Atkins Advantage Bars – Are They Really Healthy?

The Atkins diet has become one of the most popular low carb diet plans for today's hopeful dieter, a high protein plan that encourages strict control of carbohydrates and sugar. Atkins Advantage Bars are just one of the dozens of supplements available under the Atkins brand name, and are a high protein bar that can be eaten as a snack, or mini meal replacement. The tantalizing flavors such as Chocolate Peanut nougat and Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch seem like the perfect match for any dieter with a sweet tooth; but are these bars really healthy? Can they effectively replace a meal?

Atkins Advantage Bars - The Flavors

There are four different types available:

• Atkins Advantage Original

• Atkins Advantage Granola

• Atkins Advantage Caramel

• Atkins Advantage Morning

Each one contains 220-230 calories, depending on the type of bar and flavor. All products are made with soy protein, milk derivatives, malitol (for sweetness), and various flavorings and are available in tempting flavors such as:

• Chocolate Coconut

• Peanut Butter

• Chocolate Chip Crisp

• Cinnamon Bun

• Almond Brownie

• Peanut Fudge

The key benefit of Atkins Advantage Bars is the low glycemic index of the ingredients; since the bars are not made with real sugar, they will not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Maintaining steady blood sugar levels is necessary in order to lose weight, and eating small meals throughout the day - especially those high in protein - is the simplest way to achieve this.

Drawbacks of Atkins Advantage

Even though Atkins Advantage Bars do not affect blood sugar levels like other snack foods and sugary meal replacement products, they do not contain many nutritious ingredients. Atkins Advantage Bars do not contain a significant amount of whole grains or other natural foods that can be processed by the body quickly; eating wholesome, and even raw foods provides nutrients and fiber that can be absorbed easily. Unfortunately, Atkins Advantage Bars contains dozens of additives and chemicals that negate any traces of oats, nuts, and seeds.

To compensate for the ‘cardboard' taste of protein bars and chalky or tasteless soy protein, Atkins Advantage Bars are made to be much sweeter than other bars on the market; the high level of sweetness can be too much for some people.

Bottom Line: Meal replacement bars are an especially popular choice for many dieters who don't want to prepare specialty meals in the perfect caloric and nutrient proportions. Atkins Advantage Bars offer one solution for Atkins dieters - or anyone interested in a high protein diet, low carb diet. However, they are still a highly processed food that contain a significant amount of malitol for sweetness; the extra additives and chemicals in these bars may not be the healthiest choice for dieters looking for a ‘clean' and wholesome diet.

Protein bars, weight loss shakes, and dozens of other supplements may help some people reach their weight loss goals, but few dieters realize how unhealthy some of these meal replacements and snacks really are. Eating as many natural foods as possible provides much more nutrition and health benefits for a healthy lifestyle.