CLIF Bars Are Candy Bars
What’s the difference between a CLIF bar and a Snickers bar?
Not much, actually. For starters, they have about the same amount of calories. CLIF Bar: 260, Snickers: 250.
I hesitated to write this post for a while — mostly because CLIF bars are really tasty.
But I just can’t keep my mouth shut.
It was after consuming a CLIF bar one evening that I had this revelation.
Usually, I wouldn’t eat one unless I was starving on a long hike or for a “sort of being healthy but not really that healthy” occasional treat. On the evening in question, it was the latter and I had a Pecan Pie CLIF bar on hand that I’d received at a recent fitness blogger’s event.
Yum, yum, yum, I thought as I gobbled it down. This is amazing. This is better than Pecan Pie. How is this even remotely healthy?
I went to bed with my stomach full and satisfied. An hour later though, I woke up to a bad stomach ache.
WTPP (what the pecan pie), I wondered?
I dug the wrapper out of the trash and inspected the ingredients:
Brown Rice Syrup, ClifPro, Pecans, Pecan Pralines, White Coating, Cane Sugar, blah blah blah.
All I could think was, “How is the first ingredient in a ‘healthy’ bar sugar?!?” Update: Not just sugar, but a form of sugar containing unhealthy and unregulated amounts of arsenic >>
More on the multitude of reasons brown rice syrup is bad with links to peer-reviewed studies >>
Yes. Though it’s a different substance than traditional white sugar, brown rice syrup is still just sugar. Update: to address some of the comments below, here are just a few of the diseases and adverse effects attributed to eating too much sugar: metabolic syndrome, Type II Diabetes, and visceral fat accumulation.
And, according to Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org, brown rice sugar (or syrup in this case) is actually the most nutritionally deficient of ALL types of sugar.
What’s the first ingredient in a Snickers you ask? Sugar. Well, it’s actually milk chocolate, but the first ingredient in that is sugar. Interesting.
On to the next ingredient: ClifPro, a conglomerate of soybeans, “crisps,” and soy protein isolate. Although whole soy is a beneficial component of a healthy diet, soy protein isolate is highly-processed, and likely doesn’t possess the same health benefits.
And now back to our black sheep, Snickers. Its second ingredient is peanuts. Huh. Just peanuts? Also packing protein, but unlike soy protein isolate, peanuts are at least a whole food.
If you asked me, the Snickers now has a leg up on the CLIF bar.
I’m not going to go into great detail about the rest of the ingredients, suffice to say that after our first introduction to sugar as the first ingredient in the CLIF bar, it reared its ugly head four mores times in various disguises, aka cane sugar and date paste. Date paste, however, is at least a whole food. But again, it’s still sugar.
Now to the nutritional info. As mentioned above, Snickers has 250 calories and a Pecan Pie CLIF bar has 260. Snickers has three more grams of saturated fat than the CLIF bar, and four more grams of sugar. So looking at that, I guess you could say the CLIF bar is slightly more nutritious. However, the difference is small.
Bottom line: When it comes down to it, they’re both candy bars.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re eating a nutritious snack with bars like CLIF, Luna, etc. If you don’t care, then eat a Snickers.
I, on that evening, would not have chosen a Snickers bar as an appropriate pre-bedtime snack.
I guess the problem lies in just reading the nutritional info instead of the full ingredient list. Also, in not knowing what certain ingredients actually are. Protein Isolate. Sounds ok, right? Brown Rice Syrup. Gotta be better than sugar, right? Wrong.
I’m not here to wage war on CLIF Bar. I’m just saying, don’t eat them under the pretense that they are a nutritious snack.
Update: In case you’re wondering, my favorite kind of bar is Larabar. I like to break them up and use them as a topping over my homemade “frozen yogurt” as a whole foods dessert option.
They’re made solely from fruit, nuts and seeds and sweetened only by the natural sugar in those fruits. They come in amazing flavors like Peanut Butter Cookie, Coconut Cream and Blueberry Muffin. They don’t have a lot of protein, but they make a delicious, whole foods snack.
If you have a food processor, you can try making a homemade version yourself. Just toss in your favorite nuts, fruits, and some dates and pulverize.
Update 2: Before you comment that these bars are not meant to be snacks, the POINT of this post is that they are MARKETED as snacks to the general public. If you’re using them as a professional/endurance athlete, that’s great. I’m here to address the fact that a multitude of people have been hoodwinked by targeting toward “normal” people. The average consumer (and even the average active person) does not need 21 grams of processed sugar in a meal or snack.
Claudia Rosenbaum says:
I’d rather eat a Snickers any day. I’ve actually never eaten a Cliff Bar and now I’m glad
Whitney English says:
Yep, exactly what I’m saying!
Joe says:
Something to take into consideration is that clif bars are using clean ingredients vs run of the mill gmo packed garbage. ….also read the story on what clif bars were made for. They are very “healthy” and give you lots of fat and carbs! Trust me, when you are 50 miles down and feel like you’re going to hit the wall you’d be very happy chow down on a clean clif bar. :)
Hannah says:
I actually just ate a half of a Luna bar and I just feel nauseated from it! I went for it because it is gluten free. Well hey I suppose it is also great if u want to suppress your appetite and feel absolutely disgusted! I used to have to eat these all the time and it never bothered me. Now I feel just sick from it lol! You made a great post!!!
Heather says:
Your post has nothing to do with either Larabars, Clif Bars or Snickers bars. In fact, it’s as if you tried to relate to Whitney but missed the mark entirely. I’ve eaten Luna bars, Larabars and snicker bars without feeling an upset stomach or any other maladies. In fact, I’ve gone weeks at a time where I incorporated Clif Bars into my daily eating – as a snack – and had no problems whatsoever.
Whitney, your article has several problems. First of all, you start off by comparing the caloric value of Clif Bars and Snickers bars. I can drink a kale, apple, orange, celery and avocado smoothie that has more total calories than a Clif bar and Snickers bar combined, does that have anything to do with it being unhealthy? Of course not.
Secondly, you refer to Clif Bars as a “protein bar” which is questionable. Snickers bars have protein; a Three Musketeers bar has protein; Reese’s peanut butter cups have protein; how much protein does a bar have to have to qualify as a protein bar? By the way I agree, most protein bars are in fact glorified candy bars. But what qualifies a Clif Bar to be a protein bar?
Finally, you quoted ZERO scholarly, peer-reviewed articles on soy, soy protein isolate, cane sugar, or any other ingredient found in Clif bars. Your entire article is based on the fact that you got a tummy ache after eating a clif bar …
Rich says:
Pretty sure you’re nit picking and missed the whole of the article.
Kj says:
Don’t forget the mass amount of vitamins in Clif bars.
Jess says:
EXACTLY!!!! xD
Jim Quinn says:
If you’ve never eaten a CLIF bar, then how do you know you prefer SNICKER. Don’t you need to eat both to pick a favorite.
Rich says:
Tasteful article, I liked your balanced argument, no one can properly argue that its not comparable to a candy bar =]. (Thats basically all you’re suggesting).
Whitney English says:
Thanks so much Rich – it’s nice to see some positive feedback on this post and that someone actually understands what I’m saying! :)
Mike says:
Then why did you blather on for ages? You could have just spit it out quickly and efficiently.
The bottom line is you write things like “they are MARKETED as snacks to the general public.”
Oh really, can you direct me to an advertisement where “they are MARKETED as snacks to the general public?”
From the CLIF site it states, “It’s the first bar we made, and it’s still everything we are about. Wholesome ingredients. Performance nutrition. And great taste. Whether you’re on a 150-mile bike ride or exploring a new trail, this energy bar is built to sustain your adventure.”
This bar is not geared towards mall walkers and “Healthy Fitness” bloggers trying to make a buck from their blog.
Whitney English says:
Marketing doesn’t just refer to the statements written on a company websites. It refers to things like audience targeting – where these bars are sold and placed.
A few inappropriate places I’ve seen CLIF bars are in the checkout line at CVS, in the airport, at grab-and-go stands on college campuses, etc. Students walking .25 miles to go SIT for 2 hours in class, people about to SIT still on a 6+ hour flight, and families running errands (driving around SITTING in their cars) DO NOT need 20+ grams of added refined sugar to fuel their inactivity. They’re also probably not going to Google CLIF bar to check on the appropriateness of this snack choice. They’re just going to buy it and eat eat, because they’re heard that they’re healthy and they’re sitting next to other healthy options. Bottom line.
