The best protein bars make it easier to eat well on the go, grab a post workout snack and help you stay full between meals.
Just like the best protein powder, these portable bars can help you hit your daily nutrient goals, with on average between 15g and 30g of protein content.
Protein is an essential macronutrient that the body needs to function properly. Made up of chemical building blocks called amino acids, it helps build and repair muscles and bones and can be used as an energy source. And if you are trying to lose weight, eating more protein can help as it’s so filling - meaning you are less likely to overeat or snack on unhealthy foods.
The best protein bars are a convenient way to top up on those essential nutrients on the go, says Gareth Nicholas, head performance nutritionist at Maxinutrition. “Protein bars offer a great tasting, confectionary-style treat, whilst being nutrient conscious. They're often low in sugar, low to moderate in fat, high in protein and high in fiber."
Unlike the best protein powder, you can easily carry a protein bar around in your work or gym bag. Most of them contain anywhere between 15g and 30g of protein, providing an ample amount of this nutrient for a pre or post-workout snack. Most bars also include a blend of proteins to provide a complete amino acid profile (the building blocks of protein), which may not always be the case with certain food sources.
But with so many brands and flavors on the market, how can you tell which one to choose? At Live Science, we tested some of the best protein bars looking at price, taste, texture, ingredients, protein content per bar and other criteria so that we can help you make an informed decision before you buy. We also took note of the size of the bar, to see if it offers value for money. Read on to find out which bars topped the list.
The best protein bars we've tried
We like that Misfits focuses on producing protein snacks, protein powders and dietary supplements that are 100% vegan and planet-friendly. Packaging is also sustainable.
These bars have over 8000 reviews on the Misfits website, giving them an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. One review praised the Misfits bar as a good source of vegan protein. "Honestly, Misfits protein bars are the best around right now and I've tried my fair few vegan protein bars over the years, these bars make it right to the top of my list and I can't imagine how anyone (vegan or not) couldn't love these bars!”
Misfits protein bars come in 11 different flavors and boast a great nutritional value. A single serving contains nearly 5mg of iron (26% Daily Value) and 30mg of calcium (3% DV), as well as 12g of chicory root and beet fiber, both known for their great prebiotic properties. Taste wise, they are outstanding, and our favorite of all the protein bars we've tried. The chocolate brownie flavor in particular is deliciously rich, and so moreish it's hard to restrict ourselves to just one. The new mint choc chip flavor is also a must-try – even members of our team who aren’t keen on mint chocolate were won over.
Our testers found that Misfits bars could be a great choice for those who want to lose weight too. Not only are they low in calories and sugar, they are enriched with green tea extract, which may promote fat burning and aid weight maintenance, according to one Cochrane review. Though relatively small in size, each protein bar provides a 15g dose of pea and soy protein. The only downside to Misfits bars is the relatively high price tag. Also, many may not like the fact that they’re sweetened with xylitol and stevia, which can give a bit of a bitter aftertaste.
When you think of Hershey’s, the first thing that will come to your mind are its highly popular sugary snacks, rather than fitness supplements. But you may be surprised to find out that this company also makes protein bars.
The ONE protein bar in the flavor Birthday Cake received an average 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon over more than 5,000 reviews (74% of which were 5 star reviews). "Hands down the best tasting protein bar out there. Does not have the gross chalky/weird texture and flavor most protein bars do, these are really delicious to be quite honest," said one reviewer.
ONE protein bars come in an array of flavors, including rare gems like pumpkin pie, pecan butter and cinnamon rolls. Made with milk and whey protein isolate (which is easy on the stomach), they pack 20g of protein in a single bar, while keeping their sugar content very low. A single serving contains 3g of fiber and nearly 102mg of calcium (8% Daily Value). ONE protein bars are quite affordable and widely available in many stores across the country. We found that one downside to the ONE bars is the presence of artificial sweeteners: maltitol and sucralose.
