Kidney Stone Diet Safe Protein Bars

Welcome back to the Kidney Stone Diet podcast, the show about reducing your kidney stone risk and living your best life. I'm your host and fellow student, Jeff Sarris.

And I'm Jill Harris, your kidney stone prevention nurse. Jeff, you see my NYU hoodie?

I like it.

Yeah, that's my big news. My son got into early admission NYU. So, we're super stoked because that was his first choice, and I'm telling you, when I when we opened that letter, and the first word was congratulations, the noises that came out of my tiny body, even I was, oh boy, that was loud.

I mean, I'm telling you, it was crazy. So, I'm I'm lots of NYU hoodies. We're excited as all heck.

So, very happy with that. That was big news.

Absolutely. Well, yeah, and New York speaks to you, too, cuz you've you've spent a lot of time there.

I spent a lot I'm I was born there, and also, you know, did a lot of chemotherapy in New York at Memorial Sloan Kettering. So, yeah, and NYU's right in the Village, so it's an amazing spot, and it's only a couple of hours from here, so it's awesome. It's awesome.

Well, yeah, and that's and yeah, congratulations to him. I know we spoke off like off camera about it, but yeah, it's really exciting. I mean, that is to get into the place he wants to go, and I know you said it's it's very much tailored sort of to like who he is as a person, too, which is really exciting.

Yes. Yeah, it is. I mean, you know, he's I he I said when he was figuring out all his schools for this past year, I'm like, "Why New York?" He's like, "Because, listen, Mom, if I can make it in New York, I can make it anywhere." And he's not wrong.

So, I was like, "Okay, there we go. That's what we'll go with. That's fine." So, super excited about it.

Yeah.

And then, you know, that's it. That's it for me. I'm an empty nester, man.

You know, meaning he'll come back for breaks and stuff, but, you know, it's going to be a transition, obviously, for him, but also a transition for me, and I'm looking forward to it, you know. It's his time to fly. I don't want to be like, "I'm so cool." I'm going to be very sad, to say the least.

I love hanging out with my son, so it's a big deal. Yesterday, we were bouldering of all things, which is a form of rock climbing, amazing time. You know, and how lucky am I that my 18-year-old is like, "Mom, let's go bouldering." I mean, you know, not a lot of 18-year-olds want to hang out with their mother, so I'm super excited about that.

We had a great time, and you know, so, some of my friends were like, "Jill, really? Aren't you afraid you're going to break a hip or something?" I'm like, "Well, I'm careful, but I can't I'm very active, and I love physical activity. I can't It's not like I wasn't afraid, because you got to learn how to fall.

But While I have a breath, I'm going. You know what I mean? I like trying new things.

And that was my first time I've rock I rock climb, but I don't boulder, so that was my first time doing that. It was so much fun. I'm hooked, I'll tell you right now.

So, we'll see. We'll see where it goes. Have you ever done it?

So I haven't done bouldering. I've done sort of the rock climbing with the with the line and everything, but just like you say, like we have a skeleton, we need to feed it. We also we need some of that impact to keep everything strong, obviously not the falling, not hurting yourself, but it's really good because you're always active in doing the things that were intended to do, that our bodies are intended to do and what sort of really keeps it vibrant.

Yep, yep, yep. So, look, I'm always kind of pushing myself, because why not while I can? Because when I'm like, you know, if I make it to 80, I mean, all I'm saying is, you know, I won't be bouldering, most likely, so I'm going to enjoy these.

I'm going to just enjoy as being as physically active as I can't, with some smarts about me. But I'm just saying, you know, when you're I'm 60, so I'm always like, "Well, this can be 60, folks." You know, eat well, move, train yourself, and you'd be surprised. I'm not one for, you know, "I'm older.

I better sit in my chair." Now, of course, if you have medical conditions or ailments or limitations, that's a totally different thing. I'm just talking about people who are physically able. Let's go, man.

What are we waiting for? Age is just a number. In my mind, I feel 12, 13 years old, you know.

So, I'm like, let's go. I was by far at least three times older than anybody in that in that rock climbing gym yesterday, and I'm proud of that. I think it's amazing, right?

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, you have to stay young at heart, and then just all around. It will bring you far, I think.

I think it's just important to yeah, just have that outlook, too. 'Cause we have that sort of that childlike curiosity, and then we tend to lose that in the future, like as we age and as we get a little more maybe jaded about things. And like when you can keep that, it really just makes life just open up, I think, for us and the people around us, because we have that just little spark that's still there.

It's a spark, and it's a curiosity, right? And always wanting a little bit more as far as challenge. Like it's really important for me to challenge myself, and when we're doing those group accountability calls, we I'm always pushing folks to think about things, "Well, what about this?

What about this?" And what is it that you want to do with your life with your 10, 15, 20 years left? What is it that you want to do that you keep putting on the back burner? Because we all know that life goes like this.

So, how, again, do you want to spend your time? Who do you want to spend it with? It's going to go fast.

