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EXAMPLES OF RESULTS FROM CONSUMERLAB.COM 2008 TESTS AND REPORT
ON NUTRITION BARS
(Reproduced by CBS 2 NY with Permission from ConsumerLab.com, LLC)
Full Report Available by Subscription at
http://www.consumerlab.com/reviews//NutritionBars/
Other Reports from ConsumerLab.com Found at
http://www.consumerlab.com/results/index.asp
Product Name
Test
(Flavor)/ Bar
Results
Size, Suggested
= Met
Serving Size on Nutrient
Label
Claims1
Manufacturer or
Distributor
-- TEST RESULTS -(See How Products Were Evaluated)
Taste
Impression
Nutrition or Supplement Facts on Label
Per Bar
Nutrition
Notes
(For comparison, amounts per 50 gram serving shown in
parenthesis if different than per bar)
Special
Designations
Calories
Total Carb.
Protein
Vitamins/
Minerals
Over 10%
of Daily
Value
Sugars
grams (g)
Full
Ingredient
List
Total
Fat
Cholesterol
Sat.
Fat
Fiber
Sugar
Alcohol
grams (g)
Sodium/
Trans
Fat
milligrams
(mg)
grams
(g)
Energy - EXAMPLE
Balance Nutrition
Energy Bar/high
protein Yogurt
honey peanut 50
g, 1 bar

200
21
11
vitamins
and 6
minerals
6
160
17
3
<5
<1
0
Dist. by Balance
15
Slightly dry.
Mild peanut
flavor.
Higher in
protein than
most
energy
bars.
0
Full List
Fiber - EXAMPLE
Renew Life®
High Fiber Bar,
50 g, 1 bar
Dist. by The
Digestive Care
Company
Dairy Free

160
35
Full List
3.5
30
20
0
0
14
0
0
2
Moist and chewy
with bits of nuts.
Apple cinnamon
aroma.
Highest fiber in a
bar. No
saturated fat.
Somewhat less
Gluten Free
Soy Free
Kosher
protein than gnu
bar (above). Low
in calories.
High Protein - EXAMPLES
Pure Protein®,
31 g Protein,
Chocolate
Peanut Butter,
78 g, 1 bar*

Dist. by
Worldwide Sport
Nutritional
Supplements
VPX Zero
Impact™ High
Protein
Mealbar™
Original!
Tonaline®
SesaTrim™ Fat
Burning Fats™
Pumpkin
Supreme 112 g,
1 bar
300 (192)
26 (17)
11
vitamins
and 6
minerals
31
(20)
10 (6)
330 (212)
3 (2)
4.5 (3)
20 (13)
2 (1)
0
Chewy and
slightly dry.
Mildly sweet.
Some sugar
alcohols**.
9 (6)
Full List

440 (196)
35 (16)
1 mineral
Full List
30
(13)
20 (9)
212 (95)
6 (3)
4 (2)
2 (1)
5 (2)
0
Slightly dry,
even- textured.
Mild pumpkin
flavor.
High in fat, but
most is not
saturated. Does
not list amount of
sugar alcohols,
but contains
small amount
of erythritol (a
sugar alcohol
less likely to
cause g.i. upset).
NL
Dist. by Vital
Pharmaceuticals,
Inc
Soy Prot. Free
Meal Replacement - EXAMPLES

Luna® Lemon
Zest® 48 g, 1
bar
Dist. by Clif Bar
& Co
180 (188)
26 (27)
11
vitamins
and 11
minerals
10
(10)
4.5 (5)
100 (104)
13 (14)
2.5 (3)
0
3 (3)
0
Crunchy rice with
lemon coating on
bottom. Mildly
sweet.
Some saturated
fat.
0
Full List
Met-Rx® Big 100
Chocolate Chip
Cookie Dough
100 g, 1 bar*
Dist. by Met-Rx
USA

