Sue, how do you figure that?

I did a little math, and if you figure that a box of bars is $35 + $10 for shipping, that comes out to about $5 per "3 block meal" or over $6.00 for a "4 block meal". Even if you choose autoship, it is still $4 for a "3 block meal".

I think I can get real food meals less expensive than that! And, then I can be satisfied that I am not eating another processed food. Whole foods are always a superior choice to a bar.

Autoship prices Cran. It's $2.05 per bar and it's much less than $10 shipping. At about $1 a block, if an average female were to eat only Dr. Sears Zone bars for every meal and snack (I'm not recommending that) it would cost $80 a week. They're superior products and the price is a huge bargain for what you're getting. Whole food is not always a superior choice to a Dr. Sears Zone bar. It would depend highly upon the food choices.

Sue,

I figured autoship prices, please re-read my post.

BTW, I can feed myself real food from the grocery store on $80 per week.

Perhaps shipping is of no concern to you, but to ship bars 1/2 way across the country is at least $10, according to my invoices.

Perhaps you are getting the employee discount?

how cancel my buy by credit card? si me pueden contestar en español, mucho mejor

Laura, call a Zone representative for help with that.

<div class='NTForums_Quote'>Posted By Sue on 01/10/2009 9:16 AM

Autoship prices Cran. It's $2.05 per bar and it's much less than $10 shipping. At about $1 a block, if an average female were to eat only Dr. Sears Zone bars for every meal and snack (I'm not recommending that) it would cost $80 a week. They're superior products and the price is a huge bargain for what you're getting. Whole food is not always a superior choice to a Dr. Sears Zone bar. It would depend highly upon the food choices.
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Sue - I'm just curious. When you read the list of ingredients on the Zone bars here, the real ones, they list a total of 24-25 grams of carb, only 2-3 grams of fiber and 14-18 grams of sugar. How do you figure getting more than half of your carb from some form of sugar as being superior to whole food? This is an honest question. After I read the label I was shocked that this would be promoted in this way. They include Fructose (fruit sugar), sugar, barley malt (sugar from barley), honey, fructosaccarides and maltodextrin. After all of that, they also list Sucralose which is Splenda and I believe that Dr Sears is against artifical sweeteners? or do I have that wrong?

I'm not trying to pick on you hear, I'm just really very curious, because I truly don't understand this.

Interesting thread.

I have wondered the same thing about bars. It would be nice to have a bar for convenience, but I have some questions about the ingredients. And, seems to be a lot of variance in opinion regarding bars!

My take on it is to use bars sparingly. I am an experience zoner, although I am new to the forums. Of all the books that I have read, Dr. Sears does not write about staying in the Zone eating bars and drinking shakes all day. He advocates using whole foods.

I hope I don't come off sounding too opinionated, but I don't see how the zone bar (the real thing) can be as good as whole food?

Sue, from the short time I have been on here, I have been reading a lot of your posts, and you seem to be the expert here, so can you fill us in as to why zone bars are equal to food, even when the label doesn't quite show it that way?

jaybe, I'm not sure what you mean by "equal to food". I haven't heard of Dr. Sears or anyone else advising to eat bars and shakes all day. You could try asking that question on LIVE ZONE CHAT (top right of this page).

<div class='NTForums_Quote'>Posted By Sue on 08/19/2008 11:57 AM

My insulin level demonstrates that one can maintain excellent insulin levels while frequently eating these products, contrary to your hinting at earlier that those who eat them may be compromising their ability to be in the Zone (re your comment "hopefully they can find themselves in the Zone"). I have many friends and family members, who eat Dr. Sears Zone foods on a frequent basis and enjoy results similar to mine.
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Sue, I think it was this post (this thread is so long), along with the post by the other sue, which gave me the feeling that your message about bars was that they were "equal to" or even superior to food.

Also, as a long time zoner, I think I remember some years back when Zone Labs was promoting a "starter kit" of sorts, the package included a supply of bars and shakes. The intention was that the beginning zoner would eat bars and shakes in place of most meals, and then eat one "regular" meal at some point during the day.

Of course, I don't see this promotion around anymore, which is probably a good thing.

I don't think I will submit my question, because I would think their intention would be to sell me on the bars. It is just very curious to me, as the other sue pointed out, how you these bars can be any better, when a good portion of the carbs are coming from sugar?

Oh, Sue K! Sorry to be such a pest, but you are probably very busy with other things, you probably missed my post here!

I know you recommended contacting zone labs, but I am not really interested in THEIR opinion. I want to know how "true to the core" zoners really can rationalize using the Zone bars?

In case you have lost track of what the other sue posted, here it is--

Sue - I'm just curious. When you read the list of ingredients on the Zone bars here, the real ones, they list a total of 24-25 grams of carb, only 2-3 grams of fiber and 14-18 grams of sugar. How do you figure getting more than half of your carb from some form of sugar as being superior to whole food? This is an honest question. After I read the label I was shocked that this would be promoted in this way. They include Fructose (fruit sugar), sugar, barley malt (sugar from barley), honey, fructosaccarides and maltodextrin. After all of that, they also list Sucralose which is Splenda and I believe that Dr Sears is against artifical sweeteners? or do I have that wrong?

