Protein Bars
I am not the biggest fan of protein bars as I think real food is best, but they are good perhaps when traveling and you’re on the go. Here are some of the best protein bars that are low in sugar plus some of the worst protein bars
Protein bars are suitable for traveling, pre-or post-workout snacks, and as a snack to keep blood sugar balanced during busy days. They are convenient to keep with you at your desk or in your bag for a quick snack on the go. They can also be used for a fast and easy breakfast if needed.
When determining if eating protein bars is good for you, the protein source, how much there is, and what other nutrients it’s paired with all need to be considered.
What makes a protein bar “healthy”?
Unfortunately, most of the protein bars in the market are loaded with sugar alcohols or saturated fat and lack fiber.
In selecting a clean and healthy protein bar, look for a nice balance of healthy fat, protein, and fiber to help keep you satisfied. Choose a protein bar with between 200 to 400 calories and 20 grams of protein per serving.
It’s not just macronutrients that matter when determining the best protein bar. Look at the ingredient list and identify transparent foods like nuts, whole grains, and fruit.
I look for good protein sources, like whey protein isolate, pea protein, brown rice protein, and eggs.
The nutritional criteria for the best protein bars:
8 grams protein minimum: To qualify as a “protein bar,” each bar had to have no less than 8 grams of protein. I recommend aiming for 15-20 grams of protein if you’re looking to gain muscle and 7-12 grams of protein for a satiating snack.
13 grams sugar maximum: The best protein bars have no more than 13 grams of sugar, and no added sugar.
3 grams fiber minimum: Opt for a protein bar with 3 or more grams per bar or serving when it comes to fiber. However, caution with those boasting more than 10 grams of fiber as these is likely loaded with isolated fibers that can cause stomach discomfort.
The ingredient criteria for the best protein bars:
High-quality protein sources: protein bars that source their protein from high-quality isolates and concentrate (such as grass-fed whey protein) and whole-food ingredients (like nuts or antibiotic-free meat). Nuts, nut kinds of butter, grass-fed meats, egg whites, and seeds are my favorite whole food protein sources for a protein bar.
Natural sweeteners: Regarding added sugar, check ingredients and choose options with natural sources of sugar like cane sugar or fruit. Whole fruit (in comparison to fruit juice and fruit concentrate) is not considered an added sugar.
Whole-food ingredients: Whether they’re used to flavor or sweeten, the best protein bars only use whole food or natural ingredients—no artificial ingredients allowed.
Healthy fats: Fats are essential for your body to absorb certain nutrients, and they also help keep you satiated. I prioritized protein bars that contain healthy fats from nuts and seeds rather than those that use vegetable oils as fillers and binders.
Low to no synthetic or isolated fiber: Ingredients I watch out for and advise athletes to avoid (especially around the times they’re training as they can cause bloating, gas, and abdominal pain) include artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols like maltitol, erythritol, and xylitol, and large amounts of synthetic fibers like soluble corn fiber or chicory root.
No sugar alcohols: Sugar alcohols have risen in popularity recently because they are a low-calorie way a manufacturer can sweeten protein bars; however, I advise against consuming large quantities of this ingredient. Sugar alcohols can cause gastrointestinal distress.
The following 15 low-sugar, best protein bars met the above nutritional requirements.
The Best Healthy Protein Bars
1. Best Overall: RXBar Chocolate Sea Salt
1 BAR (52 G): 210 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 240 mg sodium, 24 g carbs (5 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 12 g protein
If you want to feel like you’re eating a decadent salted brownie while meeting protein needs, RXBAR. I particularly like the simplicity of ingredients: RXBAR does a nice job of making bars out of recognizable ingredients. They are very straightforward on their packaging and tell you that each bar contains dates, nuts, egg whites, and flavors.
2. Best Tasting: KIND Protein, Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 BAR (50 G): 250 calories, 18 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 140 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (5 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 12 g protein
This healthy snack bar packs in a respectable amount of digestion-aiding fiber and muscle-maintaining protein with creamy nut butter and crunchy peanuts.
3. ALOHA Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Plant-Based Protein
1 BAR (56 G): 220 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 95 mg sodium, 25 g carbs (14 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 14 g protein
Carbs help the protein get into the muscle fibers.
4. Go Macro Microbars Protein Paradise, Cashew Caramel
1 BAR (60 G): 260 calories, 11 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 35 mg sodium, 30 g carbs (1 g fiber, 10 g sugar), 11 g protein
An excellent option for athletes looking for a vegan protein bar. You can thank the vegetarian dynamic duo of organic sprouted brown rice protein and organic pea protein for those 11 grams of protein. This bar is also loaded with healthy fats from cashews and flax seeds, a great plant-based source of anti-inflammatory omega-3s.
