Quest Bars and Blood Sugar, Redux

I did a short experiment comparing the old Quest bars, with iso-malto-oligosaccharides as the fiber source, with the new bar, with soluble corn fiber as the fiber source. Both bars were chocolate brownie, and both were eaten for breakfast, after fasting for the night.

Day 1 and 3, Old Formula iso-malto-oligosaccharides bar:

Day 1 Day 3

Fasting blood sugar - 65 65
15 minutes - 99
30 minutes - 108
45 minutes - 101
60 minutes - 109 98
75 minutes - 92
90 minutes - 81
105 minutes - 83
120 minutes - 79 83

Day 2 and 4, new formula soluble corn fiber bar:

Day 1 Day 3

Fasting blood sugar - 72 61
15 minutes - 64
30 minutes - 72
45 minutes - 79
60 minutes - 83 78
75 minutes - 79
90 minutes - 78
105 minutes - 79
120 minutes - 79 78

It's obviously not a very scientific test, so take it for what it's worth. But Quest claims that the formula change fixes the blood sugar issues that some people had with the old formula. But from this little experiment, it certainly seemed to.

Edited to add: Sorry for the formatting. This crappy, crappy, crappy interface won't allow any kind of column arrangement. no indents, no tabs. I can't even add extra space to approximate columns. Apparently there is a one space limit between words. Seriously? I can't even add extra spaces?

I'm really tired of this software, and their stinking upgrades. There never has been a single "upgrade" that was worth it.

Cool. Looks great.. How about gas or other fiber related symptoms? Did you get any?

I will be tempted to try that new formula... I will check how my gut repond to that. But your numbers are very promising.. Thanks a bunch..

Glad to do it. The blood sugar response is definitely better. They don't taste quite as good, to me at least. Maybe I just got accustomed to the others. But it also might make me treat them as a necessary food, and not want more.

No gas or other issues for me. I should have added a couple of other things. The calories are the same from old and new, and protein is the same. But the calories from fat are higher by 20. So more fat, less carbs, I'm guessing. Which is more than OK by me.

Great. I like more fat less carbs..

Now my emergency bars are Epic bars.. They are Meat protein bars.. Softer than jerky..and most of them have added nuts and some fruits. Just enough to create more complex (for me) meal subsitute. They are definetly an "acquired taste" and I only eat them when I am really hungry and need food. They are not "candy" by any means. You may try them...

Thanks for taking all the little *****s for the team!

I just had quest bars for the very first time this last week. I bought them for emergency shakiness after swimming. They sure are sweet. I got the corn ones. I ate 1/4 bar after swimming and stopped shaking. No side effects.

Deb

Double entendre?

What is the purpose of eating them? Is it for the fiber? Seems like a lot of fat and calories to get 20g of protein. Maybe I'm still gung ho and ocd, bu I can get 20g of protein in half to calories with zero fat by eating lean turkey breast, tuna fish, chicken breast, lean roast beef shoulder, etc.

Seriously...is it for the fiber? I have to say that my performance in the old oval office is not what I would call stellar.

I can't get 20 grams of protein from any meat because I can't eat more than 2 ounces of it at a time. I'm only allowed 4 ounces at a meal. So I eat 2-2 1/2 ounces of dense protein and then veggies.

If I have a bar it's usually because I am on the road or someplace where there aren't any food choices available.

No, it's for sure not the fiber. The protein is actually pretty good. A nice rule of thumb is, a food should have at least 1 gram of protein for ten calories, so 20 grams of protein for 170 calories is good. There are some protein bars out there with half the protein, and higher calories.

Sure, you can get more protein and fewer calories from chicken and other things. And you absolutely should, at home. But try leaving some chicken in your car for a week, and then have it as a snack. Protein bars are just a better alternative on the go than fast food, or many other things. They fill a niche for me.

Don't turn your nose up at fat. If you've been going really low fat, that could explain constipation more than lack of fiber. I've never taken anything for constipation, and go regularly, with no issues. I think fat in my diet helps. It's also delicious, helps with satiety, and keeps my coat nice and shiny.

I usually keep one on hand when I travel. Or if I just don't feel like cooking. I think another purpose of eating them is when I go out with friends to someones house who I know will have dessert. I bring one with me.

Sometimes when I travel people on the plane people next to me usually don't like when I bring out a roast beef shoulder. Trying to explain to the TSA why I have it in my bag.