Sure, a “protein bar” can be a good option for recovery after a hard ride, but do they make for good snacks?  As more and more athletes opt for protein bars and energy bars as part of their everyday food choices, it’s important to determine which, if any, works as a healthy snack.  You see, some bars are full of nutritious, whole-food ingredients, while others are little more than an expensive, glorified candy bar on steroids.  This week, we’ll discuss five criteria for judging a protein bar as an everyday snack, apply these criteria to a few popular ones on the market, and even make our own protein brownies (in less than 15 minutes prep time).

Recipe of the Week:  Homemade Brownie Protein Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly (or 1 3/4 cup cooked black beans)
• 4 large cage-free organic eggs
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp organic coconut oil, melted
• 2 scoops high-quality protein powder to equal 40 grams protein (whey, soy, PB2)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup organic honey
• ½ cup 70%+ chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar

Instruction:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease an 8-inch baking pan with organic coconut oil or spray.  Place all ingredients, except chocolate chips  in the bowl of a food processor and blend well until completely smooth. With a spoon, gently stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until just set in the center. Cool completely before cutting into bars.  Makes 12 brownie bars.

*To make Dairy-free, omit yogurt & increase organic coconut oil to 4 Tbsp.

Comments:

With such a healthy, easy, chocolatey, and inexpensive brownie bar recipe, you’ll likely never need to buy a protein bar again.  Right.  Even with my best intentions, I find that buying commercial products from time to time a necessity.  At least for back up.  For those days when I ride a little longer, and spend a little less free time in the kitchen.  But don’t get me wrong.  I do my best to steer myself, my kids, and my clients away from “products” for everyday nutrition, and towards whole foods.

Still, I do also live in the real world, and I know that a “bar” sometimes just fits the bill.  It offers “Grab ‘n’ Go” convenience.  It’s quick, easy, and not messy (for breakfasts in the car).  So, how do you pick an acceptable snack protein bar at the store?  Here’s what I look for:

1. First, I try to identify any refined carbohydrates.  I look at both refined grains and sugar sources.  If the bar uses grains, I want them to all be 100% whole.  If sugar (which most do), I look for “real food” types of sweeteners (organic honey, molasses, real maple, fruits, etc) and aim for no more than 10 grams sugar per serving, and 20 grams or less of carbs.
2. Next, Fats.  Absolutely no hydrogenated oils.  Then, I look for good sources of fats…specifically organic coconut oil, nuts, high oleic oils (such as high oleic sunflower or high oleic safflower).  I don’t like to see soybean, cottonseed, or corn oil.
3. Number of Ingredients/Chemical Ingredients. I “heart” most any bar with ten ingredients or less.  If more, I want to have an idea of what the ingredient actually is.  Not too much to ask, right?
4. Since we’re talking protein bars, I look for one with 10 grams of protein or more. In fact, I think any snack should include a protein source, and we should steer clear of pure carb snacks.
5. Overall Satisfaction/Taste:  Of course, it’s gotta taste good, “settle” well, and not leave me hungry 30 minutes later.

If you think I’m hard to please, you’re right.

Let’s take a look at a few bars on the market and see how they stack up.  And, we’ll compare them to this week’s recipe of the week:

Clif Builder Bar (Chocolate):

Nutrition: 270 calories, 8 gm total fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams transfat, 230 mg sodium, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 20 grams sugar, 20 grams protein

Ingredients: Soy Protein Isolate, Beet Juice Concentrate, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Rolled Oats, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa, Organic Soy Protein Concentrate, Vegetable Glycerin, Natural Flavors, Organic Dry Roasted Almonds, Rice Starch, Cocoa Butter, Inulin (Chicory Extract), Organic Milled Flaxseed, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic Sunflower Oil, Soy Lecithin, Salt.

Overall Comments: Overall, I think this bar uses good, high-quality ingredients.  Also, it works well for anyone who wants a vegetarian/vegan high-protein bar (20 grams protein).  However, I do think it is rather high in sugar (20 grams), and the sugar sources are brown rice syrup and evaporated cane juice, which are refined sources.  Also, at 270 calories, it’s more calories than most would need for a snack (but, this is highly variable).  Overall, this one’s best left for an active day, or as a recovery option.  It’s too high in sugar for a sedentary day at the office.

As a snack bar, 3.25 stars (out of 5).

KIND Bar (Almond, Walnut, Macadamia + Protein):

Nutrition: 190 calories, 12 gm total fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 0 grams transfat, 170 mg sodium, 14 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 5 grams sugar, 10 grams protein

Ingredients: Mixed nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, macadamia, cashews, brazil nuts), soy crisp (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, salt), honey, Non GMO Glucose, chicory fiber, soy lecithin,

Overall Comments: This one scores high with me.  Only 13 ingredients total, even when counting all the nuts separately.  Also, a good choice for anyone who wants a vegetarian choice, but it doesn’t work for someone who wants a completely vegan bar (due to the use of honey).  I would love to see “organic/raw honey” as conventional, highly processed honey is void of almost all its natural benefits…and, of course, I could do without the added glucose (simple sugar).  However, it’s likely a very small amount since its way down the ingredient line and the entire bar only contains 8 grams of sugar (including the honey).