Whether or not CLIF intends for their bars to be sold and marketed this way, they are, and it’s confusing to people who don’t know any better. If you do know better, good for you. This article is not for YOU.
I am simply trying to spread the word to those people who are in the dark about proper nutrition. This post was not meant for elite, endurance athletes – it is meant for those “mall walkers” you refer to, who deserve to know the truth.
Gillian @ That's G says:
Blahhh I wish these things were better for you. Clif bars are my go-to pre-workout fuel (well, half a clif bar… the whole thing would be too much). They’ve worked for me because they’re easy to digest. Good reminder that they’re basically candy!
Whitney English says:
Haha I know, I wish too! They’re so darn tasty :)
Ed Reardon says:
As a pre workout meal there is noting wrong with a Cliff bar as you will use that sugar as fuel during your workouts and not store it as fat. Cliff bars are still high in Sat Fat but the only time of the day a human being could justify a Cliff bar is pre -workout.
Jim Quinn says:
Isn’t there a difference in complex vs. simple sugars or is that just for carbs?
Travis says:
The difference is time to digest, and that’s all. Complex carbs digest more slowly into blood sugar(glucose), whereas sugar needs little to no digestion. The problem with sugar is too often consuming too much of it, say you ate 2 cliff bars and sat by the TV, then you’d spike your blood sugar. This can cause diabetes if done regularly, and when sugar is left in the blood it will eventually metabolize to fat. If you exercise after you consume the sugar you’re body will use that sugar already in your blood, rather than metabolizing fat back into sugar.
When you eat a complex carb it releases slowly, causing less of a spike in your blood sugar, but also giving less readily available energy. It would be best to eat complex carbs if you want to bulk up on energy, like if you were preparing to run a marathon. But if you were to snack during that marathon its likely that you’ll benefit more from a simple carb because complex carbs take too long to digest. Usually an athlete will try to consume both to regain energy and have some sustained energy.
Another interesting fact. Because simple carbs are readily available, its more likely that you’ll regain your appetite faster, keeping you full for only a short duration. Sugar is also very dense energy, so it isn’t very filling for its large amount of calories. So its not ideal to consume pre-workout if your workout is intended to burn calories and lose weight.
Whitney English says:
Thanks for weighing in on this Travis! I agree 100% with everything you wrote. Appreciate you jumping in to help clarify the issue.
Katy says:
Perfect timing on this post – I needed something to fuel my run on Saturday morning and all I had was a CLIF bar. I looked at the ingredients briefly and thought things sounded a little fishy, but didn’t have much of a choice. I will be sure to stock healthier options from here on out ;)
Whitney English says:
I know what that’s like! That’s why I try to just keep stuff like this out of the house.
Ashley @ BrocBlog says:
Ive heard that theyre basically a candy bar but I really appreciate the side by side comparison! I totally agree, if you’re gonna do it just go all the way and eat a candy bar.
Whitney English says:
I know, it’s pretty crazy when you actually look at them like that. Maybe next Halloween CLIF bars will make their way into kids’ buckets!
David says:
A large difference between the sugar in candy bars, sucrose, and the sugar in these bars, brown rice syrup, is the chemical composition and the specific sugars they contain.
Sucrose is 1 fructose and 1 glucose, fructose metabolizes similar to alcohol, and has all the same chronic illnesses associated with it, but none of the acute symptoms such as being drunk. Brown rice syrup, on the other hand, is composed of glucose, maltose (2 linked glucose), and malotriose (3 linked glucose). For energy used during activity these three sugars are preferable as they get metabolized faster through the liver rather than taking the route that fructose must take.
There are also other times when this may be a good choice, such as during exercise or in the post exercise window for carb absorption, which is generally 4 hours, but greatly reduces at just 2 hours. Of course this is coming from an athletes perspective, not someone trying to lose weight, but maintain their athletic performance.
As for the arsenic, lots of things have arsenic, it’s virtually impossible to avoid. I am interested in reading more on the specific levels in brown rice syrup vs other sugars, but you can’t just let the word arsenic scare you from ever trying anything.
The articles for Type II diabetes and other problems with sugars are because of the fructose in the sugars, not the glucose.
Sharareh Drury says:
I used to really be into protein bars as snacks or probably not as good, meal substitutes. My fiance eats ProMax bars a lot when he’s in need of something on the go in medschool. I’m personally most into Luna Bars but even they have become boring and not as great as they used to be for me.
Now, I try and make time to make something like a quick egg scramble or packing some nuts, cheese, and fruit – just so I don’t go for something worse when I am out and about, and I can see and know exactly what I am eating.
Whitney English says:
That’s the way to go! Sticking with whole food is really the only way to be sure of what you’re eating. My favorite on-the-go snack is a banana and almond butter. If I don’t have a little packet of Justin’s Nut Butter, I will literally just bring a spoonful with me in the car and suck on it while I eat my banana, haha. It looks gross but it works!
Nicole says:
Please don’t de-bunk my favorite QUEST bars…… I’ve been trying to eat less “diet-y” food, but Quest Bars are my current favorite obsession…..
Whitney English says:
Don’t worry Nicole! I love Quest bars, so for now they’re safe :)
anne says:
Yup I totally had a protein bar addiction before too (mine was luna). Occasionally I’ll still have one when I’m out, like the gomacro bar which has great ingredients. But I agree, that banana + almond butter is the best all natural “bar.” On the go, I also like a hard boiled egg or celery + hummus/nut butter or a medjool date + handful of nuts (which is basically a lara bar but much less expensive:).
wat? says:
Uh… last I checked GoMacro bars’ first ingredient is also brown rice syrup… so why hate on Clif bars when they’re all the same?
Anonymous says:
It is telling that bloggers choose to completely ignore questions such as this.
Lisa says:
Oh Whitney, you’re breaking my heart. I am addicted to Clif Bars and eat one almost every other day. I do know they are not the healthiest option, but I always thought of them as somewhat not so bad treat. Your post has changed my mind. Thanks for breaking it down!
Whitney English says:
Sorry to burst your bubble Lisa :( You can still eat them as an occasional treat though!
Kristen K. says:
Oh no! I’m so upset about this post! I kind of had a feeling that they weren’t super healthy, but they’re sold in the organic/natural food section of my grocery store so I figured they’d be okay. I’m so sad that they’re not as healthy as I thought! I do think they work wonders on refueling me during my long hikes or kayak trips, although that may just be the sugar rush talking :) Thanks for sharing!
Whitney English says:
Yeah I’ve eaten them mid-hike too but then an hour later I’m always really hungry again. Have you noticed that?
And I think it’s such a disappointment that they’re advertised as a healthy diet option just because they’re organic :(
wat? says:
lol
They’re not advertised as a “healthy diet option.” Can you read?
Mar says:
wow, that’s eye opening. I don’t really eat protein bars I stick to fruit and trail mix if I can help it but I’m one to just grab a sweet treat if that’s what I’m jonesing for!
Whitney English says:
What kind of trail mix do you like?
Mar says:
I make my own usually :) I buy nuts and dried fruits and if I want a little something sweeter will throw in some mini choco chips or peanut butter chips.
E.R. says:
Nope, you’re full of crap.
Did you forget that CLIF bars were designed by cyclists? They aren’t meant to be a regular meal replacement; they’re for people who are doing incredibly strenuous exercise for hours at a stretch, without the time to stop for a real meal. These people need large quantities of quick carbohydrates that usually include (gasp!) sugar. CLIF bars are essentially a larger, more filling version of the energy shots/gels/goos used by marathon runners and distance cyclists. It’s a requirement for repairing muscles and keeping blood sugar high while doing sustained exercise. If you just spend an hour on the elliptical every day or do CrossFit 5-7 times a week, you’re not burning enough calories to require something like this.
Let’s do a comparison:
Fat: Snickers – 12g; CLIF – 8g
Saturated Fat: Snickers – 4.5g; CLIF – 1.5g
Carbohydrates: Snickers – 33g; CLIF – 41g
Fiber: Snickers – 1g; CLIF – 4g
Sugars: Snickers – 27g; CLIF – 21g
Protein: Snickers – 4g; CLIF – 9g
Yeah, no. One is a candy bar, the other is a meal replacement. The high sugar content of CLIF bars is unnecessary unless you’re burning upwards of 700 calories in a single workout on a regular basis.
