September 05, 2025
Richard B. Levine/Sipa
A consumer chooses an RXBAR from an assortment of protein bars in a convenience store. When selecting protein bars, a nutritionist recommends finding one that has all natural ingredients, is low in sugar and aligns with your health goals.
Pacing the grocery store aisle to pick a protein bar can quickly trigger decision fatigue. There are dozens of options, with each listing nutritional information like dietary accolades: Egg whites | Dates | 15g protein | 150 calories | No sugar | No gluten.
RXBARs even claim to have "No B.S." (Now you're speaking my language!)
RELATED: Healthy Recipe: Plant-Based Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars
"I started nutrition coaching 10 years ago and (the amount of protein bars) has changed so much," said Jamie Gould, a content strategist at New Ocean Health Solutions in Conshohocken. "I remember back then there were two or three, and now you go into Wegmans or you Google 'protein bars' and it's almost overwhelming — even for myself as a nutritionist."
Protein is having a bit of a moment and food manufacturers are boasting about high levels of the micronutrient in just about anything — from frozen pizzas to waffles to mac and cheese.
Last year, David Protein sought to create a bar that had the highest protein-to-calorie ration on the market. With 28 grams of protein, 150 calories and no sugar, the New York Times recently described it as "a protein Scud missile wrapped in gold foil."
Studies have found lots of benefits to a high-protein diet, from reducing appetite to increasing muscle mass to lowering blood pressure. But how much protein do we really need and can you go too far?
Because many high-protein diets contain more red meat and saturated fats, eating too much could lead to a higher risk of kidney stones, heart disease and colon cancer, the Harvard Medical School said.
"Anything in excess can be too much," Gould said. "There's not necessarily a number on this because everyone's different, but if you're eating one bar as a snack or meal replacement, you're probably not going to be consuming too much protein. If you're sitting down and having two or three bars in a sitting, you may be overdoing it."
The recommended amount of protein depends on a lot of factors including weight, age and activity level. The average sedentary adult should consume around 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, according to the Mayo Clinic. But people who exercise regularly or may be experiencing age-related muscle loss should consider a high-protein diet — up to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.
These guidelines lead to a wide range of dietary advice — from 60 grams a day for an inactive 165-pounder to 135 grams for an athletic 200-pounder.
"Everyone just understands the importance of getting enough protein and you can't walk around with chicken breasts all the time, so having these bars is such a great option," Gould said. "But it's definitely such a saturated market"
To help find the right protein bar for you, here are some suggestions from Gould — a competitive CrossFit athlete and former body builder who has worked as a nutrition coach in the Philly area for over a decade.
1. High in protein (close to 20 grams) — "You don't want to eat a protein bar and be hungry 30 minutes later. The idea is that it's like a nice, substantial snack and that comes from having a decent amount of protein," Gould said.
2. All natural ingredients — "Make sure they're ingredients you can pronounce and recognize on the label."
3. Low in sugar (10 grams or less) ... unless it's from natural sources — "Now a lot of companies are using honey and dates to sweeten their bars, and this is OK because they are natural sugars that are processed differently by the body as opposed to high-fructose corn syrup or these things that are made in a lab. Artificial sweeteners can increase your cravings for more sweet options."
4. Aligns with health goals — "If it's someone who's an athlete and they're trying to gain weight or put on muscle, if they're eating a bar that's 300 calories that's fine — they probably need that. But if you're a 55-year-old trying to lose weight, you're probably going to want one that's a little lower in calories — closer to 200. So knowing your health goals or what you're looking to get out of replacing a snack with a protein bar is helpful."
1. Local option: Reframe — The company was started by a local strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer. Bars have a rice crispy type texture with 20 grams of whey protein, avocado oil and date syrup.
2. Vegan option: NuGo — These bars use plant protein so they have less protein (around 10-13 grams) than other options out there, but Gould said they have clean ingredients and are some of the best-tasting vegan bars on the market. "The chocolate ones taste like a dessert," Gould said.
3. Athlete option: Perfect: These refrigerated snacks are made with honey and have more than 20 superfoods. They are on the higher end of calories (300), which is great to provide energy for people who are active. There's also a mini size with half the calories that Gould said she recommends to clients who are less active.
4. Super clean option: RXBAR: While Gould is not the biggest fan of the taffy-like texture and the protein amount is lower than other options (around 12 grams), these bars have only simple, clean ingredients — like egg whites, almonds, cashews and dates. And there's no whey protein if you're trying to avoid that.
5. Non-bar option: Chomps beef sticks: If you're looking for a grab-and-go protein option that's not a bar, this jerky is made from antibiotic-free turkey, grass-fed beef or grass-fed venison and is Whole30 approved and keto-friendly. Gould said she recommends this for clients who don't like sweets or are looking for something to leave in their car that's not going to melt.
