Published: January 31, 2006 12:56 pm            

Armstrong Column: Energy bars: Too good to be true?

You know the true dedication involved when you find frost on your clothing!

As my two running partners and I were out on an early-morning run, the majority of the run I noticed a white patch on one partner's fleece jacket. Further along into the run, I noticed the same type of patch on my other partner's pants.

I began to laugh out loud. To spare my running partners from thinking I had finally let the cold weather drive me completely mad (from my deep laugh), I explained to them that we must be insane. The patches were clearly frost built up on our clothing.

I mean, did we really think the passing cars were staring at us out of admiration? They were more likely thinking “Why in the heck are you running in 29-degree weather?”

Truth remaining, running must come early for us or not at all. Work comes early and to train for marathons, one must bear the first few miles of numbness to the face.

I must relate a funny story we shared upon running the Madison Central half-marathon last month. It was a very cold morning and we had on three layers of clothing. Still, we were determined we would finish this half-marathon.

About mile 6 or 7, I stated “OK, if I start to resemble the motorcycle scene on Dumb and Dumber (movie fans know exactly which runny nose scene I'm referring to), someone please tell me! My nose was so frozen there was no way I could feel if this had occurred.

The things we runners put ourselves through! Still, we would not trade running for the world. If you are a runner, you know exactly what I mean. It's a love/hate relationship going on here.

I must pay respect to my two lovely little troopers who supported us through this half-marathon. All three of us, not purposely, wore pink jackets. Runners understand the boost of energy screaming fans provide among hard, long runs. These two girls nicknamed us “The Pink Divas.” Their parents appeared among various points of the race. They yelled numerous times “Go Pink Divas!” It was the wonderful boost of energy we all needed at just the right time. Thanks!

The new year is now among us and the majority of the population wants a quick fix. While this sounds wonderful, weight loss takes time. Many people are too busy to eat home-cooked meals and want a quick bar, especially to improve performance if you exercise.

Power bars, Clif bars, Luna bars. A wide range of energy bars awaits you at every convenience store, each bar boasting of its ability to enhance performance. You can find a bar for every diet style: Low-card, kosher, vegan, organic - and for every exercise need - pre-exercise fuel, recovery, muscle growth.

But do you need them?

You can spend a small fortune on these pre-wrapped bundles of energy, thinking they offer magic ingredients. “Energy” simply means “calories” and not “will make you feel more energetic.” No research proves that a specific brand of energy bar contributes to performance enhancements beyond that found in the energy from oranges, Wheaties and even chocolate bars.

Granted, the wholesome bars made from real oats, nuts and fruits (such as Cliff bar, Powerbar Harvest) are nutritionally preferable to chocolate bars. But do you really believe a Marathon bar or Detour bar is any more than glorified candy?

These are pros and cons of energy bars that can help you decide how much (if any) of your food budget you want to dedicate to these popular snacks.

€ Energy bars are ready and waiting to be consumed. No mess, no preparation, no refrigeration. In today's eat-and-run society, an energy bar suits the needs for many hungry athletes who seek a hassle-free, somewhat-nutritious alternative to vending machine snacks or a missed meal.

€ Energy bars are portable. You can easily tuck these compact and lightweight bars into a pocket or gym bag for preplanned food before, during and after a workout. The bars don't crumble, but take heed: Some melt in the heat, or become unchewable in the cold.

€ Energy bars facilitate pre-exercise eating. The energy bar industry has done an excellent job of educating us that pre-exercise fuel is important for optimizing stamina and endurance. The associated energy boost likely does not result from magic ingredients (chromium, antioxidants) but from eating 200 to 300 calories. These calories (which usually include some form of sugar) clearly fuel you better than the zero calories. But note that calories from tried-and-true graham crackers, bananas and granola bars are also effective pre-exercise energizers.

€ Instead of relying solely on the carbs in your pasta dinner the night before a hard workout, you can stay well fueled during the session by consuming about 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per hour. This comes to 200 to 300 calories for most athletes - exactly what an energy bar offers. Just be sure to drink plenty of water. Your body needs both fuel and fluid to perform well!

€ While the “all-natural” and “organic” energy bars have no additives, they also have no vitamins and minerals added to them. This means they tend to smell and taste better than the fortified brands. But they lack the nutritious boost that can help athletes who, let's say, avoid red meats and have an otherwise low intake of iron (needed to prevent anemia) and zinc (enhances healing). A simple compromise is to enjoy a variety of energy bars.

So, what it boils down to is, if you have the time to make a nutritious, healthy meal, this seems to be the best and cheapest option. But, if you must consume a fast breakfast, lunch or dinner, energy bars may be the way to go!

Amanda Armstrong is available for sports nutrition education, including specialization in teaching active people how to fuel themselves for sports performance, good health and weight management. She can be reached at 601-616-0857.

        

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