Cereal Bars

lc180

Hi

I'm looking for a healthy snack I can eat at work. I'm not interested in nuts n' seeds, yoghurt or fruit so I'm looking for a healthy range of cereal bars.
There is quite a few brands on the market, and some really good deals but I'm very skeptical that some of them are actually not any healthier than eating a snickers bar.

Can anyone make a recommendation? preferably low in calories, good fibre levels and doesn't taste like a cardboard box!

Cheers!

Orla K

I can't think of any cereal bars that are healthy, they have a load of sugar in them and probably hydrogenated vegetable oil.

You might be better off making your own if you can, I can post a link to one if you want.

Or if it's any healthy snack your after and not dead set on cereal bars you could try crispy kale, I'm making some tonight but I've also seen a packet of it in the health food shop. Also curly kale is only 99c in lidl for a huge bag!

mcballer

Sorry for jumping in on thread...how do u make the crispy kale Orla k?? :-)

rocky

lc180 wrote: »

Hi

I'm looking for a healthy snack I can eat at work. I'm not interested in nuts n' seeds, yoghurt or fruit so I'm looking for a healthy range of cereal bars.
There is quite a few brands on the market, and some really good deals but I'm very skeptical that some of them are actually not any healthier than eating a snickers bar.

Can anyone make a recommendation? preferably low in calories, good fibre levels and doesn't taste like a cardboard box!

Cheers!

Take that back !

I would say snickers is much healthier for lots of people than any cereal bars for the simple reason that it is (or was until 2010) gluten free. Plus it has the nuts that everybody likes to say contain healthy fats. Higher in protein? mmm snickers is quite healthy... why did I have to kick the habit now

Orla K

mcballer wrote: »

Sorry for jumping in on thread...how do u make the crispy kale Orla k?? :-)

Loads of them online, like this one all the same really except different flavours

Transform

The wife made those and they are amazing.

Re bars = quest bars or home made Paleo bars ftw

home made is probably your only chance

at this stage personally im just going to start carrying around boiled chicken in tinfoil...

Beaver1

is there any low carb bars or biscuits any could recommend

rocky

cauliflower biscuits

Sorry, low carb biscuits? does that not .. .defeat the purpose of biscuits?

Gummy Panda

Beaver1 wrote: »

is there any low carb bars or biscuits any could recommend

Quest bars

Get then from discountsupplements.ie, predatornutrition.co.uk or iherb.com

Beaver1

rocky wrote: »

cauliflower biscuits

Sorry, low carb biscuits? does that not .. .defeat the purpose of biscuits?

Im new to carbs and trying to lose weight, is there nnything nice thats low carb lol, does anyone have a receit for low card cake or homemade biscuits, I miss my snacks, lol

Beaver1

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Quest bars

Get then from discountsupplements.ie, predatornutrition.co.uk or iherb.com

thanks for that but they are too expensive,

Beaver1

Beaver1 wrote: »

Im new to carbs and trying to lose weight, is there nnything nice thats low carb lol, does anyone have a receit for low card cake or homemade biscuits, I miss my snacks, lol

cottage cheese and sugar free jelly to make a cheesecake without the base

Transform

Beaver1 wrote: »

thanks for that but they are too expensive,

Make them so

messrs

im doing weight watchers and i eat the rice crispie bars or the weetabix bars, very tasty esp the strawberry one! and they are 2 pro points each

Orla K

messrs wrote: »

im doing weight watchers and i eat the rice crispie bars or the weetabix bars, very tasty esp the strawberry one! and they are 2 pro points each

I'm sorry but neither of those are healthy.

messrs

Orla K wrote: »

I'm sorry but neither of those are healthy.

Really? how bad are they? the are both under 100 calories and only 2 pro points so i though they were okay?!!:mad:

messrs

messrs wrote: »

Really? how bad are they? the are both under 100 calories and only 2 pro points so i though they were okay?!!:mad:

A spoon of sugar is fat free and only 16 calories. That doesn't make it healthy though

emeraldstar

messrs wrote: »

Really? how bad are they? the are both under 100 calories and only 2 pro points so i though they were okay?!!:mad:

Why do you think low calorie = healthy? Calories are a measure of energy, nothing else.

rocky

I'm curious about people's definition of healthy food. Is it nutrient density per 100calories?

Going with that, after you fill your daily nutrient needs and still have calories to spare, does it matter if you eat one <100 calories cereal bar if you like it?

With nutrients it's not always the case that if a small amount is good, a huge amount is better. Hormesis in action

pure sugar isn't "healthy"
if you don't care about the effects and health etc and just want to count calories and don't feel like crap after eating it, go right ahead

rocky

I see, so now a cereal bar = "pure sugar".

