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/
Written by
Megha Barot
Megha has always been a passionate cook, but she took this to a new level after starting her keo journey in 2015. She loves creating new recipes and producing educational content for KetoConnect, which she co-founded in 2016 with Matt. Her passion for healthy eating and personal development continues to thrive. She's the proud mom of two awesome kids.
Hi!
I’m lactose intolerant so I can’t find many options for me, do you know any bars that are okay for keto but also lactose free?
Hi Marta – sorry we don’t know any off the top of ours heads. Surely there are some you could find online!
On the Atkins bar you list Natural Flavors as undesirable. Why?
Because you can hide undesireable ingredients behind that label.
Adapt bars are a great option. They have snack bars or protein bars!
A very thorough review – nicely done! Really amazing how many different low carb protein bar options there are on the market now. I think Quest still dominates sales in this niche, but it would be interesting to see the market share of some of the other popular low carb bars.
Thanks for checking the article out! Quest still dominates, but it’s good to see others swingin the bat
I’ve ordered your Bars and they’re great!!
We be getting them on a regular basis
Can you comment on taste of any of these??? It would be nice to have something in my purse just in case. You guys are great!
Thank you
Hi
I started the keto diet about 3 weeks ago, I’ve had some ups and downs but trying my hardest to stay on track.
Regarding protein bars, I did a bit of searching and found RXbars.. according to the package the ingredients are very minimal and great for keto.
They taste great! I’ve found them at Sprouts and Trader Joe’s. Cheaper at Trader Joe’s by 1/2 of what sprouts sells them for.
If you have tried them let me know what you think. If not maybe you can check them out.
Thanks
We’ve seen them. They are higher in carbs than we would like.
Are the Power Crunch bars Keto friendly? What are their real net carbs?
Power Crunch bars contain 5g of sugar (!!). Also 10g carbs minus 1 g fiber thats like 9g net carbs so where did the 7g net carbs came from? They contain lots of ingredients as well. How come they are the best?
where did you get the Keto Bars? only seeing them online
Online 🙂
Great article.
One big problem. It’s true that sucralose (Splenda) is not digested, so it’s not a carbohydrate If it is used in a low-carb food, it can legitimately claim to contain no carbohydrates.
Recent studies on overweight people have shown that it kicks off insulin spikes.
The insulin spike tells our bodies to store glucose as fat. Our blood glucose level falls so our body releases cortisol, a tear-down steroid.
This cortisol spike raises blood glucose levels by tearing down muscle mass, ligaments, and tendons to make more glucose (gluconeogenesis) which then gets stored as fat.
Any carbohydrates in the in the food create an even greater insulin spike which aggravates the whole process.
When Splenda and carbs are present in a “Sports Bar” this is catastrophic for people who are trying to cut fat or improve athletic performance. Worse, sucralose is buried near the end of a long list of ingredients, and may be listed as Splenda or sucralose.
Yes, I think all sweeteners (not just sucralose), be they zero calories and/or zero GI, can induce an insulin response/spike.
But, this is only because of something called Cephalic Phase Insulin Response (CPIR). This is a “trained response” that someone new to keto has to let their body “unlearn”, in a 2 or 3 month period, when they first start a LCHF diet. Basically, your tongue tastes something sweet, and your pancreas excretes insulin in anticipation of another sugar bomb (before the food even hits the stomach).
So just about ANY sweetener will do this, when you are not fully fat adapted.
Thanks guys. Very much appreciate your research. Helps us make better decisions.
Where are they getting info that’s the quest cereal bars have sucrolose? This I should wrong information. There isn’t only allulose?
Hi,
just checked the Ansi Cheesecake bar on their website and they list sunflower oil as an ingredient.
Maybe they changed the ingredients…
How did you do the testing? I assume you sent them out to a nutrition testing center? Could you recommend a testing center if we wanted to look at ones that are not in the list?
For the record, not all Quest bars contain sucralose. They used to have 2 different lines, a “natural” line that only sweetened with stevia, and a regular Quest bar that sweetens with sucralose. They have since removed that designation from the label, unfortunately, but they do still make the stevia sweetened bars. You just have to read the ingredients to find which is which. There are about 4 flavors that do not contain sucralose or artificial sweeteners. I’m not affiliated with Quest in any way, I’m just a picky consumer.
You’re right! I believe the Coconut, Lime, Strawberry Cheesecake and Chocolate Peanut Butter are the bars that don’t use Sucralose. Hope this helps!
I was just going to let you know the correct pronounciation of maltitol, but I see someone else already did. Yes, MALTEE-tall
im so sad i really wanted to like the oh yeah one bars
thanks for the research…this helped a lot
Question: in an earlier blog post you recommended the use of VitaFiber IMO Syrup for making your own bars. Now it seems you are tagging these as a bad ingredient. I get that the IMO syrup has a higher carb count than the new Quest bar ingredients, but can we still use the VitaFiber IMO Syrup without worry? [Total noob at all this, only3 weeks into keto] Thanks, Jeff
You’re right, in an earlier post we did in fact use the prebiotic syrup, however, we later discovered the truth. We would advise against eating them unless you understand the true carb count. As a note, quest bars no longer use it so you’re good to go!
We appreciate the concern about how VitaFiber IMO effects the body, and we would like to make a few points as well to help you make a well-informed judgement for yourself.
Please note, the article referenced in this blog post was in fact written by a competitor of BioNeutra, the manufacturers of VitaFiber IMO, and references studies that are outdated. Therefore, the motives and outcomes need to be questioned in this case.
BioNeutra has also never claimed it’s IMO to be completely non-digestible. Transparency and honesty are important to BioNeutra and we would never mislead consumers intentionally. Dietary fiber has a set of physiological effects in our lower GI system (colon) upon consumption and those effects should be a positive health outcome. With this aid, there is enough scientific evidence confirming that IMO does exert all those physiological effects which is equivalent to any long-chain non-digestible fiber like Inulin, etc.
We hope that this helps you make an informed decision and wish you all the best in your health journey!
Travlntam@gmail.com
I found it kicks me right out of ketosis.
thanks for your in depth research on these horrible food choices.
Great post! Just a head’s up that it’s actually maltitol NOT malitol (sounds like malt-i-tol) Every keto-er out there pronounces it wrong and for some reason it drives me crazy. There are actually 2 t’s in there, not just one. You have such a huge following that maybe if you get it right, everyone else will too haha!
Thanks for the heads up Karen!
Karen, great catch. I was a category manager for a chain of nutrition stores in the Bar category. I was pronouncing it wrong for over a year before my assistant corrected me.