Our daily nutritional needs are diverse -- according to the Food and Nutrition Center, a government agency operating under the USDA, the average person sticking to a 2,000 calorie diet needs about 50 grams of protein, 25 grams of fiber, 300 grams of carbohydrates, 65 grams of fat, and a number of vitamins and minerals. This is all relative; a long-distance runner should consume more fat and protein than a sedentary counterpart, and women have different mineral needs than men.

If you choose wisely, energy bars can be an effective way to help meet your nutritional goals. However, not all energy bars are created equal.

First, consider an average candy bar; let's say a Snickers. It has 280 calories, 30 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of fat, providing you with only a mere gram of fiber. A Powerbar has the same amount of calories, 16 grams of sugar, and 5 or 6 grams of fat, but contains 7 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Compare those to Larabars, which are sold at LifeSource. They contain only 190 calories, 20 grams of sugar, 12 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber. Since the Larabar is made from unprocessed, dehydrated fruits and nuts, the fats are the healthy Omega-6 variety, and the bar provides you with 1.5 servings of fruit for the day, all for about 100 fewer calories than the average energy bar. Also, the Larabar's fruit is dried, which means it retains heart-nurturing enzymes and antioxidants as well.      

LifeSource store manager Jeff Watson makes sure that none of the bars on his shelves have artificial colors or flavors, and a minimum of refined sugar. Refined sugars provide a short-term energy burst, followed by a "crash," as anyone who's ever eaten a giant slice of birthday cake knows all too well.  Sweetening with fruit provides a more sustained source of energy, and doesn't leave you feeling lackluster after an hour or two. Lack of sugar needn't mean lack of taste -- according to Jeff, energy bars have come "a long way from the chewy, wear-your-jaw-out things they used to be."  The Larabar has only five ingredients: dates, almonds, apples, walnuts, and raisins.  

When it comes to energy bars, the bottom line (and the line that's best for your bottom) is to choose carefully. Watson suggests glancing at the label.
"If it looks like it would take you half an hour to read the ingredients, that's a sign you shouldn't buy that product."