The Science of Zing
Why Zing?
Zing is created by nutritionists and parents to be the best tasting, all-natural, nutritionally balanced bar for the whole family.
- Created by Nutritionists (& Parents)
We’re four registered dietitians in private practice, each with master’s degrees in nutrition science and over 35 years of combined clinical experience. We created Zing bars after years of being unable to find the ideal nutrition bar to recommend to our patients. We needed a bar that would be satisfying and sustaining. Ingredients needed to be well-balanced and all-natural. And if we actually expected patients to eat this bar, it had to be delicious. Zing was created…a bar that’s great for ages 1-101.
- 100% Natural, Quality Ingredients
All Zing bars are made from hormone-free, antibiotic-free ingredients and contain nothing artificial. This means no high-fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or chemical preservatives that are pervasive in packaged foods. A wholesome choice for adults and kids!
- Optimal Balance of Carbohydrates, Protein & Fat
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Each Zing bar features a balance of high quality protein, fiber-rich carbs and healthy fats…all in an ideal ratio for sustained energy. Nutritionally balanced foods like Zing bars transcend fad diets. For example, some nutrition bars minimize or eliminate entire macronutrient groups like carbohydrates or fat. Our bodies actually need these nutrients to function properly and they are best eaten together. Protein and fat slow the absorption of glucose (from carbs) into our bloodstream, providing for regulated blood sugar levels, moods and energy throughout the day.
We created a bar with the nutrients your body needs in amounts that nature intended. Zing bars are a valuable addition to a meal plan that promotes long-lasting health, energy and vitality.
- Excellent source of high quality whey protein
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Whey protein is known in the scientific community as a “complete” protein because it contains all the essential amino acids required by humans. Whey protein is easily digested, absorbed and assimilated and therefore has a high Biological Value (BV),* high Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER),** and high Net Protein Utilization (NPU).*** Furthermore, new research suggests that whey protein has numerous other benefits, such as supporting healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and immunity. Whey has also been shown to promote stable blood glucose levels by slowing the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, and improving lean muscle mass.
Milk protein is comprised of approximately 80% casein and 20% whey protein. While casein has some unique health benefits, it is also a common food allergen (unlike whey). Many people who have dairy or lactose intolerances can enjoy whey. If you are allergic to milk protein, check with your nutritionally-minded health care provider.
Zing bars use a combination of whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate. Whey protein concentrate contains more bioactive compounds like immunoglobulin. Whey protein isolate maximizes protein and has the least amount of fat and lactose of the three variants. Whey protein hydrolysate is predigested to maximize absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. With all three subtypes represented, Zing bars offer the comprehensive benefits of whey protein.
- Soy-Protein Free
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Soy protein is a common food allergen and highly processed soy protein powders are found in many bars and packaged foods. Zing bars stand out as soy protein free. We only use a component of soy known as lecithin, (an emulsifier) which does not have the same allergenic potential as the processed soy proteins. A small amount of soy lecithin is found in the organic dark chocolate coating of our Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor.
As clinical nutritionists/dietitians, we recommend soy foods in the least processed forms like whole soy beans (edamame) and tempeh for those who are not allergic to soy. We recommend limiting highly processed soy protein powders or concentrates.
- Healthy Fats
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Research indicates that one of the best things we can do to improve our nutritional health is to increase our consumption of healthy fats while decreasing our consumption of unhealthy fats. This benefits our heart, brain, skin, and immune system. Unfortunately, many bars on the market contain unhealthy trans fats (listed as "partially hydrogenated" oils in the ingredients list) which have been shown to increase total cholesterol and contribute to heart disease. The Harvard School of Public Health has issued the following statement, “Trans fats…raise bad LDL [cholesterol] and lower good HDL [cholesterol]. They also fire inflammation, an over-activity of the immune system that has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. While you should limit your intake of saturated fats, it is important to eliminate trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils from your diet.” Even more bars (including those sold at many health food stores) contain fractionated palm kernel oil, an ultra-saturated, highly processed, waxy fat that is difficult to digest. Moreover, fractionated palm kernel oil is extracted with gasoline-like hydrocarbon solvents. The eminent integrative physician Andrew Weil, MD instructs his readers that of all the tropical oils, “minimally processed palm oil is the healthiest, followed by conventionally processed palm oil. Palm kernel oil is less healthy still, and fractionated palm oil [or fractionated palm kernel oil] is the least desirable.”
Zing bars do not contain any trans fats or fractionated palm kernel oils. We use healthy unsaturated fats from nuts. Nuts, when consumed with a meal or snack, significantly reduce the rate at which glucose from carbs enters the bloodstream. This means better blood sugar balance and control. Nuts are comprised predominantly of monounsaturated fats and are a rich source of phytosterols, magnesium and folic acid which are means they are cardioprotective (reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease).
A note about saturated fat in Zing’s Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor: The predominant type of saturated fat in chocolate is stearic acid. Stearic acid has not been shown to raise saturated fat levels. In addition, dark chocolate’s flavonoids may play a cardioprotective role. Current evidence suggests that organic dark chocolate has a place in a heart healthy diet.
