The Best Low Carb Bars

Low-carbohydrate bars can be convenient snacks or meal replacements to help you stick to your diet, and the best ones provide essential nutrients to help you meet your needs. Only eat food bars, in moderation, as a minor component of an eating plan diet which emphasizes nutritious, whole foods, and remember that a low-carbohydrate diet may lead to nutrient deficiencies, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Weight Loss Components

The only way you can lose weight is to eat fewer calories than you burn, and the best low-carbohydrate bars for weight loss help you reduce your calorie intake. The best bars are high in protein, which is a filling nutrient because it slows down digestion and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The best bars should provide fewer calories than the meal or snack that they are replacing.

Vitamins and Minerals

Since you may be eating your low-carbohydrate bar as a substitute for regular food at a meal or snack, the best choices provide essential vitamins and minerals to help you meet your needs. You may want a bar which is fortified with calcium, for bone strength, iron, for healthy red blood cells, or vitamin E, an antioxidant. The best bars may also supply nutrients which are in high-carbohydrate foods that are no longer part of your diet, such as vitamin C from fruits or vitamin A from orange starchy vegetables.

Ingredients

The best low-carbohydrate bars are low in sugars or are sugar-free because sugars are carbohydrates and sources of empty calories. The protein in the bar should be from a source of complete protein, such as whey or milk protein, and if you are a vegan, or strict vegetarian, the protein should be from soy, which is a plant-based high-quality protein. A low-carbohydrate diet may be deficient in dietary fiber, which comes from high-carbohydrate foods such as beans, whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and the best bars contain fiber.

Other Factors

The best low-carbohydrate bars get most of their fat from unsaturated fats, and they are low in saturated fat, which raises levels of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood. Avoid bars whose lists of ingredients include partially hydrogenated oils because these oils are sources of trans fats, which increase your risk for heart disease, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The best bars promote a healthy blood pressure because they are low in sodium, and they do not have cholesterol.