Texture wise, ONE protein bars are very similar to Quest, in that the bar is one texture throughout, rather than having multiple different layers. However, they are coated (the birthday cake flavor even had sprinkles). They are surprisingly dense too. The flavors don’t quite live up to expectations – peanut butter was nutty enough, but lacked the ‘wow’ factor of other brands. But for the price and accessibility, ONE bars are a good option if you’re looking for a reliable, on-the-go snack that packs a protein punch. Plus, the almond flavor was a firm favorite.
Quest Nutrition’s dizzying array of protein-enriched foods, from cookies to chips, are widely available in many stores across the country. The brand prides itself on catering to all needs and preferences and their protein bars are no different. They come in 16 flavors, including rare gems like lemon cake, blueberry muffin and chocolate sprinkled doughnut. All of their products are also free of gluten and artificial preservatives. They’re vegetarian, but not vegan.
The Quest bar in Lemon Cake flavor has an average 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon. One reviewer in the United States said of the Lemon Cake bar: "I bought this as a change to the other flavors that I've had. I was afraid that it was going to be more sweet, but after trying one, it was tart with a little sweetness. I am one that usually finds sour energy drinks and sour candies to not be sour enough. Even though it still tastes sweet, and still has a good tart lemon flavor. I would definitely by this again."
Nutrition-wise, Quest bars are great all-rounders. A single serving contains less than 1g of sugar and packs nearly 21g of whey protein as well as 14g of fiber, making it suitable for both bodybuilding and weight loss purposes. On top of that, one Quest bar delivers nearly 120mg of calcium, which neatly covers almost 10% of your recommended Daily Value. However, to balance out the low sugar content, these protein bars are sweetened with several different sweeteners, such as stevia, erythritol and sucralose. Though safe to ingest, they may have laxative effects if eaten in excess.
Texture wise, Quest bars are on the denser side. If you’re at home, you may like to heat the bar up in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. They are one texture throughout, so if you want more of a confectionary-style snack with layers of caramel or ganache, this might not be for you. Having said this, we found them a really useful snack to take to work or on day trips, because you don’t have to worry about them getting squashed. Flavor wise, they’re really good – sweet without being too sickly. We liked the chunks of chocolate in the cookie dough flavor too. The bars are a good size, and left us feeling satisfied, but not bloated.
RXBAR’s mission statement is to make high quality products that only contain ingredients derived from real foods. All of their products are free from artificial additives, preservatives and sweeteners, easily making them the cleanest protein bars on our list.
Overall, the RXBAR has mostly positive reviews on Amazon. It scores an average 4.5 out of 5 stars, with 74% of customers giving it a full 5 stars. "Tastes like a treat. Love that it’s got some protein and minimal, real food ingredients. Favorite flavors are chocolate sea salt, maple, coconut, and mint. Blueberry is also yummy. Grab the pumpkin slice and gingerbread when seasonally available - SO good," said one reviewer.
RXBAR protein bars come in 12 different flavors, including all-time classics like chocolate sea salt and peanut butter. For this review, we picked the blueberry flavor. Although made with just five main ingredients – dates, egg whites, almonds, cashews and blueberries – it’s a surprisingly filling and satisfying snack. Texture wise, we found it surprisingly chewy (note: don’t take a big bite, as this did get stuck to the roof of our mouths). We liked that the bar contained slices of nuts, rather than blending them all into the mixture. The dates sweeten the bar just the right amount too, with no synthetic taste that some protein bars can have.
Though marketed as a protein snack, a single RXBAR bar provides only 12g of protein. Due to the lack of sweeteners, it’s also very high in natural sugars. As a result, it may not be the most suitable option for those who want to lose weight. But with nearly 60mg of calcium (4% Daily Value), 460mg of potassium (10% Daily Value) and less than 1g of saturated fat per serving, it’s still a much healthier option than your regular snack bar.
