When I first started dieting and exercising I ate a lot of Special K & Slim Fast bars, started with the snack ones, moved up to the protein ones. I moved away from those as I got farther into the process and started using smoothies instead of protein bars for breakfast, trail mix for snack.

Now that I can eat more calories I've found myself going back to the bars for some reason - specifically, I got some Market Pantry brand Fiber One bars (I don't eat nearly enough fiber...) and what I think are the Market Pantry brand of the Zone protein bars. I've had a hard time with getting enough protein and getting to the 1500-1600 calorie point, so I hoped these would help.

Well, this week I've been more gassy (sorry about the TMI!), felt more bloated, and been a little blah. I've had lots of water and have actually eaten less sodium, not my TOM. Could it be the bars? I know that they have a lot of soy and a lot of things I can't pronounce. The Special k bars didn't seem to have this same effect...

Do the bars have any sugar alcohols in them? Fiber can bloat you as well and so can dairy.

If you don't get enough fiber, I'd suggest laying off the bars, which are mostly glorified candy bars and eat some fruit or veggies or that didn't come in a package

There was actually a discussion about this a while back. A lot of us came to the same conclusion that fiber one bars makes everyone a little more gassy that usual.

Additional (non food based) fiber of any kind makes me gassy. And by non-food based, I mean bars, powders, supplements. Most whole food based fibers (apples, broccoli, grains, etc.) don't have that effect on me.

Alton Brown has a GREAT recipe for protein/fiber bars on the foodnetwork.com site. They're a little bit of a PITA to make, but they taste really good and chock full of good stuff. I've made variations before and they don't make me feel as icky as store bought bars do.

Edited for recipes:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/a...ipe/index.html ( I sub whey protein for soy protein)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/a...ipe/index.html

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I personally think ALL bars are junk. I would take PhotoChicks's advice and try to make them. They can be healthy...if you make them yourself. It'll be an experiement.

I make "power bars" at home when we need quick snacky things around too. Here's a variation on the recipe I use from Super Natural Cooking. I <3 Heidi's recipes, they are so good and very whole foods focused.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives...rs-recipe.html

Thanks for the recipes!

I've worked on getting more veggies into my diet, but I just never seem to get enough... I always end up gravitating back towards the 'quick fix' of the packaged bar to eat at work...

First, if there were a contest, I would vote this thread "Best Thread Title of 2008." Second, I'm not really into protein bars on a daily basis, but I normally keep a Cliff Nectar bar (the dark chocolate walnut flavor) in my purse and in my desk for snack "emergencies." I also never travel without one!

I like having protein bars around for three reasons:

1. It helps me if I'm having a hard time on a particular day getting enough protein
2. If I'm going to be on the run all day, I stick a bar in my purse "just in case" I get really hungry and need to control my hunger and still be in control of my calorie intake
3. If I'm having a major sweet craving and I need something that will satisfy the craving AND make me more full to stop more cravings

So, I think they're worth having around. I'm still searching for my favorite. Lately, it's the South Beach bars.

I avoid the high fiber bars - they bloat me and make me feel ill!

I use the bars on a pretty regular basis for two reasons.

The first is if I'm on the run to clients houses all day and have no time for lunch, those bars are perfect replacement for lunch. I'm vegetarian and I have never been able to find something I can easily tote with me for the day and eat in seconds as I run from place to place.

The second time I eat those bars is when I am heavy into excercise. I bike to school on Tuesdays. It's 10.5 miles and takes about an hour on a good day. (It takes a lot longer when there is a stiff wind working against me) I am always wiped when I get to class and an energy bar before/after getting to school keeps me going until lunch.

Honestly I think using commercially made protein bars or fiber bars once in a while is ok ... if you're careful about checking the ingredients to see exactly what's in them.

But once in a while is the key for me. Just like I have a hamburger once in a while. Jay asked in another thread how we define junk food, and truthfully I consider most protein/fiber bars to be nothing more than junk.

For me, the bars don't provide enough nutritional bang for the calories they contain - especially the cereal type bars.

I've gotten to the point that if I'm going to have something like that, I'd rather make my homemade oat/protein pumpkin muffins and carry one with me. Or make my own fiber/protein bars and carry one with me. They're easy to make in bulk and then freeze so that you can grab one as you need it and stash it in your purse or bag.

That's just me.

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I would also second Glory's Clif Nectar bars. I had one the other day after swimming and I was STARVING. Of course I asked my nutritionist and she told me nuts would've been the better choice (for just after exercising that is) but it wasn't a bad choice.

I've seen several different Clif bars, don't know if I've seen the Clif Nectar ones... I'm going to look for those. I looked back and I've also had the Kashi bars and those didn't seem to have any negative effect, so I might get some of those as an emergency stash and work on making some of my own too.

I did get 29 grams of fiber yesterday and didn't have a single bar. I had raspberries, wheat pasta, banana, broccoli, air popped popcorn, natural things instead of bars! Doesn't sound like a lot, I know, but compared to the 14 per day I've been averaging it was a big change!

I love the fiber one bars, but I can't eat them. They make me so sick! I can eat kashi bars or south beach bars and I'm fine, but the fiber one's make me so bloated and miserable. I've wondered what it is about them specifically that makes me so sick.

I don't eat them too often, but for a quick go to - I enjoy the Kashi Go Lean Chewy oatmeal raisin cookie bars, they are big and thick and enjoyable. They have 13 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, they are 280 calories, so 1/2 normally will do me for a snack. If need a go to for lunch, I add a banana and bag of carrots and eat the whole bar. I like the convenience to toss it in a bag and good to go.
They are very very good with icing on top! And ahem, they DO NOT have the lovely after effects like the fiber one (fart bars) do!