The Verdict on Nutrition Bars
A nutrition bar appears to be a healthy snack, after all the word "nutrition" is in its name right? This is correct to some degree. Some nutrition bars may taste great and contain healthy ingredients, but sometimes the amount of healthy ingredients is not enough to call the snack "nutritious." Good nutrition bars should contain 3 or more grams of fiber, 7-10 g protein and >20% calcium with lower sugar and Saturated fat content. The snack that I have selected for this month is the LUNA Bar: Chocolate Peppermint Stick. Not only does it taste very good, but it also contains very important vitamins and nutrients! You do not have to sacrifice taste to eat healthy.
What is it?
LUNA Bar: Chocolate Peppermint Stick (Whole Nutrition Bar for Women).
Nutrition facts: Serving size: 1 bar (48 g) Servings per Container: 6 Calories: 180 Total fat: 5 g Saturated Fat 2.5 g Trans fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 120 mg Potassium 115 mg Total Carbs: 28 g Fiber: 4 g Sugars: 12 g Protein: 8 g Iron: 30% Calcium: 35 %
Ingredients: LunaPro ® (Cocoa Soy Rice Crisps Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rice Flour, Organic Alkalized Cocoa, Alkalized Cocoa], Organic Toasted Oats [Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Dried Cane Syrup], Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Flaxmeal), Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Coating (Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Inulin (Chicory Extract), Vegetable Glycerin, Chocolate Cookies (Organic Oat Flour, Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Sunflower Oil, Cocoa, Unsweetened Chocolate, Salt, Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin), Organic Cocoa, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Sunflower Oil, Peppermint Candy (Dried Cane Syrup, Colored with Beet Powder, Natural Flavors, Carnauba Wax), Natural Flavors, Sea Salt.
Vitamins & Minerals: Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Fumarate (Iron), Niacinamide (Vit. B3), Ascorbic Acid (Vit. C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E), Zinc Oxide, Molybdenum Glycinate, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6), Calcium Pantothenate, Beta Carotene (Vit. A), Manganese Sulfate, Selenium AAC, Riboflavin (Vit. B2), Chromium AAC, Ergocalciferol (Vit. D2), Thiamin (Vit. B1), Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12), Folic Acid, Cupric Oxide, Phytonadione (Vit. K), Biotin, Potassium Iodide.
Allergen Statement: Contains soy. May contain traces of dairy, peanuts, wheat, & tree nuts.
Why it got picked?
1. The bar contains the four most important nutrients that women often lack in their diet: Calcium (35%), Vitamin D (15%), Iron (30%), and Folic Acid (100%). These ingredients are present in a very big amount, so you are getting a lot of nutrition in a small snack.
2. 70% of the ingredients are organic. Nutrition bars tend to have a lot of additives and preservatives so that they have longer shelf life and taste better, but often sacrifice the nutrition aspect this way. The LUNA bar is great tasting and natural!
3. The snack is in a very convenient bar form, which makes it a great snack on the go or when you're hungry at work.
4. It is a great source of fiber and protein! Not many nutrition bars have very high servings of these two ingredients at the same time.
5. It is low-glycemic snack. This means that the bar will digest slowly for prolonged levels of satiety and energy.
6. It doesn't taste like a health bar at all --the chocolate peppermint is not too sweet but reminds me of my favorite holiday peppermint bark flavor!
Where to get it? Walmart, Amazon, Whole Foods, and may be at other grocery stores.
What are other choices with similar nutrition content? A parfait with 1/2 cup of low fat yogurt and 1/2 cup of blueberries with a tablespoon of granola will provide a similar nutrition content (except that it doesn't have the extra Iron that it's added to the bar).
If you want to share your discovery of any tasty and healthy snacks, please email to hazel@smarteater.net.
