Fitness kitchen: Make your own juicy protein bars with just a few ingredients

Vegan and sugar free
Fitness kitchen: Make your own juicy protein bars with just a few ingredients

by Laura Stunz
02/10/2022, 12:13 p.m

Proteins are on everyone’s lips. With growing enthusiasm for sports, it seems that nobody can get enough protein at the moment. The market has also noticed the change and adjusted the range: in addition to low-fat quark and cottage cheese, unusual protein puddings, protein noodles and protein bars are now piling up on supermarket shelves. According to the Society for Consumer Research, sales of protein products have almost quintupled in the past four years.

What’s the deal with the protein hype?

First of all: we could not survive without proteins. They are made up of long chains of amino acids and are among the basic building blocks of the body. Protein is important for building cells and tissues, helps the body to properly absorb nutrients from food, transports fat and oxygen throughout the body, also influences muscle strength and movement, and has a regulating effect on the endocrine system. Accordingly, we have to supply a certain amount through food on a regular basis. The German Society for Nutrition recommends that adults consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. Athletes need a little more here – around 1.2 to 2.0 grams are sufficient here. In most cases, however, a balanced diet satisfactorily covers the need.

Protein products: Use with caution

In addition to the health aspect, consumers consume protein products mainly because of the taste – after all, they prefer to snack with a clear conscience. In the meantime, chewy blocks of protein have given way to spectacular bars that delight both the eye and the palate with their caramel core and chocolate crispies. Instead of plain skyr, protein pudding with a whipped cream topping and vanilla ice cream with a caramel swirl go into the shopping basket.

However, no matter how delicious the alternatives may taste, they are not exactly inexpensive. If you also look at the ingredients, you will notice that in addition to plenty of protein, most protein products contain sugar, collagen hydrolyzate (gelatine) and sweeteners. Collagen hydrolyzate is basically protein, but it has no biological value and is therefore not suitable for building body protein. Sweeteners used such as aspartame, maltitol or acesulfame-K can lead to digestive problems such as flatulence and diarrhea in some people and should therefore be consumed with caution.

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Natural, tasty and healthy

In order to still be able to snack happily and consciously and save money at the same time, we simply conjure up our protein bars ourselves. The basis of the bars is a mixture of protein powder, coconut flour, ground almonds and psyllium husks. For the protein powder, we use a vegan multi-component protein, but you can also use any alternative – if necessary, only the amount of liquid has to be adjusted. Coconut flour and psyllium husks ensure the binding of the dough. They are also rich in fiber. Last but not least, coconut flour and ground almonds score with plenty of plant-based protein. Fresh vanilla and coconut blossom sugar add flavor. The sugar alternative has a very low glycemic index of 35 and thus hardly causes the blood sugar level to rise. It also contains numerous vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc and potassium as well as the dietary fiber inulin. A layer of date paste, which is finally crowned with a fine ganache made of dark chocolate, provides culinary excitement. The result: Irresistibly delicious vegan protein bars based on natural ingredients – the perfect snack for in between. The bars stay airtight in the fridge for a few days and can also be ideally prepared.

Recipe for ten homemade protein bars

ingredients

For the date paste

For the bars

For the ganache

preparation

Sources: re, NDR