The company behind Clif bars made sustainability one of its primary objectives – and it shows. From a nutritional standpoint, there’s loads to praise these protein bars for. They’re free of GMOs, artificial sweeteners and unnecessary additives. Clif bars are made mostly with organic rolled oats, peanut butter and soy rice crisps, and they’re sweetened with a range of natural sugar syrups, including brown rice, tapioca and cane syrup. A single serving contains a whooping 2mg of iron (10% Daily Value) and nearly 5g of chicory fiber, which is a great prebiotic that benefits your good gut bacteria.
The Clif bar does well on Amazon, with a 4.7 out of 5 star average rating on the Peanut Butter flavor bar. 82% of customers rank it 5 out of five stars, with one reviewer saying they're great for filling a hunger hole between meals. "They fill you up for a few hours, which is important when you're in the middle of something. I've now changed my order to once every 2 weeks because my husband can't seem to get enough of them. I find them easy to eat during zoom calls, because you can just break off an edge and put it in your mouth before anyone notices," she said.
Though Clif bar ingredients are of amazing quality, their macronutrient ratio may not be to everyone’s liking. Packing nearly 260 calories and 17g of sugar per bar, they may not be the best option for people whose primary goal is weight loss. What’s more, Clif bars are relatively low in protein – only 11g per serving – and because of that it’s probably more suitable to describe them as ‘energy bars’ rather than ‘protein bars’. This is why we think they’re a great option for those who enjoy a long hike, but don’t necessarily want to pack a load of bulky food with them.
Clif bars come in a wide range of flavors and are available in two different sizes: regular and minis. We tried the regular size in peanut butter flavor, which really did taste like we’d just had a spoonful of the real thing. The texture is great too – not too crumbly, but not too chewy. These are a great option for those who do a lot of endurance sports, and want a quick energy boost.
When it comes to the fitness industry, Grenade is widely known for its range of health foods and dietary supplements. Grenade protein bars, their flagship product, come in 12 flavors – and some of them sound rather intriguing, like peanut nutter or caramel chaos. For the purposes of this review, we tested their highly popular selection pack so we could trial a range of flavors.
Users love the Carb Killa, with 69% of Amazon reviewers giving it 5 out of 5 stars. It's average score is 4.4 out of 5 stars, with one customer saying: "These are the tastiest protein bars I have tasted so far. They are not dry and hard like other protein bars on the market. I've tried Alani Nu and Quest Bars (plus others brands) and these by far taste the best. I bought the variety pack to try out all the flavors and all of them tasted very delicious. Like a candy bar."
Grenade bars are great all-rounders. Each bar contains nearly 20g of whey and milk protein and only 1.4g of sugar, making it suitable for most types of physical activity. At the same time, a single serving provides only 2g of fiber and no additional vitamins, minerals or functional ingredients. It’s also artificially sweetened with maltitol and sucralose.
If it’s a luxurious, dessert-like feel you’re after with your protein bar, Grenade delivers just this. We’d actually pick this bar over most traditional chocolate bars, because it delivers a variety of textures and a smooth chocolate coating on each bar. Out of all the flavors we tested, we liked the salted caramel and white chocolate cookie the most.
Frustratingly, it’s worth noting that Grenade bars are not suitable for vegetarians as they contain hydrolysed beef gelatine.
MyProtein needs no introduction. A household name and a fitness retail giant, it sells everything from dietary supplements to exercise equipment. If you’ve ever set a foot in the gym, most likely you’ve come across their products in one way or another. Recently, MyProtein released a new series of layered protein bars and we decided to give them a thorough test.
This bar does well on the MyProtein website, with an overall rating of 4.75 out of 5 stars. One customer likes how light they are and that they aren't overly sweet: "I was looking for a mid range protein bar (I can't stomach the really heavy dense bars) with low sugar and no palm oil so ordered these. They just arrived and I took a quick bite...felt they were maybe too chewy for me and my dental fillings so I put in microwave on very low heat [30%] for 20 seconds and it turned out perfect for me. Really happy with them, will order again."
Layered protein bars come in six different flavors, including all-time classics like chocolate brownie and cookies & cream. Each bar contains nearly 20g of whey and milk protein, 4g of sugar and 9g of fiber, making it a perfect snack for those embarking on a weight loss journey. A single serving of MyProtein bar also provides nearly 171mg of calcium (15% Daily Value), 2mg of iron (10% Daily Value) and 179mg of potassium (4% Daily Value).
