the case of solids.
Low saturated fat content: contains less than 0.5g of this type of fat per 100g.
Fat-free: if the sum of saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids in the product is less than 1.5g per 100g for solid products. This sum should not contribute more than 10% of the energy value.
Saturated fat-free: if the sum of saturated fats and trans fatty acids is less than 0.1g per 100g.

On the label, we can find more specific information about the type of fat present in the food.
Examples of nutritional statements are: "Source of omega 3 fatty acids" or "High in omega 3 fatty acids."
The type of fat present will also be indicated, such as monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, or unsaturated.
In the ingredient list, the vegetable oil or fat used in the food, such as olive oil, sunflower oil, or cocoa butter, must be mentioned.

What is the fat composition of Weider protein bars?

In this vein, if we review the labels of our Joe´s Bars and the 60% Protein Bar, we find that:

The main fat sources of the Joe´s Bars come from cocoa butter, typical of the chocolate used for the coating. Depending on the flavor, sunflower, rapeseed, or shea oil. This bar provides us with 8.4g of fat per serving, a fact we should consider when including it in our nutritional plan.

In the case of the 60% Protein Bar, its fatty ingredients are mainly cocoa butter and soy lecithin as an emulsifying agent, which is a natural mixture of phospholipids, glycolipids, triglycerides, and fatty acids. It provides us with only 4.4g of fat per bar, which represents about 24% of the caloric intake per serving.

Conclusions

Aside from their good protein content and nutritional profile, the Joe´s Core Bar or Joe´s Soft bar are just as delicious as regular chocolate bars. Considering that the latter often have a list of highly undesirable ingredients. Therefore, Joe's bars are ideal for those looking to satisfy their chocolate craving without overdoing it on sugar.

For its part, the focus of the 60% Protein Bar goes a step further and offers the highest percentage of protein you can find in a bar. Up to 27 grams of protein in each bar and with amino acids. This makes it a delicious and practical option for athletes looking to increase their protein intake and minimize sugar consumption.

There is a wide range of protein or energy bars on the market. At Weider, we offer more than 24 types of bars, each designed for different goals and tastes. Don't lose sight of your objectives when choosing when to include your bar during the day:

As a snack between meals
As a post-workout recovery
As extra protein
As a dessert, treat, etc.

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