In the grand scheme of things, even pure sugar in moderation is not healthy or unhealthy, it just is.

Transform

rocky wrote: »

I see, so now a cereal bar = "pure sugar".

In the grand scheme of things, even pure sugar in moderation is not healthy or unhealthy, it just is.

In the grand scheme of things diabetes just is also so.

Go read some of r lustig work please

rocky

I've seen Lustig's sugar presentation.

And a little sugar does NOT cause diabetes. It's the excess calories that cause it. T2, that is. not carbs. not sugar.

jeez

Orla K

rocky wrote: »

I see, so now a cereal bar = "pure sugar".

In the grand scheme of things, even pure sugar in moderation is not healthy or unhealthy, it just is.

I've got a feeling you've no definition of healthy food, just food that you eat a little of or more of but for this thread the op wants something healthy so in order to actually respond to this we'll put a simple definition onto healthy food which is food beneficial to health. In this case all cereal bars I've seen have far too much sugar and little else which doesn't make them beneficial to health.

And as for

Going with that, after you fill your daily nutrient needs and still have calories to spare, does it matter if you eat one <100 calories cereal bar if you like it?

sadly I don't know anyone that actually nutrient needs, let alone have afew extra calories, so why use up calories when you haven't gotten all you need from your food.
For instance how many people in weightwatchers (using this as an example because it was already mentioned) don't get in enough omega 3 because you have to point the supplement but and no problem having a rice crispy bar or a curly wurly. (I should note I think the regular ww posters here have more sense, or at least I'm hoping they have)

rocky

Orla K wrote: »

I've got a feeling you've no definition of healthy food, just food that you eat a little of or more of but for this thread the op wants something healthy so in order to actually respond to this we'll put a simple definition onto healthy food which is food beneficial to health. In this case all cereal bars I've seen have far too much sugar and little else which doesn't make them beneficial to health.

Ok, is coconut oil beneficial to health?
What about pastured butter? nuts?

Orla K

rocky wrote: »

Ok, is coconut oil beneficial to health?
What about pastured butter? nuts?

Yes (although I don't like the taste of butter!)

but for this argument I've here are some ingredients from bars(this might end up being a long post) some of which I've heard of some I haven't but I've seen all brands in shops.

CRUST: WHOLE GRAIN OATS, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL WITH TBHQ FOR FRESHNESS, SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, WHEAT BRAN, CALCIUM CARBONATE, DEXTROSE, SALT, CELLULOSE, POTASSIUM BICARBONATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), SOY LECITHIN, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, WHEAT GLUTEN, CORNSTARCH, NONFAT MILK, NIACINAMIDE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, CARRAGEENAN, ZINC OXIDE, REDUCED IRON, GUAR GUM, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FOLIC ACID. FILLING: INVERT SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, WATER, STRAWBERRY PUREE CONCENTRATE, GLYCERIN, SUGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, ACAI PULP, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM ALGINATE, CITRIC ACID, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, METHYLCELLULOSE, CARAMEL COLOR, MALIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, RED #40, MOLASSES, PRUNE JUICE CONCENTRATE.

on a bit of a side note wtf is 'reduced iron'?

glucose syrup
peanuts
whole oat flakes
vegetable fat
sweetened condensed skimmed milk
maize
rice flour
sugar
humectant (glycerol)
hydrogenated vegetable fat
wholemeal wheat flour
hazelnuts
malted wheat flour
salt
whey powder
emulsifiers (soya lecithin, E471)
barley malt extract
vegetable oil

whole grain oats, sugar, canola oil, yellow corn flour, honey, soy flour, brown sugar, salt, lecithin, baking soda, natural flavor

Wholegrain Cereals (34%) (British Cereals (Oat Flakes (5%), Wheat Flakes, Barley Flakes, Oat Flour), Toasted Wheat Flakes (Wheat, Sugar, Barley Malt Syrup)), Dried Fruit & Nuts (29%) (Flaked & Chopped Almonds (10%), Sultanas (9%), Raisins (5%), Diced Apricot (3.5%), Desiccated Coconut (1.5%)), Glucose Syrup, Raw Cane Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Rapeseed Oil, Certified Sustainable Palm Oil), Honey, Rice Flour, Sunflower Seeds, Natural Flavouring.

