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Avoiding Junk Food With Healthier Food Choices



To avoid the temptation of eating junk food when hunger strikes, healthy protein bars are a convenient and economical solution.  Snack food bars have become so popular that manufacturers have made them in a dizzying array of flavors and varied the ingredients to suit almost any dietary restriction or allergy.
One of the most common ingredients in protein bars is soy.  In the form of soy protein isolates, it provides a very complete protein source, which is also high in many important nutrients such as all of the B vitamins, vitamin A, and essential minerals such as zinc, iron, potassium, and copper. 

Some of the healthiest choices in protein bars can even be considered a meal replacement bar because they are very high in daily values of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.  Some have whole grains, dried fruit, nuts, and/or have added vitamins, whole food powders, or probiotics.

Most protein bars have some kind of sugar or corn syrup listed as the first or second ingredient, so they are more like a glorified candy bar, and may be labeled as an “energy bar.”  While carbohydrates are necessary in a balanced diet, a healthier choice might be agave nectar, dates, evaporated cane sugar, molasses or honey to naturally satisfy any sweet tooth. 

For the totally health conscious consumer who also wants to protect the environment, there are organic food bars that are a very high protein bar and are made with 100% certified organic ingredients. 

There are also healthy protein bars that are made with whole food powders to add to the nutritional value.  These are almost like a vitamin supplement if you have trouble swallowing pills. 

Some even have probiotics to keep the natural beneficial organism count high which aid in breaking down nutrients in the body.  Probiotics have been shown to help your body absorb nutrients, but most people have decreased their natural levels by eating too much greasy food, drinking chlorinated water, and taking antibiotics.  Adding probiotics to your diet can help to increase the numbers of beneficial organisms in your intestines, which can generally improve your health.

To keep the large intestine functioning, there are energy bars high in fiber.  Nutrition experts from the Mayo Clinic stress the  importance of eating enough fiber to lower your risk for diabetes and heart disease.  There are two types of fiber, insoluble and soluble, both of which your body does not digest.  Insoluble fiber promotes the movement of your intestines to lessen constipation.  Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol and glucose levels.

The benefits of fiber are that it can keep your bowels healthy and normalize movements, lower blood cholesterol, and control blood sugar levels.  High fiber foods tend to fill you up faster and make you feel full longer, so you are likely to eat less and find it easier to lose weight.

The temptation to eat unhealthy foods when you're really hungry can derail any diet plan.  Stock up on healthy protein bars to give yourself a much better option.