Here’s the Right Time to Eat Energy Bars to Actually Fuel Your Runs

Plus, if you pledge to consume one before your workout, KIND Snacks
will give you $100. It’s that easy.
By Danielle Zickl
Oct 27, 2020

when to eat energy bars
Lakota Gambill
* On October 27, you can sign the KIND Snacks pledge to eat an
energy bar before a run or other workout.
* The first 1,000 people to sign the pledge will receive $100 from
KIND toward any fitness-related expenses through the end of the
year.
* Energy bars contain a high amount of carbs, which are ideal to
consume before a workout to properly fuel your efforts.
__________________________________________________________________

Think back to the last time you ate an energy bar. Chances are, you
were kind of hungry—but not hungry enough to eat a full meal—and
reached for one to have as a snack. However, these types of bars
are generally better suited for munching on before a workout to
properly fuel you through it.

But if you’re a little lax about when you eat energy bars, that’s okay!
You’re not alone. According to KIND Snacks, 75 percent of people don’t
eat them at the right time—but the brand is on a mission to change this
stat.

Join Runner’s World+ for more nutrition tips to boost your
performance!

That’s why, for today only, KIND is paying people $100 who pledge to
eat any type of energy bar—KIND, Clif, Honey Stinger, or any of your
other favorites—before a workout as an incentive to eat them as they’re
intended.

All you have to do is sign the pledge. The first 1,000 people to do
so will be asked to submit a receipt or photo of their chosen energy
bar. Those people will then receive $100 toward any fitness-related
expenses through the end of the year.

But back to the nutrition facts on energy bars: How exactly can they
help fuel your workouts?

“Energy bars are typically higher in calories and carbohydrates than
the traditional protein bar,” Natalie Rizzo, M.S., R.D., owner of
Nutrition a la Natalie, told Runner’s World. “For example, the KIND
Energy Bars have 230 calories with oats as the first ingredients. Oats
provide complex carbs, which take a while to digest and provide the
body with sustained energy throughout your workout.”
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Rizzo recommends eating an energy bar with complex carbs about an hour
before exercise because of the fact that they take longer to digest
than a simple carb (something made with white flour). Amy Goodson,
M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, adds
that if you’re consuming an energy bar immediately before a run,
something with simple, easily digestible carbs is ideal.

However, according to Goodson, there are some instances where it may be
okay to have an energy bar when you’re not getting ready for a run. You
just have to make sure it has all three macronutrients: carbs,
protein, and fat.

“If you are eating an energy bar for a mid-morning or afternoon snack,
then finding a bar with a good ratio of carbohydrates—ideally with
fiber—protein, and fat is ideal to help you feel full and stabilize
energy levels in the few hours after eating it,” she told Runner’s
World.

Rizzo agrees.

“For snacking while out and about, I generally recommend something that
is higher in protein and healthy fats—those two nutrients satisfy
hunger and keep you full in between meals,” she said. “I generally
wouldn’t recommend eating an energy bar as a snack when you’re not
working out, unless you don’t have time to eat a full meal. In that
circumstance, an energy bar can get some nutrients into your system to
give you sustained energy to make it through the day.”
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Rizzo recommends looking for a bar whose ingredients you know and
understand, as opposed to additives like artificial sweeteners and oil
blends.

“Some sugar is okay, but I would prefer it’s not the first
ingredient,” she said.
Danielle Zickl Associate Health & Fitness Editor Danielle
specializes in interpreting and reporting the latest health research
and also writes and edits in-depth service pieces about fitness,
training, and nutrition.
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