Did you know that there several energy bars made specifically for women?

The leading name in this special sector of energy bars is the LUNA Bar. Normally, going with big “brand names” isn’t the smartest way to go as far as nutrition is concerned, but the story is a bit different for energy bars. The top energy bars right now, such as Clif Bars, have gained their popularity simply because they answered the health-conscious athletes’ calls for a tasty, organic food-based energy bar.

You might think that once these companies made it to the top, they might have lost some of their ideals, but I don’t think that is the case. I have faith in these “natural” energy bar makers. Did you know that Clif Bar is still co-owned by founder Gary Erickson and his wife Kit Crawford, and that in 2000, Erickson turned down a $120 million offer for his company from Quaker Oats?

So what sets an energy “made for women” apart from the rest of the available energy bars?

• Fewer calories. Most energy bars are designed to help satisfy the extremely high-calorie needs of an active male. It never actually says on a particular bar that it is “for men,” but the amount of calories provided by a typical bar is simply too much for females. The fact of the matter is that females need fewer calories than their male counterparts; Clif Bar and Company was the first to address this difference by coming up with the LUNA bar, which has around 180 calories. They also have a low Glycemic Index, which means you’ll feel fuller longer.
• Nutrients tailored to women. Energy bars that are “for women” are typically high in calcium, folic acid, and iron, which are nutrients that women are often lacking.  Some of the flavors contain about a third of your recommended daily intake of  iron and calcium.

Another great pick for female athletes is a Larabar. Each Larabar has no more than nine different wholesome ingredients and contains around 200 calories per bar. Larabars were created by Lara Merriken, and they are currently produced under General Mills, but I don’t think we need to worry about that change in ownership. Larabar is under the Natural and Organic Division of the company. The nine wholesome ingredients “rule” is a mainstay for the Larabar name; you can’t go far wrong with that.

By the way, LUNA bars are a perfectly acceptable choice for men too; the nutritional content was simply formulated with women in mind.