370 (185)
50 (25)
11
vitamins
and 6
minerals
28
(14)
6 (3)
190 (95)
25 (13)
2.5 (1)
25 (13)
2 (1)
0
Doughy with
some crunch.
Very big bar.
Fairly high in
protein.
0
Full List
South Beach
210 (175)
26 (22)
19
7 (6)
350 (292)
Somewhat crispy
Diet™ Meal
Replacement
Bar, Caramel
Peanut Crisp 60
g, 1 bar
(16)
12
vitamins
and 10
minerals
1 (1)
2.5 (2)
5 (4)
0
0
High in
protein. Most of
carbs are sugar
alcohols**.
18 (15)
Dist. by Kraft
Foods Global
with light coating
on bottom.
Peanut flavor.
Full List
Snack - EXAMPLE
Odwalla® bar®
Strawberry
Pomegranate
Organic Food
Bar™ Original 62
g, 1 bar

220 (177)
44 (35)
4 vitamins
and 1
minerals
Full List
0
4
(3)
3 (2)
95 (83)
20 (16)
0.5
0
4 (3)
0
Slightly chewy
and grainy.
Fruity aroma.
Low in fat (so
relatively low
calories per
gram of bar).
Label suggests
use as snack or
meal-on-the-go‚
but little protein,
so more like a
snack.
Dist. by Odwalla
Whole Food (Snack) - EXAMPLE
Soyjoy™ Apple
30 g, 1 bar*

