Picking an energy bar: Taste versus content

Who doesn't need more energy?

As athletes, we're all looking for something to fuel our workouts and keep us ahead of the pack. It's got to be convenient and taste good, too.

For many folks, though, a few minutes in front of the energy bar display at the grocery store is enough to induce brain cramps. Dozens of bars promise to keep you climbing rocks, running marathons or pumping iron.

So what should you look for when you pick one out?

First, the basics.

Carbohydrates, stored as glycogen, are the most important fuel for exercising muscles. They also provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. Proteins build and repair body tissues, but they're not a primary energy source. Fats are the main storage form of energy in the body, and a major fuel source for light- to moderate-intensity exercise.

Energy bars can be an easy way to get all three.

They're not, however, designed to be eaten as everyday snacks. The calories still count.

"Some people use bars like this as an excuse to eat, thinking, ‘Well, it must be good for me because it's a healthy bar.' But anybody who eats when their body isn't physically calling for energy is going to gain fat weight," says registered dietician Alexa Sparkman, owner of Alexa Sparkman Nutrition Counseling.

The best energy bar for you depends on what you're doing.

"People who are running for a couple of hours, yes, they do need to replace glycogen stores and this is not a bad way to do that. People who go to the gym and walk around the machines for an hour — maybe they don't really need 30 grams of protein," Sparkman says.

Runners and others focusing on aerobic conditioning should look for bars with plenty of carbohydrates. A good balance is 50 percent carbohydrates, 20 percent protein and 30 percent fat.

Strength trainers who want to build muscle should look for bars with more protein. "Studies show that taking in 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of a workout is going to enhance muscle development," Sparkman says.

Energy bars are mainly used as a quick recovery meal shortly after exercise, but some of the high-carb, cereal-based bars can make good pre-exercise food, too, Sparkman says.

Avoid bars with a high sugar content, and consider the source of the sweetener. Some bars are made with table sugar or high fructose corn syrup; others use organic brown rice syrup, concentrated fruit juice or agave syrup.

Curious about which bars taste best, we sat down with elite runners Gilbert Tuhabonye, 36, and Russell Secker, 55.

Tuhabonye, head of the Gilbert's Gazelles training program and track coach at St. Andrew's Episcopal School, was an All-America runner at Abilene Christian University. He dislikes chocolate and candy, but says he's hooked on peanut butter Clif Bars.

Secker, who last year ran 2,800 miles across six countries in 64 days during the Trans Europe Footrace, usually sticks to real food like baked potatoes, tomatoes and fruit during long distance runs. His philosophy on the run is "Eat early, eat a little bit at a time and eat often."

Both said they'd wait until the end of a run to refuel with an energy bar.

I'm a 46-year-old recreational athlete who swims on an organized team and rides her bike to work most days.

Pro Bar Fruition, blueberry

Top three ingredients: Organic date paste, organic rolled oats, organic brown rice syrup

Size: 48 grams

Calories:160

Fat: 2 grams

Carbohydrate: 34 grams

Protein: 3 grams

Pam: ‘Brown little block. Bits of nuts and unidentifiable white specks. Figgy? Nice fruity taste.'

Gilbert: ‘Looks great, good texture. Tastes good.'

Russell: ‘Looks gritty. Slightly rubbery, but nicely moist. Tastes figgy. Not crumbly equals good!'

Kind Fruit & Nut, macadamia and apricot

Top three ingredients: Macadamia nuts, apricots, honey

Size: 40 grams

Calories: 200

Fat: 14 grams

Carbohydrate:15 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Pam: ‘Looks like real food, but it's sticky. Big pieces of nuts and coconut. Tastes Hawaiian, with a surprising zing.'