Low-Carb Protein Bars are not always what they claim to be. Many brands falsely advertise their protein bars as "low-carb", when in reality, there are "hidden carbs" lurking in those long ingredient lists. Don't worry! We have dissected 20 different protein bars and are here to tell you what their actual carb counts are.
Best Overall: Perfect Keto Bars
Best in Stores: Quest Bars
Best Online: Perfect Keto Bars
We've sorted all 20 protein bars into five categories ranging from "Avoid These" to "Best Bars". Keep reading or check out the video below to find out which bars we stay away from and which ones we enjoy on our keto diet.
Best Overall Keto Protein Bar
This shouldn't really surprise anyone but Perfect Keto pulls through with the overall best keto protein bar. They have amazing bars that are made with quality ingredients, taste good, and have a good fat to protein ratio.
Perfect Keto Bars - Rich and chocolaty. Twice as much fat as protein.
The Best Keto Protein Bars (Online)
All of the low-carb protein bars in this review are available in stores like GNC, Whole Foods, and Publix, but if you want some good quality keto bars, we recommend shopping online. The following is a list of our favorite keto bars you can find online.
Built Bars - If you’re after a dark chocolate-covered protein bar that doesn’t just taste like a candy bar, but feels like one too, Built Bars are for you.
Bhu Fit Bars - Really tasty refrigerated keto bars that come in a number of flavors. We like the Double Chocolate.
IQ Bars - Fruity and fresh flavors. Uses Allulose sweetener which we have personally tested and is keto friendly.
Keto Bars - The original and still one of our favorite keto bars. Contains very little sugar alcohols and no added fiber. Yum!
Adapt Bar - Small and sweet, and comes in a number of flavors. Contains the lowest total carbs of any keto-friendly bar.
Video was shot in 2019. Post updated in 2021 to reflect accurate products.
What Ingredients Make Up These High-Fiber Low-Carb Foods?
Isomalto-Oligosaccharide (IMO): Unlike most fibers, IMO fiber is partially digested by the human body. Therefore, it should not be completely subtracted from the carb count. We count every listed gram of IMO fiber as .5g of carbs.
- Count: 50% of total carbs
- Glycemic Index: 35 (White sugar has a GI of 65)
Soluble Corn Fiber (SCF): There isn't a lot of research on the impact SCF has on the human body, but it does not impact blood glucose.
- Count: 10% of total carbs (our educated guess)
Other Added Fibers: These fibers are commonly found in low-carb protein bars and you can fully subtract them. They will not impact blood glucose.
- Chicory Root Fiber
- Polydextrose
- Tapioca Fiber
- Glycerin
Maltitol: This sugar alcohol will have the biggest impact on your blood glucose. It is used in a lot of "low-carb" packaged goods, but we recommend avoiding it at all costs. Since it can have same impact on blood glucose as regular white sugar, we count ever gram of maltitol as one gram of carbs.
- Count: 50% of total carbs
- Glycemic Index: 35-65
Erythritol: This is our favorite sugar alcohol since it's undigested by the body and contains zero carbs.
- Count: 0% of total carbs
- Glycemic Index: 0
Sucralose: A lot of low-carb bars contain sucralose since it's non-digested by the body. Because the long term effects of sucralose aren't fully understood yet, it's not our first choice of sugar alcohols. Check out our guide to low-carb sweeteners.
- Count: 0% of total carbs
- Glycemic Index: 0
Allulose: This rare sugar is relatively new on the scene and is featured in the new Quest bars (Cereal and Hero). Allulose is undigested by the human body and won't impact blood glucose.
- Count: 0% of total carbs
- Glycemic Index: 0
How to Make Low Carb Protein Bars
If you want to take matters into your own hand and start making your own low carb protein bars at home, then we've got a couple of recipes you can try. These homemade protein bars are going to have much better nutrition and quality of ingredients than anything you will find in stores.
Where to Buy Keto Bars
As with almost everything these days, the best place to buy keto friendly protein bars is going to be the internet. They have a far greater selection than you will find in stores. Most of the store bought bars are not as high quality as the ones found online either. Amazon is a good place to start, but buying directly from the company is also a good option.
