This is kinda off the subject here,
I have a question for the cliff bar team…
My problem or not is that I love the Builders protein bar so much I have 2-3 bars
a day replacing almost all my meals. I usualy clean out the grocery stores since I
buy 1-2 boxes per 7-10 days. I was wondering if this is a healthy habbit for the long run?
Thanks for a very tasty product.

Kosta
Vision Quest Team member,
Libertyville, IL

I agree with you, Tara, about not having full confidence in the FDA’s ability to screen food. I have been vegetarian for almost half of my life (I’m 23), and I tried vegan for a while.

The manner in which so many of the food industry’s animals are treated just makes me sick, and to think of all the drugs and hormones and whatever else these animals are fed just makes me feel even more ill.

Why is it so hard to raise animals humanely? I don’t believe everyone should HAVE to be vegetarian, but why can’t the meat people eat be farmed in ways that don’t shock and outrage anyone with half a heart?

Anyhow, Clif Bars are safe. Yum. And it’s a good thing…

It is very scary, I have been around agriculture most of my life, and i must say that polutry is much scarier than beef as far as anti botics and GMO’s. I will stick with the beef (black angus at the moment!) that my family raises on our small hobby farm, fed with hay and grain from our neighbors.

The most frigtening truth to this issue is that consumers will not be able to know where their meat comes from. We won’t be able to choose with our dollars (or “vote with our fork” as Michael Pollan says) which food we prefer. Of course the cattle industry wants it this way so they can slide cloned beef into the grocery stores just like they do with beef that never would pass inspection. They still get paid, the average consumer still gets less heathy, and over time it becomes the status quo… We have to do everything in our power to stop this from happening.

As a vegan and a vegan chef for over 26 years you will be fine, come on over to our side the water is fine.
Love you bars!

Kosta,

Glad you love the BUILDERS protein bars that we make, but I have to say that replacing your meals consistently with ANY bar isn’t going to be very good for you in the long run or even a few days.

By replacing meals with BUILDERS you are missing out on the great amount of nutrient diveristy offered through eating a variety of healthy foods. Variety is your universal master key to meeting dietary needs because it helps fill the nutrient wholes and unlock mainy doors that lead to good health.

All foods have their own unique make up of vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, and phytonutrients and by getting variety you give your body more to work with and you will feel better too

Tara the RD

I went vegitarian in July 2006, almost vegan at this point, I DON’T think we should have to kill animals to fullfill our own taste pallets, we DO have a choice, don’t eat meat !!! animals don’t have a choice, they have too, I ajusted very well, and still would love a real meat burger once in a while but I don’t, I just “glue myself back together” and feel so much better not eating meat and anything to do with animals !!! Thats just me, I work out at the gym from 12:15 am in the morning till 5:00 am ish 5 days a week !!!  Then I go to work at 7 am and work till 4-4:30 pm, not much sleep for me, my body is use to it.On Sat. and Sun. I work out from 6:30 am till 11-12 noon, I love taken care of myself and my body, plus I like the 6 pack I am finally getting !!! and at almost 43 i feel the BEST I have ever felt in my life, go veggie !!!!!!!!!  p.s.  whatch me drop dead tomarrow now....lol… Jerry

Hey Tara, where can I find information about the labeling that they DO implement on meat products? And where can i find information about getting involved in passing laws for more labels to know where my meat comes from?

-Melanie

Jerry,
Taking care of yourself, means getting enough sleep too.
-DoM

I am currently vegetarian and try to eat vegan as much as possible and this is one of the main reasons why.  It is clear that there is huge problems with the farming industries in this country right now and everytime I hear something on the news about a big beef recall, etc, I am so relieved that I don’t even have to worry about it.  I don’t have a problem with people eating meat so much as factory farming.  It’s one thing if you’re raising it yourself or fishing it out of a river, but I wouldn’t trust the FDA for one minute.  The book Skinny Bitch, as silly as it may seem, actually offers a lot of really great information on the terrible practices of factory farming and the disturbing antics of the FDA in an easy to read format.  Plus going veg is great for the enviornment!!

Are Cliff Bars Vegan? I don’t think so. I’m currious to find out if the cliff blocks are? I didn’t see it in the frequent questions section.

Anyone know?

Most all clif products are vegan, including the shot blocks!  If you go to the product, then to “product FAQ” most of them say if they have any animal products or if they are vegan.  I think one of the only things that is not is the clif recovery shakes, which is unfortunate.  I would love if clif made a soy protein powder!

Hi Tara, i have a question for you since you a RD… I want to be vegetarian and i eat mostly like a vegetarian… A lot of tofu, bean and cheese burritos, (stuff w/ no meat), ect… But my parents won’t let me fully be one yet cuz i’m underweight- 75% of my ideal weight… They think i won’t get enough protein in my diet.. But tofu, bean and cheese, tempeh have a lot of protein!  Also, people say that i shouldn’t cuz i don’t want to be a vegetarian because “ I hate people killing innocent animals” and “ i don’t know w here the meat comes from… But i just want to be one cuz i don’t like the taste of meat… It’s gross… I mean i do have sympathy for animals getting killed for us to eat them, but thats not the main reason i want to be one.. Just cuz i hate meat and i think i’d be cool to get my protein from other things.  What do you think i should do?  Also, i’m 5"2 and 84 lbs… So i dunno?

okay OMG!!! im so happy someone put vegetarianism on this site!! yes i agree with you! WE DONT KNOW WHAT THEYRE PUTTING IN OUR FOOD!! im personally a vegan, and i LOVE IT.ive been vegan for about 5 months and i dont know why i hadnt started this earlier! personally i think we need to fight back to the food industry and tell them to stop poisening our foods! but being vegan....i dont really have to worry although my fam are ALL OMNIVORES so its hard but im converting them over :0)

For those of you interested in learning more and advoacating for food labeling and regulations, I will be posting more info shortly.

