Protein bars are a popular grab in the snacking world, particularly if you’re focused on making a healthier choice or attempting to hit a protein intake goal. However, despite store shelves being lined with options, finding protein bars that are of quality from a nutritional standpoint can actually be quite challenging.
You often run into one of two obstacles: The ones with quality ingredients usually lack a good balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and the ones with good balance tend to have less desirable ingredient quality.
The nutrition of what we eat most of the time matters, and for many of us, we need a grab-and-go option that can be a frequent go-to. That makes finding a protein bar with an ideal ingredient list a priority.
Here are the things I would encourage looking for when choosing a protein bar:
1. An adequate amount of protein. Aim for protein bars that offer at least 15 grams of protein from quality sources. Our general recommendation is to aim to consume meals with 30 or more grams of protein, and the 15-gram protein target for snacks serves well to help keep energy steady, blood sugar balanced, and cravings at bay.
2. An optimal balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. If the purpose of the bar is to deliver convenient protein, you ideally don’t want it overloaded with other macronutrients (fat and carbohydrates). Many of the bar options on the market that are made up of real foods (often containing nuts, egg whites, dried fruit, etc.) have carbohydrate counts that nearly double the protein count, which may cause some energy ups and downs, or are loaded with fats that drive the calorie count.
Our team of dietitians generally recommends looking for less than 10 grams of fat and less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per bar. The LTH Refuel Protein Bar, for example, contains 15 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, and 18 grams of carbohydrate, including 7 grams of fiber, at 160 calories.
3. At least a portion of the carbohydrates come from a fiber source. This can be really helpful for keeping your blood-sugar levels steadier and supporting satiety and fullness. A general target to aim for is 5 grams or more of fiber per bar.
4. No added sugars, no synthetic sweeteners, flavors, or colors, and no high doses of sugar alcohols. Ideal protein bar choices would be naturally sweetened, with any additional sweetness coming from natural sources such as stevia, monk fruit, or allulose. Most people are overconsuming added sugar throughout the day as it is, while sugar alcohols in high doses can cause digestive upset.
5. Protein from quality sources. Soy isolates are a commonly used protein source, but there are some concerns around consuming it regularly as soy is a common food sensitivity. There are also concerns with soy isolates and potential hexane and aluminum contamination. Quality protein sources to look for include grass-fed collagen peptides, whey protein, and pea protein.