Protein Bars. We’re always looking for something quick, something easy to snack on, even replace a meal with when we’re busy or on a long trip, so we go into the nearest convenience store and grab whatever they’re trying to push as protein bars. It looks healthy compared to the candy bars, it usually comes from a brand we grew up with, it says chocolate somewhere on the label. In other words, we’re in a hurry and it’s the lesser of two evils.
While it’s easy to bypass the obvious least healthy options like Snickers Marathon Bar (chocolate, caramel, high fructose corn syrup..mmmm, healthy!) and the various Kellogg’s bars like Nutrigrain (high fructose corn syrup AND sugar?), beyond that it’s often a random grab. If it says protein or energy really big, it must be healthy and give you the best kind of fuel, right?
So I thought it might be worth investigating a bit further, do a series of comparisons of all the various protein bars out there. I’ve started with the following 7, and will continue finding more as a regular blog feature:
| Brand | Flavor | Cost | Size | Calories | Protein | Fat | Sugar | Sodium |
| Larabar | Ginger Snap | $1.39 | 1.8 oz | 240 | 5g | 14g | 20g | 0mg |
| Vega | Chocolate | $3.29 | 2.2 oz | 240 | 10g | 10g | 22g | 10mg |
| Odwalla | Chocolate Chip | $1.29 | 1.6 oz | 200 | 5g | 7g | 15g | 90mg |
| Kashi GoLean | PB & Chocolate | $1.49 | 2.75 oz | 290 | 13g | 6g | 31g | 280mg |
| Pro Bar | Original Blend | $3.00 | 3 oz | 370 | 9g | 18g | 23g | 35mg |
| Halvah | Chocolate | $1.99 | 3 oz | 150 | 2g | 9g | 7g | 15mg |
| Green Superfood | Chocolate PB | $2.99 | 2.22 oz | 270 | 12g | 14g | 19g | 190mg |
Larabar is a fruit & nut based bar, very gingery to the point of burning your tongue, chewy texture, not bad but wouldn’t want it every day.
Vega whole food energy bar is similar texture to Larabar, but completely tasteless and dry.
Odwalla is a tasty trail mix bar with chocolate chips on top.
Kashi GoLean Chewy has a nice chocolate coating, thick peanut butter filling, slightly powdery but tasty.
Pro bar is an interesting mix between a trail mix bar and a chewy fruity bar, filling.
Halvah tasted great, melting chocolate outside, butterfinger type inside.
Greens Super food is a chewy, somewhat crunchy bar, tastes like a green superfood, alright, not great.