Also, your links about the “dangers” of soy don’t suggest anything other than GMOs are bad, which isn’t true. Soy is a valuable food source! Unsweetened milk is especially good for serious female athletes, whose low body fat usually leads to a loss of estrogen.
Source: I’m a triathlete and nutritionist for professional athletes.
Whitney English says:
Hi E.R.,
Thank you for your opinion. I value healthy debate on this site, even if it goes against my beliefs.
I think the problem here is that we’re talking about two different kinds of people. You’re talking about the extremely small percentage of extreme athletes and I’m talking about an average person, trying to stick to healthy diet, who is consuming these bars as a snack on an average day.
As I say in the disclaimer on my “about” page, I am not a registered dietician nor do I have certifications in sports nutrition. So, I can’t speak authoritatively to whether professional cyclists should be eating 21 grams of processed sugar to fuel their rides.
What I do know is that CLIF markets their bars to people with average fitness routines who likely don’t need it. Just because something works for professional athletes, doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. Take Usain Bolt for instance. Just because eating chicken nuggets helped him win gold, doesn’t mean it’s a healthy option for everyday consumption.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/usain-bolt-says-ate-thousand-chicken-nuggets-during-201309856–oly.html
Best,
Whitney
Jim Q says:
Pro athlete! Try a bunch of 60 and 70 year old males and females who bike 50+ miles 3 or more times a week most weeks of the year. If you burn 600 calories every 13 miles, you need some calories mid-ride. Peanut butter, nuts, and several of the energy bars supply these needed calories.
GiGi Eats Celebrities says:
Hey ER –
You do realize that Whitney is writing this more for the people in this world who simply need some quick grab and go fuel, when they’re at work, heading out the door, etc (which is pretty much most of the population). Not for people who are endurance athletes – exactly what Whitney mentions in her comment back to you. However, it’s always smart for even endurance athletes (as well as others) to check the labels on the bars they’re eating because a lot of them really are just glorified candy bars.
What happened to whole foods? There are so many ingredients on Clif Bars. Why not recommend Lara Bars to your clients? I almost feel as though you work for the Clif company because you’re protecting their brand so much.
As for the soy component. Refined and Processed Soy products are not healthy. However, FERMENTED SOY has a place in a healthy diet. And eating unfermented soy has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, brain damage and thyroid disorders to name a few.
That being said, Enjoy Those Clif Bars! ;)
Kate says:
I understand what OP is saying, but I’m an “average person on the go” I work out 6 days a week with a pretty intense program burning upwards of 700 calories, and I’m simply a stay at home mom.
I do many things so I do have a hectic schedule but with that being said they haven’t declined my fitness goals. Or caused me any issues in seeing results or feeling my best.
Honestly I’d prefer a Clif bar over a snickers but I’m not into candy like that.
On the flip side when I can over all I prefer to make my own therefore knowing exactly what’s in them.
But at that rate it doesn’t matter what you buy unless you buy fruit from a local farm and have your meat butchered you still will never know what’s in your food, it can be taken all the way down to knowing what your eating has eaten…the only way to be precise is raising your own meat, eggs and dairy…other wise it isn’t really relevant to assume you are eating what you think you are eating sadly. enough that’s just the way it is these days
Whitney English says:
Thanks for weighing in Kate! I agree that you never really know what is in your food. I guess at some point you just have to chill out a bit. Or we could all become farmers. That’s another option, haha.
Ron Kolman says:
I think the idea that’s been introduced, then glossed over, is a Cliff bar is intended as meal replacement. Period. Perhaps Clifbar could be admonished for the manner in which the bar is marketed (the grocery store?), and the varieties (like pecan pie) which jack-up “taste” and sugars with interest in culling better sales. Clif could likely limit selection to bars aggressively oriented to health – less like tasty candy bars.
To call Clifbars “Crap”, is really, in your case Whitney (no credentials in nutrition, sports or otherwise), your lay “opinion”, and the discussion is a between meal snack, rather than hard-core meal replacement. If they weren’t “credible”, you’d not find them in cycle and camping businesses.
Whitney English says:
Ron, of course this post is my “lay opinion” – you’re reading a personal health and fitness blog. If you’re looking for expert opinion, head over to PubMed. To say I have no credentials though is inaccurate. I am a NASM certified personal trainer and I’m working toward a Master’s degree in Nutrition.
Nick says:
If people need a quick grab and go snack then grab a piece of fruit. Instead of eating nutrition bars aimed at people who are in need of quick release energy ie athletes. If you eat things like this when it’s unnecessary it’s just going to do nothing and for instance give you a bad stomach. Like imagine eating energy gels because its easier than eating a whole food. They aren’t designed for that because the majority of it will be sitting in your stomach doing nothing. They are meal replacements for athletes. Not for someone who fancies snacking at 2am
Whitney English says:
Energy gels aren’t promoted to moderately-active people like CLIF bars are.
Eri says:
Just to weigh in. I sit more with ER than this article.
When I see a CLIF Bar, the packaging has a little dude rock climbing or a picture of a famous adventurer or some people doing something outdoorsy and strenuous. Even the slogan of CLIF Bars is “Nutrition for sustained energy.” The image I get is CLIF Bars are for fueling some energy-draining activity, not sleeping.
Conversely, Snickers also had a marketing campaign in which the candy bar woke up a sleeping baseball player, giving him energy to win the game, which I believe probably is more true of an energy bar like CLIF Bars than Snickers. It’s not just Snickers. Many big candy advertisements are like this.
If anything, marketing in the candy world is confusing people what is and isn’t a “snack.” I don’t think this is really CLIF Bar’s fault for advertising the real use of their food and then it being misconstrued because big candy (falsely) markets the same way.
It’s mostly surprising to me that the title includes “full of crap” but the author later proclaims they aren’t trying to make a war. Perhaps, this article is mainly making mountains out of mole hills.
I think a more balanced article would simply be telling people to stop snacking. It’s usually forgotten calories that are assuaging instantaneous hunger usually in an unbalanced way. If you’re hungry, why not just go eat a real meal and then don’t eat when you’re not hungry. Seriously, snacking AND still eating a full meal is probably ruining a lot of diets. Why can’t this article be “Stop snacking on physically functional nutrition supplements,” because that would be much more useful than starting a flame war over a well-received brand in the active world, where CLIF has a very important role.
The reason why so many people are arguing you on this is because CLIF fills a much-needed role in active people’s lives. When it was introduced, it was considered a game-changer. Marathoners, cyclists, etc. finally had an alternative to gummy bears and chocolate. So, I find this article to be a little like a personal vendetta for a stomachache without much awareness of sports culture; and thus, deserves a healthy amount of calling-out.
In general, most people I know use CLIF Bars as a meal replacement, which would probably be better for a restrictive diet than not. They replace a meal that would normally interrupt an activity to eat. That being said, maybe a better article would be “CLIF Bars aren’t for eating before sleeping.”
Sugar is a carbohydrate that can produce energy when metabolized. Sure, there’s a big debate of which sugar is better, but considering when you usually eat CLIF Bars (high activity), any sugar is getting used as an available energy source. If you think an energy bar (“for sustained energy”) without caffeine doesn’t have a whole bunch of sugar, that is also worrying.
You’re right though: if you just eat a bunch of sugar from something with “pecan pie” in the name and sleep, that’s a bad idea. A really bad idea.
If anything, the stomachache was probably because you suddenly ate a bunch of sugar on an hungry stomach in a diet that normally has (fortunately) little sugar. That’s an obvious thing you could easily find out if you asked anybody.
My last point is a major pet peeve, but I believe it is a valid argument nonetheless.
The peer-reviewed article on soy and cancer explicitly states as a conclusion, “Gene expression associated with soy intake and high plasma genistein defines a signature characterized by overexpression of FGFR2 and genes that drive cell cycle and proliferation pathways. These findings raise the concerns that in a subset of women soy could adversely affect gene expression in breast cancer.”
tl;dr
For the science illiterate, this basically says there is a correlation, NOT causation.
