Going on Weight Watchers has its challenges. I have lost about 40 lbs to date and it has been good but I find that many of the products recommended by them have too much sugar. For example, everyone suggested Fiber One Bars as a snack because they are low in points. I noticed though that they spiked my blood sugar and stalled my weight loss. I switched to Extend Bars and boy, what a difference! I eat one of these every day, some times two. I really like them before bed or in the morning to help stabilize my blood sugar (I am hypoglycemic, pre-diabetic). I never have trouble eating breakfast now, these with a glass of skim milk or coffee and milk and a piece of fruit and I am good to go until lunch.
What is the difference between Extend Bars and the rest on the market? First, they are only a 150 calories with only 3 grams of fat but 11 grams of protein per bar. They also have 5 grams of fiber, just enough to help digestion, without causing stomach discomfort. (Something I can not say about some of the others on the market!)
I can not find another bar on the market to match those protein and fiber stats for the little calories and fat exchange. Also, the glycemic index is low because this bar contains a special slow digesting corn starch created from a corn grain that is different than the normal variety. It does not allow the blood sugar to spike, which can stall weight loss. This is the number one selling point for me, high protein and low glycemic...
Finally because I really believe we eat WAY too many processed carbs in our diet, this satisfied me in another area, it has a low net carb ratio, and does it WITHOUT the use of high levels of sugar alcohol. There are only 4 grams of sugar alcohol per bar, that is completely different than any other low carb bar on the market.
I really like the Chocolate and Peanut Butter, but not too wild about the berry and apple ones though. These taste exactly like the South Beach Cereal Bars, just less sweet. Give them a chance, they are not going to be as sweet as other things on the market...but they are great with coffee or milk...helps them not be too dry. Be sure to drink plenty of water as will any high fiber bar.
These were recommended in the class I took when 1st Dxed with diabetes. They work well whenever you don't want to eat more (dieting), or when you won't eat for hours; that includes overnight to help avoid high sugar levels when you wake. In fact, they're very good at helping me get a full night's sleep, uninterrupted by waking up to eat a snack.
Buy ExtendBar, Chocolate Delight, 1.41-Ounce Bars (Pack of 15) Now
My 9-year-old daughter has Type 1 diabetes and we could not find a bedtime snack that stabilized her overnight blood sugar until her diabetes educator recommended the Extend Bar. It REALLY does what it claims to do stops blood sugar from going too low overnight. Now my daughter does not have to eat a glucose tablet in the middle of the night to keep from going too low. Her morning headaches and shakiness are gone! If her bedtime blood sugar is 120, her fasting blood sugar is usually around 100. The bars do not cause a sharp spike in blood sugar, just as advertized. Although they don't taste like real granola bars (not as sweet or moist), all the peanut and chocolate varieties are tasty enough to satisfy a picky 9-year-old. Thank you, Extend Bar!
UPDATE 12/2/2010:
We tried all varieties of Extend Bar except the Mixed Berry. The "Delight" varieties work the best at stabilizing the blood sugar of a Type 1 diabetic, since they contain only 20-21 carbs, no sugar, and 4-6 grams of sugar alcohol:
Chocolate Delight
Chocolate Peanut Delight
Peanut Delight
The "Crunch" varieties contain 30 carbs, 10 grams sugar (!), and 5 grams of sugar alcohol and they caused my diabetic daughter's blood sugar to spike overnight. I don't understand why the manufacturer included so much sugar! These are not a good choice for a Type 1 diabetic, although they might work for a mild Type II diabetic who still manufactures insulin:
Chocolate Crunch
Peanut Butter Crunch
No one liked the taste of the Apple Cinnamon variety.
Read Best Reviews of ExtendBar, Chocolate Delight, 1.41-Ounce Bars (Pack of 15) Here
I'm a group exercise instructor who suffers from frequent and severe low blood sugar. I've been through all sorts of different bars and these are hands down THE BEST. They taste great, have 6g of dietary fiber and 11g of protein, low in fat....chocolate tastes exactly like a Crunch bar.
I noticed a difference in my blood sugar stability the first morning I had one. I usually can't go without eating something for more than an hour and a half, but these carried me about 3 hours before I realized I needed to eat again. That says a LOT! I'm not even going to try the 9 hour claim it makes, but that's just me.
LOVE THEM and I'll cry if they ever discontinue them!!
Want ExtendBar, Chocolate Delight, 1.41-Ounce Bars (Pack of 15) Discount?
My husband is a diabetic, and reallly does like these bars. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Amazons price is lower then buying right from ExtendBar! The bars are great for controlling his blood sugar spikes and dips and I would recommend them. Just buy from Amazon and save$$!
Save 38% Off
It is hard to find cereals when you have food allergies. I can't have dairy, soy, gluten, or nuts, and the options available were usually very bland and very low in fiber and other nutritional value. This granola, however, is both scrumptious and nutritious. There is flax so it's high in fiber and other nutrients, and the chocolate bits are very tasty. The only reason I don't give it five stars is that it has a slightly odd, almost chemical smell/taste at first. I don't know if I got used to it or if the smell dissipated, but after the first few bites I didn't mind it at all (and I have since finished the whole package). And as anyone with a food allergy knows, there's no perfect product out there.