- Low Glycemic Natural Sweeteners
Zing bars are “low glycemic foods,” which means they have a low impact on blood sugar and in turn, provoke a lower insulin response.
A primary sweetener in Zing bars is organic agave syrup. We chose this sweetener because it has the lowest glycemic index of all natural sweeteners. The official tested glycemic index of the Agave salmiana in Zing bars has a range of 29.4-38.8 (less than 50 is considered low glycemic index). By comparison, honey and refined sugar have a glycemic index of 72-89. The agave in Zing bars is certified organic & non-GMO and does not contain additives or allergens.
The Chocolate Peanut Butter and Blueberry Almond bars have a very small amount of xylitol. Xylitol is 100% natural and found in many fruits and vegetables as well as within human metabolism. The small amount of xylitol helps maintain firmness without artificial additives (the organic agave syrup can make the bars a little soft). As such, the xylitol in Zing bars does not function as a sweetener. The Chocolate Peanut Butter and Blueberry Almond bars contain less than 3 grams of xylitol per bar, which comprises approximately 3% of total calories per bar. To put this into perspective, the average adult human body naturally produces about 15 grams of xylitol de novo in everyday metabolism. This is also a stark contrast to many “low carb” products that get the majority of their calories from sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol and maltitol, which are more likely to cause undesirable laxative effects than xylitol. A recent study suggests the threshold amount of xylitol above which there may be undesirable laxative effects is 0.37 g/kg for males and 0.42 g/kg for females. In other words, a 160 lb. male can safely consume 27grams of xylitol at a time and a 140 lb. female can consume 26.7 grams without gastrointestinal symptoms. Of course, we respect each person’s biochemical individuality and understand that individual tolerances will vary.
- Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free
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Zing bars are a uniquely delicious, nutritionally balanced, wheat-free and gluten-free snack. All Zing bars are wheat-free. The Chocolate Peanut Butter and Blueberry Almond flavors are wheat-free and gluten-free. The Oatmeal Chocolate Chip flavor does contain gluten but is wheat-free.
Wheat intolerance, gluten intolerance & celiac disease are some of the most common food intolerances in the US and Europe. Gluten grains include wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, triticale and, controversially, oats.
Many informed individuals are increasingly interested in finding healthy wheat & gluten-free snacks. However, few prepared gluten-free foods taste good and most are of poor nutritional quality. Zing is turning the tide on this tasteless trend.
- Kid Friendly & Parent Approved
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Zing bars are All Natural, which means absolutely nothing artificial is added. Many bars on the market are fortified with synthetic vitamins & minerals to make up for the low nutrient value of the highly processed grains, sugars and oils they use. There is growing concern that eating too many fortified foods may result in unhealthy nutrient levels – especially in children. We have opted to use real foods instead of synthetic nutrients.
We have also left out the refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup, so your kids won’t bounce off the walls—as parents ourselves, this was a must. Go ahead…enjoy the convenience of Zing bars while on the go with the whole family!
- Weight Friendly
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Zing bars are healthy snacks that fill the gaps between breakfast, lunch & dinner. As dietitians, we recommend a nutrient-dense snack between meals. Research shows skipping snacks and having long gaps between meals can result in excessive hunger, increasing the risk of overeating. Large meals provide more calories than we can use, resulting in chronically high blood sugar and blood lipid levels, and storage of those extra calories as fat. Recent research has also implicated large meals as a contributing factor in America’s diabetes epidemic. Shockingly, over half the adult population (ages 45-75) has either diabetes or pre-diabetes—that’s one-in every two adults! Regular low glycemic meals and snacks can help decrease hunger and keep metabolism primed for healthy weight loss. Eaten between meals, Zing bars can help stabilize blood sugar and in turn can reduce the likelihood of overeating.
Zing bars are an excellent source of protein, fiber and healthy fats. This combination increases satiety, so when you take your last bite of a Zing bar you feel truly satisfied.
* Measurement of how well the body can absorb and utilize a protein. The higher the Biological Value of the protein, the more nitrogen the body can absorb, use, and retain. As a result, proteins with the highest BV promote the most lean muscle gains. Whey protein has the highest BV value, with a relative 104 rating. Egg protein is second with a relative 100 and milk proteins rank third as relative 91. Beef and soy protein have relative BV scores of 80 and 74 respectively.
** The Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) measures the gain in body weight divided by the weight of the protein consumed for infant laboratory rats. The FDA used the PER to derive the recommended daily allowance of protein posted on food labels. Any protein having greater than a 2.7 PER calculation is considered an excellent source of protein. Whey has a 3.6 rating compared to soy which has a 2.2 rating.
***Net Protein Utilization (NPU) is the amount of amino acids converted to protein inside the body versus the amount of amino acids from protein consumed. The value varies from 0 to 100 and is often interpreted as a percentage. E.g., NPU 100 means that the body uses 100% of the protein provided. Conversely, a value of 0 signifies that none of the nitrogen converts to protein in the body. Whey protein has one of the highest NPU scores at 92 (compared to soy NPU of 61).
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