How to Choose the Right Energy Bar

Read the label, but don’t obsess. Credit: pthread1981, Flickr

3. Don’t get too hung up on the sugar, calorie or carbohydrate content. If you’ve done your back-of-the-label research and know that what you’re eating is as un-junked as possible, don’t stress: the fat/sugar/carb content will work itself out. Sure, the LARABAR mentioned above contains two more grams of sugar than the Special K bar, but those grams come straight from real fruit, meaning they won’t send your blood sugar level on a roller coaster ride. To add the flavor back from the low sugar and calorie content, though, Special K’s got 160 milligrams of sodium (!) hiding in their product. LARABAR? They’ve got 15.

Bottom line: Keep it simple, ignore over-the-top packaging and don’t freak out over calorie-counting. And do tell — what’s your favorite way to a good pre-workout energy boost? —Claire Suellentrop