Protein bars are a popular choice for a quick post-workout snack, a convenient bite on the go, or a stand-in during a busy day when a full meal isn’t possible. They can fill nutritional gaps, curb hunger, and support health and fitness goals. However, not all protein bars live up to that promise, and some can be surprisingly unhealthy.
Many popular brands pack their bars with added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and unhealthy fats. What might appear as a quick, nutritious snack can sometimes resemble candy more than a balanced protein source. While protein bars can fit into a balanced diet, it’s essential to read labels carefully and watch for these hidden ingredients to ensure you’re making a smart choice.
Here, we’re sharing ten protein bars that fall short on the health front, so you can avoid options that could derail your nutrition goals. And for what to buy instead, check out The 10 Best Protein Bars in 2024.
What Makes a Protein Bar Unhealthy?
- The added sugar content. Limiting added sugar is a cornerstone of good health. Eating too much added sugar contributes to weight gain and increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Protein bars are likely not the only source of added sugar in your diet. To help keep added sugars in check, look for protein bars with less than 6 grams of sugar.
- The amount of saturated fat. Many bars rely on fillers like palm oil, which is high in saturated fat. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend keeping saturated fat to less than 10% of your daily intake. On a 2,000-calorie per day diet, this amounts to less than 22 grams of saturated fat. Foods high in saturated fat can raise cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease.
- Its sugar alcohol content. This one is a bit nuanced. Sugar alcohols like maltitol reduce the effect of food on blood sugar, which is beneficial for people with diabetes. However, sugar alcohols can also trigger digestive issues, such as abdominal cramping, bloating, or diarrhea. While you may tolerate small doses, some protein bars contain significant amounts of sugar alcohols.
Unhealthiest Protein Bars
- Gatorade Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar
- 1st Phorm Level 1 S’mores Protein Bar
- Think! High Protein Lemon Delight
- Pure Protein Caramel Churro
- Met-Rx Super Cookie Crunch
- Clif Bar Peanut Butter Banana with Dark Chocolate
- Power Crunch Salted Caramel
- Quest Nutrition Cookies & Cream
- Go Macro Coconut + Almond Butter + Chocolate Chip Bar
- Perfect Bar Almond Butter
Gatorade Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 360
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 9 g)
Sodium: 310 mg
Carbs: 39 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 20 g
With more sugar than protein, the Gatorade Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar is one you want to limit. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends keeping added sugar to less than 6% of your daily intake, or less than 25 grams for women and 26 grams for men. This protein bar contains 24 grams of added sugar—nearly the maximum amount of sugar recommended by the AHA.
1st Phorm Level 1 S’mores Protein Bar
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 270
Fat: 12 g (Saturated Fat: 9 g)
Sodium: 170 mg
Carbs: 20 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 21 g
Palm kernel oil is the fourth ingredient in the 1st Phorm Level 1 S’mores protein bar. Unlike other oils that may be a mix of saturated and unsaturated fats, palm kernel oil is roughly 80% saturated fat. The palm kernel oil significantly contributes to the saturated fat content of this s’mores protein bar, which contains 9 grams of saturated fat, or 45% of your daily value.
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of your daily intake to reduce the risk of heart disease, or no more than 20 grams a day.
Think! High Protein Lemon Delight
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 230
Fat: 9 g (Saturated Fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 230 mg
Carbs: 24 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g [Sugar Alcohol: 13 g])
Protein: 20 g
The Think! High Protein Lemon Delight bars are a low glycemic option protein bar for people watching their blood sugar. However, the bar contains 13 grams of sugar alcohols, namely maltitol syrup. Sugar alcohols can cause abdominal cramping or diarrhea, especially among people with irritable bowel syndrome or those unaccustomed to sugar alcohols.