Although these bars don’t contain any synthetic colors or preservatives, they are artificially sweetened with isomalt and sucralose. It’s also worth noting that MyProtein Layered bars have hydrolysed bovine collagen listed in their ingredients, which makes them unsuitable for vegetarians. Another downside is the price – they are one of the most expensive snacks on our list. However, a draw is that you can purchase individual bars, rather than having to commit to a pack of 12.
If you’re after a protein bar that has more than 20g of protein and less than 200 calories, look no further than the Pure Protein range. Made with whey and milk protein isolate, each bar contains 2g of fiber, 100mg of calcium (8% Daily Value) and 2mg of iron (10% Daily Value).
With more than 30,000 Amazon customer reviews globally, the Pure Protein bar scores a tidy 4.5 out of 5 stars overall, with 71% of users giving it the full 5 stars. One 4 star review stated: "Great pricing - I think the reason why these bars are so popular is because they have a high protein content and they're on the much more affordable side of the spectrum. Taste-wise you have to get used to it. The bar itself is slightly on the smaller side, and it tastes a bit chalky and very dry on the inside. The coating is not a problem, just the contents are not what you would really expect. It's not super sweet which is actually quite nice, and the calories are reasonable. Would definitely recommend, I will be getting these again."
Pure Protein bars are affordable and come in nine different flavors, including staples like chocolate peanut butter and chocolate salted caramel. However, the low sugar content is balanced out by the addition of several artificial sweeteners sucralose, maltitol and sucrose. Moreover, Pure Protein bars contain hydrolyzed collagen and therefore are not suitable for vegetarians.
We felt that the Pure Protein bars were a little on the smaller side compared to others on the market. However, this does make them a good snack option for those embarking on a weight loss journey. Inside, the texture is fairly dense, but not as chewy as some of the other more budget-friendly bars. We did like that the chocolate deluxe flavor was coated in chocolate though, which made for a nice treat with our morning coffee.
If varied texture is a must for you when it comes to the best protein bars, Bulk’s Macro Munch are triple layered and soft baked, without being excessively chewy either. We tried both the Millionaires Shortbread and Chocolate Honeycomb flavors, and liked that the coated outer layer came with sprinkles on top for added crunch. Despite being one of the largest protein bars we tested in terms of weight, we didn’t feel too full or bloated after snacking on one of these either. However, Bulk does label the Macro Munch as ‘gourmet’. While they’re definitely tasty, we felt this was a slight exaggeration
The Macro Munch receives 4.5 out of 5 stars on the Bulk website, with over 3000 reviews. "Choc Hazelnut is GOD TIER if you like Nutella- don't hesitate. Salted caramel is also way up there, its like having a normal chocolate bar with all the added sugar etc, great if you need to bump up your protein intake and perfect as an afternoon snack," said one reviewer. "Also really enjoyed Cherry Bakewell which has a good cherry zing."
Each bar contains 20g of protein (a combination of milk and soya), less than 4g of sugar and 6g of fiber. The good news for vegetarians is that the bars don’t contain hydrolyzed collagen, unlike some other brands. However, the ingredients list is quite extensive, so if you’re looking for a protein bar with minimal ingredients and very few added sweeteners, this might not be to your liking.
As a company, Bulk is also committed to delivering products with minimal environmental impact, so it has transitioned 90% of its packaging to more sustainable alternatives. Plus, if you don’t eat dairy, they also offer a vegan protein bar that’s equally as tasty.
Our experts
Gareth Nicholas has been in and around fitness since 2000, starting his career within the gym and managing a health club. This sparked off his interest and desire to create a career not only in sport but also in helping people in physical training. He has an MSc Human Performance, BSc (Hon) Sport Science and an IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition.
Claire Shortt is a microbiologist specializing in the digestive microbiome. She is the Clinical VP at Foodmarble and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Langone Health. She has a PhD in infection biology from University College Dublin.
