Clif Builders is the Clif model’s protein bar collection, with full-size bars (68 g per bar) and Minis (half a bar at 34 g per). The total bar offers 11 g of fats, 20 g of protein, and 29 g of carbohydrates. The flavour, consistency, and substances are sweet bar-like, which can concern health-conscious people. Learn on for full Clif Builders assessment.
Clif Bar and Firm is among the early manufacturers within the vitality bar business and is extensively credited for this gas format’s crossover into the on a regular basis snack market. Clif Bars have lengthy been a staple of our path working and out of doors experiences.
With a few huge objectives arising, I’ve ramped up coaching and have tried to be extra diligent with post-workout diet and protein consumption. So it’s nice timing to attempt the Clif Builders protein bar collection. The flavour chosen for this Clif Builders assessment is Chocolate Peanut Butter.
What’s Clif Builders?
Clif Builders is the Clif Bar model’s protein bars, with full-size bars (68 g per bar) and Minis (half a bar at 34 g per). They arrive in seven flavors primarily based on what’s out there within the firm’s on-line store.
Every CLIF Builders offers 20 g of protein. The bars include no trans-fat, no excessive fructose corn syrup, and no genetically engineered substances, based on Clif. They’re additionally kosher, gluten-free, and low glycemic, claimed the corporate.
What’s the dietary content material of Clif Builders?
Clif Builders Chocolate Peanut Butter is a 68 g protein bar with 290 energy. It offers 11 g of fats, of which 6 g are saturated fats, 20 g of protein, and 29 g of carbohydrates, of which 17 g are from sugars. It additionally incorporates a broad vary of micro-nutrients.
It’s a hearty bar that packs it in. The excessive content material of saturated fats and added sugar may concern extra health-conscious people.
Let’s take this chance to be taught a bit of extra about saturated fats.
What’s saturated fats?
Fats, together with protein and carbohydrates, are the three macronutrients the human physique makes use of within the largest quantity. There are three varieties of fat: saturated fats, unsaturated fats, and trans fats, all made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules.
Saturated fats is saturated with hydrogen molecules, which leads to it being stable at room temperature. Sources of saturated fat embody purple meat, dairy, and plant-based oils resembling coconut oil and palm oil.
Saturated fat are probably not as horrible or wholesome as proponents from either side made them out to be. Whereas research have linked saturated fats consumption to coronary heart ailments, they’re removed from conclusive.
Saturated fat are extensively used as an additive in junk meals for his or her preservative and stabilizing properties, contributing to their dangerous popularity. Nevertheless, additionally they exist in wholesome meals resembling cheese and complete milk. Like many meals, saturated fat are probably innocent when consumed moderately and should even present some well being advantages.
What are the substances of Clif Builders?
That’s an extended listing. Whereas I applaud that many substances are natural and Rainforest Alliance Licensed, some may be categorized as unhealthy. (We lately reviewed a Larabar, which solely incorporates two substances.)
I’m additionally curious how this bar may be marketed as low-glycemic since cane syrup, cane sugar, and brown rice syrup are the third, fourth, and fifth most plentiful substances.
A number of objects on the listing caught our eye:
- Palm kernel oil is excessive in saturated fats. Palm oil farming can also be one of many most environmentally harmful agricultural sectors.
- The vast majority of protein comes from soy protein isolate and soy protein. They’re plant-based proteins that could be superior to whey protein for pre-workout. Nevertheless, Clif Builders Chocolate Peanut Butter just isn’t vegan-friendly and geared toward post-workout restoration. One factor value mentioning is that the price of soy protein is considerably decrease than that of whey protein.
- Excessive oleic sunflower oil is a monounsaturated fats excessive in omega-9 and vitamin E. Potential advantages embody the discount of dangerous ldl cholesterol and optimistic results on cell and tissue well being.
- Chicory root syrup, because the title suggests, is extracted from chicory root. It’s a pure, low-glycemic sugar and should have intestine well being advantages.
What’s the style and consistency of Clif Builders?
Clif Builders Chocolate Peanut Butter is a sweet bar disguised as a protein bar. The style is much like many chocolate- and peanut butter-flavored snacks, so it’s wealthy and candy with 20 g of protein added.
I positioned one in my working belt for restoration instantly after a 15km run. The feel is excellent, not too chewy regardless of the chilly climate, and it held collectively nicely. The run and the stress from the belt didn’t crumble the bar.
Conclusion
Let’s get the dangerous out of the way in which. Clif Builders protein bars are in all probability not for you when you’re a well being nut. If it seems like a sweet bar, tastes like a sweet bar, and the ingredient listing is lengthy and sophisticated like a sweet bar, it’s just about a sweet bar.
The great factor is sweet bars normally style good. Clif Builders Chocolate Peanut Butter additionally packs 290 energy, 20 g of protein, and 29 g of carbohydrates in a compact kind issue. When going lengthy and arduous within the wild or after a troublesome session, one thing with a richer taste and offers a caloric punch just isn’t a nasty possibility.
Because of the substances used, we wouldn’t advocate Clif Builders as an on a regular basis snack for well being causes. However its sweet bar-like taste ought to hit the spot throughout numerous athletic excursions.
