8 Protein Bars That Have More Sugar Than Some Candy

Protein is an essential part of any healthy diet, especially if you are looking to build muscle. According to Kristi Wempen, a dietitian with the Mayo Clinic, "Protein should account for 10% to 35% of your calories," meaning the average adult should be eating roughly 50 grams to 175 grams of protein per day. However, it can be difficult and expensive to reach your daily protein goals. As an easy, affordable, and convenient solution, protein bars have found their way into pantry cabinets across America. While protein bars were initially created for high-performance athletes, they've now become ubiquitous, and their popularity is feeding into a booming $4 billion market in the United States, according to Grand View Research. While customers often see protein bars as a healthy snack, many of the most popular protein bar brands do contain a significant amount of sugar. Sugar is an essential resource for athletes who need to fuel their performance, but if you're not spending a significant amount of time exercising, sugary protein bars might not be in line with your dietary needs.

The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than 36 grams of added sugar each day and that women consume no more than 25 grams. This means that many of the market's most popular protein bars are reaching, or meeting, a person's entire recommended sugar consumption in one day. Sugar doesn't need to be cut from your diet entirely, but eating this much in one serving is essentially the same as eating a candy bar, which can be excessive. In this article, we will dive into these comparisons to let you know what protein bars you may want to avoid if you are trying to limit your sugar intake.

Known primarily for its popular line of electrolyte drinks, Gatorade has also ventured into the protein bar market. One of its products is the Gatorade Peanut Butter Chocolate Recover Protein Bar, described as being optimal after a workout or game. According to the bar's nutritional information, it contains 20 grams of whey and milk proteins. Each bar also contains 39 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of fat, 310 milligrams of sodium, and 30 milligrams of cholesterol.

While customers are most likely eating this bar for its protein content, they also are getting a significant amount of sugar in every bite. Each bar contains 24 grams of sugar, with 23 of those grams being added sugar. In comparison, this bar has as much total sugar as a chocolate candy Crunch Bar (24 grams) and includes more added sugar, since a Crunch Bar has 22 grams of added sugar. All in all, eating one Gatorade Peanut Butter Chocolate Recover Protein Bar is the same as eating a candy bar when it comes to sugar content.

As one of the most popular protein bars on the market, the Clif Bar is the choice protein bar for many athletes. With dozens of different flavor options, Clif Bars use ingredients such as soy, peas, and nuts to deliver plant-based protein with every bite. Since 2003, the company says it has purchased 1.6 billion pounds of organic ingredients for its bars, ensuring that Clif Bar can continue to pride itself on being environmentally conscious.

One of the most popular flavors of Clif Bars is the chocolate chip bar. Each bar contains 10 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, 130 milligrams of sodium, and 43 grams of carbohydrates. Each bar also includes 17 grams of sugar, with 16 grams of that being added. The sugar is derived from ingredients such as organic cane syrup and organic brown rice syrup that are used to give the bar its delicious flavor. That means that one Clif Bar in the chocolate chip flavor contains as much sugar as a Snickers Original Share Size Egg Easter. One candy has 17 grams of sugar, with 15 grams of that being added sugar.

MET-Rx markets itself as the ultimate tool for any athlete looking to find the perfect training fuel. For over 30 years, the brand has been developing what it describes as "the best workout fuel," aiming to help athletes meet their health and fitness goals. According to the MET-Rx website, "Our proprietary protein blends support exercise recovery and provide your body with important amino acids to fuel your muscles."

The MET-Rx brand offers a variety of different flavor options for its meal-replacement bars. One of the most popular flavors is the Big 100 Super Cookie Crunch Bars which offers an impressive 32 grams of protein, 13 grams of fat, and 320 milligrams of sodium. Each bar does come with a significant amount of another ingredient: sugar. One bar contains a total of 25 grams of sugar, which is the same amount of sugar as a Hershey's Milk Chocolate Candy Bar. It's worth noting the protein bar has 24 added grams of sugar while the chocolate has only 21 grams of added sugar. While MET-Rx bars may carry the protein you're looking for, they are among the sources of protein you might want to avoid if you're looking to limit sugar intake.

