Look for a bar with less than 30 percent of total calories from fat and no more than 5 grams of fat per bar. If you're watching calories, choose bars with less than 200 calories. Either probably works as long as fiber is included in the mix. In the five bars recently evaluated, fiber content varied from zero to 5 grams per bar. Look for a bar that provides at least 3 grams of fiber per bar.
Protein is in and newer bars are packing plenty of it.
In the five bars examined, protein content ranged from 6 to 16 grams per bar. All were within the upper level often recommended for a sports bar of no more than 20 grams or 30 percent of total calories from protein. While you may argue that you could just as easily take a vitamin-mineral supplement, as long as the fortification level doesn't exceed 100 percent of daily recommendations and you don't eat too many sports bars in a day, the extra vitamins and minerals probably aren't an issue. As for herbs, bee pollen and other special ingredients that may be added to bars, the amount added generally isn't enough to have a positive or negative effect. And, they alone won't make you leaner, stronger or faster.