Protein bars

Protein bars are made up primarily of protein, typically around 20 grams and 30% of their content. In most cases, protein bars are low in fat and contain some carbohydrates. The protein in these bars is usually in the form of milk – calcium caseinate or whey (often hydrolyzed), egg whites or soy protein. It should be noted that the calcium caseinate and whey in these bars contain monosodium glutamate, although it will not be listed. It’s the same with soy.

The carbohydrates in these bars are usually very sweet to enhance the flavor and are often high fructose corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, or some other form of refined sugar.

The fat is typically butter, fractionated palm oil (a low quality saturated fat), or worse, some form of partially hydrogenated oil. These bars are convenient for those who need protein supplements but may have unhealthy ingredients. Unfortunately, most high protein bars on the market contain monosodium glutamate, hydrogenated oils, refined sugar and/or artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose (Splenda), and sometimes herbal stimulants.