Wanted to make a quick note here. I seached fructosaccarides and found that it too is a fake sweetener.

sue, is that a bar ingredient?

yes CC that is one of the ingredients listed in the bars. Go to products, select a couple of the different bars and read the ingredient list.

Oh, I see you listed it in your prior post, too.

I just don't get it... if Barry recommends against this stuff, then why is it in his bars?

Hi Zoners!

Try not to make the mistake of not seeing the forest for the trees. The Zone is about insulin control and inflammation lowering; everything in moderation. Barry Sears has developed exceptional products to that end. Kudos to Barry Sears for giving those who want it the option of convenience foods made of superior ingredients that allow people stay in the Zone!

Also keep in mind that US labeling practices dictate how ingredients are categorized and appear on food labels. I don't know if this applies to the specific ingredient(s) that are of concern to those posting in this thread, but many times there is one all encompassing generic name designated as the one to be listed on the label, when in fact the actual ingredient could be one on a list of a dozen ingredients, all which are different from one another but fall under that single general heading (occurs with some sweeteners).

Some more info:

http://www.zonediet.com/tabid/130/i...ology.aspx

"New Zone Bar flavors feature new technology
Dr. Sears has developed four new Zone Bar flavors based on his Controlled Release Nutrition™ technology to stabilize blood sugar and to control hunger throughout the day.
What makes these bars unique is the newest technology that is incorporated in them. All of these bars use only pure fructose syrup as a binding agent. Unlike high-fructose corn syrup, which has been the only binding agent available in the past, this new technology gives rise to a much lower glycemic load. What this means to you is greater satiation and more sustained freedom from hunger.
In addition, two of the bars use a totally new crisp technology that dramatically improves blood glucose stabilization. Before the development of this technology, Dr. Sears was not going to associate his name with the markedly inferior blood glucose response of traditional crisps used in standard bars. You are not going to find these new technology developments in standard mass-market bars because it is too costly. However, at Zone Labs our mission is to provide the state-of-art nutrition products to help you stay in the Zone. This is Dr. Sears’ guarantee to you. These new bars will demonstrate that sophisticated nutrient delivery and great taste can go together."

Again, I just don't get it... I don't see how the ingredients list shows "superior ingredients"?

Zoners- I understand about labeling, however, whether or not it is the "exact" ingredient, the fact still remains that more than 50% of the carbs in the bars comes from some type of sugar(sweetner) and it also includes 2 fake sweetners that have no history to know whether or not they will be found to cause problems in the future. I just don't get that.

I realize they are convenience foods for some, but that doesn't necessarily make them a healthy choice. I know the zone is about insulin control, but Barry does state very clearly how he feels about the use of sugar and fake sweeteners Considering the contents of the bars, I could take a 1/2 slice of bread (homemade oat), or some baby carrots, or cut up bell pepper and a portable protein, like low fat string cheese or pouch tuna and a couple of almonds and have something that contained less sweetener than the bar.

It's not hard to make up small baggies once a week and have them ready at a moments notice to throw in your bag.

I guess the hardest part for me to swallow is the amount of sugar/sweetener that is used in the bars. It explains to me at least, why some don't get the desired response from them and therefore can't use them at all. I know I'm personally sensitive to where my carb comes from, balanced or not. There are things I can do and things I can't. Different fruits cause different reactions. For me whole wheat bread (homemade) works better than grapes, but for you it may just be the opposite. That doesn't mean I make a meal out of whole wheat bread. I still keep it to 1/4 of my carb, if I have it at all, which is rare these days.

I also can eat mellons without a problem and they work better than berries for me. Shouldn't be do to the glycemic index, but for me it is.

I realize everyone is very different, but I just don't understand the use of that much sugar(sweetener).

I was thinking, as I was reading sue's post, about the studies that were done on the Zone bars. I have never been directed to the actual study, the literature, that supports the claims that these bars were tested on diabetics. Needless to say, I am not suggesting that the studies weren't done. But, the studies were done years ago when the bars had a different formulation, and when there was Omega-3 fatty acids added to the bar. Are there any recent studies done that show that these bars are effective?

And, it does also concern me about this being a highy processed food with ingredients that no one can even pronounce. Those ingredients don't grow on trees, in gardens, or come directly from an animal, without a high degree of processing.

I would consider a bar as a convenience food if it is something that comes from ingredients that we are all familiar with.

For instance, there is a bar (I forget the brand name) that is made of only 3 ingredients: ground almonds, whey, and honey. It is too bad that this bar is unbalanced and unfavorable, but this is what I am talking about. Nothing on the label that is unfamiliar, and no preservatives.

actually there is a bar....called "organic food bar" that may be the one youre thinking of, CC, but if you choose the flavor called "protein", it is balanced!!!! I ate a few of them, but got bored with them. They are ok, but since they are so natural and all.....they aren't as exciting as some, but maybe I just burned out on them.

