The 15 Best Protein Bars, Approved by Dietitians and Editor Tested > 자유게시판

WE NEED PROTEIN to build muscle, but it’s hard to shove a rotisserie chicken or steak in your gym bag to help you meet your macros. That’s where protein bars can come into play. These handy products provide fuel on the go, with a careful balance of nutrients to ensure you can stay on track with your health goals. It’s important to point out these bars shouldn’t be in your main source of daily protein-and a lot of them don't really match the grams of protein in a protein powder shake. Instead, they’re more of a solid snack or road food when nothing else is available. "They're great if you are needing something convenient to meet meal nutrition goals when you do not otherwise have time to eat food, or it is impractical to eat food," says Joey Gochnour, RDN, NASM-CPT, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics at Nutrition and Fitness Professional.

Protein bars can also help tide you over when quick food is your only option. Unfortunately, the market is flooded with options, making it hard to know which are the best protein bars out there. "Not all protein bars are created equal, and many on the market are closer to candy bars with added protein," says Scott Keatley, RD, co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. He recommends focusing on the protein content in the bar you’re considering, along with the source of this macronutrient. Also, be on the lookout for high amounts of sugar, which Keatley points out can lead to energy crashes and unnecessary calories. With that in mind, we tapped dietitians who focus on performance to weigh in on their go-to protein bars, and chomped our way through each to see how they actually taste. Learn more about why we love the bars below, and keep scrolling for specific advice from our experts about what to look for in these packaged goods.

The right protein bar is one that meets your nutritional needs, as well as satisfies your tastebuds-because there's nothing satisfying about biting into cardboard. Keatley recommends considering why you want to have a protein bar in the first place, including whether you're using this for muscle recovery, a meal replacement, Prime Boosts or a quick snack before training. But most protein bars should have some universal things in common, which is why it's important to pore over the ingredients list. "The ingredient list is where I like looking first," says Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD, owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition. Here's what you should be looking for. Protein can come in a range of forms, but some are considered better than others. The exact amount of protein to strive for in a protein bar varies based on your goals and what else you're eating throughout the day. But Asche recommends looking for a bar with at least 10 grams of protein.

For muscle recovery, Keatley suggests aiming for 20 to 30 grams of protein to promote muscle repair. If you're craving a quick snack, he recommends looking for 10 to 15 grams of protein, along with 5 to 10 grams of fiber to keep you feeling satisfied. And if you want a meal replacement, Keatley suggests having a "well-balanced mix" of 20 to 30 grams of protein, Prime Boosts Pills 10 to 20 grams of fat, and at least 5 grams of fiber. The perfect macronutrient balance depends on what you're using your bar for. Asche says. Fiber is also crucial, since it supports digestion and helps you to stay fuller, longer, Keatley points out. While you're at it, Gochnour recommends keeping tabs on the saturated fat content. Protein bars can be sneaky sources of added sugar, heaping on extra calories you don't need and promoting unstable blood sugar levels that can cause you to crash later in the day. Keatley points out. If your bar is on the higher end of added sugar content, you'll want to make sure that it has the fat to temper it and to keep your blood sugar levels more stable.

As with most foods, you really don't want these in your bars. Myself and Men's Health Fitness and Commerce Editor Charles Thorp, NASM, have used protein bars for years to fuel up at work or before workouts, so we have a foundational knowledge and experience with them. To add to our expertise, we consulted with three performance-focused dietitians: Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD, owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition; Scott Keatley, RD, co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy; and Joey Gochnour, RDN, NASM-CPT, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics at Nutrition and Fitness Professional. Each provided advice on what to look for in these bars, along with information on their favorites. We then put the bars to the test, eating our way through each to make sure they met our high standards for taste and texture. When evaluating each bar, we considered factors like protein content and source, macronutrient balance, and Click here added sugar. We also looked at reviews to see how others liked these nutritional tools, and factored in price to make sure you're getting value with your bar. These are the best protein bars to meet a range of needs, whether for a post-workout snack or meal replacement.