Pure Protein Caramel Churro
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 190
Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 180 mg
Carbs: 17 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 20 g
Pure Protein’s Caramel Churro bar has just 190 calories, with 17 grams of carbohydrates and 20 grams of protein. However, despite its favorable nutrition profile, the Caramel Churro bar from Pure Protein still makes our list of unhealthy protein bars because it’s packed with nearly every type of sweetener. This bar contains artificial sweeteners like sucralose, sugar alcohols such as maltitol and sorbitol, and refined sugars including corn syrup, sugar, and brown sugar.
Met-Rx Super Cookie Crunch
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 410
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 320 mg
Carbs: 42 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 32 g
The MET-Rx Super Cookie Crunch Protein Bar is advertised as a meal replacement bar, and rightfully so. It can be easy to exceed daily calorie or macronutrient targets with this protein bar. This bar contains 410 calories, roughly equivalent to a meal. Besides the high-calorie content, one Super Cookie Crunch protein bar has 24 grams of sugar—nearly 50% of the daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Clif Bar Peanut Butter Banana with Dark Chocolate
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 260
Fat: 8 g (Saturated Fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 230 mg
Carbs: 41 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 14 g)
Protein: 10 g
The Clif Bar Peanut Butter Banana with Dark Chocolate protein bar contains more sugar than protein. With 14 grams of added sugar and just 10 grams of protein, this bar is more of a dessert than a high-protein snack. It contains three types of sugar: brown rice, tapioca, and cane syrup. Although the syrups are organic, they’re still considered an added sugar. And diets high in added sugar increase the risk of weight gain and developing chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Power Crunch Salted Caramel
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 215
Fat: 14 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 180 mg
Carbs: 11 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 13 g
With a texture and flavor similar to wafer cookies, Power Crunch’s Salted Caramel protein bar resembles more of a dessert than a typical protein bar. It has 7 grams of saturated fat (35% DV) from palm oil and palm kernel oil. Palm oil itself is roughly 50% saturated fat, whereas palm kernel oil is 85% saturated fat. And some research indicates palm oil contributes to elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol.
Quest Nutrition Cookies & Cream
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 190
Fat: 8 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 290 mg
Carbs: 22 g (Fiber: 13 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 21 g
The Quest Nutrition Cookies & Cream protein bar contains a whopping 13 grams of fiber. Consuming large quantities of fiber—like 13 grams in one sitting—is a lot and can cause digestive issues like abdominal cramping or bloating. So, while this protein bar may seem like a good way to meet fiber recommendations, it may also cause stomach issues. Instead, stick with naturally fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Go Macro Coconut + Almond Butter + Chocolate Chip Bar
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 280
Fat: 10 g (Saturated Fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 15 mg
Carbs: 36 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 11 g)
Protein: 11 g
Go Macro bars are often touted as healthier protein bar options due to their “clean” and simple ingredients. However, despite the short ingredient list of recognizable items, the Go Macro Coconut, Almond Butter, and Chocolate Chip protein bar is high in sugar. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend keeping added sugar below 10% of total daily intake. With 11 grams of added sugar per serving, this protein bar is a significant source of added sugar at 22% of the daily value.
Perfect Bar Almond Butter
Nutrition (Per bar):
Calories: 320
Fat: 19 g (Saturated Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 45 mg
Carbs: 25 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 18 g [Added Sugar: 12 g])
Protein: 13 g
The Almond Butter Perfect Bar offers a balanced mix of nutrients, with 19 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, and 13 grams of protein. Despite its higher sugar content of 18 grams, the bar has a low glycemic index, meaning its healthy fats and protein help prevent the blood sugar spikes typically seen with other high-sugar bars. However, honey is the second ingredient, contributing to the bar’s 12 grams of added sugar. Though often marketed as a natural sweetener, honey is still considered an added sugar and should be limited, especially given other daily sources of sugar.
We recommend this bar for those needing glucose for workouts; for a lower-sugar option, consider Perfect Bar’s Snack Size, which has just 10 grams of sugar per serving.
Sign up for our newsletter!