When it comes to protein bars, the Perfect Bar claims to be just that: "perfect." Each bar in its product line contains wholesome, organic ingredients, including honey, nuts, eggs, milk, and over 20 superfoods, ensuring that each bite is full of vitamins and minerals. One of the most popular flavors is the Chocolate Brownie bar, which features ingredients such as cashew butter, dark chocolate, and peanut butter.

Nearly every ingredient in the Perfect Bar is organic, and many are also labeled as fair trade ingredients. In fact, each bar has to be refrigerated because the Perfect Bar does not add preservatives to its products. The Perfect Bar Chocolate Brownie flavor has 12 grams of protein in each bar as well as 90 milligrams of sodium and 17 grams of fat. The bars also have 18 grams of sugar, of which 12 grams are added sugar. That means each Perfect Bar has more sugar than three mini bars from the Tony's Chocolonely Tiny Tony Variety Pouch, which log 12 total grams of sugar, with 11 grams being added sugar.

For a quick and convenient snack on the go, a PowerBar Protein Plus bar is a great option. Created by founders Jennifer and Brian Maxwell, these bars were designed with athletes in mind. A PowerBar Protein Plus bar can be a good post-workout snack, full of delicious flavor and protein (you may also want to consider these foods high in protein that are great for building muscle). The line of bars includes a variety of flavors, including the popular Fudge Brownie option.

The PowerBar Protein Plus Fudge Brownie comes with 20 grams of protein. Each bar also contains 210 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 120 milligrams of sodium. When it comes to sugar, these bars contain 12 grams of sugar and an additional 7 grams of sugar alcohol. Like the Perfect Bar, eating a PowerBar Protein Plus bar means you are ingesting more sugar than if you were to eat three mini bars from the Tony's Chocolonely Tiny Tony Variety Pouch, which has 12 grams of sugar. 

There are few brands more iconic in the protein bar industry than Clif, and that's for good reason. With dozens of different flavors, Clif protein bars have an option for any person's taste preference. Each bar is dense with protein, making it a filling snack to have on the go or after a workout. The Clif Builders Protein Bars stand out for also being among the foods that you might not have known contain caffeine as an extra boost.

Each Clif Builders Protein Bar has an impressive 20 grams of protein as well as 10 grams of fat, 240 milligrams of sodium, and 290 calories. Each bar also has 18 total grams of sugar, with 17 grams being added sugar, meaning they have more total sugar than a Snickers Original Share Size Easter Egg. While these bars may be sugary, the protein and caffeine benefits do make them a common choice for athletes on the go.

RXBAR prides itself on being a no-nonsense brand. As a protein bar maker, RXBAR stands out with its unique packaging, which offers a straightforward look into the ingredients that each bar contains. For its Vanilla Almond flavor, the packaging advertises three egg whites, seven almonds, four cashews, and two dates. When compared to the full list of ingredients on the back of the package, only vanilla bean, sea salt, and natural flavors are left out.

Each Vanilla Almond RXBAR is 190 calories and has 7 grams of fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, and 12 grams of protein. For sugar, each bar contains 16 grams, but it should be noted that none of those grams is from added sugar. Still, eating one of these bars delivers more sugar than if you were to eat three mini bars from the Tony's Chocolonely Tiny Tony Variety Pouch, which has 13 grams of sugar. However, the simple ingredients of this bar make it a healthy option for athletes looking to keep a clean diet.

Anabar protein bars proudly represent themselves as "The World's Best Tasting Protein Bar," and their fans would likely agree. These delicious protein bars come in a variety of creative flavors like Triple Chocolate Wasted, Fruity Cereal Crunch, Campfire S'mores, Cookies & Cream, Fluff N' Butter, Death By Peanut Butter, and Monster Cookie Crunch.

The Monster Cookie Crunch bars are packed with 20 grams of protein per bar, making them a popular choice for athletes. Each bar also contains 11 grams of fat, 290 calories, and 160 milligrams of sodium. These bars also do contain 21 grams of sugar, with 20 of those grams being added sugar. These bars have more sugar than a Snickers Original Share Size Easter Egg candy, which has 17 grams of sugar. While this may be a lot of sugar, Anabar Monster bars actually market themselves as a candy bar with protein, which is different from the protein bar made by Snickers. Like the other bars on this list, this protein bar can be a great choice in moderation depending on your dietary goals and preferences.