Atkins bars

[not2late]

Granola Rocks!!! I love it ...Atkins bars taste like crap!!!! I am looking so forward to trying granola again!!!....I hate package foods I think that is my problem...other than my chocolate addictiion I just can not swallow the stuff anymore..I ate bars for years and then it was like over night I could taste the waxy coatings and all the crap they put in makes them vitaminy!...I am picky I guess...Never liked fast food either...but chocolate and marshmallows that kind of crap ...always called....I think that is why I keep testing these stupid bars to see if they would ever do it for me...and that was my last test ...The Atkins bar taught me a lesson ...I am still scraping my tongue!!!...

You described perfectly what that funky underlying taste is. The first time I ate an Advantage bar, I thought it had a slight alcohol aftertaste--yuck!

I never liked nutrition bars. I never liked nutritional shakes either. I used to drink Ensure and later Boost if I was really pressed for a meal, but they both tasted chalky and had a weird underlying taste too. They also left a funny coating on my tongue and mouth that took alot of toothbrushing to get rid of.

[LindaJay]

Sorry, I think all of the Atkins bars are awful (which helps me avoid them). I do keep the CarbWise Crunchy peanut butter bars on hand though. They have soy crisps in them, and I find them edible. I have tried just about every brand of low carb meal replacement bar out there since I travel and like to keep something on hand for emergencies -- but most of them are just too gross for the amount of calories, total carbs, sugar alchols, etc.

[Heidi3]

On my flight here they sold Atkins Bars on the plane!!!!...can you believe it....I asked the flight attendent "do people buy those???" she said they do but then they pick up the trash and there is barely a bite out of them and they toss them sometimes the bite is spit back into the package!!!...how do they make profit I imagine most folks will try them one time and that is it....but after a while word gets out ....bleeeech..... :vomit

[cnwade]

No offense or desire to insult the dead, but it was tasting some of the Atkins products that made me start to have some doubts about the good doctor.

All I could think is how can this guy's company sell this crap for crazy amounts of money and expect people to "convert" to Atkins as a way of life???...and then I remembered....people will buy anything they think will help them lose weight! Myself included . It's all about the Benjamins. I actually think more people would stay on Atkins or make the switch if some the meal replacements and "treats" didn't taste like crap and keep you on the toilet all day!

I hate pretty much all of the Atkins brand products with the exception of the frozen pizza and the quick muffin mixes.

I've tried a lot of the other bars out there and I've only found a couple I can actually eat and somewhat enjoy. The Carb Well cereal bars in Peanut Butter and Cinnamon Raisin are good (although my brother says they taste like fake sugar sweetened hay to him)

Russel Stover's stuff ain't bad either as well as Carb Well Oreos and snack cookies but its hard to stop at just one, so beware!

Then there's the splurge bars. No sugar alcohol or laxative effect and it tastes like REAL candy for the most part.

[Heidi3]

No offense or desire to insult the dead, but it was tasting some of the Atkins products that made me start to have some doubts about the good doctor.

All I could think is how can this guy's company sell this crap for crazy amounts of money and expect people to "convert" to Atkins as a way of life???...and then I remembered....people will buy anything they think will help them lose weight! Myself included . It's all about the Benjamins. I actually think more people would stay on Atkins or make the switch if some the meal replacements and "treats" didn't taste like crap and keep you on the toilet all day!

I hate pretty much all of the Atkins brand products with the exception of the frozen pizza and the quick muffin mixes.

I've tried a lot of the other bars out there and I've only found a couple I can actually eat and somewhat enjoy. The Carb Well cereal bars in Peanut Butter and Cinnamon Raisin are good (although my brother says they taste like fake sugar sweetened hay to him)

Russel Stover's stuff ain't bad either as well as Carb Well Oreos and snack cookies but its hard to stop at just one, so beware!

Then there's the splurge bars. No sugar alcohol or laxative effect and it tastes like REAL candy for the most part.

I agree most of the Atkins products I have tried are over priced as well as taste awful ...although I must admint I do not buy ANY prepackaged foods so I am not the expert on that kind of thing at all!...I think most prepackaged foods are pretty disgusting!...for some these appear to be a life saver!....I also think that if you look around on the board you will see several discussions that address the difference between Atkins himself and the "Atkins Nutritionals" ...they appear IMO to be worlds appart...I read DANDR and I happened to pick up a copy of latter book put out by Atkins Nutritional.(thank goodness on a used book table at my work for 50 cents.....kind of an in a nutshell version... that was an obnoxious comercial for Atkins products....I was appauled but not surprised.

Most people who end up doing this program successfully (as far as I can see)...do avoid all of the crapfoods, fake candy, ice cream .and the like... all together to get out of the mindset of "needing them" instead of trying to stomp out the craving they avoid them all together and then stomp out the cravings permanently!..

kind of like a campfire if you keep the coals smoldering it is going to flare back up again ...if you stomp it out completely it is not going to burn again!!!....

