Protein Bars

Boru.

Hi folks.

A couple of my clients, myself included, are looking at supplementing their diets with protein bars. Each of them want to try different types etc. I've agreed to this and am ordering them in for them, I'm going to write up reviews, taste test's, effectiveness etc.

Anyways, I know we have some excellent experts on supplements so here's the list. Let me know what you think. I've been qouted a price of €148.00 for the lot including shipping. If you know anyone who can beat that price pm with their details. I'd prefer to give it to a contributor here than a stranger company.

Powerhouse Nutrition Power Protein Cookie, Box of 12, Chocolate Chip
Chef Jays Tri-O-Plex Bars, Box of 12, Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip
Chef Jays Tri-O-Plex Bars, Box of 12, Very Berry
Costas Foods Muscle Sandwich, Peanut Butter Graham Cracker
Labrada Lean Body Bars, Box of 12, Cookies N Cream
Labrada Lean Body Bars, Box of 12, Chocolate

As always, thanks for the input.

Easygainer

Boru. wrote:

Hi folks.

A couple of my clients, myself included, are looking at supplementing their diets with protein bars. Each of them want to try different types etc. I've agreed to this and am ordering them in for them, I'm going to write up reviews, taste test's, effectiveness etc.

Anyways, I know we have some excellent experts on supplements so here's the list. Let me know what you think. I've been qouted a price of €148.00 for the lot including shipping. If you know anyone who can beat that price pm with their details. I'd prefer to give it to a contributor here than a stranger company.

Powerhouse Nutrition Power Protein Cookie, Box of 12, Chocolate Chip
Chef Jays Tri-O-Plex Bars, Box of 12, Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip
Chef Jays Tri-O-Plex Bars, Box of 12, Very Berry
Costas Foods Muscle Sandwich, Peanut Butter Graham Cracker
Labrada Lean Body Bars, Box of 12, Cookies N Cream
Labrada Lean Body Bars, Box of 12, Chocolate

As always, thanks for the input.

Good value including shipping. Only prob I see is that Chef Jay was done before for lying about the nutritional content to the extent that it was off by 50% or so on fats and carbs.... Never tasted any of them though

Boru.

Sweet. Thanks Esygainer. That bit about Chef Jay's a little troubling...I've actually just googled it and now I'm slightly annoyed. This is what I've found..

http://www.labelclaimstesting.com/?pageID=20

check it out.

Thanks for the heads up easygainer.

Easygainer

Boru. wrote:

Sweet. Thanks Esygainer. That bit about Chef Jay's a little troubling...I've actually just googled it and now I'm slightly annoyed. This is what I've found..

http://www.labelclaimstesting.com/?pageID=20

check it out.

Thanks for the heads up easygainer.

Labrada's stuff is generally good though. I only do the Next Proteins and ON bars though.

RPGGAMER

make sure to read the labels. ingredients that is.

most protein bars are NOT healthy and use very poor/cheap ingredients. Nutritionally many are ACTUALLY WORSE THAN ORDINARY BARS.

examples: read the labels and look out for these:(many many studies done on effects i mention - no magazine hype just the facts..)

high fructose corn syrup.............. diabetes/insulin resistance etc
glucose-fructose syrup.....as above
soya protein.....missing many aminos and not healthy particularly for males(isoflavones/phytoestrogens...
gums like xanthan and guar gum....bloooooatt
artificial sweeteners....cancer in rodents no hard evidence in humans (studies stopped >>Pressure )
Alcohol sugars (any ending in OL)...zylitol, sorbitol, etc............laxitive effect and claimed to be 'empty' kcals...last i checked OH's had 7kcal a gram..

etc etc

Used to eat them myself in the early years. Learned though.

so pros:Very convienient, last ages best before wise, very filling/appetite surpressing(gums etc!)
cons: unhealthy, ineffective as per claims, Expensive...per g protein compared to powder,

RPGGAMER

if you post up the ingredients of a bar i will analyse it in depth and reference my findings. (my deadlines are done so i have some spare time:) )

Remember the most important fact about supplements: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

thats what its about. not your health, performance etc

money.

These bars are made as cheap as possible and sold for max profit. your health and performance in the gym is not an issue. the ingredients spell that out to one with the knowledge to see it.

Easygainer

Sugar alcohols are a compromise though. While they are not calorifically insignificant, they don't spike insulin. I prefer not to use bars, shakes are far better, but certain jobs are bent about it and sometimes you just can't bring a shake...

Sugar, and not fat, is the main reason we face an obesity epidemic in Western countries because of its effect on insulin.

AARRRGH

My experience with protein bars is that they taste horrendous. Beware of bars with "rich dark chocolate" around them. It's to hide the bad taste!!

Cravez

dublindude wrote:

My experience with protein bars is that they taste horrendous. Beware of bars with "rich dark chocolate" around them. It's to hide the bad taste!!

yeah similarly like those viper energy bars? I got a free sample of one and i almost spitted the bar right out it was so horrible, they must have put every type of ingredient imaginable in it.

sobberandclean

i read the amount of sugar was mental in them bars.

hardtrainer

You can also just make them yourself, they're not too hard to do. The best thing about making them is that you can decide how much protein, carbs and fat etc that you want them to have and you also get to decide what flavour to make.

There's loads of recipes on the net for different ones, some you have to bake, others you just let set in the fridge. In my experience they taste a lot better and you get to have control over exactly what goes into them, so no basic sugars, no hydrogenated fats etc.

Boru.

Hi All,

Much appreciate the feedback. I’ve put in an order we'll see how it goes. I'll let you know.

