Protein Bars

I know I'm not supposed to overuse protein bars in place of meals because "real" food is better for me, but they are just so convenient. I have been eating the Zone bars, which I think are fine, even though Alison thinks they taste like compressed saw dust, and she does have a point, but I decided to try the South Beach Diet bars.



I bought the Chocolate Crisp. It has 210 calories, 19g of protein, 5g of fiber, and a ton of vitamins and minerals. I could only get through half of the bar in one sitting - they are filling! The taste isn't phenomenal, but it's not terrible either.



What I don't understand is why protein bars have to be so dry or just so wrong in consistency. Power bars are like melted tootsie roles that are half way back to solid. You can't take a normal bit of them, you have to bite and tear. Cliff bars are kind of okay, but they are still a bit weird and they aren't as good for you as some of the others. Special K protein bars are more of the same...just like the Slim Fast bars and the Atkins bars. I never realized how many protein bars I've tried in my life until just now.



I guess my point is this: is it really food if it's so hard for them to make it taste and feel like food? What in the world is in protein bars? In the South Beach Diet bars, it's a bunch of different soy products, fish gelatin, milk, a few different oils, and the rest is just a bunch of blended up vitamins and minerals.



I suppose I understand why my nutritionist wants me to get my nutrients from real foods that are high in nutrients, rather than some lab room cocktail of stuff that is supposed to be good for me. I do like getting all that protein in just 210 calories, though...



I will keep you posted if I find a magical protein bar.



Today I'm down one more lb to a total of 56. Keep it comin'!



KC