My Favourite Protein Bars!

Which snack bars are actually worth it? Protein bars are a great snack if they are filled with the right balance of carbs, fat and protein – and if they have nutritious ingredients that will keep you full, too.  Unfortunately, most protein bars are NOT filled with the best ingredients. You can often find ingredients like:  High fructose corn syrup This is so often added into conventional products and it is NOT the same as regular sugar. High fructose corn syrup accumulates in the liver and can cause fat buildup there. It is not metabolized in the same way as regular sugar and it does not contain any nutrients at all.  Sugar alcohols (Ex: Erythritol)  This is often used if the bar says “no sugar” or “low carbs”, since sugar alcohols do not have calories or count as sugar. They are also not fully absorbed by the body, and as a result, can cause digestive issues such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Some people can tolerate them but if you have IBS or digestive issues, they can definitely be a trigger!   I don’t consume protein bars too often, but when I do, I make sure they are from a trusted brand and they are filled with good ingredients! Luckily, there are so many great companies now that are creating such amazing products. I recommend going to a health food store and asking the employees which bars are the most popular. Some stores like Loblaws and Metro also have a natural health aisle where they keep a great stock too!  Here are my favourite protein bars. I love these ones and always recommend them!   Lara Bars I consider these more of a snack bar, because they are really high in carbs, not that it’s a bad thing. The sugar comes from dates, and it’s a whole-food based bar. All their ingredients are either fruits nuts or spices – it’s like a homemade snack bar I would make myself! They are all vegan and gluten free. I usually have the original version but they now have a protein bar version with pea protein!  Genuine Health Fermented Vegan Proteins These are my go-to if I want a bar that will keep me full afterwards. I love them for after workouts or a healthy afternoon snack. Genuine Health is also one of my favourite supplement companies, so you know their ingredients are great. They add fermented proteins, which is more absorbable and helps with your gut health  and because of that, it will not cause bloating, like some other vegan proteins.   Mid-day Squares I enjoy Mid-day squares as sweet snack during the day, because it really is just like a chocolate bar but better. They add hemp protein powder to their chocolate, as well as maca (energy!), pumpkin seeds (anti-inflammatory!) and sacha inchi powder (omega 3!). It does not have the taste of a normal protein bar and I wouldn’t have even known that it was a protein bar if I didn’t look at the ingredients, that’s how good it tastes. They use clean ingredients and it is vegan and gluten-free as well.  Welo  I love the Welo probiotic bars. The company’s name is short for “we love” and they are focused on producing products that do good things for your body. Each probiotic bar has 3 billion live cultures to improve gut health, help absorbs vitamins and reduce inflammation. It’s also great to eat after workouts for reducing exercise-induced muscle damage! I really like the taste of these because they contain brown rise crisps and I love that crunch. They don’t contain a lot of protein but they will still keep you full from the the nut butters and chicory root fibres!  Have you tried any of these bars before? If you try them, send me a pic or tag me

@nourishwithjass!