Slimming Chance: Nutrition Bars for Weight Management

By Kimberly J. Decker, Contributing Editor

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.5 billion adults aged 20 and older are overweight worldwide. As if that werent anxiety-inducing enough, more than 200 million men and nearly 300 million women among them also qualify as obese. So profound is this global epidemic of overweight and obesity that its spawned its own regrettable neologism: globesity.

So it should come as no surprise that research firm Euromonitor, Chicago, pegged the 2009 market for weight-management foods, beverages and supplements at $3.64 billion in the United States and $1.3 billion in Europe. To Henk Jan Neerhof, manager of product development, VSI, Leerdam, The Netherlands, a non-branded bar manufacturer,  the connection is plain as day. As long as the world is gripped by globesity," he says, the demand for weight-management tools will continue to rise."

One of the most popular of those tools is the weight-loss" or weight-control" bar, which, Neerhof says, is a handy format for aiding slimming, as well as an ideal and convenient way to provide nutrition."

But no bar can transform a consumers relationship with food and exercisethe true route to a healthy weighton its own. And if a weight-loss bar is little more than a fortified confection, its doomed from the start. Only when formulated with an eye to delivering targeted nutrition and satisfaction can a slimming" bar play its part in helping consumers do just that.

Energy equation

Like all bars, weight-loss bars fall into several format themes: granola, confectionery-type, cookie, wafer and so on. But no matter the style, what you put into your bar will depend on what you want to get out of it.

According to Leslie J. Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN, director of sports nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for Sports Medicine, Pennsylvania, and a nutrition consultant to the Cherry Marketing Institute, Lansing, MI, the first question any formulator should ask is: What are you going to use the bar for? What role is it playing?" Is it a snack? A meal replacement? A tool for post-exercise feeding? The answer, she says, will govern the composition of that bar, including the calorie level."

In the case of a self-proclaimed weight-loss bar, consumers will apparently use it to lose weight. But that again raises the question of whether a baror any caloric foodcan promote weight loss. Calories, after all, are what weight is made of. And all else being equal, eating more of them will tip the scales in the wrong direction.

But all else may not be equal. A bar could help you lose weight if youre using it as a substitute for something else," Bonci says. There has to be some kind of swap-out." A meal-replacement bar that loads a dinners-worth of energy into one wrapper wont eliminate pounds if you eat it in addition to the meal it was supposed to replace. Then again, subbing one of your three squares with a 100-calorie snack bar may prove counterproductive, too, because youre going to get hungry really soon after the bars done in three bites," she says.

Thus, less isnt always more in weight-loss formulation. And by the same token," Bonci continues, more is not always best when were trying to get the calories right, either." A well-formulated weight-loss bar will straddle the middle ground between light snack and meal replacement. And while opinion on the ideal calorie content varies, a total in the 200 to 250 kcal rangemax," she saysis reasonable in a 2- to 2.5-oz. product.

On balance

Once youve settled on the calorie target, you have to determine where those calories will come from. Hereas elsewhere in weight-management formulationbalance is key. The bar cant be just carb, just protein or just fat," Bonci says. She suggests that our 2- to 2.5-oz. bar might pack in 10 grams of protein, as many as 8 to 10 grams of fat (perhaps from nuts or nut butters) and the rest will be from your carbohydrate component" of sweeteners, possibly some dried fruits and  usually a kind of grain base, whether its oats or rice crisps or whatever."

Notes Neerhof, Alternative sweeteners and digestion-resistant carbs are common ways of keeping calories low in weight-loss bars." His company uses polyols like maltitol and sorbitol, as well as high-intensity sweeteners like stevia and sucralose, for the purpose. And if a customer wants no sweeteners at all in their product, we can use natural apple juice instead," he says,Whatever the carbohydrate source, Bonci recommends striving for at least 5 grams of fiber" in the bar, which not only holds down calories but offers other perks as well. Vareemon Tuntivanich, Ph.D., R&D scientist, meat, International Fiber Corporation (IFC), North Tonawanda, NY, praises fiber for delivering digestive and heart-health benefits to bars in a low-energy, low-glycemic package. The energy contributed by fiber is in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 kcal per gram, per the Institute of Medicine (IOM)," he says. This is less than what carbohydrate contributes in general." The FDA doesnt require manufacturers to include insoluble fiber in the fiber calorie counts on nutrition labels, he notes. Usually it is listed as a subset of the carbohydrate category," he says.

