I was flipping through some old issues of Muscle Media magazine when I came across an eye-opening write up on page 51, June 2003 issue.
If you’re one of those who sometimes rely on protein bars for a quick & convenient protein ‘fix’, you would have most certainly heard of the popular Detour Bar by Next Proteins (the guys behind Designer Whey Protein). Plus, if you’ve tasted any of the Detour bars before, you would definitely agree with me that they are the most amazing tasting protein bars you have ever had (it could easily rival the taste of even the best selling candy bar!).
If you’ve never tasted a protein bar before and are wondering why is this a big deal, well it is simply because most protein bars taste like flavoured wax! They are unpleasant to chew and have the texture of hardened chewing gum.. So to finally have a bar that tastes simply amazing is a pretty big thing.
Now, back to the story – The writeup uncovered the truth behind the Detour bars. Here’s an excerpt:
“Think of it as Snickers® on steroids,” reads the marketing literature for this new triple-layer bar, which, “takes the same great-tasting ingredients, caramel, crunchy roasted peanuts covered in rich chocolate, to deliver a nutritional profile unmatched in protein bar history.”
To see if there was any truth to their claims of a nutritional profile unmatched in protein bar history, we sent Lot ID: “Enjoy By 121103 A” to Convance Laboratories, an independent nutritional testing firm.
Results confirmed why this bar tastes so good — it’s basically a dressed-up candy bar!
According to the label, the Detour® Bar contains 9 grams of fat; however, laboratory tests revealed 12.8 grams of fat — 144 percent more than what the label claims. What’s more, on the label, Detour® Bar claim only 6 grams of sugar; lab tests, however, revealed 18.8 grams of sugar per bar — a disturbing 313 percent more than what the label claims! The news doesn’t get any better for the other nutrients.
They claim 32 grams of protein per bar; tests revealed only 23.8 grams of protein. Total carbohydrates: The label claims 21 grams; tests revealed 29 grams. Fiber: They claim 3 grams; tests show 1.7 grams. Total calories: They claim 209; tests revealed 326.
A range of plus or minus a few grams is expected — but 204 percent to 313 percent above label claims, as is the case with sugar, is simply outrageous.
They also went to test another lot of the Detour bars only to come up with similar disturbing results, so this was certainly not an isolated case.
I did a little surfing around only to disover that this story is true, and that there is even a Next Proteins “Detour® Bar” Litigation on the proposed class action lawsuit involving Next Proteins, Inc. See it for yourself HERE.
What this has done to me is only prove that these supplement giants are never to be trusted 100%. Always rely on other sources of information before trying something new. For example, if you’re a first time creatine user and have no idea which type/brand you should use, never, EVER believe what the advertisements say. You’ll be better off looking for reviews, real experiences by other gym-goers with a product, etc, rather than believing an ad.
(P.S – if I were you, I also wouldnt believe what your everyday store assistant/nutrionist say (here in Malaysia) when it comes to recommending bodybuilding supplements. For example, unless they are serious fitness enthusiasts/athletes/bodybuilders themselves, then I don’t think their nutritionists have ever been on a creatine cycle, or seen improved muscle gain on themselves, or perhaps even step foot into a gym for them to be able to recommend a product as if they themselves have experienced it).
Candy bar anyone?
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This post was written by...
Noel Chelliah, ACE-CPT, ACE-LWMC, has been recognized as one of the Top Transformation Experts in Malaysia. No stranger to being overweight himself, Noel has gone through a life-changing transformation himself, from fat, to fit. In 2010, Noel founded the DailyMuscle Body Transformation Camp, which today helps hundreds of individuals exercise and practice healthier habits. In his spare time, Noel serves the community with various programs that promote a healthier lifestyle, and enjoys playing with his dogs.
My name is Noel Chelliah, and I’m a Transformation Specialist and founder of the 
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Wow. Scary. I thought the Designer Whey guys were reputable.
BTW, Muscle Media was kickass! (Do they still publish it?) It has lots of attitude, and was always doing this kind of “exposes”.. Did you read the ones where they revealed most of the articles “written” by body building stars in Joe Weider’s magazines were all ghost written? Classic!
aw: I’ve never seen a Muscle Media mag in a store before, so I’m not sure if its still being published. All I have is a single copy handed to me by a friend. Would love to read more about the ghost writers though. Geez…
Definitely agree that protein bars nowadays taste awfully like flavoured wax. Sometimes the texture confuses me, am I chewing food or gum?