Recently R-Kane Nutritionals redeveloped and unveiled the new and improved TinyMeal Protein Bars. During the redevelopment there were several key factors that were of importance that the team of developers wished to adhere. First, there was the addition of dietary fiber, specifically inulin. Second, there was the selection of protein sources. Third, it was important that key vitamin and minerals also be included. And finally, it was the sensorial experience: making the bar taste the best. At its core, though, TinyMeal Protein Bars were still designed with the bariatric surgery patient in mind.
Dietary fiber is a key nutrient that the body needs daily1. Technically, dietary fiber is the indigestible portion of carbohydrates, and they’re not all equally created. While the current recommendation is a minimum of 25g daily for healthy adults, the average intake is closer to 16g; that’s only 2/3 of the recommendation2. Dietary fiber has many physiological roles including: increasing gut motility, improving feelings of satiety, improvements in blood sugars and improvements in blood lipids1. Specific dietary fibers can have additional benefits. For example, the dietary fiber used in TinyMeal Protein Bars, inulin, also helps to improve calcium absorption, reduces caloric intake as compared to other dietary carbohydrates and even helps to improve the gut microbiome3. It’s well understood that micronutrient absorption deficiencies exist post bariatrics surgery, therefore the use of inulin to help aid the absorption of a key micronutrient, calcium, was a logical and appropriate choice4.
Protein is a macronutrient that the body needs daily1. Protein is required for new muscle and tissue growth and most biological processes. Sources of animal proteins are considered complete, which basically means they contain an adequate supply of essential amino acids6. Not all proteins are considered equal, however, dairy derived proteins are not only top quality as they contain all essential amino acids, it also possesses the best sensory characteristics and contains slow and quick digesting proteins, casein and whey respectively5,6. TinyMeal Protein Bars contain a specialized blend of dairy proteins that includes: whey protein isolate, micellar casein, hydrolyzed whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate7.
The use of vitamin and mineral supplementation is critical for pre and post-bariatric surgery patients. Specifically, post-surgery patients consume less volume of food and therefore are required to supplement their diet with stringent guidelines set by the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery8. TinyMeal Protein Bars are formulated with key micronutrients like calcium, vitamin C, vitamin D, the vitamin B-complex and vitamin E to name a few7. In fact, each TinyMeal Protein Bar contains 20% or more of the recommended daily allowance of over 15 essential micronutrients.
Lastly, and to some arguably the most important aspect of TinyMeal Protein Bars, is the taste. If taste isn’t superior then it really doesn’t matter how healthy or perfect the bar is formulated. This is exactly why the development team at R-Kane Nutritionals used ingredients such as their high quality dairy proteins, real peanut butter and even dark chocolate to decadently wrap up this perfectly portioned meal replacement bar7.
Citations
1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015 – 2020 https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/
2. Fiber survey of the US Population: https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400530/pdf/DBrief/12_fiber_intake_0910.pdf
3. Inulin: a review of its functional properties in relation to calcium absorption in humans. Journal of Food and Agriculture, 1 (2008), pp. 26-35
4. Sawaya, RA et al. Vitamin, Mineral and Drug Absorption Following Bariatric Surgery. Curr Drug Metab. 2012 November; 13(9):1345-1355.
5. Whey – A Fabulous Source of Quality Protein. http://www.amcoproteins.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Whey-Protein_10_Sep_14.pdf
6. Hoffman JR, Falvo MJ. Protein – Which is Best? Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. 2004;3(3):118-130.
8. The Importance of Micronutrient Supplementation Post-Bariatric Surgery. https://www.rkanenutritionals.com/store/articles/the-importance-of-micronutrient-supplementation-post-bariatric-surgery