Satiety solutions

Where you may hear fiber praised most, though, is in the context of satietya concept thats a minor obsession among some formulators and weight-loss consumers. Over the past few years, the number of products that claim to have satiety benefits has grown considerably," says Corey Jansen, global product manager, human health and nutrition, Kemin, Des Moines, IA. He attributes this growth rate, in part, to the believability of satiety claims. The idea that a product could help you to feel full or satisfied for a longer time is more believable and perceived as safer" than the promise that a food or stimulant will magically burn fat," he says.

But achieving satietybest described as the feeling of fullness and satisfaction that we get after a mealinvolves a complex interaction of nutrients, hormones, and sensory and mechanical triggers that were only beginning to untangle.

Take fiber, for example. As Tuntivanich explains: Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid, therefore slowing the movement of food through the intestines. The longer food stays in the intestines, the slower the onset of the feeling of hunger." Soluble fiber also reduces the rate of macronutrient digestion and absorption from the small intestine, further enhancing short-term satiety. And by slowing the absorption of glucose, it facilitates cells in burning sugar for energy throughout the day, rather than storing it as fat," he adds.

Insoluble fiber enhances satiety, too, increasing food bulk, while slowing its discharge from the stomach. Consumers will have a feeling of fullness as long as the fiber stays in their digestive system," Tuntivanich says. This results in reduced hunger and, therefore, prolongs the satiety feeling." He adds that because of the lower energy density of high-fiber foods, a given weight of product will contribute fewer calories.

Whey cool

Then theres satietys protein piece. Multiple studies, plus a 2002 IOM report, have concluded that protein, more than carbohydrate or fat, promotes satiety, with 30 to 50 grams demonstrating the greatest efficacy. But considering the virtual impossibility of squeezing that much protein into a single bar, manufacturers should do their best with what they can incorporate, while awaiting further research on whether smaller amounts can be just as effective.

In the meantime, they can choose which protein to usebearing in mind that not all protein sources are equal," says Keigan Park, Ph.D., director, nutrition research, Dairy Research Institute, Rosemont, IL. The best proteins for weight-control, he says, are those that are complete" and supply all the essential amino acids, as well as branched-chain amino acids like leucine.

In this respect, whey protein shines. As Park says, We have learned that whey protein can be beneficial in several ways for individuals trying to manage weight." For one, it can promote satiety by stimulating widely-studied gastrointestinal hormones believed to regulate appetite at the brain level, like cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). And research shows that as part of a higher-protein, reduced-calorie diet, whey improves the quality of weight loss by helping maintain lean muscle mass as dieters shed fat.

As an added bonus, whey is palatable, easy to work with and a road-tested ingredient in bars. According to Kimberlee (K.J.) Burrington, dairy ingredient applications coordinator,  Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research (WCDR), University of Wisconsin, Madison, its also available for use in various applications at protein levels ranging from 13% to over 90%, including whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, reduced-lactose whey and dry sweet whey."

Neerhofs company uses whey to achieve a 25% protein content in its organic milk protein bar. He says the whey not only supplies important nutrition, but reduces the appetite naturally, so the bar helps consumers to eat less."

Potato power

Neerhof notes that his company uses more than 30 different protein concentrates and isolates from different sources," including rice protein, gelatin hydrolysate and the aforementioned whey. But another protein just beginning to attract attention for its influence on satiety comes from an unexpected source: the humble potato.

Jansens company manufactures a functional potato protein as an all-natural ingredient whose active component, a proteinase inhibitor found just beneath the tubers skin, increases release of CCK. The CCK signaling process is a natural one that occurs after food is eaten," Jansen explains. By promoting the hormones release, the ingredient extends the signal, telling the brain that the bodys had its fill, and creating the sense of satisfaction that helps people feel full sooner and longer."

The ingredient has proven effective in promoting satiety and helping people lose weight  without causing the jitters, bloating or other side effects commonly associated with some other weight-management ingredients," Jansen says. Of note to bar developers, its also neutral in taste and designated GRAS for use in a variety of applications at the full dose that was tested in clinical trials."

Sensory satisfaction

Demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials and proven mechanisms of hormone stimulation are well and goodindeed, theyre important to giving satiety legitimacy with researchers and the public. But, as Bonci notes, achieving satiety involves more than just formulating an approved laundry list of fiber, protein and other nutritional ingredients into a bar.