But my main issue with using this article is…
The article in question is for women who ALREADY HAVE CANCER, and the result is mainly reflecting soy intake for someone who has cancer.
Some scientists believe there is a correlation with soy intake and breast tissue growth (because cancer is uncontrolled growth, and there is a possibility soy promotes normal growth). So, soy intake that could possibly be correlated to controlled growth (positive for many women) could also promote uncontrolled in women with cancer.
So, there’s that.
“But the article says ‘linking’ not causing!!”
Yes, I know, but ask someone 20 minutes later what that means, and they’ll say soy causes cancer; when the peer-reviewed article itself says there could possibly be correlations between soy intake and cancer progression in women who have early-stage breast cancer.
In media, “link” means cause as in a link in the chain to the outcome, so I find the statement in the article misleading. (Additionally, the study in question was on cell response and not in living human beings. Take that as you wish.)
I think if you’re just going to throw links out to “scientific” things, you should really take the time to read them instead of just analyzing them without having done so.
As for the sugar “sources,” same thing. The logic of causation is not pointing a finger at the food itself as the enemy. I welcome any and all logic battles over this matter but will not accept “beliefs” as concrete logic.
A good turn for bloggers would be to have a friendly scientist fact checker and would really add A LOT of value to these kinds of articles. Trust me, scientists are usually friendly and open to sharing information, so just try. Please. Even ask me. I’m free.
My sources: I’m a biomaterials engineer, and my best friend is a food scientist/nutritionist/registered dietician, and we talk about these things.
Eri says:
“(Additionally, the study in question was on cell response and not in living human beings. Take that as you wish.)”
I meant, “the study in question was on cancer cell response and not in living human beings who don’t have breast cancer.” Sorry about that.
Carissa says:
She has nothing to say about your comment ! I think Whitney was blown away by the ACTUAL facts you have . It shut her mouth completely . I will continue to eat clif bars because I think they work fine ! When you are on an extreme excersize regime then come back and tell us how you feel . Don’t eat and just be lazy , that’s why you got a tummy ache !! These bars are not meant for the lazy population. If you don’t excersize like mad don’t buy them !
Dario says:
Interesting that the Author didn’t respond to Eri, who is one of the few people presenting scientific facts. In response to the article and comments, I think you have to be pretty simpleminded to think that Clif Bars are designed for or aimed at people who are going on one mile walks with their lap dogs in Los Angeles. On the package there is a picture of a mountain climber scaling a negative degree peak. How is this deceitfully targeting stay at home moms who do yoga and spinning classes a few times a week? The only deceitful aspected of anything here is the title and tone of this article. On their website under the products that we are discussing here, they show pictures of extreme and endurance athletes who are putting significant strain on their bodies and need the carbohydrates to sustain energy levels. The product is designed for athletes who need the nutritional components that it supplies (carbs, protein, and vitamins/minerals). It doesn’t matter whether you are a sponsored athlete or not, if you are rapidly burning calories and need to replenish on the go, a Clif Bar or similar product is a very legitimate solution. I use Clif Bars when I’m surfing and snowboarding. I typically eat half a bar prior to surfing for energy, then the rest after for recovery. When I’m snowboarding in the backcountry, Clif Bars are great for when I need a quick source energy. I don’t consume Clif Bars on a regular basic despite the fact that I train hard at the gym 5 days a week, because I am aware that there are better products for that situation. In my case, black coffee as a pre-workout and a protein isolate shake for recovery along with a diet high is protein and carbs for whole foods. You are certainly correct in saying that Clif Bars are not beneficial to those who aren’t super active, and potentially even detrimental in terms of weight loss. However, it is wrong and misleading to post an article titled “Clif Bars Are Full of Crap” whether it is a personal blog or not. Perhaps a better title would embody the idea that Clif Bars are not for everyone, especially those who don’t engage in physically demanding activities.
Pam says:
I eat Clif bars and yes, I knew they were not a great healthy food. But really, I would far prefer a Snickers bar so maybe that is what I will buy in the future. Great post!
Whitney English says:
Thanks Pam! And glad I could be of some help. If you’d rather have that Snickers, go for it!
Laura@ Fit Running Mama says:
This is a great post and one reason I love making homemade granola and protein bars– lots of garbage out there!
Whitney English says:
Thanks Laura! I plan on scoping out some of your recipes :)
Running Hutch says:
Amen.
Jhanelle says:
I really like this article…thanks for the heads up! Gonna have to start making my own bars from now on.
Whitney English says:
Thanks! If you come up with a good recipe, do share!
Shawn says:
ER is right. This bar isn’t meant for daily consumption, and your article totally overlooks this fact. People on diets look for magic, organic superfoods that will do all of the work losing weight for them, when really, the answer is simple: eat fewer carbohydrates than you consume. People need to read labels and understand what they are buying. As well, Clif Bars contain over 20 different trace elements needed by the body, and while the amounts may seem negligible (sometimes thousandths of milligrams), this is actually 15% to over 30% of your daily required amount. Clif Bars are not crap, people just need to know what they are buying.
Shawn says:
The sugar used in Clif Bars had 98% of the glycemic value that glucose has, which is the molecule immediately used for energy production. The high amount of this rice sugar and the number of carbohydrates means that Clif Bars are an excellent source of both immediate and sustained energy for strenuous exercise. As for the comment about them being marketed to regular people, this is completely untrue. Clif Bar advertisements feature people in demanding physical activities (ie. rock climbing). It is upsetting to see the number of people who took every word of this article at face value without doing their own research.
Theo says:
Wow, Shawn nailed it right on the head. Cliff bars do NOT have a magic component that helps your equilibrium while wearing 6 inch heals but they do contain what your body needs in survival mode above 6km. Enjoy sucking on your grain of rice for what you call a suitable lunch. Theo Maryeski.
J says:
http://m.youtube.com/user/mountsinairecords
Endurance Athlete says:
I think using a Clif Bar as a meal replacement or a daily snack is the same as a person drinking Gatroade on a daily basis instead of water. Yeah, they may taste good, but they weren’t designed to be used for that purpose. Sports drinks have been blamed for obesity in children, its not the drink its the application…………….
Whole foods as daily snacks is definitely the way to go. When you’re on the trail and your body is redirecting it’s blood flow to working muscles and away from your stomach, whole foods are necessarily the best option for some people. Clif Bars may not be the best option. When you are competing in endurance events part of training and learning to get the most out of your body is finding what’s right for you, and most of the time it’s through experimenting with different products. I have tried quite a bit of products out there and have found some that work best for me and others that just don’t work. When I am training and running ultramarathons and long distance cycling I actually use a carbohydrate powder (definitely not a whole food), as this keeps me from being nauseated and provides we with the energy I need for these types f events.
I also saw some comments regarding what is in the foods we eat. Unfortunately, in the United States we don’t have food purity laws like they do in Europe. Recently, there have been bills introduced to move this forward, however, they haven’t passed. Why………it all comes down to who is supporting the failure of these bills, big companies that will loose money if these bills are passed. So yeah, probably would be better if we all grew our own food.
Stay well everyone!!!
Aaron says:
Exactly what I was thinking with the Gatorade comment! It’s SUPPOSED to have sugar! It fuels high intensity exercise when you don’t want to waste energy digesting complex carbs, and when you can’t process whole foods fast enough.
Thomas Cuscia says:
I think snickers ice cream bars are the way to go. I think there is more calcium in them. Also refreshing on one of those hot summer days.
RUSerious says:
Clif bars are meant as a convenient way for outdoor enthusiasts to pack energy (carbs and calories, oh my!) in a small package…not as a “healthy” food for couch potatoes to nosh while parked in front of the idiot box. Used as intended, they’re great, but if you’re not engaged in enough activity to require those extra calories….
Darryl Cross says:
I just chowed down one of these things in an effort to be healthy, which I do before I play a rugby game or during a hard workout. However, today it was just sitting at my desk. After about 10 minutes, I felt like I had eaten a balloon full of live grasshoppers. I typed in “Stomach upset cliff bar” into Google and found this article.
Thanks, W! I stand corrected. No more candy bars for me.
Whitney English says:
I am so happy someone finally understands what I mean! It gave me a terrible stomach ache too!
Nick says:
Although obviously not as good for you as many assume, a cliff bar isn’t close to a snickers bar. Fiber, nutrients, half of the carbs come from oats or another decent source. And 10 grams of protein, a decent choice when hiking or biking. I like to think of it as a candy bar on steroids.
