Always On the Go: America and Nutrition Bars
 
26% of the population eats energy or nutrition bars for breakfast. That’s a lot of people, and that’s a ton of nutrition bars! If you haven’t tried a protein or nutrition bar in the past few years, due to a prior bad-taste-experience, you may be in for a treat. Manufacturers have realized that although consumers ultimately seek nutrition, taste and convenience may take precedence in the final decision for choosing the “best” on-the-move snack. So they have “raised the bar” on nutrition bar flavors. So now you can choose between Chocolate Brownie and Key Lime Pie. That sure beats the flavors of old: cardboard and, if you were lucky, iced cardboard.

So, with so many new flavors and so many brands to choose from, how do you know which nutrition/protein bar is the best for you, and which is merely a glorified candy bar?

First and foremost, learn to read the labels, you do get what you pay for. Although that $1.59 bar suits your bill better than the $2.79, beware. Often times, the less expensive bar has cheaper, less healthy ingredients. 
If you are interested in sports nutrition, energy and weight loss, look for bars with high protein content. Your body burns more calories when processing protein, thus making it less likely that the protein calories will be stored as fat.
If you are looking for a meal replacement or weight loss bar, check the label for carbohydrates. Carbs control insulin levels from rising which means the calories will be utilized for other processes and have a much smaller chance of ending up as fat.

Below we have included a chart that breaks down the protein and carbohydrate content of our leading bars.

.	Cliff	Luna	Keto	Genisoy	Myoplex Lite	Pro42 Bars
Calories	220	180	270	220	190	410
Fat Calories	20	40	80	35	35	90
Total Fat	2.5g	4.5g	9g	3.5g	4g	10g
Total Carbs	43g	24g	24g	31g	27g	14g
Proteins	8g	10g	24g	14g	15g	42g

 

Lend a Helping Hand to your Free Radical Scavengers
 
Antioxidants are natural compounds that help protect the body form harmful free radicals, groups of atoms that can cause damage to cells and the immune system, and infections and various degenerative diseases, i.e. heart disease and cancer. 

Free radicals can be formed by exposure to radiation, including exposure to the sun’s rays; exposure to toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke, polluted air, and industrial and household chemicals. They can also be formed by various metabolic processes, such as the process of breaking down stored fat molecules for use as energy.

However, the body has “free radical scavengers” that seek and destroy – naturally! But with the inundation of free radicals our bodies undergo these days, taking supplements of key nutrients can really give those free radical scavengers a helping hand.  Many antioxidants can be obtained from the food we eat everyday, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, and sprouted grains. But with the addition of supplemental antioxidant nutrients, your body will be more capable of fighting off those free radicals. And the list of Antioxidants you have to choose from is tremendous:
- Alpha Lipoic Acid
- Coenzyme Q 10
- Flavonoids
- Zinc

P.S. Chocolate is also an Antioxidant!

Pass the Pycnogenol:
Super Antioxidant to the Rescue

Pycnogenol, or pine bark extract, is an oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC), a naturally occurring substance found in a variety of food and botanical sources. OPCs are unique, water-soluble phytochemicals known as flavonoids that have powerful antioxidant capabilities. Research has shown that OPCs are much more potent than vitamins C and E in terms of bioavailable antioxidant activity. OPCs can protect the brain from free radical damage, the liver from damage caused by acetaminophen (a non-prescription pain reliever); they support the immune system, repair and strengthen connective tissue, and by reducing histamine production, they moderate allergic and inflammatory reactions.  

Pycnogenol continues to impress the scientists and doctors who are researching its effects. Whole Foods Magazine (Aug.2003) interviewed Dr. Frank Schoelau, PhD., Director of scientific communications for Horphag Research for his opinion of the super antioxidant. Schoelau had nothing negative to say about Pycnogenol, in fact the article is three full pages of praises. According to Dr. Schoelau, Pycnogenol benefits blood pressure, menstruation, sperm health, asthma, circulation, skin, and allergy inflammations.

Pycnogenol may improve the balance between relaxation and constriction of blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more freely, which results in a more normal blood pressure. It has the ability to create better circulation, a faster recovery of blood vessels ruptured during menstruation (the ones that often are the cause of cramps), and it binds collagens and elastins in the skin, creating more vibrant skin. 

Pycnogenol also has a counteractive effect on “economy class syndrome.” You know, you’ve been sitting in your cramped airline seat for over two hours and your feet and legs start to swell up, obviously in some coup to take over what little breathing space you have left. Well, Pycnogenol has actually been known to make blood platelets more slippery, improving blood flow. It also strengthens and seals the brittle capillaries that counteract the swelling. 
Recently, Pycnogenol was affirmed as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS).