You Can’t Sit With Us: PROTEIN BARS

Protein bars make me wanna throw.

They’re SO misunderstood & SO freaking nasty.

People are like, “ya, look at me eating my protein bar, being all healthy & shit.”

I can’t deal.

Another highlight of my life? When people say “protein bars fill me up so I’m not hungry later. They’re the perfect snack.”

Gag me/yawn/barf.

Please: if you’re eating a brownie protein bar because you think you’re being healthy, just eat a damn brownie instead.

To any protein bar fans, I’m sorry. I’m also sorry if you’re deeply offended, but I gotta call it like I see it. ESP considering it’s a seven HUNDRED million bullshit industry.

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Ignorance may be bliss when you’re chowing down after a workout, munching on a Balance bar, feeling all proud of your ‘healthy,’ low-cal choice, because it’s so, totally convenient.

BUT {!!!}— here’s the deal: you might as well eat a Snicker’s.

Seriously.

I just don’t get it.

Why eat a bar filled with shit when you can grab a fresh pressed juice, a coupla hard boiled eggs, a handful of nuts, a big salad, or some fruit?

& if you don’t have time ( wah, wah, wah ), then plan ahead.

Like, don’t be lazy!!! It’s your health.

Ok, so let’s get down to nitty gritty. WTF’s actually in protein bars & why do I hate their chemical-y guts?

Welp, according the The Picky Eater:

“Soy protein isolate ( SPI ) is basically the isolated protein component from the soy bean. Creating SPI requires a heavily chemically engineered process to “isolate” that protein: the end result of which is a denatured protein that is stripped of all the nutrients ( fiber, minerals, complex carbs ) that the original bean contained.

Additionally, to isolate the soy protein, the soy beans are soaked and sprayed with chemicals like aluminum and hexane – which often leaves behind residue that you don’t want to be eating. Hexane is a neurotoxic petrochemical solvent that is listed as a hazardous air pollutant with the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ). The spray-drying method used for soy can also form nitrites – compounds that can form carcinogens in the body.

And if that’s not enough, SPI is always GMO ( remember this post on GMO’s? ) and filled with pesticides.

Lastly, SPI has a higher concentration of trypsin inhibitors – which are chemicals that reduce trypsin (an enzyme that helps digest protein) in the body.

So SPI may have started out as a plant, but once it gets to you, it’s far from it. The products that use SPI also have the craziest list of ingredients and are super processed themselves (methylcellulose, disodium inosinate, or niacinamide anyone?) – which is another reason to stay away from those products altogether. Remember if you can’t pronounce it, you probably don’t want to be eating it.

Some tips about SPI – it can be “hidden” under other names like:

+ textured vegetable protein ( TVP )
+ soy protein concentrate
+ Soya, Soja or Yuba
+ textured soy flour ( TSF )
+ textured soy protein ( TSP )

The Bottom Line: NEVER eat products containing soy protein isolate or any “terms” related to soy protein isolate in the list above. Read your ingredient lists carefully and stay away from products with long ingredient lists you can’t pronounce!”

{ Above info from The Picky Eater }

You guys wanted to know TSC’s take on protein powder, which I’ll def post soon ( < get excited, this is like a six page rant ), & lemme put it this way: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Ahhh, well jolly-G, I feel like a thousand pound weight’s been lifted off my shoulders from sharing my utter disgust towards protein bars.

So! Sorry Protein Bars- #youcantsitwithus.

x L

P.S. I’m not a bar fan in general, even a fruit/nut Lara bar. I’d rather just eat an apple.

{ Oh, & don’t believe me? Here’s some nasty-ass evidence: 1 // 2 — happy reading! }.