Americans are eating candy in disguise.

Sitting at a table at Balthazar in downtown Manhattan, Peter Rahal spears a piece of smoked salmon on his plate and ignores the nearby toast. The 38-year-old cofounder of nutrition bar brand RxBar ...

You grab a granola bar between meetings. You add dried cranberries to your salad.You reach for that brightly labeled protein bar after your workout or pick up a colorful yogurt cup for breakfast.

Protein bars have become ubiquitous snacks for busy days. Who hasn’t found themselves scarfing down a protein bar in between meetings or in the airport before a flight? In the midst of an ongoing ...