Clif Bars are marketed as nutritious energy bars for snacking on the go. But are Clif Bars actually good for you?
Here’s the quick answer: it depends!
We know – not the answer you’re looking for.
But let us explain. Clif Bars are good if you want a quick burst of energy for improving physical performance, but generally not good if you want to lose weight.
There you have it. So whether or not Clif Bars are good for you will depend on your personal health and fitness goals.
This guide goes into more detail below, so make sure to keep reading if you want to know whether Clif Bars are good for building muscle, whether Clif Bars are good for kids, whether Clif Bars are allergy-friendly, and more.
Clif Bars Nutritional Value
Before you can better understand whether Clif bars are good for you or not, it’s worth getting to know the nutritional value of Clif Bars.
Clif’s main products are the 68-gram Clif Bars. They’re made from organic ingredients, like oats, nuts, and raisins, and contain around 250 calories each.
So what does each bar offer nutrition-wise?
Each Clif Bar contains roughly:
- 10 grams of protein
- 42 grams of carbohydrates
- 17 grams of sugar
- 7 grams of fat
- 5 grams of dietary fiber
- 200 milligrams of sodium
These numbers are based on the average Clif Bar (as there are over 10 different flavors), so there will be slight variations depending on the flavor.
Are Clif Bars Healthy?
After taking a look at the nutritional value of Clif Bars (listed above), here’s the takeaway.
Clif Bars are relatively high in protein, relatively low in fat, and relatively high in fiber – which are all good points.
On the other hand, Clif Bars are high in calories, high in carbs, high in sodium, and high in sugar – which, in general, are not good.
Despite that, the high calories in Clif Bars (around 250 calories per 68-gram bar), high carbs (around 42 grams per 68-gram bar), and high sugar content (around 17 grams per 68-gram bar) can be beneficial for physical performance.
How? Let’s take a look below.
Are Clif Bars Good For Working Out?
Fueling up before workouts can improve physical performance, especially where endurance and stamina are involved. This includes cardiovascular workouts like running, swimming, and playing sports.
Ask any pro runner and they’ll tell you that consuming a high amount of carbohydrates before they set off is key to running long distances!
Clif Bars are high in carbohydrates (around 42 grams of carbs per 68-gram bar), which makes them good for increasing glycogen in the muscles. This can improve stamina and endurance.
Clif Bars are also high in calories (around 250 calories per 68-gram bar), which can help boost general energy levels before working out.
As a result, Clif Bars are good if you need a quick energy boost before you work out, and/or want to increase stamina and endurance for cardiovascular workouts like running, swimming, and playing sports.
Do Clif Bars Help Build Muscle?
Building muscle is achieved through resistance training (such as lifting weights) and eating a consistent high-protein diet.
The main lineup of Clif Bars contains around 10 grams of protein per 68-gram bar.
This isn’t an eye-popping amount, especially when compared to other high-protein bars, but it is more than what you generally get in other energy bars and snack bars.
Despite that, Clif also offers Builders Protein bars, which contain 20 grams of protein per bar.
For that reason, Clif Bars can help to build muscle as part of a high-protein diet – especially if you need a quick and convenient snack to help increase your daily protein intake.
Just remember that Clif Bars are also high in calories (around 250 calories per 68-gram bar and around 290 calories for Clif Builders Protein bars), which can also lead to fat gain!
Are Clif Bars Good For Weight Loss?
To lose weight, you need to maintain a consistent caloric deficit. This basically means eating fewer calories than your body needs to stay at the same weight.
You can also reduce your daily calorie intake through regular exercise.
Clif Bars contain around 250 calories per 68-gram bar. And although this might be considered low for a 68-gram bar, it’s still a relatively high amount of calories to consume in one snack.
As a result, Clif Bars are not the best choice if you are trying to lose weight unless eaten in moderation.
The carbohydrates in Clif Bars (around 42 grams of carbs per 68-gram bar), can also contribute to weight gain, as carbs get broken down into glucose, which may be stored as body fat.
Still, it’s possible to eat Clif Bars and lose weight as long as you maintain a consistent caloric deficit.
So if you’re strictly watching your weight, just make sure to factor the number of calories in Clif Bars into your daily calorie intake!
Are Clif Bars Gluten-Free?
People with celiac disease avoid eating gluten as the undigested gluten can result in bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.
So are Clif Bars gluten-free?
Clif’s main product line, the 68-gram Clif Bars, is not gluten-free (as they “may contain gluten”). Clif does offer gluten-free bars, however, which include the Builders Protein bars, Luna bars, and Zbar Protein bars aimed at children.
So if you avoid gluten in your diet, make sure to only eat Clif’s gluten-free Builders Protein bars and Luna bars!
Are Clif Bars Good For Kids?
Clif offers a lineup of 36-gram snack bars for kids, labeled Clif Kid, which are essentially organic energy bars for kids.
Like regular Clif Bars, Clif Kid bars are made from organic ingredients and are good for providing a natural boost in energy.
The lineup includes Clif Zbar bars and Clif Zbar Protein bars.
Each Clif Zbar contains around 140 calories, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein.
Each Clif Zbar Protein contains around 130 calories, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fat, and 5 grams of protein.
For kids, Clif Kid bars, which include the Zbar and Zbar Protein bars, are mostly healthy, except for the sugar content.
So the only thing to be aware of with Clif Kid bars is the high amount of sugar per bar, as sugar isn’t healthy for a variety of well-known reasons.
According to the AHA, children should not consume more than 25 grams of sugar per day.
Are Clif Bars Allergy-Friendly?
Last but not least, and something that’s pretty important, is whether Clif Bars are allergy-friendly.
Clif Bars contain nuts, soy, sesame, milk, and wheat. So if you are allergic to any of these ingredients, you should avoid eating Clif Bars.
There are various flavors of Clif Bars, and some of them may contain these ingredients while others might not. But to be safe, it’s best to avoid them if you are allergic to any of the above ingredients.
For that reason, Clif Bars are not exactly allergy-friendly.
Bottom Line
So here’s your full breakdown of whether Clif Bars are good for you!
But to summarize, Clif Bars are good for providing a quick energy boost (especially before a cardiovascular workout) but generally not good if you want to lose weight.
If you want to build muscle, Clif Bars, particularly the Clif Builders Protein bars, are good for conveniently increasing your protein intake.
Clif Kid Bars (Clif Zbar and Zbar Protein) are also mostly good for kids, except for the high sugar content.
Lastly, just be wary, as most Clif Bars are not gluten-free or allergy-friendly!
Check out all the Cliff Bars available on Amazon.