Nagging Question
Will Eating Luna Bars Make a Guy Grow Breasts?
Better nutrition or bust!
Clif Bar, manufacturer of the Luna nutrition bar—marketed “for women”—is asked this question all the time. The concern is baseless, however. Luna bars, which come in flavors including Lemon Zest, S’mores, and Dulce de Leche, contain no estrogen or other hormones that might cause men to grow mammary glands. They’re for women because they’re fortified with nutrients females typically need more of, or sometimes have a hard time getting in their diets. These include folic acid, calcium, iron, B vitamins, and fiber.
For example, women (and men) between the ages of 19 and 50 need 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day: the equivalent of three glasses of milk. Luna bars contain as much calcium as one glass of milk. But women tend to diet more than men, says Tara DelloIacono Thies, nutrition strategist for Clif Bar, and “calcium seems to go first, because they’re drinking less milk and eating fewer dairy products.” Folic acid is a form of vitamin B found in fruits and vegetables that’s also necessary to both sexes. But it’s particularly crucial for women trying to get pregnant, because a folic acid deficiency can cause birth defects. Men won’t suddenly find themselves expecting a child after consuming a Luna bar, either, just in case you’re wondering.
CHOW’s Nagging Question column appears every Friday. Got a Nagging Question of your own? Email us.
Lessley Anderson is senior editor at CHOW.
He's really asked that question all the time? Or is this just an excuse for another lame Chow.com "nagging" question? Unlike this silly feature, I think Luna bars are great -- my current favorite is the Berry Almond.
You're kidding, right? Whoever's asked this question before, please stand up so I can applaud you. I wonder how much Luna Bars paid to be featured here.
There is just... no way...
i think you all underestimate the ability of the "average" person to ask dumb questions (and often accept even dumber replies).
Back when pineapple was actually grown here as a cash crop the tour busses would drive the visitors through the pineapple fields, acres and acres of prickly shrubs. Then they would drive by a pandanus (hala) tree which has a cluster of nuts which at a quick glance do look similar to a pineapple, and the driver would point out the "pineapple tree", click click click go the cameras......
Will reading fake questions laced with product-placement make my eyes stick in a rolled-up position?
I truly believe that this is how insecure a lot of males are in our culture.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go pick the ripe strands off my spaghetti trees....
MsDiPesto, you are the time tested sage of the 21st century
I can just see it now..."Hey, Bob's eating a Luna Bar!" "Hey Bobbie, how's those Luna Bars coming along?"
If Luna bars grew breasts, wouldn't men be sprouting breasts from eating them and create news/headlines? Wouldn't breast augmentations be obsolete? How could that go unnoticed during product testing? The asker doesn't make any sense: if this had any truth to it, wouldn't he assume somewhere along the line, a man has eaten one, ergo a man grew breasts? Therefore answering his question? Oh wait, I forgot he/she was a complete idiot who probably shouldn't have free reign to the internet.
Who started this rumour? And if people this moronic are reading Chow and writing in questions, than why bother? In the recipes on this site, commenters get upset if a trifle isn't named correctly, and yet we respond to questions like this?
Absolutely ridiculous. This is embarrassing, and somewhere along the line I'm betting someone thought the headline could make some page views, so I guess the fact that journalistic integrity comes second to money around here is the moral of the story. Way to put an absolutely pitiful, stupid, incomprehensibly dumb article under a sensationalized headline, Chow.
Luna Bars contain soy protein which is a source of phytoestrogens.
Phytoestrogens may cause breast growth in prepubescent and adolescent males and large quantities may cause hormonal imbalances, but scientific research has yet to prove either with certainty.
Stamfordite:
Science has yet to prove breast growth due to phytoestrogens AT ALL.
This actually came up here at CHOW, when a male hungry staffer was offered a Luna bar, and exclaimed, "NO WAY! It will make me grow breasts!"
Lessleyellen:
I don't know if your post is serious or not, but if it is, I'm disgusted that Chow employs such idiots and I hope he was fired.
I just fired him, Briaberger. He's out of here.
Forget the question. The better question is: why do people eat Luna Bars, or almost any bars for that matter? The only bars I have found in the past TEN years that taste decently are Lara bars and that's most likely because they use no artificial ingredients. Lunas, South Beach, Atkins, Power Bars...they're all so vile. I know they're quick and people usually eat them to watch calories but wouldn't you rather have some lean protien and fruit instead of one of these monstrosities?
This seems to be a common sentiment among men:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&am...;
I think that's a joke, in other words, why are these specifically for women, [facetious question] they aren't going to make men grow breasts, are they?
Nicole, you should try the Clif Nectar bars -- all organic, just four or five ingredients (dates, some kind of nuts, some kind of natural flavor like cocoa or cinnamon).
such drivel
I'm not saying this isn't blatant product placement, but I work with a guy who told me he believes that eating "soy products" will make him grow "man breasts".
So in fear of having his own chest toys, he avoids all cuisine that uses say, soy sauce and tofu? Too much. You could have a lot of fun with that guy.
This is a really, really stupid headline. Talk about dumbing down the website.
His own chest toys? Too much...
this site has turned into such garbage, ugh.
Although I agree this is ridiculous, it is amazing what people will believe. I recently recieved an email telling me that soy milk and soy products make boys become gay... and they weren't kidding! So at least the phyoestrogen soy worry is somewhere near this planet- although still complete bunk.