Bar Codes

Once upon a time, candy bars were the most popular energy bars. This changed when PowerBars[R] entered the sports scene in 1987, thus starting the onslaught of designer sports foods fighting for today's food dollar. Questions arise: Are energy bars better than, let's say, bananas? Let's find out.

Question: "My workouts have improved since I started eating an energy bar within the hour before I train. Would a banana or other natural food have the same results, or does this `designer food' have magic ingredients?"

Answer: Energy bars are not magic, nor are they preferable to--or better than--natural foods such as fig cookies, dried apricots, bananas and other popular pre-exercise carbohydrates. Testimonials in magazine ads often proclaim "I'm a champion now that I eat so-and-so-bar before I work out," failing to mention that the athlete used to eat nothing pre-exercise. Clearly, any fuel is better than no fuel. In fact, eating even a candy bar five minutes pre-exercise improves performance when compared to having eaten nothing. The only "magic" about energy bars is they are convenient, hassle-free, pre-wrapped, portable and durable.

Question: "I get overwhelmed by the numerous kinds of energy bars on the market. Are some better than others?"

Answer: Some energy bars, like Clif Bars[R] and Boulder Bars[R], are made from whole foods; they are filled with fruits, fiber, wholesome goodness and quality nutrition. These are preferable to energy bars that taste like candy, which are usually little more than sugar-coated vitamins, minerals and protein. With names like "Fudge Brownie" and "Devil's Food Cake," do you really think these snacks can offer better nutrition than an orange, banana or peanut butter sandwich?

Question: "I eat energy bars for breakfast on the run, lunch at the office, and snacks before I exercise. Is there a health danger in eating too many energy bars?"

Answer: In the long run, eating too many designer energy bars could potentially lead to health problems. Here's how:

1. In theory, by eating lots of engineered foods, you can displace too many natural foods from your diet. That is, instead of grabbing a pre-exercise fruit, you might choose a "Chocolate Brownie Boom Bar." Because fresh fruits and vegetables are among the most health-protective foods (and already underconsumed in the typical athlete's diet), you'll likely end up with an even lower intake of the fiber, carotenoids and other health-protective phytochemicals found in fruits, veggies and whole grains. The solution: For each energy bar, be sure to eat a banana, some dried apricots, raisin bran, orange juice, yogurt or other wholesome, unrefined snack food.

2. Eating too many highly fortified energy bars could potentially contribute to an overdose of minerals. A PR*Ironman[R] Bar, for example, provides 50% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of zinc. Thus, when you eat several highly fortified energy bars per day, plus take a multivitamin and mineral supplement while eating highly fortified breakfast cereals such as Total[R] or Smart Start[R], you're consuming megadoses of vitamins and minerals. While you will most likely excrete the excess vitamins in your urine, your body may develop health problems related to mineral imbalances. That is, minerals compete with each other in the body. For example, too much chromium can interfere with zinc absorption, thus potentially weakening your immune system. Also, too much zinc has been shown to elevate cholesterol levels. Good nutrition relies on a proper balance of nutrients, which may be difficult to achieve with excessive supplementation.

3. A diet rich in energy bars is often poor in variety. Athletes commonly consume only 10 to 15 different foods per week. If the bulk of your limited diet is energy bars, you may be missing out on important nutrients obtained from a variety of foods. Food variety adds spice to your nutritional life.

The goal is to consume at least 20 to 30 different kinds of foods per week. Therefore, eat a variety of natural food energy bars or, better yet, replace them with whole grain bagels, nuts, peanut butter, apples, carrots, oatmeal cookies and other assorted snacks.

Question: "I'm trying hard to lose weight. I do well when packaged foods, like a Balance Bar[R] or 40-30-30 Bar[TM], are a fundamental part of my diet plan. Is this a safe way to lose weight?"

Answer: Dieters tend to like energy bars because they offer a defined amount of calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat. The nutrition information on the label makes it easy for the dieter to calculate his or her food intake, but energy bats have no secret ingredients that promote weight loss. Their small serving size assists calorie control by simply having a defined start and finish. That is, when you eat an energy bar, it's gone. When you grab a handful of pretzels, however, what's left in the bag can tempt you to eat more.

Some dieters eat energy bars to the exclusion of whole foods. This is a bad idea. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to learn how to eat appropriate portions of your favorite foods. That means learning how to incorporate cookies, birthday cakes and fast foods into your food palette--and not avoid these foods while living on energy bars.