Last week, the sports bars recommended before exercise were the subject of our analysis. This week, we’re moving on to more protein-rich bars that are perfect after intense physical exertion. Focus on the best choices!
• Read also: Sports bars on the test bench
After training, recovery is our goal. We therefore seek to repair the tissue damage caused by the stress of intense physical effort as well as to replenish our depleted carbohydrate reserves. Protein bars (or the post-workout snack) aren’t essential if you’re training at a moderate intensity or consuming a meal soon after your workout (within the next hour or two). They are recommended for high performance athletes, who train several times a day, for a long time or in a context of sports competition. In these cases, a protein bar with a protein content of at least 10 g per serving is preferred.
In addition, a carbohydrate intake and, once again, preferably simple sugars is to be favored in order to quickly replenish our body reserves. In addition, following intense physical effort and depending on our level of sweating, a certain loss of electrolytes (sodium and potassium) is caused. Thus, it may be interesting to make up for this loss via a protein bar composed of natural sources of sodium (eg sea salt) and potassium (eg bananas).
The contents of the RXBAR Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar comes down to just five ingredients: dates, peanuts, dried egg whites, natural flavor and sea salt. Carbohydrate intake comes from natural sources such as dates , while the protein intake comes from peanuts and dried egg whites.
A 52g bar provides 210 calories, 12g protein, 23g carbohydrates (including 15g sugars), 9g fat (including 2.5g saturated fat) and 320mg sodium.
With its sodium content, it is suitable for long-lasting activities where electrolyte losses are considerable.
Once again, we find a product from the Krono Nutrition company, but this time it is their banana and chocolate protein bar. The ingredient list is incredibly simple with only seven ingredients, no allergens and no added sugar. Protein sources are derived from natural foods including peas and rice, while carbohydrates come from natural sources such as unsweetened chocolate, bananas and date syrup.
For a 50 g bar, you get 200 calories, 10 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates (including 14 g sugars), 8 g fat (including 3 g saturated fat) and 25 mg sodium.
CLIF bars are certainly the best known on the market. The company offers various lines of sports bars (Nutbutter bars, Builder’s bars, etc.), but it’s the CLIF Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch bar that takes a spot on our list. Indeed, for a bar of 68 g, we obtain 260 calories, 10 g of protein, 41 g of carbohydrates (including 20 g of sugars), 7 g of lipids (including 1.5 g of saturated fat) and 240 mg of sodium. The ratio of carbohydrates to protein is ideal and promotes good post-workout recovery and the sodium content is significant. The ingredient list is significantly more complex than the other featured bars, but is made with 70% organic ingredients, which are mostly derived from natural foods.
Go Macro Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bar offers various benefits. First, it’s made with organic, gluten-free, plant-based, and certified low-FODMAP ingredients. Thus, a 69 g bar provides 290 calories, 11 g protein, 39 g carbohydrates (including 12 g sugars), 11 g fat (including 2 g saturated fat) and 10 mg sodium. The ratio of carbohydrates to protein is ideal, although the fat content is higher than desired. In addition, the low sodium content is not optimal for recovering electrolyte losses. It’s also a shame that brown rice syrup is the very first food on the ingredient list.
Simply Protein’s Cocoa Raspberry Protein Bar is a great option for a post-workout snack.
A 40g bar provides 150 calories, 12g protein, 18g carbohydrates (including only 2g sugars), 4.5g fat (including 1g saturated fat) and 170mg sodium. The calorie content of this bar is lower than the other selected bars, as well as the content of carbohydrates, sugars, fats and saturated fats. Thus, it can be favorable for athletes who wish to boost their protein intake without drastically increasing their energy intake (in the context of weight loss, for example). Within the list of ingredients, there are sunflower seeds, oats, cashew butter, but also glycerin.
Thanks to Yasmine Jemaa, nutrition intern, for her precious collaboration
