Monday, December 29, 2014

Review of @ClifBar Builder's Protein Bars

If you pay attention to your Facebook or Twitter feed, you undoubtedly see all kinds of add and posts about the need for high levels of protein in your diet. Whether you’re a weekend 5ker, Ironman, cross fitter or obstacle course racer, every fitness related food maker and their dog are racing to get their latest and greatest protein products in your hands. If you’re at all interested in eating better to go along with all those hours you swim, bike and run, then you have probably realized the importance of eating the right combination of fats, carbs and protein. It’s not just about the protein. It’s a delicate dance of factors from desired weight to expected race performance. If you’re not fueling the engine right with more than just protein, it doesn’t matter how many hours you train to reach your goals.

No doubt you also like to enjoy your snacks rather than just get the essential nutrition out of them, unless you’ve really bought into paleo and want to eat like a caveman. What can make the task of proper fueling even more difficult is the specter of the average triathlete being on the go with work, family and friends. Not everyone has easy access to a kitchen with whole food ingredients at their fingertips for every meal. Most need a convenient meal on the go that won’t make a mess that they can jam in their face between meetings in the morning or afternoon.

CLIF bar was gracious enough to send a sample of Builder’s Protein Bars for a review as an alternative for easy access to good fuel with a handsome dose of protein.

Read on for our take on the 8 flavors minus the new chocolate hazelnut of Builder’s Bars that CLIF sent us.

 

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing


When you hear the name, “Builder’s Bar”, we immediately think of that body builder dude pumping iron at the gym, screaming at the top of his lungs for that last set of 300 pound bench presses. So yes, the bar might be geared for muscle heads looking for protein substitute instead of raw meat, but for triathletes spending some hard time working out at high intensity levels, they need that protein as well to repair and feed muscles. When you see the bars, they are packaged in a powerful wrapper that’s bold and attention grabbing, like the name. Who doesn’t like something shiny to unwrap? It’s also convenient to throw in a gym bag or the glove box (careful as they will melt on hot days) and not lose track of. The package won’t tear or snag as it’s sturdy construction.

 

Form / Construction


When you open the Builder’s Bar, the majority are chocolate flavors, so they appear similar to your standard candy bar with a chocolate coating and a crunchy bottom layer. For those that like the crunchy candy bars, it won’t be far off. They are not the other protein bars that are solid and chewy that sometimes can get gritty as you break them down to be able to swallow.



The Builder’s Bars weigh in at 270 calories or so per bar. Of that, 9 grams is fat, 29 grams is carbs and 20 grams is protein if you are keeping count at home. So, don’t just add the Builder’s Bar into your daily diet without planning. It’s almost half a decent sized meal to begin with. It has a good protein to carb ratio, but it will steal some calories from your daily meal planning. That may almost be more than most candy bars calorie wise, but you will get around 40 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein from a candy bar which is hardly the proper nutrition for an athlete or fitness minded person.

An important item of note is that the bars have zero grams trans fat and does not contain partially-hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup. In today’s ever over engineered food work where taste and profit are king, some are still finding ways to deliver good food without all the crap.

Fit / Function


Yes, they have a good chunk of protein, but do they deliver on taste and fill you up / fuel you up / help you recover like you would anticipate?

With protein bars, taste and texture are the big hangups. Everyone wants the benefits of the protein, but not everyone appreciates the method of delivery. While Builder’s Bars aren’t going to be as tasty as a Snickers bar, they are much better than some chewy protein bars on the market that get all grainy after chewing on each bite for 5 minutes to break it down enough to swallow. They taste like the flavor printed on the package and have a nice crisp texture that doesn’t require jaws of steel. The real issue is limiting yourself to one bar and not using them as a go-to snack substitute or dessert item.

They do fill you up for the short term, which makes them a great snack item between meals. Used before a cardio workout or after a strength workout, they can be key meals to keep your body fueled and reduce injuries from undernourished muscles. We would not recommend the Builder’s Bars as a meal substitute unless you are in a bind. They just won’t fill you up for hours on end.


They have 9 flavors currently to choose from, so if chocolate isn’t your thing, you have options. They are great for throwing in your gym bag for a pre or post workout snack and they even stay in one piece in bags being thrown into your car or jammed in a gym locker. They only drawback will be on hot days, they will melt and make a mess. Best is to not leave them sitting in your car during the summer.

 

Cost


You could spend $1 for a snickers, or $1.50 (online) for a Builder’s Bar. At the convenience store, you might pay a little more if you’re in a pinch, but plan ahead and you should be ok. That’s one catch with Builder’s Bars, they aren’t cheap, but they can be less expensive than other protein bar alternatives. Some can go from $2 to $2.50 a bar online, and even more in the brick and mortar stores.

You do get what you pay for. You may end up spending more for a Builder’s Bar than a candy bar, but you’ll get higher quality nutrition and not a crap sugar load.

