Reviewing Protein Bars

2021-07-15

If your dorm room bookshelf doesn’t prominently feature a box of protein bars and a 5lb tub of protein powder, do you even lift?

But which to buy? I’ve eaten a lot of protein products over the years, especially before I learned to cook. I’m embarrassed to say that maybe 20% of my total calorie intake from 2017-2020 came from protein bar-like products. Well, a thousand bars later, I have a lot of opinions, so stay tuned for the scoop on what the best bars are for your needs. I also have some thoughts & tips on protein powders, at the end. And no, these aren’t paid opinions, but @OptimumNutrition let me know if you want to change that.

In case you just want the winning picks:

Some protein bars.

Protein Bars

We’ll start with protein bars, since they tend to vary a lot more than powders. I’m going to address most of the bars in Amazon’s top 50 bestsellers, grouping different flavors of the same bar into a single entry. Then I’ll discuss any other bars outside of the top 50 that I’ve tried -- my favorite bar actually isn’t in the top 50. The reviews are ordered by Amazon popularity as of some maybe not-so-recent date.

Bars will be rated on taste, nutrition, and value for money. Keep in mind that nutrition ratings are subjective: I’m generally assuming people are trying to get lots of protein while keeping calories in check. This would be the aim if you’re trying to lose weight, or even gain muscle mass while maintaining weight. But use your discretion if your goals differ.

[*Starred entries are vegan. I’m abbreviating macronutrient values using the following scheme: “200cal, 20P 10C 9P” would represent 200 calories, 20g protein, 10g carbs, and 9g fat, for example. I’ve listed other nutrient values like fiber or sugar alcohols, if they are particularly high and worth noting.]

Pure Protein Bar

Macros: 200cal, 20P 18C 5F, 5g sugar alcohol; Price: $1.10/bar

Taste: 2/10; Nutrition: 8/10; Value: 9/10

I can’t believe these bars are the most popular on Amazon. I don’t see how a reasonable fraction of the population can eat these. If you don’t have taste buds, these would be pretty ideal -- they do have some great macros and are about as cheap as protein bars go. Or maybe just feed them to your dog and get your dog jacked. (if you must buy these bars, I’d say go with the birthday cake or red velvet flavors.)

Quest Bar

Macros: 190cal, 20P 21C 9F, 14g fiber; Price: $1.90/bar

Taste: 4.5/10; Nutrition: 9/10; Value: 4/10

Quest Bars strike a competitive point along the taste-health curve. They’re more than edible (especially when warmed up a bit), and at ~20g protein on 190 calories, you don’t get much better macro-wise. They also pack a nice 14g of fiber, doing more favors for your bowels than the many erythritol-packed protein bars. However, since Quest is a pretty well-established brand, these bars aren’t cheap.

RXBAR

Macros: 210cal, 12P 24C 9F, 5g fiber; Price: $1.60/bar

Taste: 8.5/10; Nutrition: 3/10; Value: 5.5/10

RXBARs taste amazing. I really like their unique approach to the protein bar game: it’s a date & nut-based bar with egg whites for protein. They’re a welcome change from all of the artificially-sweetened chocolate & whey blends in other bars. However, you pay a nutritional cost for the novelty, getting only 12g protein on 210 calories (and there’s also a bunch of sugar from the fruit). Make sure you don’t overpay for them on the RXBAR official website. Also, if you’re allergic to nuts you’re in trouble - I can only eat the few flavors that are limited to peanuts and almonds, since I’m allergic to all non-almond tree nuts. (yeah, I’m not sure how my immune system managed that either)

think! Keto Bars

Macros: 180cal, 10P 14C 14F, 7g sugar alcohol; Price: $1.50/bar

Taste: 7/10; Nutrition: 3.5/10; Value: 5/10

These bars taste pretty good, but only 22% of their calories come from protein. RXBARs have the same ratio and taste way better. I guess these bars are useful if you’re on keto (4g net carb), but why are you on keto? (post on my critiques of diet programs coming soonTM)

GoMacro MacroBar*

Macros: 290cal, 11P 39C 11F; Price: $2/bar

Taste: 8/10; Nutrition: 2/10; Value: 6/10

I mean, these bars taste good, but it’s also not that hard to put 11g of protein into 290 calories. Just put some eggs on toast and accidentally get more protein than that. The only real use case I can think of here is like a meal replacement for vegans.

PowerCrunch Protein Energy Bar

Macros: 200cal, 13P 10C 12F; $1.50/bar

Taste: 9/10; Nutrition: 3.5/10; Value: 6/10

These bars are basically protein kitkats. The texture is great, they have no shitty aftertaste, and there’s a solid selection of flavors. Sadly, they don’t pack a huge protein punch and aren’t that filling, so I probably wouldn’t eat these while seriously cutting. I keep ‘em around when I have a little more macro freedom. Important Con: You kinda need a plate to eat these bars. Their crumbly wafers produce many droppings.

