With many different sports nutrition bars available on the market, it can be difficult to choose the best bar for you and your sport! We've broken down the world of bars into bitesize info to help you pick the best sports nutrition bar for you.
What are sports nutrition bars and why do I need them?
Sports nutrition bars have been designed to give your body what it needs when you're exercising, helping you to perform better. During exercise, your body needs carbohydrates to fuel muscles and protein to maintain muscles after exercise and sports nutrition bars are a convenient way to do one or both of these things.
Bars are a popular choice as they're more like real food. Drinks and gels also do the same job, it just depends which format you prefer. Typically bars will take longer to digest so often people combine bars, drinks and gels. This also means you can look forward to different flavours and textures when training so no chance you will get bored!
What kind of nutrition bars are there?
Typically nutrition bars can be broken down into three categories:
1. Energy: Energy bars are carbohydrate based to fuel your muscles and workout.
2. Recovery: Recovery bars are carbohydrate and protein based to help your muscles repair and recover after exercise.
3. Protein: Protein bars are unsurprisingly protein based. As an essential macronutrient and key to muscle growth and maintenance, protein bars can be used as a snack as an easy way of topping up your daily protein levels allowing you to grow muscles or keep you fuller for longer.
When should I take a nutrition bar?
There are no hard and fast rules and all nutrition bars can be used as a snack throughout the day, but generally this is our recommendation:
Energy bars are designed to fuel your muscles during exercise or sport so it makes sense to take these before and/or during your training. You can also find energy bars with protein to allow you to 'get ahead' on your muscle recovery and to keep you going until your next meal.
Recovery Bars will help your muscles repair and recover after exercise. It's important to do this quickly - ideally within 30 minutes after exercise. As a convenient format, Recovery Bars are a great way to give your body what it needs without any prep or cooking!
Protein Bars can be used as a snack throughout the day to 'top up' protein levels or help with the growth and maintenance of muscles.
What HIGH5 Bars are there?
At HIGH5 we offer four different types of bars Energy Bar, Slow-Release Energy Bar, Energy Bar with Protein and Recovery Bar. We’re sure to have one that will work for you! We’ve broken down our range of bars below to help you pick the best one to support your training...
What is a Energy Bar?
These bars have been designed for sport use; anyone who exercises need to take on energy during training as our muscles can only store enough for around 90 minutes of exercise! A convenient way to top up your energy sources is with an Energy Bar…
Energy Bar is a natural mix of real fruits and grains to provide a great-tasting balance of simple and complex carbohydrates for your training and racing. It can also be used as a healthy snack throughout the day.
So, as well as tasting ridiculously good, they are easy to chew, not too sweet and provide one of your 5-a-day! It’s also great as part of a carbo-loading diet. They have been designed to taken BEFORE and DURING exercise or as part of an active lifestyle.
Available in 6 delicious flavours including Berry and Caramel! You can buy them in a pack of 25, or if you want to just try one, they are now available in singles here!
What do people think of them?
"HIGH5's energy bars are easy to unwrap and chew, they're tasty and they work for me when I need to top up on food mid-ride. I bought a box of the banana flavour and I tuck a couple into my jersey pocket with a couple of gels knowing that I've got fuelling covered. Nicer and easier to take on board than many others I've tried." Jonathan.
What is a Energy Bar with Protein?
If you are looking for an energy boost, plus a protein top up this is the bar for you! This all-in-one sports bar has been scientifically formulated with a blend of natural carbohydrates and plant-based pea protein to help you stay energised during training but also promote the growth and recovery of your muscles.
With a mix of real fruits, nuts and seeds, Energy Bar with Protein is the optimal great-tasting balance of ingredients for any training session or active lifestyle. This bar fits right in your jersey pocket for the perfect snack.
Energy Bar with Protein has been formulated with pea protein (making it suitable for Vegans), which has all the essential and branched chain amino acids your body needs but cannot create itself. This bar has been designed to be taken BEFORE and DURING exercise or as part of an active lifestyle.
They are available in two tasty flavours Cacao & Raspberry and Banana & Peanut.
What do people think of them?
"Great-tasting and easy to digest protein bar!" Alex. "Love these bars! Very good snack to have after training." Riaan.
What is a Slow-Release Energy Bar?
Now this is where it can get more technical... Our Slow Release Energy Bar slowly provides your muscles with energy. It contains Isomaltose, a slowly digested low GI carbohydrate, which will provide you with a stable and sustained energy supply for longer lasting fuel during sport.
This avoids spiking blood sugar levels and the insulin response that comes with other sugar-containing products.
The Slow Release Energy Bar made with dried fruit, oats, nuts and seeds has also been enhanced with Ocean Minerals. This bar is designed to be taken BEFORE and DURING exercise with our most advanced electrolyte complex ever. Providing you with an invigorating hit of magnesium and over 70 minerals and trace elements, to help you balance your electrolytes during training.
Now just because its ‘slow release’ doesn’t mean you can’t use it for short high-intensity exercises! You just need to be clever with your timings… Before an event or competition, you can pre-load your muscles by taking a Slow Release Energy Bar 90 – 120 minutes BEFORE the start. This will keep your energy stores filled for when you need it most!
However, if you are after a quick energy fix you should take fast-releasing energy products to provide you with a quicker energy boost – Such as Energy Bar or Energy Bar with Protein.
If you are doing a longer event or race, you can use our Slow Release Energy Bar early on before switching to fast-release energy products during the latter stages - when the intensity is higher!
Our Slow Release Energy Bar is available in two fruity flavours – Blueberry & Raspberry and Apricot!
What do people think of them?
"First time buying these bars, they taste great and they do exactly what they were made to do and this is to slow release energy whenever it is needed most." Brian.
"Excellent for my rides our and also used for my triathlon event. Easily eaten and most of all, tasty!" Dave.
What is a Recovery Bar?
Recovery Bar has been designed to be consumed after exercise, it is a convenient source of Protein and Carbohydrates. With a light texture and great taste, making it easy to eat after a tough training session.
Muscles can become sore and stiff when they are stressed during exercise. Normally, during exercise your muscle carbohydrate stores will deplete which can impair muscle function resulting in fatigue and reduced exercise performance.
The unique forms of protein and carbohydrate in Recovery Bar were scientifically formulated to ensure you recover AFTER intense long-lasting exercise and turn up ready to perform at your next training session.
Scientifically formulated with a blend of 14g of protein and 23g of carbs to promote recovery of normal muscle function after exercise and contribute to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass.
Available in two easy-to-digest flavours: Chocolate and Banana & Vanilla.
What do people think of them?
"The chocolate recovery bar is very satisfying after a ride, easy to chew and a nice flavour you actually look forward to is as opposed to other bars on the market." Chris.
"Tastes like what you need after a big effort!" Mr Balmer.
The bottom line?
- Just after some extra energy to get to the finish line? Energy Bar is the one for you! Plus they are now available as single bars for you to try.
- Looking to increase your protein intake levels at the same time? Meet Energy Bar with Protein!
- Are you partaking in a longer race/training session? Slow and steady wins the race here – Slow-release Energy Bar is what you need!
- Done all the above, reaped the rewards and now feeling sore? Recovery bar will be your best friend!
With a bar out there for every occasion, savour every mile of your sport with HIGH5.
👉 Shop now and get 25%* off all bars using code: ENERGYBAR at checkout
*Not valid in conjunction with other coupon codes or offers.