Should you be reading every nutrition facts label on each food item you buy? This registered dietitian says, YES! It is always a great idea to be aware of the food you are consuming. Simply by reading through the nutrition facts label and the ingredients list, you will be making healthier choices! Follow along with these descriptions as we use our Peanut Butter Perfect Bar Nutrition Fact Label and Ingredient List as a helpful guide.
A standardized amount of a food, such as one cup or an ounce. Serving size on the Nutrition Facts label is determined based on the Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC) for foods that have similar dietary usage, product characteristics, and customarily consumed amounts for consumers to make “like product” comparisons.
A macronutrient and a source of energy for our bodies. Fat provides 9 calories for every gram. This macronutrient is the most calorie dense, therefore; we need it in lesser amounts. The recommendation is generally 20-35% fat calories in your daily diet. Not all fats are created equal! Unsaturated fats are the best regarding heart health. Make sure to notice the different types of fat on a nutrition label:
Dietary cholesterol is found in foods of animal origin, including meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Plant foods, such as grains, vegetables, fruits, and oils do not contain any dietary cholesterol.
Sodium is an electrolyte pertinent to our health for our muscles and nerves to function properly. However, sodium is often over consumed in the US and can cause high blood pressure along with other heart conditions.
The macronutrient that is our main source of energy providing 4 calories per gram. Majority of our diet consists of carbohydrates. The more active and young you are, the more carbohydrates you will need daily.
On nutrition labels, vitamin content is provided as the percentage of each nutrient in a single serving, in terms of the daily recommended amount
What to look for in each section of the Ingredient List:
As defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the deliberate addition of one or more essential nutrients to a food, whether or not it is normally contained in the food. Fortification may be used to prevent or correct a demonstrated deficiency in the population or specific population groups; restore naturally occurring nutrients lost during processing, storage, or handling; or to add a nutrient to a food at the level found in a comparable traditional food. When cereal grains are labeled as enriched, it is mandatory that they be fortified with folic acid.
A characteristic of foods and beverages that provide vitamins, minerals, and other substances that contribute to adequate nutrient intakes or may have positive health effects, with little or no solid fats and added sugars, refined starches, and sodium. Ideally, these foods and beverages also are in forms that retain naturally occurring components, such as dietary fiber. All vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and lean meats and poultry—when prepared with little or no added solid fats, sugars, refined starches, and sodium—are nutrient-dense foods. These foods contribute to meeting food group recommendations within calorie and sodium limits. The term “nutrient dense” indicates the nutrients and other beneficial substances in a food have not been “diluted” by the addition of calories from added solid fats, sugars, or refined starches, or by the solid fats naturally present in the food.
One of the macronutrients; a major functional and structural component of every animal cell. Proteins are composed of amino acids, nine of which are indispensable (essential), meaning they cannot be synthesized by humans and therefore must be obtained from the diet. The quality of dietary protein is determined by its amino acid profile relative to human requirements as determined by the body’s requirements for growth, maintenance, and repair. Protein quality is determined by two factors: digestibility and amino acid composition.
Grains and grain products with the bran and germ removed; any grain product that is not a whole-grain product. Many refined grains are low in fiber but enriched with thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and iron, and fortified with folic acid.
Grains and grain products made from the entire grain seed, usually called the kernel, which consists of the bran, germ, and endosperm. If the kernel has been cracked, crushed, or flaked, it must retain the same relative proportions of bran, germ, and endosperm as the original grain in order to be called whole grain. Many, but not all, whole grains are also sources of dietary fiber.
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So why then does the perfect bar have so much sugar and added sugar? It would probably even taste better if they cut the sugar in half or a third. I have celiac disease and can only eat a few things right now and for some reason perfect bars work. However, the amount of sugar in them has me very concerned, especially given the link between sugar and cancer and since there are reports that celiac sufferers have a much higher cancer rate than those without. Thank you for your time
Hey Matt - Thank you for reaching out to us with this concern. Please note that the only sweetener used in our bars is organic honey which acts as a binder to hold the whole food ingredients together as well as a sweetener. Many people purchase Perfect Bar products because they fit into their healthy lifestyle. Our products contain ample protein, good fats and are a good source of fiber, all of which work together to modulate our body’s glucose response. In fact, all of our most popular bar flavors have tested low glycemic index, which means they cause a lower and slower rise in blood sugar to keep you fuller, longer.
Everybody has different sensitivities to sugar and carbohydrates; whether our products fit your diet is a personal choice and we always recommend you consult your physician or a registered dietitian. We appreciate your consideration. We hope this helps and cheers to good health!
If honey is the only added sweetener than how many grams of the sugar in these bars is added? It would be helpful if the packaging showed how much sugar was in the bar and how much added sugar as well.
I personally thank you for making a truly perfect bar. It has been a life saver in my busy schedule and I get full longer so I don’t eat bad things.
So happy to hear this Erica, we always love to hear from our fans!
I wish Perfect Bars were more accessible :( can only get them at Costco
Hey Luis -- We're sorry to hear you are having a hard time finding Perfect Bar near you. Check out our store locator via perf.bar/locator to see where else we are sold near you. Cheers to good health!
Hallie-all of the sugar would be added because it is honey...honey is added to the bar and so the 17 grams of sugar is the sugar added to the product. Not sure if that makes sense. The only sugar in the bar is the honey.
I absolutely love this bar. I discovered it on a visit to NYC a couple years ago and have been buying it ever since. Peanut butter chocolate chip and the chocolate almond butter are my current favorites-though I just ordered the salted caramel cashew and am excited to try that one. Convenient and nutritious-I recommend them to patients all the time. :)
Hello! What kind of palm oil is used in your products? Is it sustainably sourced?
Hey Jessica -- We do not use any palm oil in our products. Cheers!
Do you test your products for heavy metals? (For example, lead)
Hi there- Rest assured, each lot of rice protein is tested for Arsenic and three other heavy metals. For additional information, you can reach out to our team over at https://perfectsnacks.com/pages/contact.
Hi- I am a Registered Dietitian and I work with a nutrition beverage company. I noticed you include LOW GI on your food label. We are looking to add this but I was wondering if you could share how you did that. Did you get your product tested for GI and then just put it on your label or did you get approval from the FDA? Any information is helpful and I understand this might be weird but just trying to get the best products to people like you! BIG BIG fan of perfect bar and love your mission!
Hi Kara - So happy to hear that your a fan! Feel free to reach out to our team at support@perfectsnacks and our CX team will direct you to the right person who will be able to provide more info.