Whitney English says:
That’s a nice way to look at it!
Kevin says:
This article is what’s full of crap. Everyone knows how bad saturated fat is, and one snickers bar has 23% of the daily recommended amount…EIGHT TIMES as much as a clif bar. How is this “negligible”?
Also, the calories. Clif bars are energy bars. Calories ARE energy. As a fit and active individual, I’m not going to grab something with less than 200 calories, it would be pointless. It’s not the amount of calories, but where they come from that matters.
Only thing wrong with clif bars is the sugar…which is only a problem if you are sitting on the couch eating one, and that’s not what they are for.
Camil San says:
That’s why she’s a blogger and not a scientist nor doctor.
She has an opinion, which is okay, but she’s definitely lacking an objective and systematic analysis.
Mark Kinal says:
What a great article and so interesting that I have actually wondered why I never felt any energy from a cliff bar, but always used snickers for sports to give me a little extra boost of energy cause it totally does.
Luna Bhars says:
Clif bars were designed for backpackers to be full of calories and tough enough to survive being crammed in a pack. Did you notice the rock climber on the packaging? They are survival food. We actually use these as back-up meals if we can’t light our camp stove due to rain or terain. They don’t melt, they don’t crush, and the packaging is waterproof. Snicker bars will do in a pinch but Clif bars are much easier to deal with. I wouldn’t eat one as a snack though. There are much more tasty options if you’re looking for a snack after a workout.
Allan W says:
A co worker startled me and I somehow smacked the tab then enter key – if you could delete my earlier incomplete post please.
I wanted to agree and also disagree with the earlier post about how these are made for cyclists and bring in another point of view about all of these pre-packaged foods.
These are pretty awesome for endurance athletes looking for a quick snack on the go, however they do have their issues even for cyclists which run into the least problems of GI stress than other athletes (we can eat pretty much anything we want on the bike since we don’t really slosh are food around our stomachs). But the pre-made snacks have their drawbacks.
A big problem I and other cyclists I know is clif-bars /power bars and the like is that they are dry and sometimes made of things that are slow to digest, or ingredients that cause GI distress endurance athletes need real food with more moisture in it like rice cakes made of rice/eggs/bacon/etc… or something as simple as a slice of bread rolled up with a dab of pbj – which all have a good balance of sodium / aminos and can be pretty customizable based on your own food tolerance/allergies so they are also better for those on gluten free diets as well.
Real food is not that time consuming nor is it hard to prep and a batch of rice cakes laid out in a 8×12 pan cut into squares will last me at least a week eating about 2-3 a day for workouts 6 days a week.
Sanjeev says:
Totally agree with this post…I had the same notion that they were better than choco bars and would make as a healthier treat but boy ….I was so wrong! I used to have 3-4 clif bars daily and in a month i probably had some 120 clif bars. Result, arterial and tissue inflammation! I think the excessive sugar spikes in my blood led to insulin spike as a result led to cellular inflammation which contributed to overall arterial inflammation. Now i absolutely avoid any processed garbage and stick with water and whole foods and have been feeling 10-20 times better. I will tell everyone to avoid process food at all cost. Powerbars,protein bars all the processed foods out there are orientated for profit motive. Don’t you get fooled by the packaging and advertising gimmicks; i personally had to be a guinea pig myself to find out the bitter truth. Hope this would be a warning lesson for every other folks out here who happen to read this blog.
Camil San says:
3 to 4 daily Cliff bars?
You sir, are an idiot. You abuse any substance enough and it will be harmful to you–even water.
Alex @ Kenzie Life says:
This is a great post, Whitney! I have a lot of friends who swear by Clif Bars as meal replacements or a snack because they’re “healthy”…umm, not so much, they’re sugar! Yes, they are super tasty but I use these more as a dessert if I eat them at all and if I do have one as a snack, I do so knowing that it’s on the indulgent side. Have you ever thought about doing a comparison of cliff vs luna bars? It’s been a while since I had a luna bar but I’m wondering if the nutritional content differs significantly.
Whitney English says:
Thanks Kenzie! I can’t remember the exact comparison with Luna bars, but I remember they were very similar. I think the Luna bars are less calories overall, but just because they’re smaller. Pretty sure they have the same nutritional content. They’re made by the same company :)
Paul Bernstein says:
HI, thanks for this article. i didn’t read through all the posts but wanted to inform everyone of wonderful LARABARS . They are totally delicious and totally natural (for real) Example: The Pecan Pie variety ingredients are Dates, Pecans and Almonds.
Check them out
Whitney English says:
I LOVE Larabars! Updating the article to let everyone know about them. Thanks for the reminder!!
Ashton says:
You do realize eating a Clif bar as a snack is like drinking Gatorade as a refreshing beverage, right?
Clif bars should be eaten before, during, or after a workout or strenuous outdoor activity. This type of bar is designed to keep very physically active people going. Sure, there’s sugar in there for taste, but the amount of activity you should be doing in order to consume one of these negates the negative effects of the sugar.
Just like a sports drink shouldn’t be consumed casually, or right before bed, neither should a Clif bar (or any sports bar, for that matter). Comparing a Clif bar to a Snickers is equally as ridiculous. A candy bar is nothing but sugar and fat, mixed in with sugar and fat; whereas a Clif bar contains much smaller of amounts of ingredients used for taste, i.e. sugar and fat, and plenty of beneficial ingredients to give people that extra boost when needed.
If you eat something like this without putting work in afterwards, you’re just making your body’s digestion work overtime while you’re trying to rest, causing your stomach to get upset.
Bit of a superficial analysis, if you ask me.
Whitney English says:
Hi Ashton,
I do realize that eating a Clif Bar as a snack is like drinking a Gatorade casually. Both aren’t good for you, and people do both without realizing that it’s unhealthy.
You said that the sugar in Clif Bars is “just for taste” and in a “smaller amount” compared to the rest of the bar, and that’s simply not true. Brown rice syrup, aka sugar, is the first ingredient in the bar, meaning it’s the largest portion of what this bar is made of.
I agree that endurance athletes like marathoners or long-distance cyclists may benefit from eating these, but the average, active person – even someone who does intense hour-long workouts several times a week – does not.
Whole foods are much better pre-and-post workout food choices than processed bars will ever be.
Rob Feight says:
Temptation to allow my aggravation to rise to the occasion of this (to borrow from the title) full of crap article has peeked over the cliff. Actually, no, I will refrain from a major rebuttal and instead merely say this: for those of you who are reading this, the author of the article has left out an extremely important detail–one that I, being a vegan, concern myself with–and that is the fact Clif bars are loaded with vitamins; Snickers are not. Go on, do the research, you’ll find this article compares Clif bars to Snickers bars much like comparing Mammut climbing rope to farmer’s twine.
Whitney English says:
As a vegan, I would think you’d be getting enough vitamins from whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and COMPLEX carbohydrates and that you wouldn’t need to turn to a highly-processed snack bar. Most people who eat healthy, balanced diets actually get too high amounts of certain vitamins.
Carol Ann Coish says:
Not only are Clif Bars full of sugar and other non-nutritious ingredients, the chocolate is obtained from countries that use child labour and children and not treated well if they don’t collect enough beans every day.
