How should I use the PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar?
The PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar was developed according to the needs of world class athletes and others who want a convenient, great tasting source of high quality protein. As with other PowerBar products, PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bar is a great addition to a healthy diet to help achieve optimal performance.
PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bar is designed for use before and/or after a workout to aid in muscle growth and recovery, and is also a convenient source of high quality protein to add to your overall diet. Protein is a vital nutrient in the diet and helps support muscle recovery after strenuous exercise. Consuming half of a bar before and half after working out, or a full serving after a workout, is ideal for jumpstarting the muscle-building process.
How much protein do I need after exercise?
Whether you’re an endurance athlete, play team sports, or strength train, protein after a workout can help you reach your training goals faster. Protein supplies necessary amino acids to help rebuild and repair muscle tissue. Although protein requirements may vary between individuals, for example due to differences in body size or activity level, in general look to consume a minimum of 15–25 grams of protein within an hour after exercise to maximize the muscle rebuilding process.
Why is consuming protein with carbohydrates important after exercise?
Protein is essential for muscle recovery following exercise. When you eat a combination of protein and carbohydrates, your body more effectively converts and stores the carbohydrate in the muscles as glycogen. Protein helps support muscle recovery and provides the building blocks necessary for muscles to grow stronger and handle the stress of future workouts.
The TriSource™ Protein Advantage
The PowerBar® TriSource™ protein blend is a combination of three protein sources; whey protein isolate, calcium caseinate, and soy protein isolate. As with other PowerBar products, we strive to make the highest quality products available to help athletes achieve their performance goals. We developed the PowerBar TriSource protein blend in PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars to be a high quality protein with a steady delivery of essential amino acids.
What are the nutritional advantages of PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars?
PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars are made with TriSource™ protein and feature 3.5 grams of the amino acid leucine, a key driver of muscle growth. PowerBar® TriSource™ protein is an exclusive blend of high quality whey, casein and soy proteins. Protein is essential to help repair, maintain and grow human tissues and muscles. Athletes generally require ~ 0.6–0.8 grams of protein per lb. (1.2–1.7 grams per kg) of body weight per day.
What are the protein sources in PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars?
The PowerBar® TriSource™ protein blend is a combination of three protein sources; whey protein isolate, calcium caseinate and soy protein isolate. As with other PowerBar products, we strive to make the highest quality products available to help athletes achieve their performance goals. We developed the TriSource™ protein blend in PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars to be a high quality protein source.
What other foods provide the level of high-quality protein equivalent to one PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar?
The following foods contain approximately the same amount of protein as one PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar:
• Chicken — 1 serving of chicken breast (4 oz)
• Milk — 4 cups of 2% milk
• Tuna — 1 serving of tuna (4.5 oz)
• Steak — 1 serving of porterhouse steak (5.2 oz)
• Eggs — 5 whole large eggs
What is leucine, and what are its benefits?
Leucine is one of the 20 different amino acids that occur naturally in foods. It is an essential amino acid, which simply means our bodies cannot produce it and we must get it from the foods we eat. Amino acids are the building blocks of all types of proteins. Leucine is classified as a branched chain amino acid, along with valine and isoleucine, and is a superstar when it comes to the process of muscle growth.
Recent research indicates that leucine is particularly effective at flipping the anabolic switch and promoting muscle protein synthesis and helping to prevent muscle breakdown. The new PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar takes advantage of this cutting-edge research by providing 30 grams of muscle-building protein, and 3.5 grams of leucine per bar. This will enable you to maximize your body's natural ability to get fitter and stronger with training.
Where does leucine come from?
Leucine is found mostly in high protein foods, such as eggs, meats, beans, milk and nuts. However, you would have to eat 7 large eggs (546 calories), 14 tablespoons of peanut butter (1316 calories) or almost 2 1/2 ground beef patties (481 calories), to get the same amount of leucine in one PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar ( 360 calories).
How much leucine do other protein bars have?
This would depend on their source of protein. In general soy protein isolate is about 7% leucine, while soy protein concentrate is 5% leucine. Whey protein offers about 10% leucine content. This means if you had a 100% soy protein bar, in order to get to 3.5 grams of leucine, your bar would have to provide a whopping 50–70 grams of protein!
If you had a bar with 100% Whey Protein Isolate, the bar would need to offer 35 grams of protein. Most bars have a proprietary blend of more than 1 protein source, so it is nearly impossible to tell how much leucine you are actually getting.
What are the benefits of leucine?
Recent research has shown this important essential amino acid is the key signaler in driving muscle growth. This means that you get more muscle building power when you take in foods with a higher leucine content.
References:
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 288: E645–E653, 2005 Combined ingestion of protein and free leucine with carbohydrate increases post exercise muscle protein synthesis in vivo in male subjects.
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2002,5:63–67. Control of protein synthesis by amino acid availability. 2002 Kimball, Jefferson
Amer Soc for Nutritional Sciences Signaling Pathways involved in Translational Control of Protein Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle by Leucine. Anthony, et al 2001
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 294: E392–E400, 2008 Leucine enriched essential amino acid and carbohydrate ingestion following resistance exercise enhances mTOR signaling and protein synthesis in human muscle.
Eur J Appl Physiol (2005) Effects of dietary leucine supplementation on exercise performance
I have food allergies. Can I eat PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars?
If you are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, soy, or gluten (from wheat flour, oats or malt) you should not eat PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars.
• Peanuts/Nuts: All PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars are made on equipment that processes products with peanuts and/or nuts. Some flavors contain either almond or peanut ingredients. So, if you have peanut or nut allergies, we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars.
• Milk: All PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars contain milk ingredients. If you have allergies to milk, we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars.
• Soy: All PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bar flavors contain soy ingredients. If allergic to soy, we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars.
• Eggs: All PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars do not contain egg ingredients.
• Gluten: Since our bars are made on equipment that also processes products with wheat, we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars if you are sensitive to gluten.
• Consult with your physician for more information on food allergies and intolerances.
Is PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar appropriate for diabetics?
PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars are used successfully by many diabetics. The PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars provide 2 carbohydrate exchanges, and 4 lean-protein exchanges as defined by the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association. As with any food item, it is important to review the carbohydrate content so you can factor this into how you manage your diabetes. Check with your health care professional for more information.
How should I store PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars?
PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars do not have to be refrigerated, but we recommend storing the bars in a cool, dry place. In general, it is best to store PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars between 40–80° F.
Storing a PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bar in areas where the temperature exceeds 80° F for an extended period of time will result in significant changes to the taste, texture, color, and coating of the product.
How long will my PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bars last?
Each PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar is stamped with a “best by” date. Although it is safe to eat PowerBar ProteinPlus 30g protein bars after this date, we recommend that you use them by the “best by” date to ensure you're enjoying the freshest product and receiving the full nutritional benefits of the product.