I am so confused. All I see around me are bars for men, bars for women, and bars for both. There are just too many bars from which to choose. You’re probably saying to yourself, "Hey, Ricky says he doesn’t drink so what’s all this bar stuff?" I’m not talking ‘bout a watering hole, I‘m talking ‘bout nutrition bars. They seem to be the latest food fad among us health nuts, gym rats, and people on the go.

I was in the supermarket and was blown away by the amount of flavors, shapes, sizes, and markets they were targeting. There are literally hundreds of these pre-wrapped products competing for shelf space at gyms, health food stores, and supermarkets.

Nutrition bars are touted as meal replacements and a choice for a healthy snack. Take your choice of high carbohydrate bars, energy bars, breakfast bars, bars for boosting your brain, meal replacement bars, diet bars, protein bars, and even bars exclusively geared to the female population only. The list seems to be endless.

We are now being warned to use these bars in moderation. Seems they can be loaded with unwanted calories. Some of them have as much sugar and as much saturated fat as a candy bar. Shocking you say? Well, some of us really neglect to read the label. Each bar has a complete nutritional breakdown on the package—so choose wisely.

Some bars were found to provide an increase in blood sugar levels that remained steady, and which could translate into enhanced performance for endurance athletes. But beware, because the powerbar produced a quick rush of blood sugar, but was followed by a rapid decline—gosh, pretty much what a Snickers candy bar could do.

There is a nutritionist, Nancy Clark, MS, RD, who points out that anything that provides calories will give you some energy. Ms Clark is Director of Nutrition Services at Sports Medicine Associates in Brookline, Massachusetts. She says, "Bananas give energy, Twinkies give energy, and energy bars give energy. That’s because they all provide calories."

Most nutritionists warn consumers that they need not go overboard on their bars. Don’t rely on them to provide total nutrition while ignoring other whole foods in a balanced diet. These things are just so handy, aren’t they? But, we are being told that you may be better off eating fruits such as apples or bananas. Even a bagel or graham crackers can produce a response in blood glucose levels similar to some energy bars. And guess what? They can be a lot cheaper than an energy bar. Some of those puppies cost over three dollars each.

Some consumers think that these nutrition bars are better than food. There are those who buy these things by the case. Some have convinced themselves that this is all they need for their diets. Be warned that these nutrition bars are not the wonder food they are advertised to be. Having one occasionally isn’t going to hurt you, but use your common sense. A variety of other foods is essential for your good health. So what are the guidelines we should use when choosing a nutrition bar? Well, try to remember this:

1) A bar that has 5 grams of fat or less is the one to choose—the lower the fat the better.

2) 3-5 grams of fiber is the limit when evaluating the fiber content of a bar.

3) Counting calories? Check that label. You may be shocked at the range of calorie counts in nutrition bars. For example, a LUNA bar has 170-180 calories, while a MET-Rx "Big 100" Food Bar has a whopping 340 calories. That’s a big range.

4) Some of us are looking for a true meal replacement bar. We should choose one that has at least 15 or more grams of protein. It should also contain fiber, and be fortified with about 35% of the RDA for vitamins and minerals. And take note on this one: meal replacement bars tend to be larger in size than other bars—boosting their calorie count.

5) To up the nutrition in your nutrition bar, it is suggested that you eat some real food along with your bar. A piece of fruit is good, or even yogurt.

6) Here is a warning I found very interesting. For a person who consumes more than three bars per day, be aware that you may be getting more vitamins and minerals than you should. Fortified bars may contain 50% of the RDA for zinc. If you are eating multiple bars a day, plus your multi-vitamin pill, and a bowl of fortified cereal, then you could be getting more zinc than you need. That may translate into an interference with the absorption of other minerals, and, here’s a shocking claim—it could weaken your immune system. Be very aware!

And now, a final warning. The nutrition label on your nutrition bar may not be all that truthful. When ConsumerLab.com announced the findings of its independent laboratory tests on 30 nutrition bars,18 did not meet the claims of their ingredients on the label. And how about this one—half of the nutrition bars exceeded the carbohydrate levels stated on the wrapper. One bar promoted as a low-carbohydrate diet product claimed it had just 2 grams of carbs, but tests revealed that it actually contained 22 grams—oops.