Katie says:
I’m 16. I’ve been on several backpacking trips between a weekend and fifteen days long. I take CLIF bars and I also take candy bars (one or the other on weekend trips). For ten day trips with several other people (family and friends) my pack weighs about 60 pounds at the start (food is the heaviest part unless you have to carry water so it gets lighter after every meal). I am 5’7″ and about 140 pounds. Carrying that heavy of a pack we usually go about 5 or 6 miles in a day unless we absolutely have to go further for some reason. Lightweight stuff is super expensive, so I don’t have that. If the trip is shorter and packs are lighter, we uike further (up to 15 or 20 miles, but less if my little sister comes). With that much activity, you need a lot of fuel. CLIF bars are usually breakfast (or poptarts or similar foods) and candy bars are usually desserts or snacks. So if you’re eating it alone, yeah it’s probably not great. But if you’re eating it before exercise, I really can’t see a problem. Even my dad eats it alone sometimes when he has low blood sugar (diabetes medication).
sarah says:
Your little explanation about cliff bars is full of fallacy. You might think that the first ingredient in cliff bars is suafar, therefore the rest of the bar is bad for you. But we need sugar. Clif bars were meant to sustain your energy, leave you satisfied, and keep you going. That’s why there’s a mountain climbing dude on the rapper to signify the amount of strenuous activity it takes to burn these things off. There are specific ingredients in clif bars that are actually really good for you. They aren’t crappy, and they’re the best bars you can get. You need the carbs, you need the energy. So don’t blame clif bars for being bad when the reality is, it’s impossible to manufacture food 100% healthy and organic. If you have some epiphany and make a great protein bar, then you might as well be the guy who created clif bars because he chose to do something different. If you really want to make a difference in what we eat, then get to the heart of bad foods. You’d realize that there’s nothing else you can eat that’s healthy. And if there is, you are merely blindsided.
jwoolman says:
I keep Clif bars (especially Builder Bars) on hand for when I’m up against a tight deadline and need something but can barely get organized enough to fill a glass of water. (My exercise consists of doing that plus frequent trips to the bathroom, sometimes I can type or proofread standing or walking in place.) Half a builder bar has 10 grams of protein and about 130 calories or so, which is about all I can handle at a time when under stress. I can nibble on it while proofreading or prepping a file. All the real food in my kitchen is indigestible under such conditions. The Clif bars are nonallergenic for me and in the amount I eat, don’t bother me at all (and my body is extremely good at letting me know otherwise). Otherwise I would be stuck just eating rice crackers for the duration! Really. Whole food is only for me when I’m relaxed. But since I really don’t like sweet things during the day and usually have more time when working at night, the Clif bars are only for very occasional use. So only people who scarf a whole one down daily have to worry.
Frank says:
I don’t get why anyone needs to eat Clif bars or any energy bars as an evening snack (and then feel bad about it). If it’s about losing weight then it’s a simple equation of more energy out than energy in.
Clif Bars (and various others of its kind) have been a mainstay in my sports (climbing) for years – to be honest, where I’ve been, even a bagful of M&Ms is a godsend.
Saying Clif Bars are full of crap is obviously subjective and depends on your point of view. If you eat Clif Bars as an evening snack and don’t work out, I’d say that they’re definitely full of crap and you should stop eating them – they’re not meant for that purpose.
If you’re sitting on a portaledge, melting snow so you can have a cup of tea after 12 hours of climbing and want to chuck in a Clif Bar or two, go ahead. Probably the best thing you’ve ever eaten.
Aly says:
I just happened across this article and personally think CLIF bars taste like cardboard, but the fact that your article doesn’t have real data citations AND implies that the soy in CLIF bars is GMO makes me not trust anything you say about nutrition (that and the fact that you bought and consumed a processed food for whatever length of time without first reading the ingredients list, but I digress). CLIF bars state on the packaging that they are non-GMO. Even if you, for some reason, could not read the non-GMO statement RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE INGREDIENTS LIST, any reporter aiming for even a modicum of respectability would have gone to CLIF’s website, where there FAQ’s stipulate they are non-GMO, many of their ingredients are organic, and mention some of the steps they take to ensure their products don’t contain GMOs.
Whitney English says:
Hi Aly,
I’ve updated the article with links to peer-reviewed studies. Thought you might be interested since you were interested enough to take the time to write this lengthy comment. Hope that helps clarify some of the points for you.
Jeremy says:
1. Sugar – Sugar isn’t about nutrition and I don’t believe anti-oxidants are actually considered a nutrient have you ever heard of ant-oxidant deficient? With sugar you have to worry about the glycemic index and brown rice syrup has a low glycemic index compared to some other sugars it also does not have fructose which is horrible for your liver. Also Calories aren’t necessarily bad, it is only bad if you get too many calories and calories are energy hence that is why it is a energy bar.
Whitney English says:
Brown rice syrup is a 98 on the glycemic index – incredibly high – higher than table sugar: http://www.glycemicindex.com/foodSearch.php?num=2648&ak=detail
Barry says:
Uhhhhm.
So you realise Clif Bars are an ENERGY bar right?
The primary function of an energy bar? To provide the body with quick burning carbohydrates to fuel exercise.
Of course there’s a lot of sugar in them. That’s the point!
Whitney English says:
Yes, Barry. The point of my article is that they are marketed toward people who eat them as snacks – not fuel for endurance activities.
Peter says:
If man made it, don’t eat it.
Nothing beats whole food.
I’ll stick with my dates, salad and potatoes :)
Jim Q says:
Better be sweet potatoes because most potatoes are simple carbs and can cause sugar issues.
John says:
You also forgot to mention that Clif Bars are made with 70% organic ingredients, so there’s a lot less chemicals and foreign substances going into our bodies as compared to a candy bar
chad says:
You sure are cute. I bet YOU are a pre-bedtime treat.
Morpheus says:
Ive been trying to find a decent healthy snack bar for ages. Almost every single one of them is packed with dozens of disguised sugars and other cheap nonsense.
Most health bars are a damn joke. Ive seen bars with a list of great ingredients and then it says 29g of sugar. What a load of utter crap. I thought I had found a decent one called ‘Zero Impact’ but they decided to change their ingredients by adding corn syrup and upping the sugar BY 50% from 6g to 11g, tat doesn’t sound like a zero impact to me.
Whitney English says:
Yeah, it’s unfortunate.
The best thing to do is just make your own. It’s actually really easy: just combine old-fashioned oats, almond butter (or peanut/cashew butter) and an unsweetened dried fruit of your choice. Press into a pan and freeze. Grab when you need!
monica says:
Actually, a Cliff bar as a much greater protein content and a whole ton of vitamins that a snickers bar does not. So I would definitely still go for the Cliff bar.
Elizabeth says:
I’ve carefully compared the nutrition info in both bars and cliff bars have at least twice the protein and fiber and half of the fat that a snickers has. So… no? Cliff bars are not essentially snickers bars. You’ve effectively mislead dozens of misinformed readers. Way to go
Camil San says:
Exactly,
She is just mad she got the runs.
On a more serious notes, her “research” stopped at the first two ingredients (out of the many that these two products have).
Oh and yeah, way to overlook the vitamins and minerals that Cliff bars have.
I doubt she will even respond to the messages disagreeing with her.
Whitney English says:
People should be getting their vitamins and minerals from whole foods.
Camil San says:
So you get the runs and immediately decide to bash on a product.
I’m not saying Cliff Bars are the best thing out there, but your logic an premises are very much flawed.
Calorie count? first ingredient? Inconclusive results on soy protein?
Come on, before you disseminate information you should do a better job, or do not even bother at all.
Whitney English says:
First off – “the runs” – gross. I said it gave me a stomach ache.
Secondly, the first ingredient in a product is the one with the highest percentage in that product, and as I said above, in CLIF that is sugar. If you don’t think sugar is a problem for the average person to be gorging on, check out some of the links above to peer-reviewed studies examining the detrimental effects of sugar, and namely, brown rice syrup.
eliza high says:
You are aware that clif bars are enery bars for athletes, not protein bars for weight loss, right? Rice syrup is to give quick every in the moment, while the complex carbs, proteins, and fats, have time to kick in. If I were to eat a snickers bar before training I’d crash half way through because it has nothing but sugar and some highly processed other ingredients. Clif bars are organic, vegan energy bars that won’t give you a sugar crash. Don’t tell people bullshit, and don’t just assume because something is healthy that it’s designed for weight management. They are great for workouts because you will burn all the carbs provided and be able to give 100% but they are not going to help you if you just sit on your ass. Definitely healthier than snickers bars. Look at the nutrients per calorie, counting sugar and calories and protein doesn’t tell you shit. 200 calories of organic complex carbs and soy is very very different than 200 calories of sugar corn syrup and chocolate.
That said it seems as though you are all looking for something to snack on. Clif bars are not for you. Go eat some carrots or something not processed, it’ll fill you up longer and doesn’t have refined sugar.
Whitney English says:
Eliza – see update 2 in the post. Also, sugar is not a complex carb it is a simple carb and brown rice syrup is extremely high on the glycemic index.