Dist. by
Pharmavite LLC
Gluten Free
140 (233)
16 (27)
1 vitamin
Full List
4
(7)
6 (10)
50 (83)
10 (17)
2.5 (4)
20 (33)
3 (5)
0
0
Cake-like and
slightly hard with
bits of raisins.
Small bar, so low
in total
calories but
relatively high in
calories per
gram of bar.
NL - Amount not listed on label.
* Tested through CL's Voluntary Certification Program prior to, at time of, or after initial posting of this Product Review.
** Sugar alcohols (such as maltitol) may cause gas and have a laxative effect.
1
Tested for calories and macronutrients, not for vitamins/minerals.
2
Bar Types -- General characteristics chosen by CL for grouping in table:
- Energy - At least 200 calories per 50 gram serving and no low calorie sweeteners
- Fiber - At least 10 grams of fiber per 50 gram serving
- Protein - At least 30 grams of protein per bar
- Meal Replacement - At least 20 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of protein per 50 mg serving
- Snack - Less than 5 grams of protein per bar
- Whole Food Snack - Made mostly from whole foods and less than 5 grams of protein per bar
Unless otherwise noted, information about the products listed above is based on the samples purchased by ConsumerLab.com (CL).
Manufacturers may change ingredients and label information at any time. So be sure to check labels carefully when evaluating the products
you use or buy. If a product's ingredients differ from what is listed in this report, it may not be the same as what was tested.
The information contained in this report is based on the compilation and review of information from product labeling and analytical testing.
CL applies what it believes to be the most appropriate testing methods and standards. The information in this report does not reflect the
opinion or recommendation of CL, its officers or employees. CL cannot assure the accuracy of information provided to it by third parties.
Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2008. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced, excerpted, or cited in any fashion without the express
written permission of ConsumerLab.com LLC.
ConsumerTips™: What to Consider When Buying and Using These Products:
Types of bars
A typical nutrition bar weighs about 60 grams and contains 25 grams of carbohydrates (half from starch and
half from sugar), 15 grams of protein, and about 5 grams of fat (of which 3 grams are saturated). About onequarter of the weight generally comes from water. This typical bar would provide 205 calories, with
approximately 49% from carbohydrates, 29% from protein and 22% from fat (13% from saturated fat) (see
below for how to calculate calories).
Although categories are not well established, "energy bars" tend to provide more carbohydrates, "protein"
bars are simply higher in protein, and "meal-replacement bars" have more of a balance of carbohydrates,
proteins and fats. Some bars are combinations (such as "meal-replacement, protein bars") while others do
not claim any specific purpose. To help with comparisons, CL grouped the bars in the table above based on
common nutritional characteristics.
Bars may also include ingredients permitted only in dietary supplements and therefore must be labeled as
supplements, rather than foods. Consumers should read labels carefully before using nutrition bars or
offering them to children.
How much nutrition do they provide?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that most adults who perform
light to moderate activity get roughly 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day from a varied diet in which
45% to 65% of calories are carbohydrates, 10% to 35% come from protein (meats and vegetable
proteins), and about 20% to 35% come from fats — with less than 10% of calories coming
specifically from saturated fat. (USDA Dietary Guidelines, 2005). Nutrition bars can help provide
some of these nutrients but they are not recommended as a total substitute for food. One
downside of many nutrition bars is that they tend to be relatively higher in saturated fat, as noted
above. On the other hand, most bars claim to be low in salt and cholesterol, with a typical bar
containing about 150 mg of sodium and generally fewer than 10 mg of cholesterol. The USDA
recommends a maximum of 2,300 mg of sodium and 300 mg of cholesterol per day based on a
2,000 calorie diet for a healthy individual.
Look out for serving sizes
Because some products may contain two or more small bars inside one wrapper, carefully check the
"servings per package" information on the label when looking for calories and other nutritional figures. As
noted above, bars can range significantly in terms of calories, protein, carbohydrates and fats.
Make sure things add up
To determine if a bar is labeled properly, you may do the following calculation: multiply the listed weight of
each component by the number of calories per gram shown below, and add them together for the total
amount of calories.
Carbohydrate (excluding dietary fiber) 4 calories per gram
Protein
4 calories per gram
Fats
9 calories per gram
For example, a product labeled as containing 25 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein, and 5 grams
of fat would have 100 calories from carbohydrates (25 x 4), 60 calories from protein (15 x 4), and 45 calories
from fat (5 x 9), for a total of 205 calories. Carbohydrates would, therefore, contribute about 49% of the
calories, protein would contribute about 29%, and fat would contribute about 22%.
If your total is more than a few calories off from what the product label states, the product may be hiding
something. (Note that manufacturers are allowed to round off figures, so allow leeway of up to 10% of the
total calories. Also, special lower caloric values apply to certain ingredients such as sugar alcohols and fat
substitutes).
More about sugar alcohols and sugar substitutes
Although technically carbohydrates, sugar alcohols (also known as polyols) are common in bars used in
dieting because they have fewer calories and less impact than sugar on blood sugar and insulin levels -- key
elements of low-carb dieting. (Also, because they are digested differently from sugar, they do not promote
dental cavities.) Among the most common sugar alcohols in bars are maltitol and lactitol. Unlike sugars
which are absorbed in the small intestine, both are primarily digested in the large intestine and,
consequently, may promote gas or have a laxative effect in some people. Unfortunately, many bars don't tell
you exactly how much sugar alcohol they contain. If the wrapper of a bar states that "net carbs" are only 2
grams but the Nutrition Facts panel shows 20 grams of carbohydrates, there may be 18 grams of sugar
alcohols or fiber in the bar. You can also check the ingredient list for sugar alcohols --the higher up in the
list, the higher the amount of that ingredient.
Ingredients you may neither expect nor want
Some products contain ingredients that you would not expect in a food. A tip-off is if the product states that it
is a "Dietary Supplement" and/or provides a Supplement Facts panel instead of a Nutrition Facts panel.
While this is not necessarily a bad thing, just make sure that you are aware of the vitamins, minerals, herbs
or other special ingredients that have been added.
You should also be aware that bars, particularly those for "energy," might include ingredients containing
caffeine such as coffee extract, guarana, green tea or, at lower levels, even cocoa and chocolate. Be aware
that caffeine can enhance the action and increase the side effects of other stimulants, such as bitter orange
(Citrus aurantium).
As noted above, many bars are also fortified with an array of vitamins and minerals. Recommended
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) have been established for many of these vitamins and minerals, so it is
advisable to keep track of the amounts that you may be ingesting from the bars as well as from other foods
and supplements (see ConsumerTips™ in the Multivitamin/Multimineral Product Review for Recommended
Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and ULs). Because of all the possible ingredients, nutrition bars should be
carefully evaluated before being used by children, pregnant or nursing women, or others with dietary
restrictions, such as people with diabetes or hypoglycemia.
To further assist consumers, ConsumerLab.com licenses its flask-shaped CL Seal of Approved Quality (see
The CL Seal) to manufacturers for use on labels of products that have passed its testing. ConsumerLab.com
will periodically re-evaluate these products to ensure their compliance with ConsumerLab.com's standards
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Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2008. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced, excerpted, or cited in any fashion without the express
written permission of ConsumerLab.com LLC.