ONE Protein Bar

Macros: 210cal, 20P 22C 7F, 9g fiber, 5g sugar alcohol; $2/bar

Taste: 6/10; Nutrition: 8.5/10; Value: 4/10

ONE Bars strike a very similar profile to Quest Bars. I’d say they taste better. Some of the flavors can have slightly higher calories, but at 210 cal, Birthday Cake ONE Bars are a very competitive option. Personally, I don’t like the sugar alcohol aftertaste, but these bars could be pretty good on a cut.

Quest Hero Bar

Macros: 200cal, 15P 27C 11F, 11g fiber; $2/bar

Taste: 7/10; Nutrition: 5.5/10; Value: 4/10

The Hero Bars definitely taste a lot better than standard Quest Bars. With higher carb, these could be good as pre-workout bars even on a cut, for example.

FITCRUNCH Snack Protein Bar

Macros: 190cal, 16P 14C 8F, 8g sugar alcohol; $1.50/bar

Taste: 6/10; Nutrition: 6/10; Value: 6/10

Surprisingly, the sugar alcohol in these bars doesn’t really seem to damage taste that much. These bars are pretty filling for the number of calories they have. However, they don’t really knock it out of the park in any category. Pass from me.

Kellogg’s Special K Protein Meal Bar

Macros: 180cal, 12P 21C 6F; Price: $0.92/bar

Taste: 5.5/10; Nutrition: 4.5/10; Value: 9/10

Super high-value bars. However, they taste mediocre and aren’t quite nutritional bangers either. Drop.

Zoneperfect Classic Protein Bar

Macros: 220cal, 14P 25C 7F; Price: $0.99/bar

Taste: 4/10; Nutrition: 4/10; Value: 9/10

Also very cheap, but they taste pretty awful. If you don’t have taste buds and are bulking, these bars could be good pre-workout (high carb).

Gatorade Whey Protein Recover Bar

Macros: 360cal, 20P 41C 13F; Price: $1.50/bar

Taste: 8/10; Nutrition: 3.5/10; Value: 9.5/10

These bars are very cheap ($1.50 isn’t much for how big & calorically rich they are) and taste amazing. Macros are trash. Really makes no sense to be eating this bar while trying to maintain or cut, but if you’re bulking, great option.

think! High Protein Bar

Macros: 240cal, 20P 23C 10F, 10g sugar alcohol; $1.25/bar

Taste: 6.5/10; Nutrition: 6/10; Value: 8/10

Some of their flavors are actually pretty fire. This was one of the first protein bars I started to eat way too many of in high school. Sadly I think they’re beat out on taste by some recent additions to the protein bar game that have equal or better macros.

Orgain Organic Plant Based Protein Bar*

Macros: 140cal, 10P 20C 5F; $1.50/bar

Taste: 6/10; Nutrition: 4/10; Value: 3/10

No. Why?

LUNA Bar*

Macros: 190cal, 8P 28C 6F; ~$1/bar

Taste: 5/10; Nutrition: 2/10; Value: 6/10

These are like adult Quaker ‘chewy’ bars. Spoiler, they’re still way too sweet, don’t fill you up at all, and have bad macros.

CLIF BUILDERS Protein Bar

Macros: 290cal, 20P 29C 11F; ~$1.50/bar

Taste: 6.5/10; Nutrition: 4.5/10; Value: 7/10

Pretty satisfying option, especially if you can find them at a good price (sometimes $1 - $1.25 per bar). They’re high sugar (20g) but pretty good for pre-workout or a lunch replacement.

Premier Protein Nutrition Bar

Macros: 290cal, 30P 25C 8F; $1.60/bar

Taste: 3.5/10; Nutrition: 8/10; Value: 6/10

These bars give me Pure Protein vibes. Taste pretty shit, but have a lot of protein and are filling. Friendly for taste bud-less populations.

BSN Protein Crisp Bar

Macros: 230cal, 20P 23C 6F, 6g sugar alcohol; ~$1.50/bar

Taste: 8/10; Nutrition: 6.5/10; Value: 5.5/10

Probably my favorite bar. They taste like Rice Krispy treats. At 20g/230cal, they have a competitive protein ratio. They’re fun to eat and relatively satiating. They don’t break the bank. I’m not sponsored, but I’ll definitely come up with more positive adjectives if you want @BSN. All flavors are good, Birthday Cake and Peanut Butter are my favs. Credit to @Jason Zhao for introducing me to these bars.

good! Snacks Vegan Protein Bar*

Macros: 220cal, 15P 29C 7F, 11g fiber; $1.67/bar

Taste: 8/10; Nutrition: 4/10; Value: 5/10

Holistically pretty good, and probably your best bet if you’re vegan. Approved by a reputable animal product avoider (@Eleanor Xiao). Peanut Butter / any non-fruity flavors are ideal.