Martin Onassis says:
so protein isolate is NOT healthy in ANY form, so CLIF is full of it. You want energy before a hike or a run, eat potatoes and bacon and maybe some healthy kind of pancakes with some real maple syrup and honey. Clif bars will save you when you’re starving until you can get to a real meal, but what I’m reading about brown rice syrup is scary also.
Whitney English says:
Yes, very scary!!! And it’s in SO many products.
Don R says:
I don’t think they’re that bad for you. Clif bar contains more protein and fiber than a snickers bar. A reasonably healthy, active person can handle the sugar content. Also, I think pecan pie bar has more sugar than most clif bars. Other side by side comparisons show that snickers has both more fat AND more sugar.
Abby T says:
Um, I don’t know if you guys realize this but it’s not supposed to be a snack. It’s a preworkout bar that is actually very good because it has everything in it to give you energy.
South Florida Scuba Diving says:
Abby, I agree!
It’s not a snack, it’s a pre-workout bar. However, the Cliff brand has been marketing it to be a “healthy snack.”
I eat these before a long run.
Chris says:
I love the title of your Blog! Found it on Google. Keep doing what you’re doing!
Whitney @ To Live & Diet in L.A. says:
Thanks for the nice feedback Chris!
Martin Onassis says:
I’ve been eating these a lot since they came out. I have frequently eaten them as breakfast with a banana, and I’m about 60 lbs overweight. I almost never eat regular candy bars either, well, peanut and almond M&Ms are a favorite sin, but I toned them way down. I’ve actually left Clif Bar for Kind bar, which are also a lot smaller. Some of those are supposed to be ok. Luna bars are full of chemicals too. I can’t believe they market themselves as healthy.
Whitney English says:
Good for you Martin! Try Larabars too. They don’t have a lot of protein, so I’d pair them with a yogurt or something, but they do have a lot of healthy fat and are completely natural.
Stephen Yeh says:
You are awesome Whitney!
I looked into the glycemic index of brown rice syrup and I remember finding wildly conflicting reports online – which suggested to me that some industry rep may be reporting a very low Glycemic Index as a smokescreen to confuse people. There is no law preventing manufacturers from reporting very low GI levels for their food using shoddy techniques.
I do carry low glycemic bars everywhere (including Clif mojo and luna) as a diabetic in case I get low blood sugar. But I try to be careful about claims of “low glycemic” bars.
Whitney English says:
Thanks Stephen! It’s always nice to hear positive feedback. Very smart of you to do research and figure out these things for yourself instead of just trusting the manufacturers!
Eliza says:
Arrrgh! I just ate a Clif bar for the first time. After eating it I googled it and landed on this page. Never again! I knew it was calorie dense, but I’m trying to lose weight. I wish I looked it up BEFORE eating it.
Glad to know what brown rice syrup is. Never heard of it. Thanks for the information!
Rik says:
If you eat a cliff bar to loose weight you’re pretty dumb. These are energy bars that boost sport performance.
Eliza says:
Gee thanks, Rik. Thinking you aren’t exactly an intellectual giant yourself.
I’m done with this blog.
Kenton Lane says:
If you want to know the real story behind soy, backed up by vast research from all over the world that took decades to consolidate, take a look here:
REPORT
Is Soy Safe?
Busting the Myths of a Nutritional Powerhouse
http://www.lef.org//Magazine/2010/7/Is-Soy-Safe/Page-01
Ryan says:
Hey Whitney,
Just curious about your thoughts on added sugar in combination with fiber or other nutrients that augment digestion. It’s widely accepted that naturally occurring sugars in fruit are okay because the fruit also contain ample amounts of fiber that impact the way the body absorbs it yada yada yada. In the case of Cliff bars, does the fact that they have a decent amount of fiber (compared to, say, a snickers) help lessen the blow of all that sugar?
CWP says:
I think you have a really important message here, but I’m sympathetic to other commenters’ frustrations with the delivery. Not a fan of the tone of some of those comments either.
The answer to “How is the first ingredient in a ‘healthy’ protein bar sugar?!?” is that Clif Bars aren’t protein bars. Or meal replacement bars, or snack bars, or “food bars,” as Larabars sometimes bill themselves. They’re energy bars. Basically by definition, energy bars are going to contain some high GI ingredients, because providing quick energy *just is* providing your body with things it can rapidly convert to glucose. A good energy bar should also include some lower GI ingredients for sustained energy, and Clif bars do a decent job in that respect too.
I think it’s fair to say that the original post totally overlooked these distinctions. Which is completely understandable—it’s easy to miss. There’s definitely a problem with the way grocery stores stock bars of all varieties: protein bars, meal replacement bars, snack bars, energy bars, every kind of bar all mixed up without any acknowledgement of the important distinctions between them. It’s VERY easy to get confused, and if the post was “these are energy bars, and eating energy bars when you don’t need energy is bad for you” I’d be in complete agreement.
I really don’t see how Clif bars are marketed as snacks to the general public. After searching for their ads, I’m not seeing any campaigns targeted to “normal” people. Everything seems to feature people doing endurance sports. Their description of the bars on their website says “Whether you’re on a 150-mile bike ride or exploring a new trail, this energy bar is built to sustain your adventure.”
It’s too easy to see these ads and come away thinking the product is “healthy” overall. We think of these endurance athletes as healthy, and when we associate a product with healthy people, we start to associate it with *health*. That’s just how human brains work, and it’s something we have to fight. But that’s not Clif’s fault.
I don’t see any realistic way for them to market the bars without some people falling into this trap. Yeah, they could write “SUGAR FOR QUICK ENERGY” on the packaging. But (as some commenters illustrated) plenty of people who are using the bars *in exactly the right way* don’t realize that it’s sugar they need and would be turned off.
BillyB says:
I think these were invented as an easy to carry FUEL bar for climbers and hikers etc. I’m not sure they ever claimed to be healthy.
Travis says:
I think you’re being rather naive. Clif bars are “energy bars”, they are meant to pack calories. As depicted on the front of the package, you know, where the dude is climbing a cliff face(hence “Clif Bar”). A Clif bar is an easy way to pack calories for activities like climbing, hiking, mountaineering, backpacking, etc where you need to pack a lot of calories without increasing the weight of your food. That said, I wouldn’t quite compare a Clif Bar to a candy bar, because it provides more protein than most candy bars, as well as some complex carbs. Sugar isn’t terrible for you if you’re body is actually going to use it for short term energy(you are being active). In about 25min of hiking you’d burn all the calories from the sugar. Its funny that you mention snickers bars. Ironically this is popular among climbers and hikers because it packs some protein.
I don’t know where you get the impression that Clif Bars are supposed to be low calorie diet snacks. It basically says on the front of the package, “Sustain Energy”. Calories are energy to the human body. Do you assume because it has buzzwords on it like “Organic” that its low calorie? The idea of a clif bar is essentially the opposite of filling your appetite with low calorie food. Its dense energy, not for the person trying to lose weight, but the person trying to replace calories when you’re unable to prepare a meal(hanging off a cliff, hiking, etc). These are the people Clif Bars are marketed to and made for. As far as I’m concerned you’ve drawn your own conclusions.
Whitney English says:
I suppose I see it differently than you. I work in the health and fitness industry and I constantly see Clif bars promoted at events, catering to people who are NOT endurance athletes. I’ve also spoken first hand to many people, average active adults, who are confused about the intended use of Clif and other “energy bars” and think they’re meant to be meal replacement or snack bars (I never said low-calorie). They are located right next to all of the other bars in health food stores – protein bars, meal replacement bars, etc. You may say that it is the consumer’s own fault for misunderstanding the purpose of a Clif Bar, but I’d say that the average consumer is not as well versed as you or other people weighing in on this post in the science behind sugar’s use in the body, and is mislead by the healthy image of Clif bars. That is the whole purpose of this post – to speak to THOSE people.
Richard says:
Maybe the problem lies in how they are marketed in the US, I don’t know how it is there but over here (in the UK) you only tend to see them in climbing centres, bike shops and such.
The packaging says “Energy Bar” and has an illustration of someone climbing a rock face. That doesn’t look like your average daily activity so its clear of its purpose. It lists all the ingredients on the back and has a breakdown of nutrition so you can make your own mind up.
Personally I normally use them on long endurance based mountain bike rides to sustain energy, I’ll go to some salty crisps as a snack to replace the salt lost in sweat. They also seem to hold up well regardless of the weather/conditions too, taste decent, and seem to do the trick energy wise so can’t say I have any complaints.
