My Hunt for a Mostly Natural, Actually Tasty Protein Bar

It’s been nearly 40 years since PowerBar, the OG of modern energy bars, first came on the market. But with the bars’ waxy, gummy texture and questionable flavor, they were ultimately more a utilitarian way to increase your protein intake than they were a satisfying post-workout treat. In the four decades since, it’s surprising how little the category has improved, despite the number of protein bars on the market. Most are loaded up with sugar (or cloyingly sweet sugar alternatives) and unpronounceable additives that haven’t done much to convince me that they’re any better than a fistful of trail mix.

Lately, though, I’ve noticed a rash of curious new protein bars hit some of my neighborhood’s bougier health-food shops (places like downtown Manhattan’s Happier Grocery and The Goods Mart), with ingredients lists that include more whole foods and less additives and sugar. It seemed that I might just be able to find a protein bar that I could actually feel good about eating, and so I began my exhaustive quest for a reliable bar to keep stashed in my bag: one that could function as a mid-meal snack, a post-workout recovery bar, and even the occasional on-the-go breakfast. The winning candidate had to contain at least ten grams of protein, ideally less than five-to-six grams of added sugar, and include mostly natural, fiber-rich ingredients or whole foods. And it had to be delicious. Here are my top contenders, all of which I’d happily toss in my gym tote, and my pick for best bar overall.

The ones I sort of liked

Feel Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

I was impressed by the nutritional profile of Feel’s Mint Chocolate Chip plant protein bar: only three grams of added sugars, five grams of fiber, and 15 grams of protein. The bar was fudge-y and dense with a nice balance of peppermint and a touch of crunch. The flavor was actually pretty rich, but since the bar is small it didn’t feel like too much. This definitely made it to my top five — but even though I love mint-chocolate chip, it’s not exactly a flavor I’d see myself reaching for before my early morning dance class, making this one feel less versatile than others I tried.

Feel Vegan Caramel Sea Salt Protein Bars

I also tried Feel’s Caramel Sea Salt protein bar and really love the flavor. The heady, slightly deeper taste of dates is noticeable, and if you love dates as much as I do, then that’s easily about 70 percent of the appeal. The rest lies in the succinct list of whole-food ingredients: sunflower-seed butter, coconut nectar, and pumpkin seeds for crunch, to name a few. There’s 15 grams of protein, plus 20 percent of the daily recommended fiber intake. I ate one about an hour before a workout and didn’t experience a depleting sugar crash and wasn’t starving afterward. Because the flavor might be divisive for some, and there’s also a good likelihood of these bars taking on a supersoft and gooey texture in higher temperatures (i.e., NYC in July), it was a high ranker but ultimately not my winner.

The one that was a little too protein filled

Prima Cacao Ancestral Protein Bar

At 240 calories, Prima’s Cacao Ancestral Protein Bar makes a solid in-between meal, especially considering its hefty 16 grams of protein, organic whole-food ingredients (raw honey, cacao nibs, coconut), and not-too-sweet flavor. But vegans and vegetarians can skip this one: Aside from its animal-derived protein concentrate, ingredients include beef tallow and bovine-collagen peptides. I’m a pescatarian who’s occasionally dabbled in creamers and protein blends with bovine-collagen powders, but overall, these bars felt a little too bovine-heavy for my system.

The sweet ones

Trubar Get in My Belly PB & Jelly Protein Bar

Of all the brands I tried, this one was the most suspect at first glance. Among the gimmicky flavor names like Strawberry Shorty Got Cake and Smother Fudger Peanut Butter, the bars’ loud, colorful packaging, and the fact that they were the only icing- and chocolate-covered bars in the mix, everything just screamed artificial. But here’s the thing: Trubar’s vegan and gluten-free Get in My Belly PB&J Protein Bar — which is, yes, sheathed in a flat, white frosting that brings to mind Wonder Bread (and not in a flattering way) — made me eat my words. The scent of jammy strawberry jelly hit me with a wave of nostalgia as soon as I took a bite, and while I didn’t love the supersoft consistency of other Trubars (I prefer textural contrasts), it worked for this flavor, especially given the gooey nature of an actual PB&J layered between two soft slices of bread. There’s six grams of added sugars, which is a bit higher than I’d like — so this one wasn’t quite the winner — but I’d be willing to overlook it for the legit flavor, the 12 grams of protein, and the impressive amount of fiber (12 grams).