As a snack bar, 4 stars (out of 5).

Nature’s Valley PROTEIN Bar (Peanuts, Almonds & Dark Chocolate):

Nutrition: 190 calories, 12 gm total fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 0 grams transfat, 170 mg sodium, 14 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 5 grams sugar, 10 grams protein

Ingredients: Roasted Peanuts, Almonds, Soy Protein Isolate, Chicory Root Extract, Sugar, Vegetable Oils (Palm Kernel, Palm Canola), Roasted Sunflower Seeds (Sunflower Seeds, Sunflower Oil), Toasted Coconut, Whey Protein Concentrate, Tapioca Syrup, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Fructose, Cocoa, Vegetable Glycerin, Rice Starch, Rice Maltodextrin, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Dextrose, Baking Soda, Natural Flavor.

Overall Comments:  While this protein bar is much better than many high sugar, low protein granola bars on the shelf, it still doesn’t really fit as a whole-food bar.  It has too many refined sugar sources, and even a couple refined starches (rice starch, rice maltodextrin).

Overall, better than your average granola bar and worse than a whole-food bar.  I’d give it 2.75 stars.

Homemade Brownie Protein Bar

Nutrition: 170 calories, 6.4 gm total fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams transfat, 50 mg sodium, 22 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 13 grams sugar, 10 grams protein

Ingredients:  See above.

Overall Comments:  Of course, since it is a LovingTheBite Recipe of the Week, it is the perfect food, and perfect recipe.  Actually, it’s a bit unfair since I started with my criteria, and then worked backwards.  I like it because it uses organic honey as its only sugar source, complex carbohydrates like black beans as a base (you won’t taste them), 2 whole food sources of high quality protein (and one protein powder), and healthy fats in organic coconut oil.  It’s a tad bit too high in sugar…maybe I’ll keep working on that.  And, it is clearly not vegetarian or vegan, which some readers may desire.  As a side note, if you think black beans are a no-go in a brownie bar, let me assure you no one in my household has detected them, and a batch lasted little more than a day (and my kiddos are generally very suspicious of my baked goods).

I’d give it 4.25 stars, but you can be the unbiased judge on this one.

If you’re looking for a high protein snack bar, choose, or bake, wisely.   Remember, most sports bars are designed for training nutrition, not daily nutrition.  They are often high in calories, refined carbs (because you need efficient fast carbs on the bike), and sodium.  This is a good thing when you’re pedaling, but not necessarily when you’re sitting in front of your computer.

And although I usually recommend simple (and easy) whole food options such as nuts or hard-boiled eggs and a small piece of fruit as a snack, clients ask for bars.  I get it.  Bars are in.  They fit a niche.  So, this week, let’s make (and choose) the best of them!

Fuel Your Ride.  Nourish Your Body. 

There’s no better time for a cyclist to shed some pounds than in the off-season.  In fact, while it may seem counter-intuitive, it can be very difficult to lose weight during a long, grueling on-season of cycling, training, and racing (especially if you’re already reasonably fit and just want to lose those last few pounds).

3 Reasons Why Intense Endurance Training Makes it Hard to Lose Weight:

1. As you get better at a specific endurance sport, your body burns fewer calories and fat during them.  You become more efficient, so it takes less work for the same amount of activity.  During the off-season, many cyclists use cross-training activities, at which they are less efficient.  Hour for hour, these can burn more calories and fat than our normal training.
2. The off-season is a great time for cyclists to add resistance training.  Lifting weights can increase calorie burn simply because muscle in our bodies burns more calories than fat burns, even when at rest.  The effects of resistance training increase our calorie output for hours, even days, after we’re done.  While cardio exercise is great for overall heart health and calorie burn while we’re doing it, adding weights can improve our overall daily calorie burn.
3. With shorter days, we often engage in shorter cardio workout sessions during the Autumn and Winter than in the Spring and Summer (especially if we’re adding resistance training as well).  With shorter workouts, even at higher intensities or with cross-training, you need less fuel.  One of the factors that diminishes fat loss during the on-season is the need for adequate, efficient training fuel (before, during, and after training) to improve athletic performance.  This carbohydrate fuel is not needed when cardio sessions are less than an hour, and in fact, will likely not provide any benefit even when you do add them (fluids and electrolytes can still help).  What’s more, you’ll burn more fat without added carbs in these shorter sessions, even up to 40% more (again, this extra fat burn can be negligible for longer activities, in which decreased performance reduces calorie burn).  So, for cardio sessions of 60 minutes or less, I recommend hydrating before and after, and drinking water  or a low-calorie electrolyte drink during training as needed (you can really lose a lot of electrolytes when training indoors).

If you have goals to shed fat this off-season, we’ve listed a few recipes that will help.  Plus, I’ve included my 5 Top Tactics for Off-Season Fat Loss.