GNC is always going to have at least a couple keto protein bar options. They also have some other tasty keto snacks like Quest Protein Chips.
Whole Foods Market has the widest selection of low carb protein bars, and they also emphasize whole ingredients. You're likely to find over 10 options if you have a Whole Foods nearby.
Regional Grocery Stores sadly do not have very many options. You'll probably find Quest Bars and 1 or 2 other choices, but none of them will be of the best quality.
Testing Keto-Friendly Bars
- ONE Protein Bar
- Grenade Carb Killa
- Bulletproof Protein Bar
- Dang Bar
- Epic Bar
- Robert Irvine's FITCRUNCH Bar
- Mighty Bar
- No Cow Bar
- Nugo Slim Bar
- PaleoKrunch Bar
- Power Crunch Bar
- Primal Kitchen Collagen Nut & Seed Bar
- Purely Elizabeth Grain-Free Bar
- Quest Hero Bar
- Quest Protein Bar
- Raw Rev Glo Bar
- Suzie's Good Fats Bars
- thinkThin Bars
High Protein Low Carb Bars
When grading protein bars, we look for a few things. We want the fat to be higher than the protein, we prefer prefer bars with less fiber and sugar alcohols (to avoid bloat and discomfort), and avoid deceiving ingredients like IMO fiber and Maltitol.
The truth is, just about every bar contains more carbs than is listed on the label. Whether it be due to rounding, subtracting, or false advertising, it's safe to assume any bar you eat is actually higher in carbs than it claims. While all of these bars are great for convenience, they should be limited as much as possible.
ONE Protein Bar
Category: Avoid
The Claim: 10g Net Carbs
Our Estimate: 18g Net Carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: Maltitol and IMO Fiber
Fat to Protein Ratio: .35
Grenade Carb Killa Bar
Category: Avoid
The bar contains maltitol which isn't keto friendly, and also xyltiol which can impact blood glucose for some people.
The Claim: 2g Net Carbs
Our Estimate: 10+g Net Carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: Maltitol
Fat to Protein Ratio: .35
Bulletproof Bar
Category: I'd Eat It
Good when you're in a pinch, but not the best flavor. Contains better ingredients than most protein bars, but is higher in carbs.
The Claim: 9g net carbs
Our Estimate: 9g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: 1.08
Dang Bar
Category: Good
With only 6g of fiber and zero sugar alcohols, Dang bar is easy to digest and tastes great.
The Claim: 4g net carbs
Our Estimate: 4g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: 1.67
Epic Bar
Category: The Best
We prefer to eat a whole food like meat which is high in nutrients instead of a processed protein bar. This Epic bar also tastes really good.
The Claim: 0g net carbs
Our Estimate: 0g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: .46
Robert Irvine's FITCRUNCH bar
Category: Avoid
The ingredient list is excessively long and contains maltitol making it a poor keto option.
The Claim: 9g net carbs
Our Estimate: 25g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: Maltitol
Fat to Protein Ratio: .5
Mighty Bar
Category: Good
A little expensive for something that's only 35 calories. The ingredients are good, but it's not very filling.
The Claim: 2g net carbs
Our Estimate: 2g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: .31
No Cow Energy Bar
Category: Meh
We don't like the concept behind "No Cow" . They remove the animal proteins and replace them with ingredients that are less nutritious. This bar is also quite high in total carbs, added fiber, and sugar alcohols.
The Claim: 9g net carbs
Our Estimate: 9g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: .67
No Cow Bar
Category: Avoid
Contains 17g of added fiber (some of which is IMO fiber) which is hard on our digestion. Also has a very low protein to fat ratio.
The Claim: 3g net carbs
Our Estimate: 8g+ net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: IMO Fiber
Fat to Protein Ratio: .3
NuGo Slim Bars
Category: I'd Eat It
This is a decent option when you can't find anything else. It's higher in added fiber and uses soy protein, which are both demerits for us.
The Claim: 5g net carbs
Our Estimate: 5g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: .26
PaleoKrunch Bar
Category: Good
Not too sweet, very satisfying, and has a short list of wholesome ingredients.
