One of the less synthetic-tasting protein snacks, Barebell bars combine a variety of rich flavors with simple, natural ingredients.

The best protein bars from Barebells have a blend of whey, collagen hydrolysate and whey protein isolate and are another that contain soy. There are 11 flavors to choose from, which includes two vegan options.

Men’s Fitness verdict

One of the less synthetic-tasting protein snacks, Barebell bars combine rich flavours with simple, natural ingredients. They’re low in sugar and don’t have the powdery texture that many bars do.
Pros
  • Nice rich flavor
  • Lots of flavors to choose from
  • Tastes less synthetic than most bars
Cons
  • Quite sweet
  • Slightly bitter aftertaste

How we test the best protein bars

Registered nutritionist (AFN) and sports nutritionist (SENr) Rob Hobson only tested chocolate-flavoured bars to provide consistency in his reviews. He judged them on their taste, texture and nutritional effectiveness, as well as cost and availability, and the amount of polyols – a type of sweetener which can upset the gut in high amounts.

Barebells Protein Bar benefits

There are 20g of protein in most flavors, although the peanut caramel and caramel choco soft protein versions have 16g and the vegan protein bar options just 15g, which is less than optimal as a post-workout option. The white salty peanut flavor I tested is slightly lower in calories at 209kcal and carbohydrates at 14g than some of the other bars on test. Its short list of natural ingredients is reassuring too.

Each bar has just 1.5g of sugar and is sweetened with maltitol and sucralose (polyols). The amount of polyols is not labelled on the pack but will be higher than 10g as there’s a warning about excessive consumption. The bar does have a slightly bitter aftertaste but nothing unpleasant.

Flavor and texture

The white salty peanut bar is covered in white chocolate and chopped peanuts. It has a nice rich taste with an pleasant nutty crunch. Its texture is chewy but not claggy like some bars. It tastes a bit sweet, which is likely due to the white chocolate coating.

This is an excellent protein bar if you’re looking for something more natural without compromising or taste or protein content (though for the latter you’ll need to check if you’ve chosen one of the 20g protein options).

Protein per bar15-20g, depending on flavor
Flavors11, including: caramel chocolate, raspberry cream, crispy nougat, salted peanut caramel & more
Other notable ingredientsonly 1.5g of sugar, comes with a polyol content warning (10g+)