Not all energy bars are made equal. Many are high in saturated fat, synthetic sugar and empty calories. Even healthier bars are naturally high in sugar and carbs, perfect to top up your energy on the go, but not a great choice for weight loss or meal replacement. Always read the label carefully and choose bars with a good nutritional value.

So are energy bars healthy? How should you choose a healthy energy bar? We’ve answered some of the big questions about energy bars to help you make an informed choice.

Some other bars rely entirely on simple sugars to deliver their carbohydrate load. This has the effect of creating blood sugar spikes, and inevitable crashes as levels drop.

Many energy bars (including a lot of the big names) rely on  synthetic sugars, refined starches, flavouring and ingredients  — some of which have been linked to digestive problems and gastrointestinal distress.

In fact, many of the energy bars you might see on the supermarket shelf are about the same as a chocolate bar in terms of nutritional value.

Some can also be high in saturated fat and salt. The only fats in our energy bars come from whole nuts which are low in saturates and heart healthy. Our philosophy is: if we wouldn’t have it in our kitchen, we won’t have it in our bars.

We wouldn’t recommend replacing meals with energy bars.

A good balanced meal should contain an array of different foods, providing your body with vitamins and minerals, slow release energy, proteins and healthy fats.

Many energy bars provide nothing more than a quick boost of carbs and sugar, often with high fat and saturated fats thrown in. They have all of the nutritional value of a regular chocolate bar — and we wouldn’t recommend swapping your lunch for that.

But we know people live busy lifestyles and you’ll occasionally need to grab something in an emergency. If you do opt for an energy bar in a pinch, we’d choose one that contains some protein and has real nutritional value from real food ingredients.

The short answer is no. The ‘energy’ in energy bars almost always comes from carbohydrate calories. This means they tend to be high in sugars (either natural fruit sugars or added sugars). Which is great news if you’re exercising and need to replenish burnt calories.

Your body will always want to replenish its carb stores — so choosing a healthy, real-food option to quickly restore burnt calories after a morning run, for example, can help to curb cravings for less healthy food throughout the day.

However, if your lifestyle is sedentary and you’re not getting enough exercise, then swapping out a healthy meal for an energy bar won’t help you lose weight. You’ll be taking on more carbohydrates than you’re using, and your body will try to store these as fat stores. 

The simplest and best advice if you’re looking to lose weight is to increase your exercise, follow a healthy balanced diet and make sure you’re not eating too many excess calories.

There is no such thing as a silver bullet for weight loss, so be wary of any product which claims to burn fat, control appetite or drop the pounds without exercise.

Energy bars are designed to deliver a quick energy boost while you’re exercising. Your muscles only store so much energy, so energy bars can be an essential part of keeping you energised and active, especially on longer rides and runs. In that sense they are great as part of a healthy, active lifestyle.

But not all bars are made equally. Some deliver empty calories and inevitably a sugar crash. Look for bars that provide a healthy mix of carbohydrates, fibre, protein and healthy fats. Better for digestion and your overall health. 

Energy bars aren’t a silver bullet for weight loss, and shouldn’t be relied on to replace meals.