Barry, if you are listening: buck the FDA and go with stevia, the all natural sweetener! We love it!

Another side of the coin, I'm not a fan of stevia because it leaves a very unlpeasant after taste when I eat it. I've heard many others who've had the same experience, so I doubt it's unique to me. I see it simply as a matter of personal choice.

Janet, Not sure if that is the one or not. Seems as if there was one that I had tried with a different name to it.

I think one of the issues regarding bars is that they generally need something sugary to get it all to stick together.

And, I agree, the issue is pretty much a personal choice as to what one desires to put in their mouth. There is not enough literature to support the safety of utilizing the processed ingredients, and I certainly don't want to be raising my risk of developing some form of cancer.

Hi Zoners,

http://www.zonediet.com/tabid/130/i...ology.aspx

"New Zone Bar flavors feature new technology
Dr. Sears has developed four new Zone Bar flavors based on his Controlled Release Nutrition™ technology to stabilize blood sugar and to control hunger throughout the day.
What makes these bars unique is the newest technology that is incorporated in them. All of these bars use only pure fructose syrup as a binding agent. Unlike high-fructose corn syrup, which has been the only binding agent available in the past, this new technology gives rise to a much lower glycemic load. What this means to you is greater satiation and more sustained freedom from hunger.
In addition, two of the bars use a totally new crisp technology that dramatically improves blood glucose stabilization. Before the development of this technology, Dr. Sears was not going to associate his name with the markedly inferior blood glucose response of traditional crisps used in standard bars. You are not going to find these new technology developments in standard mass-market bars because it is too costly. However, at Zone Labs our mission is to provide the state-of-art nutrition products to help you stay in the Zone. This is Dr. Sears’ guarantee to you. These new bars will demonstrate that sophisticated nutrient delivery and great taste can go together."

Ok, that is the info from the brochure, below is the nutrition panel from the Apple Cinnamon Bars as found here on the site.

Nutrition Facts / Ingredients
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bar (56g)
Servings Per Container: 14
Amount
Per Serving % Daily
Value*
Total Calories 220
Calories From Fat 70
Total Fat 8 g 12%
Saturated Fat 2 g 10%
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Sodium 310 mg 13%
Potassium 210 mg 6%
Total Carbohydrates 24 g 8%
Dietary Fiber 5 g 20%
Sugars 13 g
Protein 16 g 29%
Vitamin A 15%
Vitamin C 15%
Calcium 15%
Iron 15%
Vitamin E 15%
Thiamin 15%
Riboflavin 15%
Niacin 15%
Vitamin B6 15%
Folate 15%
Vitamin B12 15%
Biotin 15%
Pantothenic Acid 15%
Iodine 15%
Zinc 15%
Copper 15%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
Calories: 2,000 2,500
Total Fat Less Than 65g 80g
Saturated Fat Less Than 20g 25g
Cholesterol Less Than 300mg 300mg
Sodium Less Than 2,400mg 2,400mg
Potassium 3,500mg 3,500mg
Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g
Dietary Fiber 25g 30g
Calories per gram:
Fat 9 Carbohydrate 4 Protein 4
Ingredients: Non-GMO soy protein isolate, fructose, rolled oats, apple juice concentrate, almonds, water, ground almonds, wheat gluten, inulin, whey protein isolate, high oleic safflower oil, fructooligosaccharides, rolled whole wheat, sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, casein, calcium caseinate, nonfat milk, natural and artificial flavor, salt, calcium carbonate, cinnamon, soy lecithin, caramel added for color, maltodextrin, nonfat yogurt powder (cultured nonfat milk), dextrose, high oleic sunflower oil, guar gum, barley malt extract, sucralose, ascorbic acid, ferric orthophosphate, tocopherols added to protect flavor, alpha-tocopherol acetate, soybean oil, niacinamde, zinc oxide, copper gluconate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A palmitate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, biotin, potassium iodide, vitamin B12.
ALLERGY ALERT: CONTAINS MILK, SOYBEAN, ALMONDS, WHEAT. PRODUCED ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, EGG, SESAME.

Dr. Sear’ Zone Bars can help support your healthy blood sugar. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meats and 1½ carbohydrates.

This one actually has a tad bit more fiber. Each bar is a little different, but as you can see, there are plenty of versions of sweetner here other than fructose. It also surprised me that this bar not only contains fake sugar (spenda (sucralose) and fructoligosaccarides, but also safflower, sunflower oils,and soybean oil which if I remember correctly are high in Omega 6.

I will give the bars credit for including vitamins.

If you read the info about the new technology, it states that fructose is used as a binding agent, that doesn't mean it only includes fructose as a sweetner.

I'm still baffled by some of the ingredients and the amount of sweetner that is used as the carbs. Just my quandry