A busy lifestyle can make it hard to fit in all your protein and fiber needs. That is why health bars are a convenient and nutritious addition to your healthy. However, not all health bars are created equal. Although some may claim to contain natural ingredients, this does not mean that they are safe for those with certain food intolerances and allergies. Quest® bars for example are high in fiber and protein, but may also contain high FODMAP ingredients that could trigger digestive symptoms in those with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Before adding Quest® bars to your healthy lifestyle regimen, let’s look at the ingredients and see if they could fit in a low FODMAP regimen.
Quest® bar ingredients
Quest® bar products include a variety of delicious flavors like birthday cake and cookies and cream. These types of choices can make high protein and high fiber seem more like dessert than a healthy snack. Quest® products create these flavors by using natural ingredients like real cocoa powder, dried fruits, and natural spices and extracts. Also, some of that protein and fiber comes from the addition of healthy fats from almonds, peanuts, and cashews. Finally, to reach the high protein status of 20 grams or more per bar, Quest® bars use protein powders like whey isolate, milk isolate, and micellar casein.
Are Quest® bars low FODMAP?
Most Quest® bar products contain a similar set of core ingredients such as the protein powders, fibers, and sweeteners. Just looking at this core list, several high FODMAP ingredients are revealed, which makes Quest® bars a high FODMAP health bar. The following is a list of high FODMAP ingredients found in many Quest® bar products:
- Erythritol: Erythritol is a polyol that is less likely to cause gut side effects than other polyols, but may still produce some side effects in some individuals with digestive conditions. Therefore, this ingredient may be tolerated in some individuals, but you should still consume in moderation if you have any digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Milk Isolate: Milk protein isolate can contain up to 5-percent lactose
- Micellar casein: Although it can be a low lactose food product, micellar casein can contain around 1 to 5-percent or more lactose content, depending on the product.
- Cashews: Cashews are a food that contains a moderate amount of fructans and high amount of galacto oligo saccharides in even a small serving of 10 nuts, according to Monash University.
Another high FODMAP ingredient found in Quest® bar is honey. Honey may be found in the Maple Waffle flavored Quest® bar and dried apples can be found in the Apple Pie Quest® bar. Honey is only considered low FODMAP in a serving of one teaspoon or less. Meanwhile, dried apples are high in fructose and sorbitol, which are considered FODMAPs.
Take home message
Although it’s a convenient and healthy choice, not all health bars are low FODMAP friendly. Therefore, if you choose to have a health bar like a Quest® bar for a snack or meal replacement, be sure to read the label. This is because there may be ingredients in such products, even in products containing natural ingredients, that are high in FODMAPs.
If you want to enjoy a health bar without worrying about FODMAPs, then choose one like the Vegan Chocolate protein bar from Casa de Sante. This health bar, which contains 12 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber is low FODMAP certified and is safe for those on a vegan, paleo, or keto eating regimen. Organic almond butter, pea protein, organic cacao chocolate chips, and cocoa provide delicious flavor for this protein bar without adding any FODMAPs that could put a damper on your snack time.
