Larabars
We are all looking for easy ways to eat well on the go. Hence, the creation of THE BAR. Yes, if you walk the aisles of any convenience store or supermarket you just may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of them! In fact, as a dietitian, one of the most common questions I get asked is “what (if any) bars do you recommend?” My response is always the same- Larabars!
The reason I love Larabars is simple: They are made out of nutritious, whole food ingredients that I can pronounce. Plus their calorie content and distribution of fat/carbohydrate/protein will actually keep you full for a couple of hours…rather than leaving you hungry and pekish one hour later like most granola bars do. I take issue with the fact that we rely so heavily on processed, packaged food ingredients in our diets but realize we are all pretty darn busy. So Larabars combine the convience factor with nutritious ingredients rather than manufactured “stuff”.
Let’s compare the Larabar with one of the most popular protein bars on the market, the Luna Bar. The Luna Bar website states that “We are proud of the ingredients we use. Everything is 100% natural, as organic as possible, and contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Use this ingredient glossary to find out more about what’s in our food.” Yes, you’d certainly need an ingredient glossary to interpret what the heck they are feeding you!
Here’s the ingredient list for their Caramel Nut Brownie Bar: LunaPro ® (Cocoa Soy Rice Crisp [Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rice Flour, Alkalized Cocoa], Organic Toasted Oats, Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Flaxmeal), Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Caramel (Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Inulin, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Soy Protein Concentrate, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin, Water, Salt, Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin), Organic Coating (Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Cocoa, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Walnuts, Inulin (Chicory Extract), Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa, Organic Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Organic Chocolate Flavor, Sea Salt.
Now let’s check out the ingredient list for the Cinammon Roll Larabar (my personal favorite): Dates, Walnuts, Almonds, Raisins, Cashews, Cinnamon. Plus they are gluten, dairy, and soy-free. A great option for food allergies.
So the next time you are searching for an alternative to all of the processed bars and snacks, check out some “real food options.” They may be just as convient and even tastier…your body will thank you for it. 🙂