Are you just sitting in a chair watching Wheel of Fortune every night at 6:00 waiting to go to bed? I just like to push people a little bit, because I think the conversation start stops after a certain age, and you For most people, not everybody. But for most people, it kind of stops and you just kind of settle, and I'm like, "No." That's why those group accountability calls are so amazing.

We're not just talking about low salt. We're talking about, here's your life. Here's what's left.

How do you want to live it? Are you happy where you live? Are you happy who you live with?

Are you happy with your daily activities? Are you happy with how strong you feel mentally, physically? All of it, we're pushing, pushing, pushing.

It's not just about, you know, losing weight and kidney stones. It's that, but it's all these other things in life that make us have us not improve our health, meaning if we're not motivated by always learning and growing and failing and learning and growing and failing and learning, trying, you know, we kind of get stuck with all things, including diet and physical activity, and the next thing you know, more disease comes.

So, I don't want to wait for more disease to come. I really want to do what I can with what I have absolutely right now, and if things change for me, it changes for me, but I'll always look back on my life and say, "Wow, man, I really pushed it to the limit," you know, for me. I was always exploring, always thinking, always pushing myself, always, you know, just not settling.

So, I always I think it's really important that people don't or at least think about these things, you know?

Absolutely. Yeah, completely on the same page. What do you say?

Should we dive into this week's question?

Yeah, let's go. I'm ready.

Yeah, we have a question from Lance.

Hi, Jeff. Good afternoon. My name is Lance.

I'm in Oakhurst, California. I'm calling you today regarding food bars. I currently make a food bar that Jill recommended, and I love it.

I make them in 24-batch, you know, 24-piece batches, so I double up on her recipe, and it Anyway, but I'm looking I don't want to always have to be cooking them or making them, so I'm looking for an alternative. Oxalate, of course, low food bar. There's some recommendations that Jill's made, but my question is, you know, how do you get Do you guys have a recommendation for a pure clean food bar?

Maybe they don't even exist, because when you get into the ingredients, you've got carrageenan, you've got sucralose, maltitol, processed soy. I mean, there's sunflower oil, and rice bran oil, and safflower. You know, there's so many different components in there that potentially aren't good, right?

So, how do we get around it? Is there a recommendation from Jill? And I'd love to find out if there was.

Okay, thanks very much. Appreciate you guys. Bye.

It's a good question.

Absolutely.

So, he's saying he's saying, "I don't want to keep making my own." Here's what I'm going to say. I hear him. I hear him.

But any store-bought He's calling it food bars. A lot of people ask for protein bars, you know, just something on the go, some kind of snack bar. They're filled with so much stuff, as I think his name is Lance, is that right?

Yep. Yeah, it was Lance.

Lance. As he said. I mean, it's filled with all kinds of junk, absolutely, cuz it has to sit on a shelf for years till it sells, you know, and it also has to taste good, so if they're taking the sugar out, cuz keto people want low sugar, then they're going to put in the fake sugars.

And also, I'm not opposed to fake sugars, guys, if they work for you, they work for you. I know the latest scare research, but that was done on unhealthy people, so I'm not a fan of those studies, and anybody in the business isn't a fan of those studies. They weren't done on healthy people, and the bigger picture is this as far as sugar alternatives: if you're on a weight loss journey, weigh 400 lbs, I'm going to tell people and you're a sweetie, meaning you love sugar, I'm going to tell you to use artificial sweeteners for a while until you can wean off there, 'cause at least they're low calorie, because being 500 lbs is going to kill you before some you know, Equal.

So, again, rise above and think of the big picture. So, there's reasons I am not opposed to artificial sweeteners. Do I want you to use them all day long?

No. But they can be helpful to people with other issues. So, and who are non-compliant with going very low sugar, they need something.

So, Lance, here's what I'm going to say, and you may not like it. Most of the food most of the protein bars and the granola bars and the food bars, as you call them, they have a very long ingredient list. Now, there's foods like there's bars like RXBARs.

You may say, "Well, Jill, they have almonds," or, "They have peanuts." But look at all the ingredients, and I always say no almonds and no spinach. Maybe there are some, you know, the peanut ones may not be as high. There will be other bars.

You have to do your research based upon what you're looking for in a bar. I'm going to say, I have an e-book, a snack and dessert e-book at kidneystonediet.com, and I have low-oxalate bars in there, protein bars. There are granola bars free on my website under the Kidney Stone Diet recipes.

So, there's all kinds of things on the website. Yes, do you have to make them? Yes.

But I would say make a And Lance says, he makes a lot of them, but I'd really I'd make double that, Lance, and I'd put half of them in your freezer. So, you can That's what I do. My freezer's filled with protein low-oxalate protein bars and granola bars that I make.

And so, yes, I understand it's annoying to make them, but I also don't want to be eating bars that have 50 ingredients on in them. So, it's a trade off just like everything is in life. So, if you want to get the snack e-book, do that.