A lot of elements go into satiety," Bonci says, and part of it is the idea that satiety starts in the mouth" with the actual sensory enjoyment of the food. The elements of different tastes, as well as different textures," she notes, make the process of eating more satisfying. The contrast of sweet and savory, of creamy and crunchy together, can be really helpful as part of satiety."

Even something as basic as how long it takes to consume a bar can boost its satiety quotient, adds Tuntivanich, who points out that high-fiber bars will take a long time to chew and will, therefore, slow down the consumption process."

Bill Bonner, senior technical advisor, Viterra/21st Century Grain Processing, Kansas City, MO, also acknowledges textures contribution to satiety. Thats why he encourages incorporating texturally distinctive bits and pieces into a bar. Products formulated with whole grains or coated grains and clusters will yield an improved textural bite," he says, which would yield increased satiety over a bar serving of a fat nougat, or the soft-centered bite of an enrobed bar."

Kelly Henderson, technical services manager, Viterra/21st Century Grain Processing, Portage La Prairie, MN,  sees this as an opening for oat-based ingredients. In addition to their sensory appeal as flakes, clusters and inclusions in weight-control bars, oats have a favorable combination of protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber," she says. The combination of insoluble and soluble fiber and protein can slow digestion and nutrient absorption. This can help control insulin and glucose levels, which has been shown to increase satiety and help control energy intake."

Beyond satiety

And oats are only the start. Roughly speaking, you can add everything to a bar," Neerhof says. Every imaginable type of coating, inclusion and filling can make bars more healthy or delicious. For example, inclusions could be nuggets or crisps that are high in protein, or they could be superfruits that provide lots of vitamins. Weight-management nutrients can also be incorporated into coatings and fillings."

Among the other weight-management nutrients hes got his eyes on are L-carnitinefor its purported thermogenic propertiesgreen tea extract and probiotics. We have recently started using encapsulated probiotics in bars," Neerhof says. These, too, could be incorporated into weight-management bars with a health and well-being slant."

Jayesh Chaudhari, senior formulation scientist, Fortitech, Schenectady, NY, mentions coenzyme Q10 as a candidate for inclusion to help burn the fat." Together with carnitine, the two nutrients provide energy to the mitochondria in the cells, so you will definitely get a thermogenic effect," he says. He adds that conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, has a similar effect." This fatty acid isomer appears to decrease the number and size of fat cells by inhibiting enzymes that store triglycerides in adipocytes, while also promoting the activity of enzymes that rev up fat metabolism.

Other healthy lipids that might interest weight-loss bar makers are medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), found primarily in coconut and palm kernel oils. Studies suggest MCTs not only boost metabolism and burn excess calories, but may also promote fat oxidation and reduce food intake, according to a 2010 report appearing in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition (61(7): 653-679).. Medium-chain triglycerides are advantageous in promoting weight loss although not beneficial to exercise performance," Chaudhari says, adding that because of the way our bodies metabolize MCTs, they have a lower calorie content per gram than other types of fat."

Bonci notes that anti-inflammatory ingredients are a big deal" in weight-loss formulations for many reasons, among them that obesity exacerbates inflammatory conditions; consumers interested in managing their weight might benefit from reducing the inflammation associated with the extra weight theyre trying to manage. So its a good idea to consume things that may help in that regard," Bonci says, whether those are omega-3s or tart cherries."

Pleasing the palate

While tart cherries have a pleasant taste to accompany their antioxidant compounds, omega-3s, vitamins, minerals, proteins, lipids, botanicals and the many other nutrients up for consideration in weight-management formulations arent that lucky. Get these ingredients mingling in a bar matrix and the interactions could prove disastrous.

Chaudhari cites the B-complex vitamins, as well as certain micronutrient proteins, for contributing off notes. "In general, B vitamins do contribute characteristics odors with typically a bitter taste, depending on their load," he says. "Because of the amino acid content of the protein source, most of them give a bitter taste, although glycine contributes a sweet taste. The type of protein source also gives a different taste profileas in soy protein versus milk protein versus pea protein."

To minimize them, We need to use heavy flavors, like tropical flavors or a chocolate flavor," notes Neerhof, both of which can mask the nutritional ingredients somewhat. But some ingredients are just so bitter and off"  that even a simple chocolate flavor" isnt enough to mask them. In combination with an orange flavor," he says,  the bitter taste is neutralized."

