Energy Bar

Energy bar is a bar containing cereals and other high-energy providing foods. People who require quick energy consume these. People who lack time to consume proper meals also take these. Athletes popularly consume energy bars. Those who are on weight-loss diets prefer intake of energy bars. They are easy to store, travel and eat. Energy bar is highly nutritional and good for ones’ health. They are very different from energy drinks, as it does not contain caffeine in it. Most energy bar recipe provides food energy. They have varied names in varied locations like cereal bar, snack bar, oat bar, muesli bar, granola bar and breakfast bar.

 

 


ORIGIN OF ENERGY BAR
Space Food Stick, which was created by Pillsbury Company in the late 1960s, was the first energy bar. It was popular in the American marketplace. Robert Muller, who was the inventor of HACCP standards, developed Space Food Sticks. Retro future Products in Washington is currently making them.

 

 


ENERGY BAR RECIPE- COMMONLY SUGGESTED INGREDIENTS AND PREPARATION OVERVIEW
The basic ingredients in energy bar are butter or margarine, sugar, honey, egg, raisins, whole-wheat flour, molasses, dry milk, almonds, oats, ginger, table salt, baking soda and baking powder. For preparing this recipe, the initial step is to chop the raisins. Then, cream, butter, sugar, molasses and egg are mixed together. The flour, wheat germ, dry milk, baking soda and baking powder are sieved together. Salt and ginger are added. The cream mixture is blended with the skimmed milk. Oats, raisins and almonds are stirred into the mixture. The prepared mix is emptied into a greased pan. It is spread evenly. The mixture is baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. The pan is cooled and pieces of energy bar are cut. Cocoa powder and spirulina may be added on top. Finally, it is misted with water and is allowed to dry.

 

 


VARIETIES OF ENERGY BAR
There are several varieties of energy bar recipe like wholesome hemp, honey and oat, fruit filled, peanut butter and raisin, berry and oat, rice crisp cereal, fig and walnut, chocolate cinnamon, raisin banana, etc.

 

 


HEALTH FACTS OF ENERGY BAR
Energy bar provides physical energy to the body. Most of the recipe contains added vitamins. It supplies high content of energy, calories, fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Roughage is usually, added to an energy bar to slow the mechanism of glucose absorption. Energy bar recipe is of various type- high protein, meal replacement, snack, sports, power, soy, organic, high carbohydrate, etc. There are varieties of flavors like peanut butter, chocolate or fruits. Most of the recipe contains sodium, minerals and saturated fats. Energy bars, which are rich in carbohydrate content, serve for instant energy whereas; those, which are rich in proteins, serve for muscle repairing. Advantages of energy bar include easy storage, no need of refrigeration, quick energy supply. Apart from the advantages, energy bar recipe also has certain drawbacks. Energy bars may be expensive depending on the brand of the bar. They are not always healthy to be substituted for a meal, as it does not contain natural fibers like phytochemical and bioflavonoid, which are found in fruits and vegetables. The average water content in an energy bar is low. Some energy bars contains caffeine and hence, are to be avoided. The fat content can be very high in some energy bars and should be avoided by people suffering from obesity.