Tips on How to Choose the Best Energy Snacks Like a Pro
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Every day, we are overwhelmed by countless food selections. Although nothing beats simple, ‘real’ food, energy snacks and the like can be a convenient choice for the busy ones and can be beneficial if taken properly.
With the number of energy snacks and bars present online and offline, it can be a daunting task to choose the best energy bar as well as the factors to consider and the qualities to look for. To help you make an informed decision on how to choose the best energy snacks, we’re sharing some simple tips for you.
Tips To Choose the Best Energy Snacks
- Choose snacks that contain a combination of fiber, carbs and protein, at least 2g fiber, less than 15g sugar and no more than 20g protein.
- Look for a snack that contains 100 to 200 calories. Anything more than 300 calories would be considered as meal replacer than snacking.
- Refrain from snacks that contain artificial sweeteners. While they’re not often used in energy snacks and bars, some still use them.
- Avoid energy snacks with excessively long list of ingredients, mainly those hard-to-pronounce ingredients or those difficult to recognize. The shorter the list, the better.
- Look for ingredients such as oatmeal, rice, whole wheat flour, seeds, dried fruits and nuts.
Not all energy snacks are made equal. Some snacks can increase your energy level while other may make you feel depleted. Below are some top-rated energy snacks reviews. One way to determine if the energy snack is worth to buy is to look at the ingredients list, so we included them so you can decide if they are nutritious or just empty calories!
Nogii No Gluten Super Protein Bars
Product Description:
NoGii (noh-jee) is a high-protein and no gluten food solution. It goes wherever you go. Ultimate taste, high voltage, and high-energy to meet your nutritional needs. Exceed expectation with the fuel from Nogii.
Ingredients:
Nogii Protein BlendTM [Soy Protein Crisps (Soy Protein Isolate, Tapioca Starch, Salt), Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate], Organic Tapioca Syrup, Unsalted Peanut Butter, Milk Chocolate Flavored Coating [Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Nonfat Dry Milk Solids, Cocoa Powder, Soy Lecithin (emulsifier), Salt, Natural Flavor], Natural Caramel (Brown Rice Syrup, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Evaporated Milk, Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Heavy Whipping Cream, Distilled Monoglycerides, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Disodium Phosphate), Organic Agave Syrup, Vegetable Glycerine, Peanut Flour, Pure Water, Arabic Gum, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt.
User Reviews:
This product got 4.8 out of 5 stars. Users reported that the energy bar is large in size and tastes great with crunchy chewy texture. The nutrition content is also noteworthy. What they love about this product is that it does not contain gluten, which they claim that it is rare to find since most high protein bars contain wheat. Overall, it is a nutritious, tasty energy snack.
Glenny’s Cashew & Almond Whole Fruit & Nut Bar
Product Description:
Rich cashews and almonds team up with whole fruit in this Fruit & Nut Energy Bar. The fruit and nuts are whole and natural. Only pure honey and brown rice syrup are used to gently sweeten these delicious bars to perfection. You can rely on these Cashew and Almond Bars for lasting energy and delicious taste…the way Nature intended.
Ingredients:
Almonds, Cashews, Raisins, Dates, Honey, Brown rice syrup, Crisp brown rice, Flax powder, Sunflower oil (sunflower oil, rosemary extract, Tocopherol).
User Reviews:
This product received 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users appreciate the few ingredients listed which are healthy and wholesome. Despite the few ingredients, it is great tasting, with a crunchy chewy texture and flavorful. This energy snack is not too sweet and doesn’t contain granola and refined sugar.
Detour Bars Lower Sugar Bars Chocolate Chip Caramel
Product Description:
Detour Lower Sugar Bars deliver the same phenomenal taste as the Original – but with 50% less sugar! With 15 grams of high quality protein and just 5 grams of sugar, Detour® Lower Sugar Bars supply your body with the energy and nutrition to help repair and rebuild lean muscle.
Ingredients:
Detour® whey protein blend [(whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, hydrolyzed whey protein), calcium caseinate], milk chocolate flavored coating [maltitol, fractionated palm kernel oil, non-fat dry milk, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), soy lecithin, salt, vanilla), glycerlean (99.7% USP glycerine, taurine, l-leucine, CLA), sugar free caramel (maltitol syrup, water, cream, fractionated palm kernel oil, milk protein concentrate, natural flavors, salt, butter, lecithin, maltodextrin, disodium phosphate, lactic acid), soy protein isolate, gelatin, water, milk chocolate chips [sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, milk, soy lecithin, natural flavor], whey protein crisps [whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, rice flour], high oleic sunflower oil, inulin, natural flavors, cocoa powder processed with alkali, soy nuts, potassium sorbate (as a preservative), cellulose gum, salt, natural cocoa extract, sucralose, neotame.
User Reviews:
This product got 4.9 out of 5 stars. Users appreciate the low sugar content of this product (only 3 grams). What they love about this product is that it tastes great despite the low sugar content and is high in protein and nutritious.
There is certainly no ‘perfect energy snacks’. There are many out there to try. However, aim first to eat real foods for energy and make informed choices otherwise. Like any other things, even if the product seems ‘healthy’, always eat in moderation.