The Claim: 9g net carbs
Our Estimate: 9g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: 1.86
Power Crunch Bar
Category: Best
The ingredients aren't terrible, and they're low in total carbs and low in added fiber. It's tasty, fills us up, and doesn't hurt our digestion.
The Claim: 7g net carbs
Our Estimate: 7g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: .93
Primal Kitchen Collagen Nut & Seed Bar
Category: Meh
The ingredients are really good, but the carbs are on the higher side and it doesn't have a good flavor.
The Claim: 13g net carbs
Our Estimate: 13g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: 1.0
Primal Kitchen Protein Bars
Category: I'd Eat it
This bar doesn't taste very good, but the fat to protein ratio is good. It also doesn't contain any sugar alcohols or added fiber.
The Claim: 8g net carbs
Our Estimate: 8g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: 1.67
Purely Elizabeth Grain-Free Bar
Category: I'd Eat it
This bar may be higher in carbs, but the ingredients are really good, there's no sugar alcohols, and zero added fibers, and it tastes really good. It's a good option if you're in a pinch.
The Claim: 11g net carbs
Our Estimate: 11g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: 3.0
Quest Hero Bar
Category: Meh
This bar tastes better than a candy bar and can increase your sugar cravings if you're not careful. They are extremely high in total carbs and added fiber making them hard to digest.
The Claim: 4g net carbs
Our Estimate: 4g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: .41
Quest Bar
Category: I'd Eat It
Our longtime favorite bar is slowly moving down the ranks as more keto bars hit the shelves. The Quest Bar is tasty, but so high in added fiber that sits in our stomachs like a brick! It's also really low in fat.
The Claim: 5g net carbs
Our Estimate: 5g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: None
Fat to Protein Ratio: .4
Raw Rev Glo Bar
Category: Meh
These taste good, but the net carbs are deceiving because they use IMO Fiber.
The Claim: 3g net carbs
Our Estimate: 6g+ net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: IMO Fiber
Fat to Protein Ratio: .73
Suzie's Good Fats Bars
Category: I'd Eat It
Though the coating on these bars contain some IMO Fiber, they still are relatively low in carbs and are a decent keto option.
The Claim: 5g net carbs
Our Estimate: 6g+ net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: IMO Fiber
Fat to Protein Ratio: 1.4
thinkThin Bar
Category: Avoid
This bar is a fraud. It has 21g of maltitol, which is like eating 21g of sugar! This bar claims to be "Low-GI" but it isn't diabetic-friendly or keto-friendly.
The Claim: 1g net carbs
Our Estimate: 21g net carbs
Undesirable Ingredients: Maltitol
Fat to Protein Ratio: .45
Keto Friendly Protein Bars List
As the low-carb keto movement continues to grow, so does the number of products on the market. While many of these protein bars make the keto diet more enjoyable and convenient, some brands are just trying to make a buck off of the "keto" label.
Always read the ingredient list and look for the IMO fiber and maltitol. If you're like us, you may find you prefer bars that are low in total carbs and don't contain a bunch of added fiber and sugar alcohols.
Just to summarize - the low carb protein bars that we can stand behind are as follows:
- Bulletproof Protein Bar
- Dang Bar
- Epic Bar
- Mighty Bar
- PaleoKrunch Bar
- Power Crunch Bar
- Primal Kitchen Collagen Nut & Seed Bar
- Primal Kitchen Protein Bars (squares)
- Purely Elizabeth Grain-Free Bar
- Quest Protein Bar
- Keto Bars
- Perfect Keto Bars
- Stoka Bars
- Adapt Bars
- Bhu Fit Bars
- IQ Bars
Let us know what bars are on your list and which ones you can't wait to try.
And check out our favorite keto products, which includes keto friendly wines, subscription boxes and meal delivery services.
References
IMO Carb Counts:
http://easacademy.org/trainer-resources/article/isomalto-oligosaccharides
Soluble Corn Fiber Insulin Response:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19155430
Glycemic Index and Sweetener Carb Counts:
http://www.sugar-and-sweetener-guide.com/
Short Chain Fatty Acids Help With Weight Control:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26260141
Soluble Corn Fiber Info(corn industry site):
https://fiberfacts.org/soluble-corn-fiber/
