I was out doing the grocery shopping the other day and as it happened I was struck with serious hunger.  Every now and then, w hen this happens whil I'm out, I'll wander into the "health" section of whatever store I'm in and I'll start looking through the protein bars.  And every time I do it, I guess I'm looking for a miracle.  I'm hoping that this time I will actually find one that is absent enough of destructive elements to make it worth the pretty average taste.  But alas, that has never happened!

Inevitably, they are chock full of high fructose corn syrup.  And those that aren't have just plain old sugar, alcohol sugar and a list of ingredients which are just another way of saying sugar without saying it.  I mean, if they were being honest about it, how many different guises would they need for their sugar?  Is it really necessary to use galactose, dextrose, malto dextrin and all the rest of the sugar alias?

When I skim through the ingredients list, and look at the nutritional information on these things, I always think to myself, why don't I just buy a chocolate bar and drink a protein shake?  I mean really!  The chocolate bar is going to taste a heck of a lot better than that protein bar ever could!  And the protein shake is going to have more protein in it!  And combined the chocolate bar and the shake probably have about the same calories as the protein bar!  Of course, I am being a bit facetious.  I did not, by the way, purchase a chocolate bar and drink a shake the other day.  I just waited for lunch.  But the point is, how many people are eating these things in the belief that their selection is more healthy than a chocolate bar, when in fact the ingredients and calories are comparable and the taste is atrocious?

I know there prob ably are some bars ou there that are more "healthy."  They can't be found in your run of the mill grocery store though.  Oh, and by the way, organic sugar and organic corn syrup are still sugar and corn syrup...  At any rate, I have found in the past that when I know I will need a portable and quickly consumed protein snack that I am best off to make and pack my own.  It is dead simple really.  My favorite is an adaptation from Berardi's original Gourmet Nutrition book.

Here's how I do mine.  Take a scoop of unsweetened, good quality protein powder for each bar you want to produce and put it into a mixing bowl.  Add almond butter to taste (or some other nut butter).  I usually use about 1-2 tbs per bar.  Add stevia sweetener to taste.  Gradually add some water to this mix by about a tablespoon at a time and start mixing.  It will take a long time to ge t going.  Don't e tempted to add too much water too quickly.  Just keep stirring.  If you do get over-zealous with the water, and the mix gets too liquid, just add more protein powder until it comes back.  You want to finish off with a thick dough that you can shape into bars.  Divide your dough up and plop each portion onto a square of plastic wrap.  Fold the wrap around it, form it into whatever shape you want, and put all the bars in the fridge to firm up.  You can also keep them in the freezer.  Then, when you need one just pop it in your bag and off you go.

How do they taste?  Edible.  But that's not really the point, remember?  If you want great taste, eat the chocolate bar...  Protein bars aren't "real food."  They are a stop gap when in a pinch.  They should not taste great.  They should tide you over until you can get something real like a delicious salad!

So watc h out for those poiso peddlers trying to sell you HFCS in the guise of a healthy food.  I have much more respect for the junk peddlers.  At least you know when you bite into a chocolate bar that you are getting a mouthful of junk.  And at least it tastes good...