Cereals (36%) (Whole Oats, Rice, Whole Wheat), Prebiotic Oligofructose Syrup (30%), Dried Apple Pieces (5.7%) (with Preservative: Sulphur Dioxide), Sugar, Cereal Flours (Rice Flour, Wheat Flour), Dextrose, Humectant: Glycerol, Fruit Juice Concentrates (Grape, Strawberry (0.6%), Raspberry (0.5%)), Glucose Syrup, Vegetable Oil, Sweetened Cranberries (1.9%) (Cranberries, Sugar), Freeze Dried Raspberries (1.1%), Maize Starch, Milk Lactose, Milk Yogurt Powder, Natural Flavourings, Malted Barley Extract, Citric Acid, Elderberry Juice Extract, Salt, Emulsifier: Soya Lecithin, Acidity Regulator: Malic Acid, Antioxidant: Tocopherols.

British Wholegrain Oat Flakes (46%), Raw Cane Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Rapeseed Oil, Certified Sustainable Palm Oil), Desiccated Coconut (8%), Honey, Wheat Bran, Sunflower Seeds, Chopped Almonds, Natural Flavouring.

I couldn't find the info on some of the bars I tried to look up, but as for butter being in any of these, I haven't found it. Coconut oil, no but there is all of 8% deciccated coconut in the last one. Nuts fair better but in these bars I'd say healthy ingredients<not healthy ingredients. I didn't see the nakd bar website (almost clicked on something completely different!) maybe they might be better I don't know.

But I still think your better off making your own, to the op, offer still stands if you want a recipe, I'm sure plenty of us have a link to some you might like to try.

bkeano

Try nature valley baRs only 3 weight watchers points.

Orla K

bkeano wrote: »

Try nature valley baRs only 3 weight watchers points.

Again loads of sugar and little/nothing else that's healthy, also really dry. These bars just have good marketing and plenty of money behind them.
I also think they do the calories/nutritional info per single bar rather than the two bars that come with it, could be wrong on this one.

It's also one of the ones whose ingredients I posted.

Transform

bkeano wrote: »

Try nature valley baRs only 3 weight watchers points.

Emm no a bloody terrible choice!!!


People really need to learn to read food labels and then realise that there are very few foods you should eat that actually have a food label

Dotcomdolly

Orla K wrote: »

bkeano wrote: »

Try nature valley baRs only 3 weight watchers points.

Again loads of sugar and little/nothing else that's healthy, also really dry.

Ah you just need to wash them down with a big healthy glass of orange juice or diet coke

Orla K

Dotcomdolly wrote: »

Ah you just need to wash them down with a big healthy glass of orange juice or diet coke

lol, that'll do it! coke tends to make me want to vomit! I think I should drink it with every meal:pac:

El_Dangeroso

rocky wrote: »

I'm curious about people's definition of healthy food. Is it nutrient density per 100calories?

My loose definition of healthy is made by nature, not a factory (light processing like butter not included). Or if you want to be more liberal in the definition, something you could feasibly make at home from scratch.

Just so many better things to spend calories on than cereal bars IMO. Even from a reward point of view these guys are not gonna help you calorie restrict long term.

rubadub

I'm very skeptical that some of them are actually not any healthier than eating a snickers bar.

Transform wrote: »

People really need to learn to read food labels and then realise that there are very few foods you should eat that actually have a food label

Yep, pick up these cereal bars and compare the per 100g info with normal bars, very little difference a lot of the time. Many cereal bars are just full of air so can be lower in calories, just like wispa or aeros are.

Then you have fortified kids cereals, some are nothing more than broken up chocolate biscuits with a multivitamin crushed over the top.

i made some protein muffins at the weekend with powder and greek yogurt and egg white and a bit of sugar/sweetener, "icing" was protein powder and water, they make a good snack

thanks SB :cool:

Stench Blossoms

bluewolf wrote: »

i made some protein muffins at the weekend with powder and greek yogurt and egg white and a bit of sugar/sweetener, "icing" was protein powder and water, they make a good snack

thanks SB :cool:

They are the job!

Stench Blossoms

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

They are the job!

the choc nut flavour is too sweet for me these days, i don't know why, but my mother devoured them :pac: i will get the plain choc one and then i'll be set :cool: perfect snack

lc180

Cheers everyone for the replies! You have indeed verified my skepticism that cereal bars are in fact a big pile of sugar. I did read the labels before and that's why I was so confused, the marketing on these bars needs to be changed! They give a very uneven impression. tut tut Nature Valley!

I like some of the suggestions, I will definitely look some of them up!

rocky wrote: »

I would say snickers is much healthier for lots of people than any cereal bars for the simple reason that it is (or was until 2010) gluten free. (

In the interests of science and the nutritional research I can confirm that 'gluten free' is not mentioned on the snickers label. I can also confirm the contents were full of caramel nutty nougat goodness :cool:

My next piece of dietary research will involve Valentines day & Pizza, and the after effects of the ingredients on a lonely heart..... :pac:

Cheers again.