Maybe next time you’re looking for something to snack on in the evening avoid something sugary, all that sugar which is designed to give you energy when active will probably overload your stomach if you’re sedentary.
Nelson says:
Just as Richard pointed out, Clif Bars are not a “healthy snack” in the way gym fitness women want to. They are specifically designed to provide enough nutrients and energy for high-demand activities such as hiking, climbing and endurance running.
Those activities require more calories than just exercising for the purpose of keeping oneself in shape. If you are not the market for this type of products, don’t expect it to meet your expectations.
Kris says:
I must say that I enjoy cliff bars very much. I have actually battled with my weight off and on most of my life. I am constantly up and down, my best weight being 163, and 267 at my worst. I like the comparison that you have made here in your article. I feel that it has been a healthier replacement for my candy bar craving. I too realized many of the details that you have brought to light, however when I eat a snickers bar the only response I have is that it was so delicious that I want another one. I have found my cliff bars to be much more filling and satisfying for that kind of craving. I think many times this is one aspect of dieting that is over looked. Is it filling and does it satisfy my craving? This is the most important part of my diet because if those criteria are not met I obsess over the next snack or meal. That being said, thank you so much for your point of view on cliff bars. The only bad opinion is a uninformed one. :)
Whitney English says:
Thank you so much for your constructive comment! I definitely agree that satiety is one of the most important considerations when it comes to food choice when trying to lose weight. Good luck on your journey!
Carissa says:
If your diet is 85% healthy whole foods and you’re fairly active, I honestly don’t see the harm in having a clif bar once in a while. I agree though, its asinine to pretend they are healthy. When I eat one i feel like I’m eating a desert and it fills my desert cravings. It is also good to recognize that clif bars were designed for people who are doing high intensity or long workouts and need the quick energy and sugar. Personally, I just like clif bars because some of them are vegan and most candy bars are not vegan so its easiest to just have a clif bar as a treat every few months or when I crave candy. Of course larabars or KIND bars are a better option but they don;t fill that junk foods craving the same way clif bars do.
Tmera says:
I LOVE CLIF BARS! I agree they are NO snack. When I eat them it’s ONLY AS A MEAL REPLACEMENT, which works great for me. Today my friend tried to convince me that Questbars are healthier. But after looking at the labels I realized low sugar, low calories and high protein doesn’t automatically make for a better choice! They’re full of fake substitutes and junk. At least clif bars are made up of organic oats, peanut butter, etc. and not “isomalto-oligosaccharides…” what ever those frightening things are in Questbars!
Mark says:
so disappointing. . I have been doing a lot of research and these things DO taste great. How can they call them organic? Are they vegan?
You are super hot :)
Whitney English says:
They are 70% organic I believe and many of them are vegan.
Brian says:
Clif bars are vegan which is a big plus. I believe integrating them as a snack into a rounded plant based healthy, humane eating lifestyle is fine. I am ever wary of the corporate marketing buzz words of “natural,” “organic,” “non-gmo” and “unprocessed” which are all uniformly meaningless when it comes to the nutritional or ethical measure of a food.
Todd says:
While I agree with you that Clif Bars shouldn’t just be eaten as everyday snacks, what evidence do you have to suggest that “they are MARKETED as snacks to the general public”?
The website for Clif Bar states:
“It’s the first bar we made, and it’s still everything we’re about. Wholesome, organic ingredients. Performance nutrition. And great taste. Whether you’re on a 150-mile bike ride or exploring a new trail, this energy bar is built to sustain your adventure.”
Runnershigh123 says:
This article really didn’t compare the two bars based on the nutritional value. What a waste of a read.
Allie says:
Cliff bars aren’t supposed to be healthy, they’re supposed to be a lot of energy in a small bar. Carbs, protein, sugar. That’s why they’re for hiking/ climbing. I only know this from reading the wrapper. He made them so you could travel light. That’s why they’re supposed to be high calorie and such. I only came here wondering if it was okay for me to eat one for lunch right now, and I would definitely eat a snickers for lunch so I guess the answer is yes.
Mf says:
Amen!! I have been eating nearly two a day bc my school only has this and a bunch of other gluten things, which I can’t eat. I have been on a basically no sugar diet for a few years, but for whatever reason just gave it up in an effort to not starve at school and maintain a level of laziness (not packin lunches). But, even though I feel like I’ve been eating minimal Amt of food, I notice all my pants are fitting tighter- I definitely gained some lbs, and it seems like a surface layer unhealthy kind of fat… The semester just ended and Im excited to never eat a cliff bar again. Thanks for your post.
Whitney English says:
Thanks for your feedback Marina. Enjoy the summer off and the ability to eat whole food again!! :)
mr goat says:
IF you are craving refined sugar, either eat a spoon full of it with water or eat Ice Cream.
Any other form of sugar that is embedded in a protein bar or other sludgy slow moving food , in the system like breads with sugar, is what the problem is. It gives the opportunity for candida to get out of control and is severely taxing on the system. Ice cream moves quickly through unless you have a milk allergy and even ice cream is much safer as the proteins normally associated with problems with people from milk, it’s exploded due to the freezing method so it’s not an issue. Options for sugar lovers ! Or eat a banana. That always satiates!
Noor N says:
Stumbled on your post while I was searching for online nutritional info on Clif Bars. Not sure how you can go about recommending Larabars which are way more unhealthy and nutritionally deficient.
Here’s the nutrional info of Coconut chocolate chip bars from Clif, Coconut chocolate chip Larabars, and a normal snickers bar. http://i.imgur.com/d69IPHJ.png
While admittedly the coconut Larabar is one of their most “unhealthy” bars, most Larabars all more or less the same and don’t give more than 10% of any two vitamins.
Larabars win out in that they have 15 g less carbs, 50 less calories, and 170 mg of sodium. Assuming you eat 1 bar a day and your diet is more or less balanced, 50 calories is negligible, 170 mg of sodium is not outrageous, and the extra 15 carbs is not an issue unless you’re eating a large amount of carbs.
From a nutritional standpoint, the clif bar destroys the Larabar. From a price standpoint as well, you get way more for your money and generally Larabars are more expensive than clif bars. A 12 count Clif box for 12.50 on amazon, on average 17 dollars for 16 larabars on Amazon with one type selling for 14 dollars on sale.
Clif bars are always cheaper than larabars in stores/grocery stores and, with clif bars being more popular, on sale much more regularly.
So the only significant argument you could make here is the type of sugars (both contain approx. the same amount of sugar) used AND that’s assuming the chocolate chips in larabars don’t use high fructose syrup or processed sugars since Larabars don’t list the ingredients of the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Edward says:
I read a few comments and generally agree with you all. I love both the regular Clif and the Clif Builders bars. I may eat up to two (of each) per day! That’s 1000 calories…just in energy bars! DOH!
However, let me ask other people: What else do you eat? I’m of the opinion that unless you’re eating an unprocessed Paleo diet…you’re still eating junk with breads, pastas, burgers, burritos, microwave dinners, etc.
BRIAN Johnson says:
Basically, I use these as a meal replacement. Perfect for a mid morning snack when Im at work and cant sit down for a full meal. The 250 calories are part of my 2000 calorie diet. I need the 20 grams of protein for muscle growth, I need the carbs for muscle growth and energy, and some fat is necessary in your diet. I go to the gym nearly daily and burn 800 calories or more, and Im losing weight weekly. If you have a deficit in your calorie intake below what your body needs to operate, then this is a good choice for your diet in moderation. I eat veges, tilapia, fish, oats and rice to make up the rest of my diet. So I guess what Im saying if you plan your diet for your fitness needs, then this is a good source of energy and protein.
Debbie says:
I ate a Cliff Bar that my husband gave me after he picked me up from work yesterday. I started complaining about sharp “gas pains” in my abdomen. I did not eat anything when I got home and laid down. The pains kept getting worse and worse. I finally got to the place where I had to throw up. Utter retching since there wasn’t much on my stomach. The pains went away. However, I ended up as loose as a goose after that and still am the next day. My abdomen is very sore today. The only thing that I ate that was different yesterday was the Cliff Bar. I have eaten them occasionally, but never had this experience before. I will not be eating them again!