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What Energy Bars are Best for Me?
Sam Maniatis, of Total Home Training, a Montreal-based personal training company recommends how you should be choosing your energy bars based on your body's current needs.
How and When to Use Energy Bars
When choosing an energy bar, you have to consider when and why you are using this energy bar. Depending on if you are eating it before a workout, after, or just for a meal replacement, you need to look for different contents. Always try to avoid sugars in energy bars, however you should not worry about the fat content.
Energy bars for before you work out:
- When picking out an energy bar for before a work out, you should look for a 2:1 ratio for carbs to protein – ex. 30g carbohydrates, 15g protein.
Energy bars for after you work out:
- You should look for a 1:1 ratio. - ex. 50g carbohydrates, 50g protein.
Energy bars acting as a meal replacement:
- Should be looking for something with a bit of fat. Try and avoid sugars as much as possible. Your best choice would be something with a 2:2:1 ratio, with carbs, protein and fat. – ex. 40g carbohydrates, 40g protein, 20g fat.
For a quick snack before physical activity, you should be eating complex carbs. This could be an apple or an orange, something that takes longer to digest, therefore giving you energy during your workout.
For a quick meal after working out, you are looking for carbohydrates such as pasta, or rice, something that is quick absorbing and replenishing.