[KATZIIZ]

the only atkins bars i will touch are 2 of the Morning Start....Cinnamon Bun and Blueberry...they don't taste bad...i prefer the cinnamon bun. My main reason behind these two...look at the ingredient labels!! Most of the Atkins bars have Maltitol or other sugar substitutes that still have a high glycemic level!!! That is why they will stall you. You might as well be eating regular sugar, as they can affect your blood sugar as well, especially if you sensitive (like I am). [A great place to start learning about blood sugar and what can affect it is www.medosa.com ....look under food/glycemic levels to learn more. ] PER MENDOSA { www.mendosa.com/netcarbs.htm } : Sugar Alcohols — technically called polyols — are carbohydrates that we do not completely absorb. Of the eight sugar alcohols tested for their glycemic index, the most common ones are sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, and maltitol.

If the sugar alcohols had no impact on our blood glucose, they would have a glycemic index of zero. With the December 2003 publication of Geoffrey Livesey’s amazing review of sugar alcohols, we now know a lot more about them than ever before. His article, “Health potential of polyols as sugar replacers, with emphasis on low glycemic properties,”; is in Nutrition Research Reviews 2003;16:163-91.

Only two of the sugar alcohols have a GI of zero, according to Livesey’s research. These are mannitol and erythritol. Several others have a very low GI, but two maltitol syrups have a GI greater than 50. This is a higher GI value than that of spaghetti, orange juice, or carrots.

It seems all the atkins and other low carb stuff I've been looking at, other than the 2 bars i mentioned, do have most commonly maltitol as their main ingredient...and this is high in glycemic level! The two bars i mentioned, have glycerin, some splenda ...and actually is only 2 net carbs when you do the math...14g -6 fiber and 6 glycerin. (alot of the other bars do not stack up the same at all...check the math yourself on these) and they do not taste bad at all. I prefer the cinnamon bun myself.

Also, as far as candy goes Reeses makes a 1g carb peanut butter cup...the main ingredient is erythritol, it has inulin (feeds good flora in intestines), polyglycitol (this is almost 40 for glycemic level, but it is not the main sweetener, so this does not worry me as much), glycerin, and some splenda....I have no sensitivity to this product at all and it does taste pretty good!

I am not a big fan of Splenda (it does have a glycemic level that is high...as well as other scepticism www.mercola.com/fcgi/pf/2004/jul/21/splenda.htm ...do the research), but I will use it on occasion...I do however wholly promote Stevia as a sweetener, especially the brands adding inulin to it (adds fiber and feeds good bacteria in your intestines), some brands even add chromium. It does have an odd taste at first, but you easily become accustomed to it and I find I even prefer it now! Stevia also has a glycemic level of 0 and so you would not have to count pkgs used into your carb count. :yes

[Heidi3]

too bad stevia tastes horrible!!!...My friend (right Lynne? wink) and I pretty much dipped toothpicks in it one time and used what stuck and it was still horrible!.....I wish there was an answer for sweet because I love sweets!!!...but for me...none!....I do not mind cyclamates (sp) but even it has a hirrible after taste.....so for now...sadly no candy bars no sugar and no sweeteners.....

[NulloModo]

Stevia isn't bad when combined with other sweeteners, but by itself, yeah, it does taste funny.

Nurselady - have you played around with sweetener synergy much? It makes a huge difference in the afteraste/flavor of artificial sweeteners.

[shawnee]

If you live a life like mine & find yourself stuck on airplanes serving a tray full of carbs & no alternative then you need to pack a good bar for those no way out sutuations ( I also have learned to carry my own blend of mixed nuts in a zip loc.

As several posters mentioned above the best bar I can find for acceptable taste, basic nutrtion & 'proper' ingredients are the Atkins Morning Start Bars

Personally I like the apple crip ones

[sadie147]

they can cause digestive issues for me if i eat too many, but one occaisionally doesn't really bother me. I keep them only for emerg. like shawnee mentioned. I do long distance driving alot and they are convenient for my trips. Though I also try to take a whey protein shake instead...they're pretty filling too. I also keep a couple of the morning start bars at the cottage in case i'm w/o a legal snack. I do the shopping but since we're so far form a grocery store i like to have a backup. just in case.

My only conmplaint is their so expenssive! Though the bars (not morning start) are now availabl 2 for 1$ at the dollar store here now..and i don't mind the chocolate mocha ones. they're not too bad.

[Heidi3]

Stevia isn't bad when combined with other sweeteners, but by itself, yeah, it does taste funny.

Nurselady - have you played around with sweetener synergy much? It makes a huge difference in the afteraste/flavor of artificial sweeteners.

I haven't yet but may have to as I know I can not live with out sweets forever .I am going to crawl up owl and want to try something sweet here soon so I do not freak and binge!...where can I get these other chemicals you talk about? I was good in chemistry!!! I have some cyclamates here (sp?) but can not use any splenda as you know....darn it...can I just buy like sorbitol at the store and will I get GI distress like everyone complains about???? that is not something I care to self induce you know!!!

[luvchoc]

Atkins bars are horrible dont waste your money buying these :vomit