Nutrition bars are not recommended as a replacement for a substantial amount of an individual's diet.

Many nutrition bars contain nuts and should be used cautiously if allergic to nuts.

Athletes commonly consume protein bars after working out to help build muscle.

Energy bars are most often eaten before participating in a vigorous physical activity.

Meal replacement bars are usually eaten in place of breakfast, lunch or dinner. However, they are not recommended as a replacement for a substantial amount of a person's diet.

Diet bars are usually eaten in place of a meal or as a snack between meals.

The benefits of many nutraceuticals are the source of considerable public and governmental discussion. The American Dietetic Association recently released a position statement regarding the potential benefits of functional foods and encouraging research into the further incorporation into the diets of healthy Americans. A report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest approaches the subject of functional foods more cautiously. In either case, a number of loopholes in regulatory food laws the United States allow food manufactures to make misleading and often unproven claims on food labels. The Food and Drug Administration's rules regarding the labeling and health claims of functional foods are complex and often confusing; consumers should exercise caution when purchasing functional foods to improve or regulate their health.

More than 60% of nutrition bars failed to live up to their food label, according to a recent ConsumerLab.com report. Only 12 out of the 30 products tested met the labeling criteria. The protein bars were the most likely to fail - only 1 out of 12 passed. The most common labeling problem was the undeclared amounts of carbohydrates. Fifty percent of the products exceeded their claimed levels. In addition, seven products were found to contain more sodium than declared on the label; two products exceeded their claimed amounts of fat and four products had higher amounts of saturated fat than claimed. However, all of the tested products were within an acceptable range of their protein claims.