Final thoughts


You know you have a winner when you review a product and you end up buying it outside of the review with your own money. We have since stocked up on Builder’s Bars to be proactive and get them at a reasonable price instead of convenience store prices. One a day will do it, as they do consume a large chunk of calories, but when you need 170 grams of protein a day, and you don’t want to get it all through egg whites and tuna fish, the Builder’s Bar is a good alternative. You just need to be careful about trading it out for other foods in your meal planning and not adding it on and expecting to lose weight.

Disclaimer


* Writer's note - CLIF Bars sent us the Builder’s Bars for this review and in no way influenced the review.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Quest Protein Chip by @QuestNutrition Review

If you’re at all interested in eating better to go along with all those hours you swim, bike and run, then you have probably realized the importance of eating the right combination of fats, carbs and protein. It’s a delicate dance of factors from desired weight to expected race performance. If you’re not fueling the engine right, it doesn’t matter how many hours you train to overcome that.

But, how do you make sure you are getting what you need from your healthy snacks without sacrificing taste and appeal? Not everyone can kick back a can of tuna and a cup of cottage cheese and “enjoy” it. We’re all human. We like to enjoy taste and texture of what we eat.

There are all kinds of approaches from paleo to all natural grass fed no antibiotic hand combed cows and chickens, but lets get real. This day and age, if you want unaltered ingredients or something “simple”, you’re looking at higher prices and something that virtually financially unsustainable for a family. If it’s not mass produced and chalked full of preservatives for shelf life, it’s going to cost more.

In the never ending quest to find healthy snack alternatives, we found Quest Protein Chips. It’s kind of an oxymoron when you first come upon them. We found them at our gym and decided to buy a couple and give them a spin. We’ve heard of the bars they produce, and my wife loves them, but we were skeptical that a chip could be advertised as healthy.

Read on for our take on the Sour Cream and Cheddar and BBQ flavors.

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing


The packaging and images actually make you want to eat what’s inside. Not all health foods or those that pretend have the right marketing scheme. Some throw pictures of mascots and other junk not even related to the food inside that distract you from the real mission, finding quality food.

The picture on the package is pretty true to what the ships look like, unless your 4 year old sat on the bag in the car or punched it out of your hands when they were impatiently waiting to leave the gym waiting on you to pay for the chips. It happens. They still eat the same as whole chips or crushed pieces.


Form / Construction


Where the rubber meets the road. Are they full of crap? Do they have the advertised 21 grams of protein per serving and double the carbs? What are you getting for your $2.99 at the gym counter?

INGREDIENTS: Protein Blend (Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate), Dried Potatoes, Corn Starch, High Oleic Sunflower Oil. Contains less than 2% of the following: Tomato Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Spices, Salt, Paprika Extract (Color), Yeast Extract, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Flavors. CONTAINS: Milk Derived Ingredients

The bags say right on the front : NO SOY, GLUTEN FREE, 5G CARBS, 21G PROTEIN, BAKED NEVER FRIED



Pretty much all you need to know is on the front of the bag, but for you macronutrient counters, they have in 32 grams per serving (1 bag), 120 calories, 2g of fat, 5g of carbs and 21g of protein. For a quick snack on the go for the fitness types, that’s a quality 120 calories. I know I’m always looking for meals and snacks that won’t blow the calorie budget that give me my best protein ratio. Compare that with a not-to-be-named baked BBQ chip, 28g serving, 120 calories, 3g of fat, 22g of carbs and 2g of protein. The fat looks good, but you’ve just broke the bank for carbs without much protein benefit. Get ready to skimp on dinner to save your day nutrition wise. Hello tuna on a plate...

 

Fit / Function


Do Quest Chips go down easy, or do you have to choke them down like so many chalky protein powders and drinks that are out there?



I’m here to tell you they taste as good as any chip out there. They have that baked / popped chip look and light density when you bite into one. They crunch and that sweet nectar of cheddar or BBQ that you crave will be there for the taking. Consider your craving for crap satisfied, but you didn’t have to sacrifice your soul for the nutritional deficit that comes with most chips.

Cost


Where’s the catch you ask? We get taste and nutrition!? Well, it’s not free. We paid for these out of pocket, no freebie reviews, and at $2.99 a bag at the gym, it can get pricey. Your generic chips can go around $4 for 6 to 7 servings. Quest chips are $3 for 1 serving. Eat wisely, my friend. You get what you pay for.

 

Final thoughts


We will continue to buy Quest Chips. Santa may even drop a few in our stockings. If anyone could benefit from a healthier chip, it would be the big man from the north.

The taste and texture is spot on, the shelf appeal is there. It’s got all of the right ingredients, but you will pay a premium for 21 grams of protein, only 5 grams of carbs in 120 calories. You have to decide that if your chip craving can be satisfied for $3 a pop. Used wisely, this is a great alternative for a midday snack, or a companion to your meal. It holds you over for a tough workout without being too full, and serves well as a post-workout meal to replenish protein to rebuild muscle. That’s a big benefit in the winter months as most multi-sport athletes head to the gym for strength and conditioning.

Grab a bag and try for yourself, just don’t sit on them.

 

Disclaimer


* Writer's note - We purchased the chips for this review and Quest in no way influenced this review.