Let’s Be Honest: Protein Bars Rationalize Cheating

The market for protein bars is strong. $14 billion in sales worldwide in 2024 and expected to hit $20 billion in 2030.

There’s some serious demand for protein bars. On the plus side, it’s good to see people perhaps looking to eat more protein as a snack.

But what’s really going on? I believe it’s that tiny voice inside your head. The one that tells you ‘just one cookie can’t hurt’. The one that whispers to you that a protein bar is a healthy snack.

The media fuels that voice.

Health influencers will tell you how bad some protein bars are. That they’re full of sugar. Or chemicals.

EXCEPT the protein bar they’re selling is different. It IS healthy. You should buy their protein bar. Use discount code ‘HEALTH’ for 25% off your first purchase.

Here’s an infographic I found on how to choose a ‘healthy’ protein bar:

8 grams of sugar?

I’m sure some protein bars are ‘healthier’ than others. Just like some processed food is healthier than others.

That doesn’t mean you can’t do better.

If you’re in pretty good health, that little voice might not be so bad. A protein bar here or there won’t have a big impact on your health.

The trouble is that protein bars can be somewhat addictive. Especially if they have sugar in them. You might find yourself craving them. At least I found that out when I would eat some in the past.

As Jack LaLanne used to say, “If you crave a certain food, don’t eat it”.

Protein bars contain ingredients such as:

• Maltodextrin - higher on the glycemic index than sugar

• Soy protein isolate - one of the worst sources of protein on the market

• Seed oils (canola, soy, vegetable oils etc.)

• Sugar

• Milk protein isolate or whey protein concentrate - Highly processed with industrial chemicals and not real food

All those ingredients are common in a range of processed food.

What about a Carnivore Bar or something similar? Yes these seem to be a whole food bar and nutritious. And expensive. The bars in the link are about $13.50 a bar. You can have a great steak for that price or less.

I realize it’s not really practical to bring a steak on a road trip for a snack. There are alternatives however.

• Beef jerky

• Meat sticks

• Pork rinds

• Salmon packs (wild caught)

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Sardine cans

• Mackerel cans

• Oysters

Admittedly some of these are an ‘acquired taste’.  However, they will really improve your health and you can take them anywhere. I promise you won’t crave any of them and over time they should reduce or eliminate your cravings for the protein bars.

You’ll need to shop around a little, especially for the beef jerky, meat sticks and pork rinds to make sure they don’t have a lot of added sugar.

Once you find your natural snack routine, you’ll find that voice in your head goes silent as well.