Emilia,

Can you believe I used to hate meat? My brother, like you, has long had a distaste for meat. For some, it is just that simple. You don’t like it.

There are lots of ways to boost your calories to up your weight to where it should be while still sticking with your vegetarian food preferences.

Some folks who dislike meat are happy to include dairy and fish in their menu for added protein.

If however you are more inclined to go vegan beans, whole grains combined with legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds, and nut butters are all great sources of protein.

You can also boost your protein intake by including protein powders and nutrition bars into your snacking menu.

Oh yeah, Clif Bars and BLOKS are both free of animal products and fit with the vegan menu.

The CLIF SHOT recovery drink contains whey because whey provides a greater level of amino acids, which is important to athletic recovery.

For a plant, soy also provides a good level of amino acids but is lower in a few aminos in comparison to whey.

Tara

After reading comments about the beef recall and the doubts about the beef industry in the United States, I felt obligated to digress.

I am a beef producer from Kansas.  I want to let you all know that the way the cattle were handled in California is not a true representation of cattle country.
As cattlemen, we believe it is our duty to care for the livestock in a professional and humane way, even more ways than most would realize.  we realize that providing the most tasteful, wholesome and nutritious protien source available comes with responsibility.  Responsibiity to us means that we never use a cattle prod, whip, hot shot, club or anything else that could hurt the animals in any way.  We use literally tonnes of straw for bedding when needed. we vaccinate for viruses that would have caused many of them to be sick, and we handle them with care.  From the rancher to the feedlot where they are fed a corn diet, these practices are in place.  This includes trucking also.
Although we believe and stand behind this beef as safe and has been for the past 70 years, we also know there is a consumer who believes otherwise.  For this, we also have what we call a Natural program.  These cattle have never recieved antibotics, growth promoments or ionophores. These cattle are of Angus genetics and fit under strick guidelines that ensure consumer confidence. 
Rest assured, we are not happy about what we also see on tv.  These folks do not represent the true rancher nor the true finishing lot or any processing plant in our neck of the woods.  Because in the central plains of america, these things just cant and dont happen.  We love this land and we love to be in an industry that still believes in honor, respect and a hand shake is still a deal.  We truely believe our consumers would be proud of the way we operate yet are still able to put food on the table every day to every family in the US and abroad.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,
Mark

a

thanks mark. That makes me feel a lot better about the meat I buy as a whole. but what I want to see is, when your meat makes it to my market, I want to see a label on it that says where it came from. To make sure I’m not buying the meat from the guy who doesn’t follow these guidelines.

so I’m waiting eagerly for Tara to post that information.

-Melanie

First of all, I love that clif bars are made with good ingredients and the company is enviornmentally reponsible.  I myself have been vegetrian for15 years and don’t miss eating meat at all.  Not to mention my cholesterol and waist line are way below the average americans.  However, being a food professional/expert, I pay attention to food science and food trends.  One thing I think it is important to point out is that just because a food is not meat dosent mean we know where it comes from or that is it is safe. 1.  Much of our produce comes from other countries that do not have same standards as the us.  2.  Washing produce does not mean it is safe.  Organisms such as e coli and salmonela can contaminate food not only from the outside, but also the inside as well, making it impossible to wash these contaminants off.  3.  GMO foods- plenty of cloning and genetic alterations happen to fruits and veggies.  It has been quite a while a go, but I remember a group of activist protesting Monsanto Co for their production of “frankenfood”

I do feel there are many benefits of being vegetarian, (who wouldn’t be healthier eating more veggies) but also believe that it is important to be informed and about standards/choice.

Basing one’s opinion of food on newspaper articles and press releases from the FDA & USDA is rather silly.  As a RD should you not spend time reading scientific research?  Also, doesn’t the empirical evidence that people who eat red meat occasionally are not actually turning into three-headed clone generating monsters indicate that their might be some over reation here? 

I think most people need to calm down, get educated, decouple their political agendas and conspiracy theories from their food, and realize the key to good health is moderation, variety, and exercise.  Couple that with a healthy mental disposition (avoid negativity and fear) and one will likely live a long and reasonably happy life.

there is no information on the dark chocolate walnut or any other dark chocolate kind of nectar bar on this website and I’m curious why this information is not available. one of the ingredients on the wrapper is “Organic Unsweetened Chocolate” but it doesn’t list any further ingredients such as milk, butter, etc. Lemme know

I don’t know much about being a vegetarian or vegan.  I trust that nature designed me to be an omnivore, and I listen to her voice.  My dentation is designed for both grinding and tearing/shredding, so I choose to eat meat and fruits and vegetables.  I don’t condemn anyone for what they choose to put into their body nutritionally, nor would I expect anyone to condemn for what I put into mine.  I do however, take objection to any governmental body, which decides that it is perfectly safe for me to eat or serve to my family, meat from cloned animals or genetically modified vegetable products, especially if I am not warned when shopping that these products are there.  The products should be identified as to which ones they are and I should have the choice whether I want to buy them.

A good resolution to the meat problem, if you choose to eat meat, is to eat bison.  It is higher in protein and lower in fat than any other meat.  And as far as I know, no attempts have been made to clone bison yet.  Bison even tastes better than beef.  Bison costs more than beef, but it is worth it.

Dear Cliff folks,