No more excuses- Carry your meals in your pocket !

Now “unavailability of healthy food” is nothing but just an excuse.

Once I was travelling by air recently and was feeling hungry so I took out a protein bar from my bag. Meanwhile, I noticed another passenger eating a chocolate. It made me think about obesity.

The Chocolate he was enjoying and my protein bar seemed similar. We were both eating a rectangular bar coated with chocolate. I thought that is my protein bar really a healthier option or his chocolate? And compared the nutritional contents of his chocolate with mine protein bar, I found:

Calories: The Snickers bar had the most calories per serving than the protein bar which I was eating.

Fat:  The Snickers bar had 12 grams of fat. That’s roughly twice as much fat as protein bar.

Sugar: Again, the Snickers bar was the loser, with its 27 grams of sugar as compared to protein bar which has 1gm of sugar

Protein: True to its billing as a high-protein food, one protein bar has 10 grams of protein — that’s up to 20% of an entire day’s requirement. The Snickers bar had 4 grams.

• Fiber: To be considered “high-fiber,” a food should have 5 grams of fiber per serving. Only the protein Bar has this.
• Vitamins and minerals: The protein Bar provides a decent dose of calcium (25% of your daily needs), folic acid (25%), and all vitamins plus omega 3 which is very essential.

And one more thing

Protein bar are marketed as “The Whole Nutrition Bar” because of the calcium, vitamins, folic acid etc in each bar. So, if you’re a woman, will these bars make you healthier? And what if a man eats these bars regularly?

It’s true that women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men, so it’s important for women to get enough calcium and vitamins. And women of childbearing age should get enough folic acid to help prevent certain birth defects in their children.

So which snack will you choose?

Remember, the “value” of any food has to be considered in the context of a person’s overall diet, including the total balance of calories, protein, fat, and sugar consumed throughout the day. And let’s not forget that the calories you burn through physical activity also matter a lot. I plan to work out every day as a routine. Whether you refer to them as protein bars, energy bars, snack/meal bars or food bars, supplements food share one important factor… convenience. Not necessarily just convenience as a snack to satisfy a person’s a basic nutritional need, but also with regards to convenience for meal timing to support any health or fitness goal. Protein bars serve a wide variety of uses for different populations:

Pre or Post workout Nutrition for athletes or Mid-meal snack to quickly curb any hunger or Meal replacement.

Protein bars are great for traveling, as an emergency snack – or at any other time when you may not have extra minutes to prepare a whole meal!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, period. People who eat breakfast are statistically more likely to be slim than those who do not and having breakfast prevents mid-morning hunger pangs and cravings. BUT, not everyone has time for a healthy breakfast. I know there are some mornings when I don’t! So, rather than skip breakfast altogether, grab a protein bar to eat on your way to work or school. That way, you can relax knowing you can start your day right even if you are in a hurry!

As a snack

Most snacks are unhealthy. Candy, cookies, cake, donuts, and potato chips – eating any of these things will derail your weight loss efforts big time. However, a healthy protein bar can help stave off hunger and get you through to your next meal. If you are hungry, it becomes very hard to make healthy food choices but with a protein bar close to hand, you have the perfect healthy snack to hold you over until it’s time to eat a more substantial meal.

As a meal replacement

Meal replacement diets involve replacing a regular meal with a lower-calorie alternative; normally a shake. However, it’s not always possible to have a shake and you might just want to have something different anyway. Protein bars are high in protein, contain fiber and healthy fats, and also provide vitamins and minerals. In short, they are a small but healthy meal in a bar.

Before exercise

If you need extra energy for a workout but do not have time to make something to eat, a protein bar can be a good alternative.

After exercise

Once you have finished your workout, your body is crying out for energy and especially protein. Keep a protein bar in your gym bag so you can eat it immediately after you finish your workout.

If you have sugar cravings

Healthy protein bars taste like candy but contain very little sugar. This makes them an ideal way to indulge your sugar cravings without breaking your diet. They are also much healthier than candy and more filling too. Keep a protein bar in your car, gym bag, and desk at work so you never have to reach for a candy bar again!

My Thoughts:

Rite Bite Max Protein Energy Bars comes in flavors like Chocó Fudge, Chocó Slim and Honey Lemon. In addition to the protein bars, workout bars are also available. The Rite Bite Protein Bars contains 21 essential vitamins, 20g protein, and 5g fiber.

The Chocó Fudge bar includes 20 g protein, 12.5 g fat, and 5.8 g of saturated fat, 13.3 g of sugar, 308 calories and other ingredients. This bar is rich in nuts and it has a Chocó layer beneath the nuts. It is a great choice for any chocolate lover like me. It is filling and satisfying. It is tasty as well. This bar can act as a power pack to boost your energy. It can also act as a 2 minute quick meal. This works if you are aiming at muscle building. The bar is crunchy and fudgy. Protein bars are really useful and can make a great addition to your healthy diet.