What to Look for in an Organic Energy Bar
Energy bars can be excellent tools for keeping up with your responsibilities and adventures during the day. They can also be a good source of vitamins and minerals as well as an adequate meal replacement. However, they can also be full of things your body doesn’t need. Too many of “these” ingredients can lead to an energy crash and increased consumption due to the craving for the energy it temporarily provides.
With that in mind, how do you know if your choice of energy bar is a tool for sustainable energy or a crutch that’s keeping you stuck? Check out the tips below to recognize what to look for in an organic energy bar before you stock up next time.
How to Read Nutrition Labels
The first thing to look for is whether your energy bar is made from whole ingredients or “real food” rather than processed “fake” ingredients. To figure this out, you’ll need to know how to read the nutrition labels on the foods you buy.
Serving Size
Check the serving size on the label to see how much of the product you can eat to get the nutrition amounts listed. For example, if a candy product label says it has 17 grams of sugar, that means 17 grams of sugar in one serving. A serving could be 10 pieces of candy, but there may be 50 pieces of candy in the package. So, when factoring this into your energy bar choices, make sure the serving size is for one bar or that you calculate the correct total.
Ingredients for Energy
Next, what ingredients for energy are being used? Is the energy coming from sugar? Caffeine? Fruit? Whole Grains?
Choose an energy bar that uses whole ingredients from real foods to get sustainable energy without the crash. Some examples include:
- Nuts and seeds
- Fruits like bananas, avocado, and berries
- Dark chocolate
- Whole grain oats
- Brown rice
- Organic peanut butter
Ingredients for Flavor
Again, which ingredients are being used to create the yummy flavor you crave? Organic honey is a significantly better option than sugar and preservatives. It adds wholesome sweetness, as well as antioxidants.
Order of Ingredients
You’ll also want to consider the order of the ingredients listed. The first item listed has the highest amount used or makes up most of the product, and so, If the number one item is sugar, put it back and run away!
Hidden Ingredients
Not all funny-sounding ingredient words are bad, but unfortunately, many of them are secret names for things we want to avoid. For example, sugar may be listed as corn syrup, brown rice syrup (brown rice = good, but brown rice syrup = bad), or words ending in “-ose,” like glucose and fructose.
When in doubt, look for products with short ingredient lists and ingredient names you recognize.
Taste
In addition to checking labels to make sure your energy bar is made from organic, whole ingredients, find one that tastes great! Don’t convince yourself that healthy food has to be bland and boring.
Convenience
Finally, if you know you or your family loves great-tasting energy bars and you’ve found one made with healthy, whole ingredients (ahem, like Kate’s Real Food), don’t wait until you run out to get more. Stock up on your favorite bars so you’re always ready for an adventure, a day at the office, or a child’s activity you forgot about until the last minute. If you run to the grocery store in a hurry looking for a snack, you may not always choose wisely.
Value
In addition to long-lasting fuel, your energy bar should provide you with several benefits. It should be a snack or meal replacement that you look forward to, a convenient portable solution, and an easy-to-purchase option.
Online ordering and delivery can save you time, both from shopping at multiple stores and standing in the aisles comparing labels. Check out Kate’s Real Food energy bar options today and learn more from our nutrition blog about what to look for in an organic energy bar.