1. Be a Label Reader
Manufacturers do everything they can to convince consumers through their packaging that their product is best. Learn to look beyond the colorful label to determine if a particular breakfast bar is the healthiest choice. The required nutritional information printed on the back of each package will provide all the information needed to make a health conscious choice.
2. Not So Sweet Side of Sugar
Breakfast bars are a great alternative when time is short. But the sugar content in some brands is equivalent to that found in a candy bar. Aim to buy breakfast bars that have 6 grams of sugar or less per serving. Sugar-free breakfast bars are even better, and you can sweeten them by eating yogurt, which will give the meal an added bonus of a serving of dairy. A piece of fruit can also round out your breakfast.
3. All Grains Aren't Equal
All grains are not created equal. Look for rolled oats, wheat or barley listed as one of the first ingredients. The fiber content of breakfast bars made with whole grains will be higher; strive to eat bars that contain at least 4 grams of fiber per serving. Don't be fooled by the label. Multi-grain is not the same thing as whole grain. Products listed as multi-grain are typically lower in fiber than products made with whole grains.
4. Avoid the Snack Machine
A breakfast bar with at least 5 grams of protein is better equipped to carry you through the morning without a trip to the snack machine. Bars laden with sugar and carbohydrates with little protein are burned by the body more quickly, and hunger soon returns. Increase protein intake by having a small handful of nuts with a breakfast bar if it lacks enough grams of protein on its own. A fast breakfast, if planned keeping nutrition in mind, can easily keep hungers pangs away until lunchtime.
5. Watch the Trans Fat
Now that the health risks associated with the consumption of trans fat is commonly known, most manufacturers removed it from their products. But know that .5 grams of trans fats can legally be listed as zero on the packaging. Check the list of ingredients and avoid products with partially hydrogenated oils or shortening.
Member Comments