The levels of some ingredients like carbohydrates, sodium, and saturated fats in nutrition bars may exceed levels of what is stated on the product’s label, according to www.consumerlab.com
ConsumerLab.com licenses it’s flask-shaped “Seal of Approved Quality” to companies whose products pass testing and want to pay for use of the seal on their products.
60% of the bars tested did not meet their label.
ConsumerLab purchased 30 nutrition bars -- marketed as protein bars, meal replacement bars, diet bars, or energy bars – and analyzed each of the products for levels of calories, fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins, cholesterol, and sodium.
In their analysis, the company tested one sample of each product. Nutrition bars that failed any of the first rounds of tests were tested a second time before receiving an official fail rating.
Fifteen of the bars had more carbohydrates than stated on the label, with some bars having as much as 20 grams more than indicated. Several of these were marketed as “low-carb”. The difference in the amount of carbohydrates can come from manufacturers excluding the ingredient glycerin from the carbohydrate tally. Glycerin is a sweetener and moisture additive, and the Food and Drug Administration requires glycerin to be counted as a carbohydrate on the labels.
In addition to the carbohydrate findings, some of the nutrition bars’ sodium and saturated fat levels were as much as 2 to 3 times more than stated on the label, and many contained an average of 8grams more sugar.
In general, the amounts of protein, cholesterol, and calories were labeled accurately on the nutrition bars analyzed.
It is wise to recognize these nutrition bars should not be relied on as a major food source since they are highly processed foods. They can likely be used safely intermittently, but their long-term use should be discouraged.
Dr. Joseph Gitto
Advanced Chiropractic & Nutrition
331 Tilton Road, Northfield, NJ 08225
609-484-9300