After you put in a tough workout, it's healthy and smart to refuel so your body can gather the energy it needs to recover. A power bar is a far more nutritious choice for a post-workout snack than a basket of fries or a bag of chips, but if your goal is weight loss, you need to be mindful of its total calorie count as well as its fat and sugar contents.
Benefits
The primary ingredients in a ProteinPlus power bar are soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate and calcium caseinate, according to the PowerBar website. Ingredients combine to offer 30 g protein per bar, or about 60 percent of the recommended daily value for an adult. MayoClinic.com recommends eating a meal or snack that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours of exercise, and since a single bar also has more than 30 g carbs, it fits the bill.
Nutrition Facts
In addition to its lofty protein and carb counts, a single ProteinPlus power bar has 360 calories, 5 mg cholesterol, 240 mg sodium, 0.5 g fiber, 30 g sugar and 11 g fat, 4.5 g of which are saturated. The bar has enough calories and protein to serve as an effective meal replacement, but if you simply down it as a snack following your workout and then eat a full meal soon afterwards, the extra calories may make it tough for you to lose weight.
Alternatives
The sugar and fat contents of the ProteinPlus power bar also give pause. If you're looking for the most nutritious post-workout snack or meal possible, the bar isn't it. Its sweetness comes from added sugar, including evaporated cane syrup, glucose syrup and fructose, and much of its fat comes from palm kernel oil and canola oil. A healthier option that offers just as much protein but contains fewer calories and less fat and sugar is a homemade protein shake, made with nonfat Greek yogurt, a scoop of protein powder, fresh or frozen fruit and a small drizzle of honey.
Considerations
Although lean protein such as that found in the ProteinPlus power bar is a naturally satiating nutrient and does have the potential to curb later hunger and limit total calorie consumption, the bar is not a guaranteed weight loss aid. According to the National Institutes of Health, the only reliable and safe way to lose weight and keep it off is through balanced, low-calorie eating and regular exercise. Eating the bar after a workout can be a healthy choice, especially if you use it as a meal replacement, but it contains too many calories to be successful as a snack in a reduced-calorie diet for weight loss. Before you make any big changes to the way you normally eat or start a new diet to slim down, talk with your physician.
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