MusclePharm Crisp Protein Bar

Macros: 170cal, 16P 17C 5F; $1.50/bar

Taste: 0.5/10; Nutrition: 6.5/10; Value: 4.5/10

These bars aren’t even popular (in the #800s or so of Amazon). I just put them on my list to vent my frustration. When I first attempted to munch on this bar, pretty sure I almost chipped a tooth. Not sure if I got a bad batch or something, but shit was hard as a rock. Couldn’t even return them, can’t believe jeff bozo profited off my dental pain

Ohh Snap Crispy Protein Bar

Macros: 150cal, 15P 15C 6F, 9g fiber; $2/bar

Taste: 9.5/10; Nutrition: 6/10; Value: 2/10

This bar is actually just a Rice Krispy treat, not “like a Rice Krispy treat” à la BSN. Miraculously, it also has a good amount of protein. Unfortunately they’re way too expensive for their tiny size so I can’t justify buying them :(

My Winning Picks

That was a lot of bars. To sum it up, here’s what I would consider buying, depending on your needs and goals.

Most macro-friendly (high protein, low cal)

Winner: Quest Bars (Recommended Flavors: Vanilla Almond Crunch, Choc. PB) Runner-Up: ONE Bars (Recommended Flavors: Peanut Butter Pie, Birthday Cake)

Yummiest, but still feasible from a macro/cost perspective:

PowerCrunch Protein Energy Bars (Recommended Flavors: Peanut Butter Fudge, Triple Chocolate)

For the plant-based folk:

good! Snacks Vegan Protein Bar (Recommended Flavors: Choc. PB, PB)

Feeling quirky:

RXBAR (Recommended Flavors: “Peanut Butter & Berries” ← yes that’s one flavor, if it seems weird think again, it’s basically PB&J energy) (Disclaimer: As a tree nut-allergic, I have not tried other flavors.)

Raj’s overall pick:

BSN Protein Crisp Bars (Recommended Flavors: Mint Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter) (Disclaimer: the bars are kinda expensive on Amazon at the moment, guess demand’s been high lately. you can typically find at least one of the flavors for $1.50/bar if you wait for a bit.)

Casual Musings on Protein Powder

I have weaker opinions about powders than bars. I don’t think it matters as much what powder you buy. While macros, taste, and texture can vary dramatically for protein bars, these variables tend to be similar for the top few brands of protein powder. However, there are a few key points I’d like to convey:

  • All whey is (approximately) the same: There’s a load of marketing BS that describes particular types of whey as the most “pure”, “hydrolyzed”, “platinum”, “low-carb”, etc. I guess this stuff actually works on some people. Don’t be one of them. Whey is whey, your body will break it down into amino acids and those amino acids will get to your bloodstream one way or the other. Most protein powders have some binding/dissolving agents, or the whey isn’t isolated perfectly, so they might have a marginal number of calories (5-15%) from carbs/fat. I don’t think it’s worth worrying about this at all, much less pay 1.5-2x as much to reduce these impurities.
  • Watch out for powders with added carbs/fat: It’s not worth worrying about marginal amounts of other macronutrients, but do note that some protein powders (Orgain, BSN Syntha-6, any mass gainers) will explicitly include fat/carbs at high (>30%) caloric fractions. Two issues here: (1) in terms of protein per dollar, you’re probably getting less value out of these products; (2) if you want more things in your protein shakes, add them yourself and you’ll get a more nutritious, tastier product. Berries taste better than cheap dextrose, and peanut butter tastes better than palm oil.
  • Casein: I do believe that casein can be used a bit differently than whey. Traditional bro knowledge is that you take whey during the day, and casein before bed. Scientifically, the rationale is that casein digests more slowly, so you’ll have amino acids available for a longer period of time from when you drink your shake. These AAs can help promote muscle protein synthesis while you’re sleeping, perhaps negating some of the catabolism – muscle breakdown – that comes with not having any substantial meals for (at least) an 8-hour period. I’ve started taking one scoop of casein before bed (with lots of water, since it mixes much worse than whey). I don’t think there’s solid evidence showing the anabolic benefits of this strategy (it’s hard to get statistically significant effects in these sorts of studies), but I still put some stake in it.
  • Flavors: Fruity flavors taste bad. I like coffee-flavored things, so I’ll typically go for something Mocha-esque. Vanilla and chocolate are always a solid bet.

Taking these points together, my personal recommendation is to buy MyProtein Impact Whey Isolate. They’re always having some discount or the other, so make sure you find at least a 45% off code before buying. Once you do, a 5.5lb bag is 2¢/gram compared to e.g. 2.8¢/g for Optimum Nutrition (probably the most popular bro brand). Also, MyProtein isolate has a very high protein percentage (around 90% calories from protein), mixes well (I’ll typically use almond milk, but water’s fine), and has no weird aftertastes, so that’s why it’s my pick.

Please vocalize any disagreements with these takes. I can argue about this stuff all day.