Nutribar’s “Secret Sauce”

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Nutribar’s “Secret Sauce” – By Fran Jakubowicz

Thousands of fans have asked about the “secret” ingredients contained in their beloved Nutribar shakes and bars and we’ve invited Jerry Abraham, Nutribar head honcho to tell all.  Jerry is the real deal. He, along with his family have been dishing out healthy products to support the active lifestyles of Canadians since 1979.

Fran: Hi Jerry.  Can we just dive in?  I want to start by discussing breakfast, supposedly, the most important meal of the day.  It’s pretty common knowledge that people who eat breakfast are more likely to be a healthy weight than those who skip breakfast. And I think it’s no surprise that certain breakfast options are better than others.  Like most Canadians, I grew up eating breakfast cereal and always assumed the non-sugary options were healthy. What’s your take?

Jerry: Many Canadians have cereal for breakfast thinking it provides excellent nutrition, but from a regulatory perspective, there are only about 8 vitamins and minerals that can be voluntarily added to cereal in Canada compared to about 25 vitamins and minerals that can be added to a meal replacement bar, not to mention a balance of protein, carbs and fat. So you are actually getting far superior nutrition in your breakfast if you consume a Nutribar compared to a bowl of cereal with milk.

Jerry Abraham, CEO,  circa 1970

Fran: Can you break it down for me? What vitamins and minerals are actually contained in a Nutribar?

Jerry: Well, you can see the entire nutritional breakdown on all boxes (e.g. Nutribar Original Chocolate Fudge)  but I can tell you that our bars contain between 25 to 40% of the recommended daily intake of (Jerry takes a deep breath) Vitamins A, B6, B12,  C, D and E, Biotin, Calcium, Chromium, Copper, Folacin, Iodide, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Pantothenate, Phosphorus, Potassium, Riboflavin, Niacin, Selenium, Sodium, Thiamine and Zinc.

Fran: Impressive Jerry. Did you actually say that in alphabetical order?

Jerry: Yup.

Fran: All those nutrients sound fattening.

Jerry:  Actually Fran, they really aren’t.   One of Canada’s popular “low fat” cereals is 260 calories with milk and a Nutribar is…you guessed it –  260 calories. There’s just one caveat.

Fran: I knew there was a catch.

Jerry: Yes, a Nutribar leaves most Canadians full for up to 5 hours while a bowl of cereal, not so much.

Fran: Seriously?

Jerry: Really.  Nutribar has conducted numerous studies over the years to evaluate the effectiveness of Nutribar in weight loss and each study has confirmed that Nutribar is a safe and effective method of weight loss. Another  important piece of the puzzle is Nutribar’s effectiveness in satiety – aka feeling full. Nutribars were found to keep Canadians full for up to 5 hours. By having a product that keeps you satiated, you are simply able to decrease your food intake without enduring high levels of hunger between meals.

Fran: So what ARE the secret ingredients that keep people full for so long?

Jerry:  There’s no secret Fran.  Our consulting MDs ascertained that this feeling of satiety is due to our products’ nutrient density – the combination of protein, carbs, including fibre, and fat – that promote this feeling of fullness. In other words, if we have a secret, it’s really just our great combination of nutrients. I like to say that it’s a balanced combination of nutrients wrapped up in a delicious, satisfying bar.

Fran: What about carb content Jerry? I understand that Nutribar Original bars have 33g carbs and that the High Protein Bars contain 35g carbs.  Is this high?

Jerry: We don’t consider that high in carbs Fran, but let’s not take my word for it. Health Canada has established Dietary Reference Intake values for carbs, fat, vitamins and beyond. According to them, the average adult should consume between 45% to 65% of their daily energy from carbohydrates. When you are looking at a food label, the % Daily Values are calculated based on an average daily diet of 2000 calories. For carbohydrates, that means the average adult should consume between 225g (45%) and 325g (65%) carbs in a day. Let’s remember that carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel, especially for the brain. Think of it as supplying energy to the brain. Now let’s say you are trying to lose weight and only need 1200 calories in a day. That same 45% to 65% daily energy requirement from carbohydrates works out to between 135g to 195g. Now can you see why we don’t consider one Nutribar with 33g or 35g carbs high?

Fran: One last question Jerry.  Do you and your family members enjoy Nutribar products?

Jerry: Definitely. I eat the bars and in general eat foods from all food groups in combination with a light exercise program.  And yes, my family loves our products. My Mom lived to 102 eating the bars she had a hand in developing.

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