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Consumer Reports: Super Snack Bars

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The most overcrowded section of your grocery store these days may well be the snack bar aisle. Sales are on the rise with 20 percent of Americans saying they munch at least one bar a day, according to Mintel Market Research.

Consumer Reports sampled dozens of bars to help you find the best.

Snack bars are a handy, grab-and-go food. But there's a difference between those that are healthy and the ones that have a lot of sugar and saturated fat. This Clif Bar has more calories than a Snickers.

Consumer Reports evaluated 28 bars and rated them for nutrition and taste.

It's important to look beyond fat and calories. Check the label and look for real foods like fruit and nuts.

Lots of bars boast about their protein content. But watch out for "soy protein isolate," when it's listed as the first ingredient.

"It's a processed ingredient that manufacturers put in to boost the protein content," said Ellen Klosz Consumer Reports Nutritionist. "It's better to get most of your protein from natural sources, like nuts."

The testers found some standouts. The Kind Plus Cranberry Almond bar is top-rated, for a dollar twenty-five. It has whole almonds, macadamia nuts and dried cranberries. The nuts add some fat, so eat in moderation.

Abound Pomegranate and Cranberry from CVS is a Best Buy at 80 cents. The bars are chewy, with a mix of oats, almonds, cranberries and blueberries, and rated "Very Good" for nutrition.

The Chunky Peanut Butter Chocolate bar from Raw Revolution is $1.60. It's dense and chewy, with a good balance of chocolate, peanuts, and dates. It has 6 grams of protein, and while it does have 12 grams of fat, very

little of it is saturated fat.

"If you're tempted to grab a snack bar instead of breakfast or lunch, Consumer Reports says make it a real meal by pairing it with a banana and a small container of yogurt. You'll get the healthy benefits of a meal for about 400 calories," said Luz Montez.

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