5. Primal Kitchen Almond Spice
1 BAR (38 G): 200 calories, 16 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 115 mg sodium, 9 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 8 g protein
If you want to lose weight, you’ll want to keep your blood sugar balanced to remove those dreaded spikes in blood sugar that can leave you hungry. This bar has 8 grams of protein and minimal sugar, which helps keep blood sugar balanced by preventing a blood sugar spike (and subsequent drop). This flavor, especially, contains cinnamon. Cinnamon has been shown to improve fasting blood sugar levels, making it an excellent addition for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin sensitivity, and those with PCOS experiencing blood sugar irregularities.
6. Mighty Bar Grass-fed Organic Beef, Cranberry & Sunflower Seed
1 BAR (28 G): 70 calories, 3.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 280 mg sodium, 4 g carbs (0 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 8 g protein
Testing shows that when cattle graze on their natural food instead of inflammatory corn, their protein consists of more anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA): fats that have been utilized in weight-loss pills.
7. Clif Bar Whey Protein Salted Caramel Cashew
1 BAR (56 G): 250 calories, 11 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 200 mg sodium, 25 g carbs (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 14 g protein
If you’re hungry for a delicious protein boost without sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners or zero-calorie sweeteners, this bar will become your go-to.
8. Health Warrior Organic Pumpkin Seed Bars
1 BAR (36 G): 180 calories, 12 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 40 mg sodium, 12 g carbs (2 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 8 g protein
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of plant-based protein, essential fatty acids, and minerals like zinc, iron, and magnesium. And these nutrients are particularly important for women’s health. Zinc plays a crucial role in hormone balance. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help ease period pain. It helps balance excess androgen levels (like testosterone) that are often seen in PCOS; it helps clear the skin, plays a vital role in thyroid hormone synthesis, and helps with thyroid hormone synthesis to ease the stress response. Magnesium plays a role in regulating blood sugar and insulin levels, producing
hormones, supporting the thyroid, and calming your nervous system to help ease the stress response. Plus, as women are more prone to osteoporosis, adding magnesium-rich pumpkin seeds to your diet will help form and maintain healthy bones.
9. Paleo Protein Bar: EPIC Bar Smoked Maple Bacon
1 BAR (43 G): 150 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 590 mg sodium, 7 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 8 g protein
These Paleo gluten-free bars are made from hormone-free pork and not much else. These high-protein snacks are loaded with protein, so enjoy one after your workout to rebuild the muscles broken down during your gym session.
10. Bulletproof Collagen Protein Bar
1 BAR (45 G): 220 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 115 mg sodium, 14 g carbs (5 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 12 g protein
Its protein comes from grass-fed collagen, a trendy protein derived from bovine or marine sources (in this case, it’s from grass-fed cows). It’s particularly beneficial because it helps to boost collagen production in the body, which has benefits for hair, skin, nails, joints, and gut health. This bar is rich in MCT oil, which studies show can prevent long-term weight gain due to increased energy expenditure.
11. Best for Fiber: Exo Bar Chocolate Fudge Brownie
1 BAR (60 G): 210 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 210 mg sodium, 26 g carbs (16 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 10 g protein
Eating insects is the next big thing! In terms of high-protein snacks, crickets have about as much protein as chicken breast but with three times the calcium. And in this bar, they provide a big chunk of the protein.
12. Luna Protein Mint Chocolate Chip
1 BAR (45 G): 170 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 250 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (2 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 12 g protein
Gluten-free and made with real chocolate.
13. Most Natural: Rise Bar Lemon Cashew
1 BAR (60 G): 260 calories, 13 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 25 mg sodium, 23 g carbs (1 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 15 g protein
Just four simple ingredients make up this bar that tastes addictively like lemon shortbread: organic cashews, coconut nectar, pea protein, and lemon extract. That’s it.
14. Best Whey: Naked Nutrition Peanut Butter
1 BAR (52.5 G): 210 calories, 8 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 110 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (6 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 15 g protein
This protein bar is made of just five fully transparent ingredients (no “natural flavors)
Even though some low-sugar protein bars meet the same low-sugar, high-protein requirements as these best protein bars, they don’t meet other critical nutritional marks.
They contain more than 10 grams of sugar alcohol, which can have laxative-like effects.
The protein is from highly processed sources rather than whole foods.
The higher fat content is from inflammatory vegetable oils rather than healthy fats like nuts and seeds.
They contain artificial flavors and/or sweeteners.
Protein Bars are good to keep in the glove compartment of your car, just in case. They are also easily thrown into your bag when traveling or know it will be challenging to get real food for an extended period or when it’s your best choice out of what’s available. If you are relying too much on bars, then having just some nuts or some jerky instead is a great way to avoid the temptation of eating too many bars. They are just as easy to travel with and won’t spoil.