For the nutrition-conscious, protein bars provide an efficient, satisfying kick to any diet or lifestyle. Many people use protein bars to supplement their diet, particularly before or after a workout. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, and your body requires it in large amounts to slow digestion. At BUILT, we want to help you discover the best tasting protein bars with the appropriate nutritional value.
Ranking the Best Tasting Protein Bars
BUILT Bars stand out among other protein bars. These bars are fit for fitness trainers, enthusiasts, and snackers interested in healthier, more satiating food options. The bars contain ample protein and collagen for skin, muscles, and bones, along with various flavors without other protein bars' grittiness or bitter aftertaste.
Original Bars Versus Puff Bars
BUILT protein bars are separated into two categories: the original BUILT bar and the BUILT puff. The bars have a nougaty center, resulting in a more hardy bar. The substantial size and weight of the protein bars leave people satisfied for longer. As a leader in protein bars on the market and supporter of good taste, BUILT ensures that all of its bars have a rich, chocolaty flavor without compromising nutrition.
The BUILT Puff is under the same quality standards but has a lighter, airy texture that may remind consumers of a marshmallow. We use a blend of collagen and whey proteins to create the puffs. Typically, the Puffs are more suitable for those who want softer, less dense bars.
Protein Bar Flavors
Most protein bars come in sweet flavors, like chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. After all, when on a health journey, sweets can be among the hardest foods to give up. We love sweets for psychological and biological reasons. First, we're hardwired to enjoy sweets. Sweetness indicates the presence of digestible carbohydrates and a quick source of energy. Throughout evolutionary history, survival depended on humans' ability to find energy-dense foods.
Psychologically, sweet foods can evoke positive memories and nostalgia. Chocolate, for example, is a comfort food that most people associate with reward or celebration. Eating sweet foods can release dopamine, causing you to feel a sense of satisfaction and pleasure.
BUILT includes various flavors, including salted caramel, double chocolate, raspberry, peanut butter, and coconut bar. To help you decide on a BUILT flavor, we have ranked our favorite best tasting protein bars.
10. Orange Dreamsicle Puff
The orange dreamsicle flavor comes in the form of a puff bar. Like a marshmallow, the puff bars have an airy center covered in BUILT's iconic 100% dark chocolate. We modeled the dreamsicle after the famous orange and vanilla ice cream duo but with a chocolate twist! The dark chocolate tastes similar to the chocolate oranges found around the holidays.
9. Strawberry Milk Puff
Sweet strawberries and cream, covered in decadent 100% dark chocolate, are what you receive when you take a bite of the strawberry milk puff bar. This light and airy treat doesn't have the artificial strawberry taste many protein bar enthusiasts dread. It tastes like real strawberries and marshmallows covered in chocolate.
8. Peanut Butter Brownie
What's better than peanut butter and brownies? The peanut butter brownie bar has a soft, rich texture reminiscent of a gooey brownie. The chocolate used for the peanut butter brownie makes it reminiscent of a fresh brownie from the oven. The peanut butter also maintains a strong flavor, creating a balanced chocolate and peanut butter blend.
7. Mint Brownie
The mint brownie bar is a softer, chewier take on mint chocolate. To make it, we use a special cocoa powder that tastes similar to homemade brownies, with far less sugar. This refreshing flavor resembles an Andes Mint, not other protein bars.
6. Cookies 'N Cream
Cookies 'n cream is a classic flavor for sweets. The BUILT bar is fluffy and creamy, combining chocolate and vanilla flavors. The dark chocolate, however, keeps the bar from being too sweet. If you love cookies 'and cream ice cream on warm summer days, consider popping this bar in the freezer for a cold treat.
5. Double Chocolate
Made with 100% dark chocolate, this bar is an intense chocolate experience inside and out. Unlike other protein bars, BUILT bars maintain a light, fluffy air without being gritty or difficult to chew. The double chocolate bar is like a nutritious, satiating dessert.