There's plenty of bar recipes in there. Otherwise, Lance, if you're like, "Jill, I just told you, I don't want to make any more bars and put them in the freezer, none of it, or I'll do that sometimes, but sometimes I want to grab a bar," I'm going to tell you to go to a larger grocery store and look at all the bars and see which one will suit you.

I can't recommend just one bar because everybody has different needs, because some people won't care about the artificial sweeteners, you do or it seems like all the excess ingredients, and I totally get that. Find the bar that works for you and then make it your own. And you may want to go to a health food store, because they tend to have little better ones or your grocery store or both.

Seek, turn them all around, Buster Brown, and seek out the one that's going to work for you. I don't have any off the top of my head, because, honestly, I make all my bars, cuz there because the other reason is, when you make your bars, oh, my god, they're so much cheaper. Bars can be $2, $3 a bar..

No, I'm a little I'm a little thrifty. Frugal. I'm making my own bars cuz I know what the ingredients are, they're delicious, they're low oxalate.

Check out the snack e-book. But, Lance, for you for the quick bar, just scout in your grocery store or health food store. It's It will take a minute the first time you do this, but then settle on the one, even if you want to stay at home, look through Amazon, see which has the less ingredients, the least amount of ingredients, and go with that.

That's going to be my advice, because I don't want just everybody picking one bar. I Maybe, you know, we can recommend a store-bar bought bar at one point, but I don't use them, so I would have to research that a little bit more. So, my suggestion is what I said for Lance.

Also, guys, snack e-book, $19.95, or whatever it is, and you have 30 different Kidney Stone Diet-safe recipes, including bars in there, low oxalate, and save yourself some money, because five bars is five bars is a lot of money. I mean, right? What's 5 * $2?

Whatever it is, $10, $20, $30 if we're stocking up on bars. No, I don't do that, so I don't know, that's that's my advice. Make your own.

Yeah, and it is time-consuming, unfortunately, but it's sort of the It's It's almost the price you pay sort of to balance it all out and yeah. A, I mean, maybe even there's a percentage. Like, still making, but then having once in a while grabbing one of these that suit you and yeah, and It's It's sort of like the meal plans.

Like it's all inspiration, but no one needs to follow anything precisely, like to the letter. So, it's just inspiration to get a little better each day. Yeah, I think it's a great question.

But I think if he made even double the batch and put them in the freezer, he would never have to he wouldn't He, you know, 'cause none of those recipes take more than 15 minutes to make. Bake time could be 20 minutes, but, you know, so it's it takes less time than running to the store, that's for sure. You know what I mean?

So, but I understand he wants a go-to bar. You know, I get it. He's going to have to look through his grocery store or Amazon, which I do a lot, which bar, you know, you could do whatever you're looking for and look at the least amount of ingredients and see if he likes those.

I mean, I, you know, that's what I think.

Yeah, I think that was a great question, and somehow we haven't touched on protein bars, snack bars specifically. We talked about protein powders and drinks and all these things, so, yeah, Lance, thank you so much for the question. And anyone else out there with a question, the number is 773-789-8763 and we'd love to feature you on a future episode.

Jeff, I want to say this one more thing for just forget about forget about the specific question Lance had, but protein bars in general: pay attention, folks, to the calories. Some of these protein bars have 300 calories, so it's not a snack. I mean, that's like a freaking meal for a small woman like me.

They are can be very caloric, so pay attention to that. All my protein bars are low calorie. And the other thing is pay attention to the salt and sugar, for sure, because if it's a lower sugar product, they put more salt in it and vice versa.

So, pay attention to that. And then, of course, yes, all the ingredients on the ingredient list. But I do have to I do have to not forget to talk about calories on protein bars.

They can be super high, so pay attention to that. That's super important. All right, go ahead, Jeff.

Yeah, no, I was just going to say, for all of everything Kidney Stone Diet-related, everything can be found at kidneystonediet.com. Right on the homepage, you can sort of see the Work with Jill and the Do-It-Yourself sort of routes. Those are premium products, but then we have the blog, we have the email newsletter that Jill sends out every week, we have the podcast, we have the Kidney Stone Prevention Group on Facebook, which is really thriving and a very great source for community.

Like the group calls, obviously, very intimate, and like a really great community setting where you work with Jill and others in the group in the group, but then, yeah, on Facebook, there's there's a lot there, as well, too. So, plenty of resources, paid and free, so you can find all of that at kidneystonediet.com. And then, for those of you who've asked, we do have a Patreon.

It's only for people who wanted to support beyond buying the products, so it's just patreon.com/kidneystonediet. There's no extra content, there's nothing. It's purely there because people were asking how they could support the show and the platform and everything, and that's out there.

So, we appreciate those of you who have supported. It really means a lot. Every little bit means a lot, even the little thumbs up, like, and subscribe on these videos really goes a long way.

So, I think with that, we will wrap. Thank you all for tuning in, and we'll see you next time.

Thanks, Lance!