Food Showdown: Which Energy Bar Should You Go Nuts For?

By , SparkPeople Blogger
Walk into any grocery store, and you'll find aisle after aisle of energy bars. Some claim that they will boost exercise performance, while others boast organic labels and all-natural ingredients. In recent years, energy bars made with a simple combination of fruits and nuts have become more popular. Larabar, an energy bar famous for its minimal ingredients list, has been around for years, boasting an array of flavors ranging from Carrot Cake to Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte. But now there's a new bar on the block: The Kit's Organic Fruit and Nut Bar from Clif, which also has a short, wholesome ingredients list. So what's the difference? Is one bar nutritionally better than the other? We're comparing the Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar with the Kit's Organic Peanut Butter Bar to find out!

The Winner: It's a Tie!
 
Both bars are made with fewer than five all-natural ingredients. The Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar contains peanuts, dates, and salt, while the Kit's Organic Peanut Butter Bar contains dates, peanuts, almonds, and salt. Neither bar contains any added sugars or flavorings, and they contain comparable amounts of calories, fat, fiber and protein. Either one of these bars would make a great alternative to a more processed energy bar.
 

Here is a side-by side comparison of the bars:
 
Larabar (from the Larabar website):


Kit's Organic Bar (from the Clif website):
A note to add: The Kit's Organic Peanut Butter Bar is 100% organic, while the Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar is not. However, that difference translates to a higher price for the Kit's Organic bar—about $.30 more per bar than the Larabar. You can also try making your own bars at home using one of these fruit and nut bar recipes!
 

Do you eat fruit and nut bars? What's your favorite flavor?