By blending masking flavors into a coating or enrobing, manufacturers present a first line of defense" against objectionable functional flavors, as the coating hits the palate before the main bar does. Still, Chaudhari recommends distributing a masking flavor throughout the product matrix, or even using slow-release options that can extend the masking effect as the consumer chews.

 Neerhof notes that, aside from getting the masking right, several factors are involved "in ensuring the stability of a slimming bar, and it is important to know which reactions will take place within the bar during production, as well as throughout its shelf life." He says vitamins and minerals, for instance, tend to create robust and tough nougat bars, and can produce off-tastes"a situation that the right combination of flavors, vitamins and minerals will prevent."

Tastes great, more filling

Far from shrinking at the difficulties, Neerhof chooses to take these challenges as an opportunity. You have to bear in mind that replacing a complete meal with a bar shouldnt be a punishment." No wonder, then, that confectionery flavors have proven very popular among consumers," he notes, with chocolate sitting at the forefront."

Neerhofs company developed fruit-jelly layers for a line of bars that illustrate how sensory pleasure can coexist with clean labels. Most fruit or toffee jellies are largely composed of sugar and are thus only suitable for snack and indulgence products," he says. But the formulation he and his design team came up with produces a thick jelly layer using natural" syrups exclusively.

Bonner understands that sweet, chocolate and fruit profiles will likely have the most appeal, but they neednt crowd out other alternatives. In trying to please the consumer palate, we often move right to the indulgent and create a mystique around health and indulgence," he says. I would suggest that there may be some excellent alternatives in grain-based foods in terms of crispy and crunchy, low-flavored and salted products that can easily include protein and fiber for weight management. Savory or sweet-and-salty consumer products may better suit this category than typical confection leanings."

And Neerhof is right with him. Our company created the first savory meal-replacement bar to reach the market," he says. With themes like pizza, bacon, chili and wasabi, the bar offers a real alternative to a hearty meal."

Savory profiles may save consumers from bar burnout, too. When people rely on bars regularly," Bonci notes, it can get pretty monotonous if its the same taste all the time. So if theres something there to add a wow factor to the taste buds, then it makes the bar more enjoyable." And if theres anything certain about the pound-shedding potential of weight-loss," weight-management," or weight-whatever" bars, its that they wont work if consumers dont enjoy them enough to keep coming back for more.

Everyone desires a silver bullet," Bonner says. And while the trick to successful weight loss lies not in a snack but in a commitment to regular exercise and prudent eating, Weight management bars, with a proper balance of all nutritional components, can be an integral part of that regime," he says. They can provide satiety between major eating occasions. They can be part of a multiple-meal eating pattern within a disciplined diet. They can provide flavor and sensory satisfaction rather than just a filling point in the day.  And they can also be part of a maintenance diet once a desired weight goal is attained."

Kimberly J. Decker, a California-based technical writer, has a B.S. in consumer food science with a minor in English from the University of California, Davis. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she enjoys eating and writing about food. You can reach her at [email protected].

Bar-Building Basics

Before you start knocking out weight-loss bars of your own, you might want a refresher on just how these barsand others like themare made.

Bill Bonner, senior technical advisor, Viterra/21st Century Grain Processing, Kansas City, MO, says that most bars on the market are made using a cold-slab or confectionery-type process. Typically, a slab of cereal (clusters, granola or coated grains) with a low-cook binder is slabbed on a belt, sized and cooled," he says. Perhaps a fat-based coating on the bottom, a drizzle on top or a complete coating to enrobe the whole bar comes next. Bonner notes the bar may also contain fruits, nuts, seeds, soy, milk and fiber pieces and similar protein and fiber powders in the center matrix with the cereal portion." Bars can be produced  using a completely cold process using no heat at all on the binding syrup or, in another type bar, the binding syrup is heated to a certain temperature, which affects the binding capability of the ingredients included and the resultant flavor. Maillard reaction provides color and flavor development, many times. Confectionery processes typically involve heat treatment for bar production.

Alternatively, he continues, a bar center loosely based on nougat process technology can be slabbed and formulated with protein and fiber to meet an established content claim." This center can be the primary source of weight-control ingredients itself, or another slab of material can be laid on top of the confection base as an adjunct," he says. That could be a dual layer center and similarly enrobed as in the previous cereal example."