Snickers bars are chewy, chocolate candy bars with peanuts and caramel inside. They are very popular in the United States due to their rich flavor and humorous advertising campaigns. While most people know that chocolate bars aren't the healthiest choice, they often don't tend to look at the nutrition facts before eating one. Looking at the nutrition facts of a Snickers bar can help people make educated decisions about when to eat them and possibly even about their need for exercise.
Calories
The amount of calories that a person needs to eat each day depends on many factors such as their age, sex, height, weight and physical activity level. If a person wants to lose weight, he needs to eat fewer calories than he burns. Likewise, it takes eating more calories than are burned to gain weight. According to the nutritional database CalorieKing.com, one Snickers bar, which is about 2.1 oz., has 280 calories.
Total Fat
While some people shy away from fat and try to avoid all foods with fat, fat is actually necessary for a person's health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) explains that fat helps people absorb and use fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A and D. It recommends consuming 25 to 35 percent of calories from dietary fat each day. A Snickers bar has 14 g of total fat, according to CalorieKing.com.
Saturated Fat
Saturated fat is the unhealthy type of fat that can clog arteries and lead to heart problems. It is most often found in animal products like meats and dairy. Saturated fat doesn't need to be avoided completely but it should be limited as much as possible, especially by those with heath problems. The Calorie King website reports that one Snickers bar has 5 g of saturated fat. This is most likely due to the fact that Snickers bars use dairy products like milk, cream and caramel in processing.
Carbohydrates
According to CalorieKing.com, there are 35 g of carbohydrates in one Snickers bar. The USDA recommends that adults eat 45 to 65 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates, as they are used as the primary fuel for the body. There are many types of carbohydrates, some of which are healthy and some of which are not. CalorieKing.com also reports that 30 g of the 35 g of carbohydrates come from sugar in Snickers bars.
Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient that helps the body make hormones. The USDA's recommendation for protein is 10 to 35 percent of calories each day, or about 46 g a day for females and 56 g a day for males. While Snickers bars are high in sugar, a benefit is that they do contain some protein from the peanuts. There are 4 g of protein in a Snickers bar, according to the Calorie King database.
Member Comments