Clyde, The Almond Raisin Hammer Bar works really well for me, either on rides or recovery. It's also very easy to eat and chew and has an inoffensive flavor too. The ingredients seem to be quite healthy. I'm interested in your take on it. Lloyd
Almond Raisin Hammer Bar: Nutrition Facts
Calories 220, Total Fat 9 g, Sat. Fat 1 g, Trans Fatty Acids 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 18 mg, Total Carb 25 g, Total Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugars 15 g, Protein 10 g
Certified Organic Ingredients: Organic Almond Butter, Organic Date Paste, Organic Agave Nectar, Organic Brown Rice Protein, Organic Bio SproutsTM - Flax, Organic Bio SproutsTM - Quinoa, Organic Raisins, Organic Sesame Seeds
Advertising for Hammer Bar at Hammer's web site:
"If you want an energy bar that tastes great, is easy to digest and is made from wholesome ingredients, then our new Hammer Bar is just what you’ve been waiting for. Hammer Bar is loaded with healthy, non GMO, energy-producing organic ingredients with no added refined sugars. Plus it carries USDA organic, non-dairy kosher and vegan (Almond Raisin) certifications. The tasty Hammer Bars are perfect as a pre-race meal, post workout recovery food or healthy snack anytime. They can also be used to complement your liquid fueling regimen for extended exercise periods. Try a sample of each flavor, we guarantee Hammer Bar will be your new favorite."
ANSWER: The fat content is from almonds, flax and sesame seeds and constitutes roughly 36% of the calories in the bar. Those are excellent sources of fat and a very good total amount of fat. The protein content is from the rice protein extract and quinoa and constitutes 18% of the calories in the bar, but the bioavailability of the protein from the rice is only about 50%. However, this is not an issue since anything over 10% bioavailable protein is fine. Everything looks good so far. Sadly, this is where things go South. The sugars are from date paste, agave nectar and raisins. In other words, dried fruit and agave (liquid sugar, similar to honey) that digests quickly and fuels the liver as much as it fuels muscle. Performance is about muscle fueling and, to a much lesser extent, some liver fueling for the long haul. As it is, this bar will increase body fat when used as a regular snack and does not fuel muscle well. However, this bar is much better than many of the bars on the market (which is not saying much). I got a free Hammer Bar at an event a couple months ago and tried it. I thought it tasted very good, but (because my diet is good and therefore am very sensitive to sugar uptake) felt reduced mental focus ten minutes after eating just one half of the bar. I would have expected that if I had eaten the entire bar, but not for half. Clearly, at least for me, the rate at which the sugars entered the bloodstream was too fast. The protein and healthy fats do not slow down digestion enough to compensate for the sugar. Note that even an athlete who does NOT feel reduced mental focus could easily have reduced blood sugar after their sugar and insulin spike from eating this bar. Scientific studies looking at performance variation routinely show athletes not noticing their reduced performance because their greater pain levels with lower blood sugar actually makes them think they are able to "work harder" when actually the pain indicates exactly what pain is supposed to indicate: They are struggling more to keep up with a performance level they are used to. If I were you, I would eat this bar in thirds and always with a couple whole grain crackers or half a slice of whole grain bread so that you are providing at least some benefit to your muscles.
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