Breakfast bars
Energy bars and protein bars are perhaps one of most poorly marketed food items. Advertising leads us to believe that many common ingredients found in these all-in-one nutrition bars are actually not that bad for us — or worse, even good for us. The problem is that most of them contain synthetic derivatives from poor-quality sources.
Ingredients to avoid:
High-fructose corn syrup: Added as an inexpensive sweetener, it is worse than regular white sugar.
Soy isolate: It may sound natural and healthy, being a soy product, but it’s not something you could make yourself (warning sign!). It’s also processed at such high temperatures that it can change the structure of some of the protein.
Often made of grains, nuts and seeds, but also usually full of sugar, dried fruit, and flavors that “entice” the consumer (like chocolate or peanut butter), these bars can contain the same amount of calories as a full meal, but because they are so small and compact, you will be left feeling very unsatisfied with your breakfast!