4. Salted Caramel
The salted caramel flavor can make you forget you're eating a protein bar. Instead, it tastes like a luxurious dessert with decadent caramel and a dash of sea salt. As with our other BUILT bars, the salted caramel includes 100% dark chocolate.
3. Raspberry
Taking a bite of the raspberry bar is reminiscent of taking a bite of a sweet, raspberry-flavored truffle with fluffy marshmallow inside. It is a fruity dessert that you can crumble or chip into bite-sized pieces to top Greek yogurt. This bar has all of the elegant flavor associated with chocolate-covered raspberries with none of the guilt.
2. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter cup lovers will flock to BUILT's peanut butter-flavored protein bar. The peanut butter flavor has a thicker coating than most flavors, coated in delicious dark chocolate. It has a soft, chewy texture with a real peanut butter flavor.
1. Coconut Bar
Of all the best tasting protein bars, coconut is our top pick. This is the classic BUILT protein bar and continues to hold its own against other protein bars on the market.
It is among the most popular. It has sweet, shredded coconut and rich 100% dark chocolate. It is reminiscent of a coconut and chocolate bar you might pick up in the candy aisle. The major difference is that this bar includes protein, fiber, and minimal added sugars.
Judging BUILT Bars Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the nutrients that your body requires to function. Macros feed your body's energy and sustenance needs, maintaining the health and wellness of all of your systems. When on a healthy lifestyle journey, tracking your macros allows you to eat the foods you want while ensuring you consume all your essential nutrients. Those who count their macros tend to feel more satiated and may find themselves losing body fat and maintaining lean muscle mass.
A good protein bar will pack all the nutrients you need in a quick snack. Macros include carbohydrates, protein, and fiber.
Protein Content
17g of protein per bar
When people work out or become more active, one of their biggest complaints tends to be hunger. Of course, hunger can lead to poor food choices, including overeating. Protein can make you feel fuller longer than fat or carbohydrates. Eating a protein bar between meals can curb your hunger and satisfy you for longer.
Likewise, protein may boost your metabolism. It helps you burn calories efficiently. As you consume protein throughout the day, you maintain muscle mass. The protein prevents your muscles from breaking down and also promotes muscle growth.
Amino Acid Profile
Amino acids are the compounds your body uses to create proteins. While the human body makes 11 of the 20 amino acids we need, we still have to get the other nine from our food. The nine amino acids from food are the essential amino acids. Complete protein sources have an amino acid profile containing all nine essential amino acids.
The BUILT Bars have a complete amino acid profile because they use whey protein isolate. Whey protein isolate not only has all nine essential amino acids but also has a mild taste and is easy for most people to digest.
Taste Profile
The protein source heavily impacts the taste of the protein bar. Whey protein, derived from milk, is popular because of its bioavailability and bland flavor. Typically, whey protein isolate has a creamy or milky taste. At BUILT, we use high-quality whey protein to avoid the bitter or chalky aftertaste associated with poor-quality whey protein.
Fiber Content
6g of dietary fiber per bar
Most people require about 14g of fiber for every 1000 calories consumed. Unfortunately, the standard American diet only provides about 13 to 18 grams of fiber daily. The Western diet is high in nutrient-poor foods with high calories, resulting in weight gain and stomach upset. A lack of fiber in your diet can result in poor gastrointestinal health.
Fiber Benefits
Protein bars with added fiber help add extra fiber to your daily intake. One of the main benefits of fiber in a protein bar is that it can slow the digestion of your food, including sugars. For those with Type 2 diabetes, fiber may help improve blood sugar levels by preventing spikes and crashes.
Heart-healthy fitness enthusiasts prefer a diet high in fiber because these diets support heart health by lowering cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber binds with cholesterol to reduce its absorption and help reduce the risk of heart disease. Likewise, fiber aids your overall bowel health by keeping you regular and reducing the risk of diverticular disease. The fiber adds bulk to your stool, aiding its passage through your digestive system to prevent constipation.
Additionally, fiber supports your gut microbiome. Fiber can act as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial bacteria and producing short-chain fatty acids that reduce inflammation.
