A Healthy Meal Replacement Bar

Over the past several years, I have been looking for a healthy meal replacement bar. None of the mainstream bars have made the cut. The others have been too expensive or too "something," so I have done the best I can.

In general, whole foods are always better than supplements, but sometimes it's hard to get in a meal on the run. This is when a good bar can come in handy.

My criteria have been "real" protein, not soy or hydrolyzed collagen (cow hooves), low glycemic carbs, and healthy fats. I also want at least five grams of fiber and not at a bunch of added vitamins.

For the first time, such a bar exists.

The new VPX Zero Impact High Protein Meal Bar (pumpkin supreme) is the holy grail of mainstream protein/meal replacement bars.

"Every effort has been made to make sure that the sugars contained in this bar have a minimal impact on blood sugar and insulin. Consequently, the majority of sugars contained in the ZERO IMPACT High Protein, Meal Replacement Bar are low DE (Dextrose Equivalent) and, therefore, have significantly less impact on blood sugar and glycemic index than most whole grain carbohydrates. This innovation incorporates the use of low glycemic carbohydrates, fiber, high-grade proteins, and naturally occurring essential fats from nuts, seeds, milk proteins and grains. The ZERO IMPACT BAR also contains CLA and Sesamin to maintain healthy blood sugar and insulin levels and reduce body fat.

Here is the ingredient list for the pumpkin supreme flavor (the healthier looking one of four flavors) - there is no CLA in this bar, but that's cool, almond and sunflower butters are great:

Pumpkin Supreme Ingredients:
Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Natural Almond Butter, Natural Sunflower Butter, Semisweet Chocolate, Purified Water, Glycerin, Brown Rice Syrup, Erythritol, Pumpkin, Rolled Oats, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Lecithin, Potassium Sorbate, Salt, Sweet Potato, Mixed Tocopherols, Xanthan Gum.

Calories - 440
Calories from Fat: 176
Total Fat: 20g - 30%
Saturated Fat: 4g - 20%
Trans fat: 0g - 0%
Cholesterol: 2mg - 1%
Sodium: 212mg - 9%
Potassium: 40mg - 1%
Total Carbohydrates: 35g - 12%
Dietary Fiber: 5g - 18%
Sugars: 6g - %
Protein: 30g - 59%
Vitamin E: - 0%
Calcium: - 19%
Potassium: - 1%
Iron: - 5%

The other three flavors are not as healthy in my opinion (they have hydrolyzed collagen and corn syrup, among other things).

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ingredients:
Proprietary Protein Matrix (Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Micellean® Micellar Casein Protein), Proprietary Fat Burning & Healthy Fat Matrix (Almond Butter, Sunflower Butter, CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), SesaTrim™(Sesame Oil Extract)), Peanut Butter, Purified Water, Low DE (Dextrose Equivalent) Corn Syrup, Semisweet Chocolate, 99.7 USP Glycerin, Inulin, Honey, Calcium Caseinate, Erythritol, Hydrolyzed Collagen (Full Spectrum Amino Acids), Pumpkin Powder, Brown Rice Syrup, Rolled Oats, Natural and Artifical Flavor, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Ester and Monoglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Salt, Sweet Potato Powder, Lecithin, Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ingredients:
Proprietary Protein Matrix (Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Micellean® Micellar Casein Protein), Calcium Caseinate, Hydrolyzed Collagen (Full Spectrum Amino Acids), Peanut Butter, Proprietary Fat Burning & Healthy Fat Matrix (Sunflower Butter, Almond Butter, CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), SesaTrim™ (Sesame Oil Extract)), Purified Water, Low DE (Dextrose Equivalent) Corn Syrup, Semisweet Chocolate, 99.7 USP Glycerin, Inulin, Honey, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Erythritol, Pumpkin Powder, Xanthan Gum, Brown Rice Syrup, Rolled Oats, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Ester and Monoglycerides, Potassium Sorbate, Salt, Sweet Potato Powder, Lecithin, Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid.

Roasted Coconut Ingredients:
Proprietary Protein Matrix (Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Micellean® Micellar Casein Protein), Calcium Caseinate, Proprietary Fat Burning & Healthy Fat Matrix (Sunflower Butter, Almond Butter, CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), SesaTrim™ (Sesame Oil Extract)), Purified Water, Low DE (Dextrose Equivalent) Corn Syrup, 99.7 USP Glycerin, Inulin, Honey, Erythritol, Brown Rice Syrup, Pumpkin Powder, Semisweet Chocolate, Toasted Sweet Coconut, Rolled Oats, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Sweet Potato Powder, Salt, Lecithin, Mixed Tocopherols, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid.

At Amazon, 12 bars are only $25.85 - at my gym they retail at $3.00 each.

Tags: nutrition, health, fitness, meal replacement bars, VPX, Zero Impact, High Protein, Meal Bar, pumpkin supreme