5 Healthy Protein Bars That Are Actually Good For You

By Kaitlin Bitz Candelaria | April 12, 2016
The world of so-called healthy protein bars can be a minefield of hidden sugars and carbs, lawsuits and misleading marketing.

In a perfect world, we would skip the protein bar aisle at the supermarket all together in favor of whole, nutrient-dense foods. But unfortunately like the humans we are, we are sometimes in a hurry and we don’t always feel like meal prepping. That’s when an actually healthy protein bar can save the day.

It’s hard to know which protein bars are the real deal and which ones are glorified candy bars, especially since most of them are marketed as healthy protein sources — where the word “healthy” is definitely up for debate.

We’ve got five of our favorite protein bars to grab the next time you’re in a time crunch and don’t want to wreck your macros by eating the chocolatenuttysugargranolaproteincandybar in disguise as a healthy meal replacement. Remember, everyone looks for different things when trying to stay “healthy” so you should always take an active part in checking your ingredient labels and paying close attention to what you’re putting in your body.

5 Healthy Protein Bars

 

1. Quest Barshealthy protein

Total Calories: 190*
Sugars: 1 gram
Carbs: 21 grams
Protein: 20 grams 
Fiber: 15 grams

*based off of the Vanilla Almond bar. Macros differ flavor to flavor.

Quest underwent some contreversy in 2014 when they were smacked with a lawsuit claiming that the bars contained more calories and less fiber than advertised.

This was a huge slap in the face for Quest Bar lovers like myself who have used them as a religious source of clean protein for years now. However, the mislabeling seemed to be more of a misunderstanding than a deceitful marketing practice — you can learn more about it here — and even once the labels were adjusted accordingly, Quest Bars remain one of the best protein bars out there in terms of low carb and sugar counts in proportion to the amount of protein it delivers.

Oh, and they taste amazing and come in about 20 different flavors. You can pick them up at most of your local grocery stores or order them online.

2. Epic Barshealthy protein

Total Calories: 100*
Sugars: 0 grams
Carbs: 1 gram
Protein: 15
Fiber: 0 grams

*based off the Chicken Siracha bar. Macros vary from flavor to flavor.

Whole30-ers rejoice — EPIC has finally created a protein bar so clean that even you can enjoy it. This company is officially Whole30-approved and their bars are tasty and savory sources of protein that are perfect to stash in the gym bag or in the car.

My personal favorite thing about Epic Bars? Because they aren’t sweet, I’m not tempted to use them to satisfy sugar cravings. And they’re delicious.

If you love their bars, check out their jerky as well. It’s perfect to top salads with or as an afternoon snack as opposed to more processed meat.

You can order these online or pick them up at your local health food store.

 

3. Rise Barshealthy protein

Total Calories: 280*
Sugars: 12 grams
Carbs: 21 grams
Protein: 15 grams
Fiber: 2 grams

*based off the sunflower cinnamon flavor. Macros vary flavor to flavor.

These bars are the perfect meal replacement and are made using simple ingredients like sunflower butter and cinnamon. They’re a little more costly than Quest Bars, but the extra price may be worth it for those who value the simple ingredients.

These bars are also vegan and come in a variety of yummy flavors, none of which contain more than five ingredients.

You can order these online or pick them up at your local health food store.

4. Rx Barshealthy protein

Total Calories: 200*
Sugars: 12 grams 
Carbs: 22 grams
Protein: 12 grams
Fiber: 4 grams

*based off the chocolate sea salt flavor. Macros vary flavor to flavor.

An ingredients list so simple that it’s printed on the front of the label — that’s the premise behind Rx bars. With lots of different flavors, all of the protein bars are made from a similar base of egg whites, fruits and nuts with no artificial ingredients or additives. Yum!

Unfortunately, I have yet to find a local grocery store that carries these, but you can purchase them online.

5. Victory Barshealthy protein

Total Calories: 200*
Sugars: 8 grams 
Carbs: 27 grams
Protein: 21 grams
Fiber: 17 grams

*based off the peanut butter chip flavor. Macros vary flavor to flavor.

These bars are awesome because they’re high in protein but use only natural sweeteners. Now — that can be a slippery slope as cane sugar juice and honey are just as bad for your body as table sugar, but it’s a worthwhile note considering many protein bars use artificial, Splenda-type sweeteners, which should always be a no-go.

These bars also don’t incorporate any sort of alcohols like vanilla extract. You can order these bars online here.

More articles about Nutrition

FitnessHQ

Fitness is for everyone!
Topics
Nutrition Facts Challenges Fitness Diets Recipes Diet Medications Site Index