Protein is an essential macronutrient that we need to be healthy, it is a main building block for almost every element of our being. The most common natural sources of protein can be found in our diet; meats such as chicken and steak, eggs, fish and nuts all offer a great amount of protein, so why would we look to things such as protein bars?Jump to Winner of Protein Bar Top 10 Rankings!
There are a variety of different reasons why we may eat protein bars; one of the most common reasons is that alongside a healthy fitness lifestyle protein bars can improve overall performance and results. Most training and healthy diet plans incorporate the eating of protein bars to allow us that extra hit of protein after a workout which will aid the build-up of muscle.
Other diet plans encourage protein bars as a form of meal replacement, as they also usually contain healthy amounts of fibre and essential vitamins and minerals – however, it is not recommended that protein bars are used in replacement of healthy balanced meals!
Another reason why we might reach for protein bars is if you are on a specific diet which may restrict the amount of protein you get in your body. Vegetarian and vegan diets restrict meat, eggs and fish which removes almost all the main sources of food protein, and in these cases it may be necessary to source it elsewhere in things like protein drinks and protein bars.
Amongst the obvious health and fitness benefits that come with eating protein bars, it is also important to note that they are quick and convenient, and also work as a healthy snack to fill you up and prevent you from snacking on less nutritional things like crisps and chocolate.
Protein bars range from prices depending on the brand, but usually you are looking around the £2 mark for one bar, which is about the same as a chocolate bar! You may be thinking, well given the option between chocolate and a healthy protein bar I know what I would go for; but protein bars are surprisingly tasty, they come in a huge range of flavours, chocolate being one of them! So you don’t have to restrict yourself when it comes to being healthy.
Whilst protein bars can be a healthy alternative to chocolate, it is important to remember that some are packed full of sugar! So make sure you are reaching for the low sugar and high protein bars; there are plenty on the market to choose from!