Hardtrainer, I've tried that before, gotten a few great recipes for cheesecake, bars, pudding snacks etc off loads of websites. Some have been great successes, others not so. The major problem though I find is in baking several of the recipes they protein becomes denatured and leaves with a lot of fanfare if you catch my drift.

That said I would love a really good protein lemon or strawberry cheese cake dish.

If anyone here has tried and succeeded I implore you post the recipe!!!! With particular attention tot eh protein you used, I've found that many of the recipes are obviously dependant on really good protein, so if you got the recipes and the protein to put into it…..share!!!

(As an aside I’ve tried the ones form Bodybiulding.com etc., not bad, but the protein I used wasn't great)

RPGGAMER

Boru. wrote:

Hi All,

Much appreciate the feedback. I’ve put in an order we'll see how it goes. I'll let you know.

Hardtrainer, I've tried that before, gotten a few great recipes for cheesecake, bars, pudding snacks etc off loads of websites. Some have been great successes, others not so. The major problem though I find is in baking several of the recipes they protein becomes denatured and leaves with a lot of fanfare if you catch my drift.

That said I would love a really good protein lemon or strawberry cheese cake dish.

If anyone here has tried and succeeded I implore you post the recipe!!!! With particular attention tot eh protein you used, I've found that many of the recipes are obviously dependant on really good protein, so if you got the recipes and the protein to put into it…..share!!!

(As an aside I’ve tried the ones form Bodybiulding.com etc., not bad, but the protein I used wasn't great)

if you want to offset the denaturation of protein problem. use casein based proteins. the molecular structure is VERY resistant. pH and heatwise anyway.

use the toasted cheese sand. as an example: melts and cools back the way it was. cool eh???

hardtrainer

Boru,

Yeah I know exactly what you mean. The baked ones work better with some protein powders (the casein based ones, as RPGamer explained). Though I have made some really tasty bars that didn't need any baking, you just heat the ingredients together on a low heat (very low) just enough to melt everything together and then allow them to set solid in the fridge. They cut well and keep for a week in the fridge or a month in the freezer, so you can make a load together and eat them over the following few weeks. They need peanut butter though and it's hard finding decent peanut butter without all the hydrogenated vegetable oil (bad bad bad) but it can be found in some places. I got some in tesco ages ago but haven't found any there since.

As for cakes, you can make a great cheesecake with mascarpone cheese, gelatin and a protein shake. Tastes good and you can put as much protein in as you like.

RPGGAMER

hardtrainer wrote:

Boru,

Yeah I know exactly what you mean. The baked ones work better with some protein powders (the casein based ones, as RPGamer explained). Though I have made some really tasty bars that didn't need any baking, you just heat the ingredients together on a low heat (very low) just enough to melt everything together and then allow them to set solid in the fridge. They cut well and keep for a week in the fridge or a month in the freezer, so you can make a load together and eat them over the following few weeks. They need peanut butter though and it's hard finding decent peanut butter without all the hydrogenated vegetable oil (bad bad bad) but it can be found in some places. I got some in tesco ages ago but haven't found any there since.

As for cakes, you can make a great cheesecake with mascarpone cheese, gelatin and a protein shake. Tastes good and you can put as much protein in as you like.

they have peanut butter made from just peanuts and sea salt in many health stores. like in superquinn in limerick.

Boru.

Mmmmm cheeescake.....right...focus...do we have any measurements, quantities for this delicious sounding cheescake? And the bars you mentioned, the ones you just mix and fridge, igredients contents or links would be greatly appreciated.

Lastly, best Casein protein recomendations?

Oh and RPGGAMER, picked up soem really nice peanut butter in my local health food store....a bit pricey, but absolutely gorgoeus. Just crushed peanuts and a tiny bit of sea salt.

RPGGAMER

Boru. wrote:

Mmmmm cheeescake.....right...focus...do we have any measurements, quantities for this delicious sounding cheescake? And the bars you mentioned, the ones you just mix and fridge, igredients contents or links would be greatly appreciated.

Lastly, best Casein protein recomendations?

Oh and RPGGAMER, picked up soem really nice peanut butter in my local health food store....a bit pricey, but absolutely gorgoeus. Just crushed peanuts and a tiny bit of sea salt.

best would be micellar casein. now what you want over the counter is actually known as 'milk protein' its 80% casein and 20% whey its the best source of micellar casein. Now its in its natural state this way so get it rather than 'calcium caseinate'. You will pay top dollar for casein here though! its 40euros in tony quinns! and i think thats calcium caseinate rather than micellar casein/milk protein! You need a connection(as i have:cool: ) with a dairy or somesuch. I could be persauded to get some for you if you really want it.

your prebedtime and diettime nutrition will never be the same after casein!!!!!!!!!!!ha ah ha

sure i dunno where i'd be without it!!!!!

(i like it best with 10-15 fish oil tablets before bed...mmmm...slurp!)

RPGGAMER

why not just down a shake instead of donnin' aprons and makin' bars and cheesecakes and such???

fuel your body and stop worrying about taste and gaggage etc..i switched off my gagging reflex off years ago when i started drinking brewers yeast with water...ugggh

RPGGAMER

Boru. wrote:

Mmmmm cheeescake.....right...focus...do we have any measurements, quantities for this delicious sounding cheescake? And the bars you mentioned, the ones you just mix and fridge, igredients contents or links would be greatly appreciated.

Lastly, best Casein protein recomendations?

Oh and RPGGAMER, picked up soem really nice peanut butter in my local health food store....a bit pricey, but absolutely gorgoeus. Just crushed peanuts and a tiny bit of sea salt.

its only a fiver for 1kg (sea salt and peanuts..mmm...slurp) in dargans health food store casteltroy. limerick.