Do protein bars keep you full?

mandi78 · 02-10-2008, 04:21 AM

I ate a protein bar for breakfast this morning and was STARVING less than 2 hours later. Do protein bars keep you all full? I know I have good restriction now and I didn't drink after I ate it. I'm just wondering what the deal was. It was one of those slim fast protein meal bars.

***Susan*** · 02-10-2008, 03:44 PM

I don't know if this counts as a protein bar, but I usually have a slimfast bar for breakfast around 7:30 a.m. It keeps me full until I go to lunch at noon.

socalgal3 · 02-10-2008, 04:03 PM

How many grams of protein were in the bar? I usually have one and it holds me til lunch. I've been eating a Pria bar with 11 grams of protein. I also get the Pure Protein bars sometimes and they have more protein.

GayleTX · 02-10-2008, 04:07 PM

The Slim Fast protein bar (at least the one I looked at) is not really a good choice for weight loss.......it has 20 total grams of carbs (18 net carbs) in it!! And that's half of what we should have in a whole day. The sugar and the carbs cause a quick rise in blood sugar....... then a quick fall - and when it does it gives us a feeling like we are hungry.

Look for a protein bar that has very few carbs in it and lots of chewiness to it......it'll be better for your body and keep you full for a while. My favorite is Rock n Roll bar.....tastes similar to a PayDay candy bar - lots of peanuts and chewy center....it has 25 carbs but only 2-9 net carbs (and that's what we have to look at).

TerriDoodle · 02-10-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GayleTX

The Slim Fast protein bar (at least the one I looked at) is not really a good choice for weight loss.......it has 20 total grams of carbs (18 net carbs) in it!! And that's half of what we should have in a whole day. The sugar and the carbs cause a quick rise in blood sugar....... then a quick fall - and when it does it gives us a feeling like we are hungry.

Look for a protein bar that has very few carbs in it and lots of chewiness to it......it'll be better for your body and keep you full for a while. My favorite is Rock n Roll bar.....tastes similar to a PayDay candy bar - lots of peanuts and chewy center....it has 25 carbs but only 2-9 net carbs (and that's what we have to look at).

Gayle, not every doctor recommends such low carb levels. Mine recommends up to 75/day, ideally.

That being said, some people are more sensitive to sugar and even artificial sweeteners, especially after a long fast, like overnight. Mandi, it could be that you just need a higher protein breakfast...and some good fiber as well...to stay satisfied throughout the morning. For example, I have cottage cheese, berries, a little Splenda and I sprinkle it with a bit of granola for fiber and crunch. Fresh foods are always a better choice than protein bars anyway.

TitanVA · 02-12-2008, 09:28 AM

As has been said it may be the type of bar. I do the pure protein bars as well as a few others and they fill me up, if I can even eat them all. The small Pure Protein bars have around 200 calories and 20 grams of protein. Don't remember carbs but it is low. I have found that the bars that are made of soy crisps( looks like a rice crispy treat) are not as filling and not as nutritional. The pure protein ones are like little gut busters. They sit with me for hours. Look at some of the online stores as well as walmart, you can usually find them for a little over a buck. It's all about experimenting until you find one that fills you up and tastes good.

Chris

**Jack** · 02-12-2008, 09:41 AM

I find occasional need to vary my breakfast from the usual Holy Shredded Wheat n Bran. Some days the HighPro liquid protein shake does the trick; some days I puree deli meat with LF yogurt; rarely such as very diced small chicken thigh w/some kind of slippery goo....

The crunchy protein bars generally don't last for me past a few hours. I am one who has to watch the high glycemic index and high carb content, as that typically generates more troubles regarding perceived hunger the rest of the day.

Sometimes I find no breakfast is in itself a treat, and at times enjoy waiting until lunch...ok, maybe 'an EARLY lunch'....

Routine and suitable breaks therein help continued vigilance in my own program.

"Balance Bars" of some varieties work better than others in keeping the Hunger Dragon at bay.

redd1733 · 02-12-2008, 05:58 PM

I am with you, they do not fill me up.

Wheetsin · 02-12-2008, 06:02 PM

I have a hard time with protein bars, so yeah - they fill me up because they usually take their time going down. When that happens, it's usually a good 6 - 10 hours before I feel hunger again.

evelas5000 · 02-12-2008, 06:26 PM

I havent checked the ingredient list on the slim fast protein bars, but I would guess that they have "high fructose corn syrup" in them. Countless studies have shown high fructose corn syrup to be an appetite stimulator. I would experiment with a "whole foods" type of protein bar, and see if that keeps you full longer.

Jachut · 02-12-2008, 06:56 PM

I really need protein AND carbs to keep me going - but good wholegrain low GI carbs, not sugary ones like you'd find in a processed bar. I could eat 3 of those things in a sitting, without a problem, the bulk of a grain food at breakfast fills me, and I add some protein for sticking power.

If I eat JUST protein - like 2 eggs - I'm starving in an hour, and if I eat JUST carbs, I get cravings mid morning. It takes both. Same with lunch, a sandwich involving wholegrain bread, a protein and some salad is probably the best meal to keep me going. I cant eat a lot of it, probably 2/3 of a sandwich. Or I make it open with one slice of bread.

I seem to be able to fit in a lot of volume and have ALWAYS been able to, but the types of food I choose are low calorie and keep me satisfied (for the most part, lol).

Just protein foods, its such a small volume of food that yes, I would be hungry. Even if you added a piece of fruit to that protein bar it would help.

REDGIRL · 02-13-2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jachut

I really need protein AND carbs to keep me going - but good wholegrain low GI carbs, not sugary ones like you'd find in a processed bar. I could eat 3 of those things in a sitting, without a problem, the bulk of a grain food at breakfast fills me, and I add some protein for sticking power.

If I eat JUST protein - like 2 eggs - I'm starving in an hour, and if I eat JUST carbs, I get cravings mid morning. It takes both. Same with lunch, a sandwich involving wholegrain bread, a protein and some salad is probably the best meal to keep me going. I cant eat a lot of it, probably 2/3 of a sandwich. Or I make it open with one slice of bread.

I seem to be able to fit in a lot of volume and have ALWAYS been able to, but the types of food I choose are low calorie and keep me satisfied (for the most part, lol).

Just protein foods, its such a small volume of food that yes, I would be hungry. Even if you added a piece of fruit to that protein bar it would help.

So what is a few breakfast ideas that you do?

Jachut · 02-13-2008, 05:28 PM

When I say protein, I dont mean 20 grams in a meal, but I cant get by on sugary cereal like Corn Flakes.

For breakfast this morning, I had a poached egg on a piece of wholegrain toast and a small glass of OJ. Yesterday I had oatmeal made with milk. I sprinkled some dried fruit and nut mix on top. I eat good organic bircher style muesli a lot for breakfast becuase it does contain a little protein, but mostly good, low GI carbs, and of course the milk or yogurt you add has protein.

I'm not a fan of cooked breakfasts like bacon and eggs, too much saturated fat and cholesterol, yuck.

I'm a carb eater though. I run a lot, I burn a lot of energy and I eat a lot for a bandster. As long as I avoid high GI sugary carbs I dont have a problem with managing my weight or with cravings. And I lost weight fine.

bigbaby · 02-13-2008, 05:53 PM

Try supreme protein bar--30grams of protein....taste like a really good candy bar!!!
Supreme Protein Bar $27.08

mandi78 · 02-13-2008, 07:49 PM

Redgirl-One of my new favorite breakfasts is greek yogurt with fruit and Grape Nuts Trail Mix Crunch cereal mixed in. It's very good.