Sunday, June 04, 2006

Appropriate use of protein bars

I was visiting one of my favorite message boards this evening and came upon a post about protein bars that reminded me of how there can be too much of a good thing.

Protein bars can be a convenient, healthy meal replacement in a pinch. However, when used as a snack, they are rarely any better than a Snickers bar. I see too many people who think of protein bars as a replacement for candy. They think of the bars as a healthy treat.
Sure, protein bars offer anywhere from 10 to 40 grams of protein (depending on brand), but they also can be very high in calories. Many that I have are around 300 calories.

As a WLS patient, I can only eat about a third to half of a bar in one sitting. But there are some people who eat two or three a day as a snack. And they wonder why they aren't losing weight.
So, take my advice. If you eat protein bars frequently, make sure you're paying attention to the calories you're taking in and compensating accordingly

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