When eating a protein bar, most consumers want a snack that doesn't leave them hungry immediately. High-fiber foods keep you from overeating by satiating you. Once satiated, you have less chance of overeating and experiencing weight gain.
Flavor Profile
The fiber content can affect the best tasting protein bars. Protein bar manufacturers can access various fiber types, all of which may have a different flavor, texture, and moisture content. For instance, inulin adds a slightly sweet taste to the bar, whereas other fibers may have a more subtle or bitter taste.
In addition to flavor, fiber also alters the texture of the bar. Inulin and pectin tend to create a more cohesive texture and smoother bar. However, insoluble fibers, like oats and cellulose, may create a more dense and chewy bar. Keep in mind that texture can affect the taste of a product.
Some fibers also can attract or retain moisture. Softer bars may rely on fiber to keep the supplement from becoming dry or hard with time.
Sugar Content
4g of sugar per bar
Natural sugar is not inherently bad for the body. While many people look to sugar as the cause of weight gain and other ailments related to diet, it is not sugar but an overconsumption of sugar that causes weight gain. Sugar is an excellent energy source and is healthy to consume in moderation.
Sugar Benefits
Your body only needs to split simple sugar once for energy. Foods higher in sugar take less time to process and elicit an insulin response. Moderate to intense workouts may require quick fuel to help you sustain your energy throughout the activity.
Additionally, you can use simple sugars as a pick-me-up post-workout. Since you diminish carb stores while you work out, sugar can help replenish those stores and promote recovery.
Sugar and Artificial Sweetener Blends
Protein bars can use a blend of real sugar and artificial sweeteners. Using real sugar allows protein bars to contain fewer artificial sweeteners and flavors. However, sugar alcohol has fewer calories than sugar and breaks down slowly in the stomach to avoid blood sugar spikes.
Combining sugar with sugar alcohol can provide a balanced taste. Real sugar offers the pleasant taste that most are familiar with, whereas sugar alcohols contribute sweetness without calories. Blending the two in a protein bar helps achieve a satisfying sweetness without risking a blood sugar spike. Likewise, using fewer sugar alcohols in a product can also reduce the likelihood of stomach upset that some people experience with sugar substitutes.
Carbohydrate Content
19g per bar
The average person requires about 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrates per day. Carbohydrates include sugars, fiber, and starches that break down into glucose or blood sugar in your digestive tract. The glucose in your blood moves throughout your body into your cells to be used immediately for energy. If not needed for energy, it becomes stored in the muscles and liver and glycogen for future use.
Carbohydrate Benefits
Carbohydrates are our primary energy source, fuelling our bodies and minds. Eating carbs before your workout can help fuel your exercise. If you don't eat enough carbs before training, your body will start to break down the protein in your muscles for fuel. When your body breaks down protein in your muscles for fuel, you may become dizzy and fatigued during your workout.
Your body breaks down simple carbs quickly, resulting in a rapid energy spike. Complex carbs, on the other hand, include fibers and starches that take longer to break down.
Carbohydrate Mouthfeel
Carbohydrates affect the flavor and mouthfeel of protein bars. Protein bars derived from tapioca or corn may have a more cohesive and chewy texture. Generally, balanced textures improve the eating experience, and most people will agree that the bar tastes better.
Complex carbohydrates include ingredients like brown rice, quinoa, and oats. These ingredients add an earthy but mild flavor to the bar. Complex carbohydrates are partially responsible for the complex taste profile of protein bars. Additionally, they improve the bar by bulking it up and creating a more satisfying snack.
Shop BUILT Bar for the Best Tasting Protein Bars
For many people, protein is among the most challenging macronutrients to consume enough of. They don't have the time to prepare protein-rich meals at snacktime or the willpower to eat them. Protein bars offer a quick way to add protein to your diet while on the go or living an active lifestyle.
Of course, not all protein bars are the same, which is why we suggest seeking out the best tasting protein bars and the ones packed full of nutrients. Join and become a member to earn exclusive rewards and points whenever you shop BUILT Protein Bars.
