If refined sugars are the first or second ingredient, it is not a good choice. The refined sugars, Sucrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and chocolate are frequently found high on the list. Many bars are nothing more than ordinary candy bars with protein powder added in. Another ingredient to be on the lookout for is saturated fat. The total fat grams, however, is not as important as the type of fat used.
Some bars derive their fat from peanut butter, which is fine in small amounts.
Unfortunately, others use hydrogenated oils and tropical oils such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil. When choosing a bar you should also look at the total calories and the carb to protein ratio. There are several different types of bars available, including energy bars, protein bars and meal replacement bars. The ratio of nutrients in each type can vary greatly. A meal replacement bar is usually around 300 calories with a ratio of one part protein to two parts carbs.