Off-Season Fat Loss Recipes of the Week

(click links to find see recipe posts): 

Homemade Low-Carb  Electrolyte Drink (if training 60 minutes or less, skip the carbs during it)

Eggs for Breakfast (protein in the morning often lasts longer and helps decrease needless snacking compared to refined carb breakfasts)

Half Plate of Vegetables every Dinner (paired with a protein source and healthy fats, this is the perfect combo for evening)

Winter Squash in place of Pasta (replacing grains with vegetable whole foods, even slightly starches ones, can reducing total carb and starch intake)

Salmon as a Nutrient Powerhouse Protein (more omega-3s in your diet can reduce inflammation & fat storage)

Pre-Sleep Muscle Sparing Shake (especially helpful if adding strength training)

Bonus: Top 5 Tactics for Off-Season Fat Loss

1. Engage in High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Strength Training, and regular cross-training and cardiovascular exercise.  Changing up your exercise routine can pay off with fat loss and muscle growth.
2. Use “regular” meals as pre-training and post-training recovery rather than adding in extra ones like those needed during an on-season (as long as cardio training is 60 minutes or less).  With your recovery meal, you can still add in a tablespoon of Organic Coconut Oil to promote less muscle breakdown by giving your body a direct energy source.
3. Reduce your total carbohydrate intake,  and omit refined carbs from white starches and sugary foods/drinks as much as possible.  While small portions of whole food carbs and intact grains are fine for the off-season, you don’t need as many Daily Nutrition carbohydrates with less training.
4. Don’t succomb to the Over-Eating Holiday Season.  The “Holidays” really only consist of  a few days.  Enjoy these wonderful days.  Reject the notion of over-indulging for 3 months in order to celebrate a couple Holidays.
5. Keep warm, winter comfort foods light and loaded with vegetables.  There’s no reason for winter food picks to pack in more calories than summer ones.  You can make a simple and delicious Pureed Vegetable Soup with broth, broccoli, and spices.  Or, a Stir-Fry with a double serving of vegetables.

Embrace the months to come with new vigor and excitement as you look forward to your cycling goals next year.  A good off-season can allow you to begin Spring cycling a few pounds lighter, with an improved strength to weight ratio.  The off-season is full of opportunity!

There they are, setting in the produce department, daring you to pick one up.  And figure out what the heck to do with it.  Surely, they’re good for you, right?  They are vegetables after all, and vibrantly purple.  Eggplants.  It’s what’s for dinner this week.

Recipe of the Week:  Simple Grilled Eggplants

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt, plus more for serving
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Set eggplant slices out and spinkle with salt on both sides. Move slices to a colancer and set over a bowl…allow to drain for 1 hour.  Discard any liquid and rince eggplace slices under cold running water.  Place on a few layers of paper towels and press any remaining water out.
2. Preheat  grill over medium-high heat. Generously brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil.  Then, sprinkle both side with pepper.
3. Place on grill, and cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes on first side.  Flip eggplant slices, and cook until browned on opposite side.  Remove from heat, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle on salt and pepper, to taste.  Serve hot.

Comments:

Eggplants may not be everyone’s go-to vegetable.  But like other vibrantly colorful whole foods, they have a lot to offer nutritionally, especially in fighting free radicals.  Serve up eggplant this week, and you’ll get a Powerhouse of antioxidants:

• Anthocyanins: These phytonutrients are found in the eggplant’s skin, and are responsible for the dark purple color (similar to red grapes and red cabbage).  One specific anthocyanin, nasunin, is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage, especially the fats in brain cells. These fatty membranes are responsible for monitoring what comes in and out of these cells…a very important function, especially for a brainy cyclist, like yourself.
• Whole Body Oxidative Stress Reduction: Beyond the brain, nasunin, Chlorogenic acid. and eggplant’s other antioxidants reduce free radical formation with numerous beneficial results, including protecting blood cholesterol (which is also a type of lipid or fat) from peroxidation; preventing cellular damage that can promote cancer; and lessening free radical damage in joints, which is a primary factor in rheumatoid arthritis.
• Cholesterol Reducers: If you’ve got high “bad” LDL cholesterol, there are good reasons to eat eggplants.  In animal studies, eggplant juice (sounds yummy, right?) has lowered bad cholesterol in the blood, in the artery walls (this is where it forms plagues), and in the aorta (you know, just the artery that returns blood from the heart back into cirulation).  I’ll take some eggplant, and blood and arteries from of oxidized cholesterol plagues.

Bonus: Reduce Free Radicals after Working Out

There’s no better time to pump up the antioxidant intake than immediately after a ride (you’ve got extra free radicals floating around looking to damage your cells after working out).  This is one reason I recommend whole-food recovery over processed bars, drinks, or convenience foods, when possible.  This week, try adding some raw eggplant to your perfect recovery smoothie.

Mix 1 cup berries or pitted cherries, 1/2 cup diced eggplant (skin-on), 1 cup plain yogurt (or ½ cup Greek yogurt or 1 scoop protein powder), ½ Tbsp organic coconut oil, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbps almond butter.  Blend until desired consistency, adding water and/or ice as needed.

Free radicals, beware!  This week, eggplant’s potent antioxidants are going to deliver a cellular smack-down.  That’s all.

Fuel Your Ride. Nourish Your Body.