Unite Foods Churro Protein Bar

Okay, I’m not going to bury the lede here: Unite’s Churro Protein Bar is delicious. It’s like a tastier, better-made version of the healthy candy bar alternatives on the market right now, but with enough protein (11 grams), fiber, and whole foods to satisfy my criteria. The brand’s flavors are drawn from various cuisines, so they also offer Bubble Tea and Mexican Hot Chocolate bars, but the Churro — with the rich, buttery-tasting Baklava flavor running a close second — was my favorite for its sweet cinnamon flavor, and creamy-crunchy texture. It’s almost shocking how true the flavor is to that of the classic Mexican sweet, which is why I’d probably look forward to having this bar as a mid-day treat, or even a protein-packed post-lunch dessert. Its seven grams of added sugar is a little higher than other bars, but when you consider an actual churro could have upward of three times as much sugar, this is clearly the better alternative.

The runners up

Balanced Tiger Chocolate Brownie Protein Bar

I was extremely pleased to discover Balanced Tiger, a new plant-protein based brand, with bars made with adaptogenic mushrooms (including cordyceps) and organic, whole-food ingredients I actually recognize — half of which I already stock in my home pantry. The Balanced Tiger Chocolate Brownie bar’s cocoa-rich flavor profile is on the earthier side, but I prefer that over some of the other over-sweetened chocolate-flavored bars I had to put down. And with 11 grams of protein, I could actually eat one in the morning, and still feel like I did something healthy for myself. These bars don’t leave me feeling lethargic or weighed down either, making them a reliable pre-workout option, as much as an ideal post-exercise snack. Extra points for the dense, but not too-dry texture, and subtle crunch.

Balanced Tiger Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Bar

This one was so tasty. The nutritional profile is similar to the Chocolate Brownie flavor above, but as a mint-chocolate fan, I’m impressed by how well Balanced Tiger’s Chocolate Chip Protein Bar combines the two flavors, while the tiny, crunchy chocolate chips give it that crucial textural contrast. Again, it’s not cloyingly sweet or trying to be something it’s not — like mint chocolate chip ice cream, or a York Peppermint Pattie. It’s a vegan protein and functional mushroom-based bar that just happens to taste really good.

David Bar - Blueberry Pie

These big, chewy bars in sexy gold wrappers that suddenly feel omnipresent pack the most protein of the bunch: 28 grams (75 percent of the bar’s 150 total calories). I tried most of the flavors, all of which are pretty standard-issue these days — iterations of chocolate chip cookie dough, fudge brownie, salted peanut butter — but David Bar’s Blueberry Pie was the one that won me over. It was dessert-y, but not saccharine, and I loved the satisfying crunch from white chocolate chunks and these teeny, little cookie crisps. These bars do contain the sugar alcohol maltitol, which can do a number on some people’s digestion systems, but I didn’t have any issues myself. Given the larger size, I’d have half before a workout, half after. That, or slowly pick away at one on busy mornings when I’m stuck at my desk.

Promix Protein Puff Bar - Birthday Cake

Now I know why Happier Grocery and other upscale bodegas can’t keep these delicious and crispy puff bars on their shelves. They are craveably good — like Rice Krispies Teats for adults — with 15 grams of mostly whey-based protein and only three grams of added sugar. And of all the birthday cake-flavored bars I tasted, this one is spot-on. True to their name, Promix’s Protein Puff Bars are definitely on the lighter side, both calorically (150 calories) and in volume, which is great for not feeling slumpish after consuming, but maybe not ideal for high-performing athletes who need serious fuel before and after workouts. I, however, am no Olympian, and I’m happy to keep this brand (which also includes my number one pick) in my regular rotation.