How we test
How do we test the best protein bars at Live Science?
All of the protein bars in this guide have been tried and tested by the Live Science team. Firstly, we looked at the ingredients list and nutritional values, to judge who the bars would be suitable for in terms of health goals and dietary requirements, as well as any artificial ingredients or nasties. We then judged the taste and texture, including only products that passed out taste tests. We also looked at the size of the bar in terms of its value for money.
FAQs
What is the best protein bar?
When choosing the best protein bars, most people tend to focus on two factors: flavor and price. And no wonder. Protein bars are definitely more expensive than regular snack bars. It’s also quite challenging to find a protein snack that doesn’t have the characteristic dry texture and flour-like aftertaste. However, not all protein bars are healthy and a few more aspects need to be taken into account when assessing a protein bar. There are three more criteria to look into: the types of ingredients, the quality of the protein blend used, and the ratio of macronutrients in a single serving.
It’s probably not surprising that the protein content is the key factor. The amount and type of this macronutrient will determine the quality of the bar. However, it’s worth noting that more does not necessarily mean better. Our bodies are limited in terms of how much protein they can utilize for muscle building purposes. According to a review published in The Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition, eating more than 25g of protein in one sitting can be counterproductive as the excess will be either burned for energy or deposited as fat.
To get the best results, aim for bars that contain approximately 15-20g of protein per serving.
Another important aspect is the type of protein blend used. The majority of brands choose to enrich their products with whey protein and milk protein isolate, because these blends have a great amino acid profile and tend to absorb well in the stomach.
For some individuals, whey can cause abdominal cramps and digestive issues. In this case, you may want to opt for a plant-based protein source. Variety is key here. Pea, hemp or rice protein isolates on their own may not deliver the right type and amount of amino acids to effectively stimulate muscle growth, despite being excellent protein sources. However, a mix of several different plant-based sources will ensure a high quality protein profile that will be comparable to animal-based products.
Then comes calorie content and sugar. The best protein bars contain no more than 5g of natural sugar and are sweetened with natural sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners will cut down on the calorie content, but keep in mind that they could be harmful to your health if eaten in access, triggering digestive issues, particularly in individuals with a sensitive gut.
On the other hand, if you’re bulking and trying to grow some serious muscle, your body needs a lot of energy. In this case, protein bars with higher calorie and carbohydrate content may be more suitable to support your fitness goals.
Finally, it’s best to avoid protein bars with multiple food additives and preservatives. Producers know how to hide them and it may not always be easy to spot the artificial components on the ingredients list. However, Dr Claire Shortt, nutritionist and scientist at FoodMarble has a simple solution.
“A rule of thumb is if it's hard to pronounce, it’s not likely to be natural, and more likely to be an additive or preservative,” she says.
What are the benefits of the best protein bars?
Using protein bars is an easy way to help you grow and maintain your muscles. They can also assist with appetite control, weight loss and metabolism.
Multiple studies back this claim. According to a review published in Physiology & Behavior, protein consumption can have a beneficial effect on several different hormones that regulate appetite and blood sugar levels.
What’s more, many protein bars have been specifically designed with dieters in mind. Low in calories and simple carbohydrates, they make a perfect snack for anyone who wants to lose weight and limit their sugar cravings.
Last but not least, certain protein bars are enriched with additional compounds, such as minerals, vitamins, or herbal extracts. As a result, they can be considered as functional meal replacements — in a very convenient, compact form.
What’s more, protein bars can be highly beneficial for our digestive health and immune system by acting like a prebiotic. “Protein bars can be a handy source of dietary fiber,” says Shortt. “They can also cause an increase in the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These are a superior source of energy, protection, and maintenance for our gut and help our body to function properly. They also aid in fighting inflammation and improving glucose tolerance.”
Not least, certain protein bars are enriched with additional compounds, such as minerals, vitamins, or herbal extracts. As a result, they can be considered as functional meal replacements - in a very convenient, compact form.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.
