The paleo diet is an excellent way to avoid foods that are highly processed and low in nutritional value. However, it can be difficult to find diversity in your food. Everything about your dietary patterns and habits shifts, so you must be more vigilant about what you put into your body.
Paleo protein bars are a great way to follow your diet and can help keep your hunger at bay until your next meal. For example, the Universal Bakery Organic Paleo Bars taste great and are made with high-quality organic ingredients.
Most paleo bars are snack bars, meaning you should eat them between meals. Very few paleo bars serve as viable meal replacements because they don’t pack enough calories or carbohydrates to keep you full for several hours. They also don’t have enough nutrients and vitamins necessary for a healthy diet.
You don’t need to be following a paleo diet to have a paleo bar; they’re an excellent snack for anybody. However, you should consider your health goals to determine if paleo bars suit you. Depending on your dietary needs and lifestyle, a paleo bar might not cut it as a between-meals snack. That said, they may help you cut down on calories and can promote weight loss.
If you have specific fitness goals, you may follow a paleo diet to avoid processed foods and limit your caloric intake. However, if you’re a weightlifter or athlete, you need to ensure you’re getting enough protein. Weightlifters and athletes require more protein and branched-chain amino acids to maintain and facilitate muscle recovery and growth. Paleo bars contain some protein, but likely not enough if you want to build muscle. If you're working on increasing muscle mass, try boosting your protein intake with a regular protein bar or shake.
All paleo bars are suitable for those following a paleo diet. However, you should check the label or product description if you have other dietary restrictions or food allergies. If you need a paleo bar that's dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free, you may want to consider a vegan bar instead. Also, many paleo bars use nuts and seeds, so if you’re allergic to them, it’s in your best interest to avoid bars that are completely nut-free.
Many people who eat paleo bars do so for weight loss. If that’s your goal, you need a bar that's low in fat and sugar. The best paleo bars have minimal sugar, and some bars use artificial sweeteners for additional flavor. A paleo bar shouldn’t have more than 4 grams of saturated fat; anything over that can inhibit weight loss and exacerbate certain medical conditions.
The best paleo bars use premium organic ingredients. Ingredients such as coconut oil, pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts promote healthy digestion and improve the texture and flavor of many paleo bars. Also, the protein in paleo in protein often comes from a non-dairy source such as egg whites, which can be easier on the stomach.
For a box of 12 high-quality paleo bars, you can expect to spend anywhere from $20-$45. However, bars made with premium organic ingredients or other botanicals can cost $40-$60 for a pack of 12.
A. The average protein bar contains 15-20 grams of protein, while paleo bars usually offer 4-8 grams.
A. If a product says it is GMO-free, that means that there are no ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms.
Universal Bakery Organic Paleo Bars
What you need to know: These bars are made fresh and individually wrapped, so you can take them on the go as a snack.
What you’ll love: These bars taste great and contain high-quality organic ingredients such as honey, whole almonds, shredded coconut and Brazil nuts. They pack just 19 grams of fat, 14 grams of total carbohydrates and 6 grams of protein derived from pumpkin seeds.
What you should consider: They aren’t gluten-free, and some customers report that the packaging is difficult to open.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Yes Bar Macadamia Chocolate Snack Bars
What you need to know: These bars are flavorful, made with high-quality ingredients and suitable for vegan, paleo and gluten-free diets.
What you’ll love: These bars do an excellent job at keeping you full until your next meal. Each bar contains 15 grams of high-quality nuts, including macadamia nuts, almonds, and cashews. Other ingredients such as dark chocolate and coconut nectar give them a lightly sweetened flavor.
What you should consider: Each bar only contains 4 grams of protein, so they’re not ideal for athletes looking to supplement their protein intake.
Where to buy: Sold by iHerb
Julian Bakery Paleo Thin Protein Bars
What you need to know: These bars are great for curbing your appetite and contain organic prebiotics for promoting healthy digestion.
What you’ll love: You’ll get a healthy snack that’s paleo-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free and just 150 calories per bar. They have 20 grams of egg white protein, 1 gram of naturally-occurring sugar and 5 grams of net carbs. Best of all, it has a delicious peanut flavor but doesn’t contain any actual nuts.
What you should consider: Some customers complained about them being too stiff and that they tend to stick to your teeth.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
