They used to be only consumed by professional athletes. Now you can find them in your local convenient store. Whether they are called "energy bars," "protein bars," or "nutrition bars," they are all boast the same thing: increased energy and a healthy snack. Although they have been around since the 1980s, their popularity has sky rocketed in the past few years. It is expected that sales are going to reach the $430 million mark this year.
So with all the hype around these new food craze, we thought we would test some of the most popular bars on the market.
Lean Routine Soy Blast Peanut Butter Crunch
This product has the most soy protein than any other bar on the market, which can help improve your bone mass, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce menopausal symptoms. Soy Blast is chocolate coated with enough peanut butter flavor to not be overwhelming or too sweet. The texture is smooth yet chewy with a bit of crunch. It did a good job of curbing only my hunger but also felt substantial enough to keep me satisfied through a workout or an afternoon of work.
Luna Bar Nutz Over Chocolate
Luna boasts being designed specifically for the needs of women, containing extra calcium and folic acid. Luna Bar looks like a Rice Crispy Treat lying on a bed of chocolate...and that is pretty much how it tastes! It seems much more like a traditional candy bar rather than something that is good for me. Along with my hunger, it fulfilled my sweets craving and the need for something crunchy (not to mention 100% of a variety of vitamins and minerals).
Tiger's Milk
The littlest of the bunch, Tiger's Milk didn't make me very secure of being a satisfying energy boost. It also has the least amount of vitamins and minerals, including protein. Covered in a chocolate-like coating, it has a strong peanut butter taste (and I didn't even get the peanut butter flavor). It is pretty moist and chewy, although it has sort of a grainy texture. Overall it wasn't bad, although it didn't seem very substantial.
Clif Bar Chocolate Almond Fudge
The Clif Bar looks more like an organic cookie than the other slick-looking bars. It didn't have much taste at all. The chocolate flavor was pretty bland but it did have a pretty good hint of almond. The texture was pretty moist, with an added crunch. It was a good size to make me feel full and somewhat satisfied. But overall, the only thing this bar has going for it is the price is cheaper than the rest.
PowerBar Chocolate Peanut Butter
This bar looks like what you would think a "protein bar" would look like-all the ingredients are grounded up and then mashed back together. It is sticky and chewy, and I found it easier to eat it by ripping off pieces (since it bends very easily). Based on what it looked like, I didn't have high hopes for the taste. But it wasn't bad; I could taste the peanut butter, but the chocolate flavor was kind of faint. Be sure to have plenty of water with this one, since it is VERY dense! And it definitely fills you up.
Balance Bar Chocolate
Balance bars are designed to contain 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat. This particular flavor had the highest fat content compared to the other brands. And it looks like an honest-to-god candy bar, down to the chocolate covering. The flavor is very rich, but maybe a little too sweet, and the texture is moist. Overall this bar seemed more like dessert than a health food.
MET-Rx Fudge Brownie
The MET-Rx looks like a serious nutrition bar; being about twice the size, having almost three times as much protein and costing almost twice as much as most bars. This bar is extremely sticky and chewy. The flavor is almost completely absent and it has a weird floury texture. I am sure this bar has incredible benefits nutritionally and gives you a vast amount of energy-that is if you can stand to get it down. 
