In the article below you will find out, among others:
- Which bars have the least calories?
- What is the composition of the bars available in stores?
- Which bar to choose?
Selection of bars
Subjectively, the most popular and most easily available bars on the market (8 pieces) were selected for the ranking. There is no specific definition of a bar, so it is difficult to unequivocally assess whether a given product is a bar, wafer or other type of product. Products in the most popular flavors of a given bar (unlimited editions) and of normal size (there are no “big”, “XXL” editions or limited multi-packs in the list) were selected.
Which bar is the least caloric?
Assessment Criteria:
- calorific per one package (in the case of Bounty and Twix bars, there are 2 pieces in the package, in the case of other bars – 1 piece) – the lower the calorific value, the better,
- ingredient content that is from a dietary point of view raises little nutritional value of the product
- contents only per 1 package – the less salt the better
- Dinner – the lower the price for 1 package, the better
| Bounty | Snickers | Twix | Mars | Milky Way | Leo | 3Bit | Kit Kat | |
| Mass of the stone [g] | 57 (2 pcs) | 50 | 50 (2 pcs) | 47 | 21,5 | 42 | 41 | 40 |
| Energy value in 100 g [kcal] | 488 | 485 | 497 | 452 | 454 | 474 | 530 | 533 |
| Energy value of 1 package [kcal] | 278 | 243 | 248 | 212 | 98 | 199 | 215 | 213 |
| Salt content in 1 package [g] | 0,14 | 0,30 | 0,20 | 0,18 | 0,11 | 0,18 | No data | No data |
| An ingredient increasing the nutritional value | Coconut shrims | Peanuts | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Price [PLN] | 2,19* | 1,99** | 1,99** | 1,69* | 0,99** | 1,09* | 1,59* | 1,79* |
What is the composition of the bars?
Bounty
Ingredients: sugar, coconut flakes (21%), glucose syrup, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, skimmed milk powder, emulsifiers (soy lecithin, E471), lactose, milk fat, whey powder (from milk), humectant (glycerol), salt, natural vanilla extract.
Snickers
Ingredients: sugar, glucose syrup, peanuts, skimmed milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, palm fat, lactose, powdered whey (from milk), milk fat, salt, emulsifier (soy lecithin), powdered egg white, hydrolyzed milk protein, natural vanilla extract.
Twix
Ingredients: sugar, glucose syrup, wheat flour, palm fat, cocoa butter, skimmed milk powder, cocoa mass, milk fat, powdered whey (from milk), lactose, emulsifiers (soy lecithin, E442), salt, reduced-fat cocoa, raising agent (E500), natural vanilla extract.
Mars
Ingredients: sugar, glucose syrup, skimmed milk powder, cocoa butter, palm fat, cocoa mass, milk fat, lactose, whey powder (from milk), reduced fat cocoa, barley malt extract, salt, emulsifier (soy lecithin ), Egg White Powder, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Natural Vanilla Extract.
Milky Way
Ingredients: sugar, glucose syrup, skimmed milk powder, cocoa butter, palm fat, cocoa mass, milk fat, lactose, whey powder (from milk), barley malt extract, salt, emulsifier (soy lecithin), egg white powder , hydrolyzed milk protein, natural vanilla extract.
Leo
Ingredients: cocoa glaze 39,5% (sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable fat, whey powder, cocoa powder with reduced fat content, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), flavor), glucose syrup, sweetened condensed milk (milk, sugar), flour wheat, wheat flakes (wheat flour, sugar, wheat starch, raising agent (sodium bicarbonate), emulsifier (soy lecithin), salt, caramelized sugar), vegetable oil, sugar, stabilizer (glycerol), maltodextrin, powdered whey, glucose syrup -fructose, skimmed milk powder, salt, emulsifier (soy lecithin), raising agents (sodium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate), flavor, thickening agent (carrageenan).
3Bit
Ingredients: sugar, biscuit 13% [wheat flour, sugar, vegetable fat, powdered whey, glucose-fructose syrup, powdered whole milk, salt, raising agents (sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate), acidity regulator (citric acid)], skimmed milk powder (13,5% filling), vegetable fat, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, powdered whey, vegetable oil, milk fat, emulsifiers (soy lecithin), E476), aromas, salt.
Kit Kat
Ingredients: sugar, wheat flour, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, vegetable fat, powdered whey preparation, milk fat, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), aromas, salt, raising agent (sodium bicarbonate).
Which bar to choose?
Avg. Customer Review
It is worth noting that in the case of all bars, it is in the first place in the composition sugar in many forms (sugar, glucose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup) which means that there is the most of it in the product. This significantly affects the calorific value of sweets and their low nutritional value. There is also no shortage of them fat of various origins (palm, milk, cocoa fat), which is also a high-energy component. All this makes the excessive consumption of sweets one of the main causes of obesity and leads to the establishment of bad eating habits. In addition, each bar has an additive onlytoo much consumption of which adversely affects our health, as it may lead to the development of hypertension.
In the Healthy Nutrition Pyramid, according to the Food and Nutrition Institute, sweets have no place, and the Principles of Healthy Eating say that:
“Sugar does not provide any of the necessary nutrients, but is a source of ’empty’ calories. Products that provide “empty” calories should be understood as products which do not enrich the body with any nutrients, but only provide calories. Excessive consumption of simple sugars can lead to obesity. These products also play a large role in the formation of tooth decay. “
From a dietary point of view, having 1 package of the above-mentioned products to buy, it would be best to choose a bar Milky Waydue to the fact that it has the lowest calorific value. This is due to its low weight compared to other bars. Therefore, it also contains the least salt and is the cheapest. Calculated per 100 g, it would not be so good, but we assume that we will buy 1 standard-size packaging. A bar will also be a good choice Leo, whose calorific value in 1 piece is less than 200 kcal and the price of which is also more attractive compared to the others. The following places are followed by bars Mars, Kit Kat and 3Bit, the calorific value of which in 1 bar is similar (212-215 kcal) and the price (PLN 1,59-1,79). Next in the ranking are two bars in which it deserves attention more favorable composition. These are Snickersthat he has in him peanuts and Bounty, which contains coconut shrims. Both of these supplements can be considered a source of healthier fats as well as minerals and vitamins. Unfortunately, due to the weight of the package, these bars are more caloric than the others – so if we count each calorie, we can consider eating half of the package (in the case of Bounty it will be one of the two bars in the package, and in the case of Snickers – half a bar). The last one in the ranking is Twix, the calorific value of which is lower than that of Bounty only, and it does not contain an ingredient that would increase its nutritional value or a particularly attractive price.
* Prices from the Piotr i Paweł market on 08.10.2013.
** Prices from the Żabka store from 10.10.2013.
What’s your favorite bar? Do you often reach for them when you are hungry? Let me know in the comments!