The Top 5 Protein Bars

Protein bars can be very hit and miss. Most of them quite frankly taste like crap and the ones that taste ok are usually packed with carbs.

A good protein bar should have a high protein:carb ratio as well as a good source of protein. The protein source is as important as the amount as not all types are equal. The best protein for athletes and body builders is Hydrolysate. It has the highest possible absorption rate and is unsurprisingly the most expensive. In this article we take a look at 5 of the best protein bars on the market in terms of taste and nutritional value. Read on for personal reviews:

1. Hi Protein Bar Chocolate Peanut Butter by Universal Nutrition

The chocolaty taste is reasonable, not too sweet. Texture is like any other candy bar. These are pretty high in protein and low in carbs when sugar alcohol is taken out. Great for building lean muscle. Unlike other hi protein low carb bars I’ve had, this one didn’t give me indigestion later.

 

2. MET- RX Protein Plus Bar – Chocolate Roasted Peanut

All the protein you could wish for and a great taste. All the flavours are great. I try to get 30-35g of protein with each meal but that’s not always easy – particularly at breakfast time if you don’t like dairy and don’t fancy meat or fish in the early hours. These bars are perfect for that. I am definitely leaner since I started using these bars regularly. I’m not saying it’s all down to the bars but they have allowed me to tweak my diet effectively.

 

3. Builder’s Protein Crisp Bar Vanilla Almond by Clif Bar

Unlike many other bars, it contains no corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup and has a fair amount of fibre. Carbs and sugar are still a bit high, but its ingredient list wasn’t filled with hard to understand ingredients.
The Clif Builder’s bar also did quite well in terms of taste with our reviewers.
Most people described it as crunchy and crisp with good flavour, and one person actually compared it to a Watchamacallit candy bar. A few people thought it was a little dry and”sandy” and didn’t have enough peanut butter in it. Overall, however, this bar was a winner with eight of our reviewers who indicated that they would eat the Clif Builder’s protein bar again.

 

4. Supreme Protein Carb Conscious Bar Peanut Butter Crunch

Alright, so I’ve been in a search for the ultimate good-tasting protein bar that’s also full of protein but low on carbs and sugar. Let me tell you, this bar is by far the best tasting thing I’ve tasted and it tastes more like a cross between Crunch candy bar and Twix. It has 30 g of protein and only 6 g of net carb and 4 g of sugar. It is a little bit more expensive than majority of main stream bars out there, but you would definitely not regret it.

 

5. Optimum Nutrition Optimal Protein Diet Bar – Fudge Truffle

These protein bars taste really good and the fudge truffle hides the protein taste you find with most bars. I usually drink a whey protein shake before I head off to the gym in the morning and then eat one of these Optimal Protein Diet Bars afterward to help my body recover and then another one right before I ride my bike in the evenings. Top it off with a Casein protein shake before bed and my body has all it needs to build muscle. It is cheaper if you buy the whole box as opposed to one at a time.

 

About The Author

musclesTimmy Redding has been a Certified, Independent Sports Nutritionist since 2001. He has worked with and enabled many fitness enthusiasts and athletes achieve their goals through high quality nutritional advice and well structured meal plans. In the past 12 years he has worked with top level athletes across a wide range of sports including Power Lifting, Triathlon, Athletics, Mixed Martial Arts and Rugby.

He has also contributed his extensive professional advice and knowledge to a number of top magazines including Men’s Fitness, Runner’s Road and Adventure Path.