Are Protein Bars Healthy?
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Finding a healthy protein bar with a decent amount of protein that tastes good can be a challenge.
Sometimes they can be loaded with more carbs than protein or contain so much protein that they’re either hard as a rock or taste like chocolate-flavored sandpaper.
In this article, I’ll explore whether protein bars are healthy, their benefits and drawbacks, and a recommendation for my favorite one.
What’s a healthy protein bar?
That depends on which bars you’re looking at.
The nutrition and what the bars are made out of are significantly different between brands.
Some bars are made out of natural ingredients like quinoa, dried fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds while other bars are more processed.
Other bars can be full of artificial ingredients and flavoring loaded with sugar and unhealthy sweeteners.
The source of protein in the bars also differs widely. Some bars are made from protein blends of whey and casein while others use plant-based protein sources such as soy, nuts, and pea or brown rice.
Be aware of protein ingredients that list proprietary ingredients in them because companies do not disclose what specifically they use to create that mixture and they can potentially contain harmful contaminants.
To know if a protein bar is healthy for you, check the ingredients label before you buy versus relying on the marketing of the package.
For example, the last protein bar that caught my eye was the OhYeah! Birthday Cake bar. It looked like a delicious treat that was disguised as a healthy protein bar. I could almost taste the piece of cake on the packing but looking closer at the ingredients they were terrible.
Ingredients of the Birthday Cake protein bar.
I knew that the partially hydrogenated oils were terrible for your health and the sugar alcohols to give it lower carbs give most people gas, bloat, and other digestive issues. No thanks!
Choose protein bars that strike a balance between your protein needs and are minimally processed as possible.
Here’s what to look for in a ‘healthy’ version of a protein bar,
A minimum of 15 to 20 grams of protein to qualify as a protein bar and not a candy bar
A balance of healthy fat, protein, and fiber
Contains whole foods like nuts, whole grains, and fruit
High-quality protein sources like whey protein, brown rice protein, pea protein, eggs
Benefits of a protein bar
Protein bars are a great convenient way to get a nutritional boost. Although not all bars are created equal they can be used for different health and physique purposes.
Weight loss
I usually recommend my clients get protein from food sources and not from a protein bar but if they are traveling or on the road eating a bar is a better option than a fast food drive-through.
A high-protein diet has many benefits for weight loss including feeling satiated, curbing your cravings, and preventing overeating. High protein diets have been shown to support healthy weight loss compared to diets that have a standard amount of protein.
Even though protein supports weight loss it needs to be part of a caloric deficit diet balanced with regular exercise.
Weight gain
Eating protein bars is an easy way to gain weight because they are calorically dense with a lot of calories in one serving. Bars make it easy to add extra calories to your diet without having to eat a lot of food.
They make for great snacks between meals to promote weight gain and contain upwards of 350 calories depending on how much carbs and fats they contain. If you’re going to be eating protein bars on the regular buy bars that are minimally processed by looking at the quality of the ingredients in them.
Muscle gain
With muscle gain adding extra protein to your diet is beneficial to your goals. It makes it easier to eat a bar high in protein instead of eating food since it can be pretty filling if you’re already eating in excess to gain muscle.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends to increase muscle mass to eat between 0.5g to 0.8g per pound of body weight for someone who is actively training and lifting weights regularly.
Drawbacks of protein bars
There are hundreds of protein bars in the grocery aisles and in gyms competing with one another for shelf space but not all protein bars are created equal.
Here’s what to avoid in a protein bar,
Artificial sweeteners
It’s quite surprising how much sugar some protein bars can have that they should be classified as candy bars. With the variety of flavors from birthday cake, cookies n’ cream, and red velvet to chocolate chip cookie dough they can be loaded with more carbs and sugar than actual protein.
Many protein bars opt for natural sweeteners to enhance the flavor like stevia, cane sugar, and agave instead of high fructose corn syrup.
To reduce the calorie content in protein bars, manufacturers will also use sugar alcohols. They’re found in many food products labeled as ‘sugar-free’ including chewing gum, soda, and hard candies.
They contain fewer calories but for some people are difficult to digest and can cause bloat, gas, and diarrhea.
Ingredients under artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols.
Hydrogenated palm kernel oil
If your protein bar is coated in chocolate you can almost guarantee you’ll find this ingredient in your bar. It’s high in saturated fats which makes it shelf stable with a long expiration date but the processing method of palm kernel oil is what makes it unhealthy.
Extracting the oil uses extreme heat and chemical solvents that you don’t want to be ingesting.
Soy protein isolate
Soy protein along with certain types of whey protein are overly processed. Just like with palm oil, manufacturers use chemical processes to extract protein leaving behind toxic substances like aluminum, hexane, nitrites, and other toxic chemicals.
At the same time, most of the soy proteins grown are genetically modified and some people who are sensitive to soy can develop digestive problems and headaches.
Natural flavorings and coloring
The FDA considers the term natural to be nothing artificial or synthetic that has been put into the food that wouldn’t be expected to be there1. But it’s a gray area that doesn’t cover how companies manufacture or process the flavoring and coloring. As long it comes from a ‘natural’ source it doesn’t matter how many chemicals or substances are used to create it.
My favorite protein bar are the ones by Oatmega, especially the chocolate mint and vanilla almond flavored. They use grass-fed whey protein, contain omega-3, and have a short ingredient list.
How to choose the right bar?
Quality of the ingredients – Look for minimally processed with healthy wholefood ingredients
Amount of protein - A minimum of 15 to 20 grams of protein
Value for the money – Don’t sacrifice the quality of the bar for the price
Taste/flavor – Does it sound tasty to you and does it taste good?
Protein bar pros and cons.
Protein bar pros and cons when used for weight loss and muscle gain.
Candace is the owner of Rhodes To Strength. She provides weight loss and mindset coaching services to women around the world so that they keep the pounds off for good. She believes in working with clients to create sustainable habits that work for their lifestyle.
You can find her rollerskating, hiking, and bird watching in her spare time.