If you are at all supplement savvy where your nutrition program is concerned, chances are you have come across a protein bar or two. These are very popular right now and can make for an excellent way to help improve your protein intake and fuel your day. But, if you are not careful, the protein bar you choose will not be much more than a glorified chocolate bar. How can you be sure the one you decide on is going to deliver the results you are after?

Let us go over the top points to keep in mind when selecting a protein bar…

1. The Total Calorie Content. First, consider the total calorie content of the bar you are thinking about buying. Unless you are purposely trying to gain body weight, you do not want the bar to come in at any more than around 200 calories per serving. Some bars are creeping up there at around 250 or more calories, so either skip those entirely or save them for a day when you are particularly active.

Remember you are looking for a snack here, not a full-blown meal.

2. The Fat To Protein Ratio. Next, check out the fat to protein ratio the bar has to offer. Are you getting more protein grams than fat grams? The protein/fat ratio is important. Remember fat has over twice the calories per gram than protein does, so if they are about equal in grams, this means you are getting far more calories from the fat than you are from the protein.

A good protein bar should have…

• around 20 grams of protein, and
• between 5 to 10 grams of dietary fat.

This will put the total contributing calories of fat and protein to around the same level.

3. Sugar Overload! Sugar is the big thing you will want to watch out for when choosing your bar. Too many bars have 15, 20 – even 30 grams of sugar per bar. That is as much as what you will find in your favorite chocolate bar.

Skip those. Protein bars with a high sugar content are not meant for anyone looking to maintain a favorable body weight or wanting to keep their blood sugar levels stable.

4. Sugar Alcohols. Finally, beware of sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols may seem appealing as they are not going to spike your blood sugar levels the same as pure sugar would, but do not be fooled. They have other effects.

Most people who consume sugar alcohols will experience gastrointestinal discomfort because of them, so it is a good idea to bypass them altogether.

There you have the most important points to remember regarding protein bars. Find a few good ones, and these can make for a terrific snack when you are in a hurry.