Protein Bars vs Biscuits vs Namkeen: Which Is Healthier?

Come 4 pm, and your stomach grumbles for something. Lunch was a couple of hours ago, and dinner is still a few hours away. Heading to the office pantry or vending machine at work or just ordering in something seems the obvious choice. And your eyes rest on three products: biscuits, namkeen, and protein bars. Now, the namkeen and biscuits seem the most obvious choice, as they top in familiarity and addiction. And, in recent times, protein bars have gained popularity. So, biscuits, namkeen, or healthy protein bars - what is the choice you make?

For this purpose, we need to know the nutritional reality of these popular snacks to help us understand which one should be the obvious choice.

Firstly, let us understand from a nutrition standpoint what a healthy snack is:

  • It is one that offers significant protein and / or fiber content.

  • Does not have refined grains

  • Does not cause a sudden increase in blood sugar levels

  • Offers moderate sodium content

  • Has no unhealthy fats, especially trans fats

  • Does not promote overeating

With this framework in mind, let us evaluate each food item.

Protein bars are usually marketed as the healthy alternative. A protein bar contains 10-23 grams of protein per serving size from sources like whey, casein, soy, and other plant-based protein sources. It is regarded as a high-protein snack.

Protein bar benefits:

  • Help with muscle recovery and satiety

  • Help control hunger cravings, better than high-sugar snacks

  • Provide a better-balanced nutritional profile than biscuits and namkeen.

  • Be an ideal solution for a busy lifestyle as well as for kids

Protein slows down how fast your stomach empties, which allows the blood sugar levels to be stable as opposed to high-carbohydrate snack foods, which spike the blood sugar levels, followed by an energy crash.

However, not all protein bars can be termed "healthy" or "natural." Some protein bars contain the following:

  • High added sugars

  • Sugar substitutes that can cause gastrointestinal discomfort

  • Highly processed syrups and binding ingredients

  • High calorie content per bar

  • Additives and preservatives for increasing the shelf life

In this case, the protein bar tends to provide less nutrition and a sweet taste to satisfy sweet cravings. A protein bar with natural ingredients should be a protein bar without preservatives while providing sufficient protein. This is where GoodEats protein bars come into play. GoodEats focuses on whole and natural ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds, etc. to provide natural and balanced nutrition.

Biscuits: Chai and biscuits are a comfort combination. Traditionally they contain maida, sugar, palm oil / hydrogenated vegetable fat, and leavening agents. Additives to increase the shelf life are also widely added to biscuits and cookies.

Most traditional biscuits contain the following:

  • Maida

  • Added sugars

  • Practically no or low protein

  • Low dietary fiber

  • High saturated fat content

Biscuits, because they contain maida and sugars, undergo quick digestion, thereby causing a quick rise in blood sugar levels followed by an energy crash. What follows is hunger within a short period of time and then food consumption again. This increases the total caloric intake.

Health risks of regular consumption of snacks:

  • Increased risk of insulin resistance

  • Weight gain due to low satiety

  • High triglycerides

  • Poor glycemic control

Biscuits and cookies marketed as healthy also are generally high in refined flour and sugars, providing little health benefit. Considering the nutritional profile of biscuits from a metabolic point of view, biscuits can put you on a roller coaster ride with sugar highs and lows leading to exhaustion and an increased risk of insulin resistance.

Namkeen: The term "namkeen" refers to all kinds of savory snacks, including chivda, bhujia, chakli, sev, etc. These are generally made with besan, dal, rice, or wheat flour, including maida. While the ingredients of these different products may all differ, they tend to have similarities. Some basic nutrition characteristics of traditional namkeen products would include:

  • Deep frying preparation method

  • High sodium levels

  • Using refined oils

  • Reusing oils

  • Moderate carbohydrates

  • Low protein unless it contains only besan or dals

And above all, most namkeens are significantly high in calories. Health effects of consuming a lot of fried namkeen can increase your risk of the following:

  • Excess weight

  • High blood pressure

  • Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

  • Poor lipid levels

Namkeen contains more fat and is more filling in comparison to biscuits. However, they are high in calories. And above all, frying them at high temperatures can lead to the formation of acrylamides that have been linked to long-term health risks.

Protein Bars, Biscuits, or Namkeens?

Based on the nutritional comparison of the protein bars, biscuits, and namkeens, protein bars are the first and best choice. Let us understand why:

1. Glycemic Impact and Satiety

Having a fulfilling snack is essential to good health along with healthy weight maintenance. Biscuits contain refined flour and sugar and are a quick source of energy. However, they offer little or no satiety along with zero nutrition.

Namkeens provide you with a feeling of fullness for a little longer than biscuits because of the fat in them; however, they are calorie-dense and may not provide much nourishment.

Protein bars, if made with the right ingredients with the right protein-to-carb ratio along with fiber and minimal or no added sugar, help in not only providing nutrition but also help prevent energy crashes. They bring in satiety when compared to biscuits and namkeen. From a glycemic control standpoint, protein bars may have an edge over biscuits and namkeen if they do not have a lot of sugar in them.

2. Nutrient Density

Since most biscuits and namkeens come with almost no nutrition and just calories, a protein bar serves the purpose of providing good nutrition when needed. It is a snack with functional ingredients like nuts, seeds, fiber, etc. that provide omega-3 fats, magnesium, zinc, antioxidants, and protein.

3. Muscle Maintenance

A high-protein snack helps in maintaining lean muscle mass. In children it also assists growth. For those who have an active lifestyle or pursue professional sports, whey protein bars or plant-based bars become post-workout snacks. Since biscuits and namkeens have almost no nutrition, they are of no value to those looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

So, while a biscuit can be a sweet indulgence and namkeen can be a tea time delight, the right protein bar can help satisfy a sweet craving while fueling the body.

Finally, always check the ingredient list and the food label of the protein bar to know what you are consuming. Healthy protein bars should provide a minimum of 10 g of protein. Biscuits or namkeen in small portions and infrequently might be acceptable, but they should not be regularly consumed. Snacking should never bring in guilt after consumption. So, the GoodEats protein bars are the best energy-boosting snacks and healthy snacks for fitness. And, remember that a balanced diet centered around whole foods is non-negotiable.

 

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