1/2/2018 Think About It - Clif Bars®Happy 2018 from Nutripol! This week’s Think About It has been one of the most requested articles, presumably because Clif Bars® are a go-to snack (or meal, depending on whether it’s finals season or not) for almost everybody I know. They’re sold all over the world and have a pretty remarkable range of flavors, but what’s their nutritional value? Clif Bar & Company ® prides itself on using high quality, organic ingredients as the basis for their products, and a quick peek at their Nutrition Facts Labels confirms this. The first two ingredients in every Clif Bar® are organic brown rice syrup and organic rolled oats, which combine to give the signature taste and texture of these snacks. Since the main components of Clif Bars® are sources of carbohydrates, it follows that the bar itself would be relatively high in this macronutrient, with 45 grams (or 16% of the FDA’s daily recommended value) in each.
As a brief aside -- I use the DRV’s from the FDA because they provide a nice baseline reference point for deciding which foods are worth putting in your body, and which can do more harm than good. However, if you’ve been with me for a while then you’re probably aware of my qualms with the DRV’s from the FDA because I believe that their recommendations are dramatically misaligned for women, especially those of us who are athletic. So, take the national guidelines with a grain of salt -- everybody is different, and your own intuition can be the most powerful indicator of true health & wellbeing! However, the fact that organic brown rice syrup is the most prominent ingredient means that the sugar content of these bars is significant -- 21 grams (or almost 50% of the FDA’s daily recommended value). That’s the same amount of sugar as a Kit Kat® bar. Obviously, this isn’t ideal from a nutritional standpoint. Thankfully, Clif Bars® have 9 grams of protein (18% of the FDA’s daily recommended value), which helps the body combat the hunger spike associated with sugar-dense foods. These snacks also have a fairly low fat content that’s on par with most other energy bars, at 5 grams (or 6% of the FDA’s value) each. My favorite flavor is chocolate chip, so I’ve been using it as a reference point for the purpose of this article. However, if you choose one that incorporates peanuts, coconut, macadamia nuts, or other foods with a higher percentage of lipids, this can increase the overall fat content to 7 grams. Nuts will also add a small protein boost, with the Crunchy Peanut Butter flavor topping off at 11 grams each. How to Think About It:
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed nutritionist nor a registered dietician. The opinions expressed in this article are my own, and each individual is ultimately responsible for his/her dietary and nutrition practices. Please consult a physician before starting a new dietary program. Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeepersmedia/19005021195 Comments are closed.
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