Protein Bars; What can they really do for you?

Everyone thinks that Protein Bars are good for you.  Just how good though and are they really worth the price.  Some protien bars like those sold by Colossal are extremely expensive going for, at best, $20.00 for twelve bars!  That'll last you, if you have three a day for four days.  Four days! then you have to shell out another twenty for more!  Most protein bars are meal replacement such as those made by Colossal which is the ones we will be talking about today.  The problem with Collosal is the ingredients.  This is because it is hard to create a "good" meal replacement bar without putting crap in them.  Here are the ingredients too a Met-Rx Big 100 Colossal Meal Replacement Bar, Super Cookie Crunch,:

Click on Image too see all nutrient facts (links to a pdf of the back of box).
  For more click on the link directly above the picture

As you can see one of the first ingredients is rice starch, High Fructose Corn syrup and oil.  Not so good for you.  On the other hand this has 32 grams of protein.  There are alternatives to this brand though.  I eat Clif Builder's Bars which are also cheaper than meal replacement bars!  Yet this is one of the only bars that has good ingredients as well as 20g Protein.  In fact a study by Consumer Labs revealed that nearly  60% of bars failed to meet their labeling claims.  Watch out! not all the bars are as healthy as they claim.  Also please note that if you are okay with the ingredients in (Collosal) Met-Rx Big 100 Meal Replacement Bar,   These bars Did pass the test.