Are Quest Bars healthy? This Quest Bar dietitian review will help you decide if Quest Bars are a healthy choice to add to your grocery cart. Read on for our dietitian review of taste, nutritional properties, ingredients, use, and cost before you buy.
Are Quest Bars Healthy?
Pros: Quest Protein Bars are a rich in protein, fiber, and unsaturated fat. The high protein, fiber and fat content make these bars very satiating, so they’ll keep you full until your next meal.
Cons: though Quest Protein Bars are low in sugar, they contain multiple non-caloric sweeteners, including sugar alcohols, sucralose, and stevia. While these types of sweeteners are unlikely to cause harm at typical doses normally consumed, the World Health Organization (WHO) released guidelines in 2023 on the use of non-sugar sweeteners. In these guidelines, WHO suggests that in addition to reducing our intake of added sugar, we should limit our intake of non-sugar sweeteners. In short, they concluded that using non-sugar sweeteners in place of added sugar does not seem to support long-term weight loss or disease prevention.
Bottomline: we suggest choosing an alternate protein bar that is low in both added sugar and non-caloric sweeteners. Check out our post Low Sugar Protein Bars you Can Buy at the Grocery Store, and be sure to scroll to the bottom where we highlight the low-sweetener options.
About Quest Bars
Quest bars are high-protein bars made without added sugar. Their website states that their products include a complete dairy-based amino acid profile and use low-calorie sweeteners that do not spike blood sugar. Quest bars are readily available in most grocery stores across Canada and the USA.
Quest bars are available in the following flavors: Cookies & Cream, White Chocolate Raspberry, Smores, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Birthday Cake, Blueberry Muffin, Mint Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Sprinkled Doughnut.
Want to see how Quest Protein Bars compare to others on the market? Check out our Protein Bar Nutrition Comparison Chart.
Taste & Texture
Quest protein bars have a chewy texture and sweet flavour. They have a sweet aftertaste from the sweeteners used.
Quest Bar Ingredients
| Cookies & Cream | White Chocolate Raspberry | Smores | Chocolate Brownie | Chocolate Peanut Butter | Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough | Birthday Cake | Blueberry Muffin | Mint Chocolate Chunk | Oatmeal Chocolate Chip | Sprinkled Doughnut | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), polydextrose (prebiotic fiber), almonds, water, cocoa butter, erythritol, glycerin, soluble corn fiber, natural flavors, cocoa, palm kernel oil, sea salt, sodium caseinate, sunflower lecithin and/or soy lecithin, sucralose, xantham gum, baking soda, stevia sweetener. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), polydextrose (prebiotic fiber), almonds, water, cocoa butter, natural flavours, erythritol, raspberries, sodium caseinate, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, stevia sweetener, sucralose. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), polydextrose (prebiotic fiber), almonds, water, erythritol, natural flavours, unsweetened chocolate, soluble corn fiber, cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, sea salt, cinnamon, sunflower lecithin, baking soda, stevia sweetener, xantham gum, sucralose. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), polydextrose (prebiotic fiber), almonds, water, cocoa, erythritol, sea salt, stevia sweetener, sucralose. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), peanuts, polydextrose (prebiotic fiber), water, erythritol, natural flavors, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, sodium caseinate, sea salt, stevia sweetener, sunflower lecithin. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), soluble corn fiber, almonds, water, unsweetened chocolate, erythritol, natural flavors, cocoa butter, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, stevia sweetener, sucralose. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), soluble corn fiber, water, erythritol, almonds, palm kernel oil, natural flavors, sodium caseinate, sea salt, gum arabic, spirulina extract (color), red cabbage extract (color), turmeric extract (color), radish extract (color), sucralose, sunflower lecithin. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), polydextrose (prebiotic fiber), almonds, water, erythritol, natural flavors, dried blueberries, cocoa butter, soluble corn fiber, palm kernel oil, sea salt, cinnamon, baking soda, sodium caseinate, xantham gum, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, stevia sweetener. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), soluble corn fiber, water, almonds, cocoa butter, natural flavors, erythritol, sodium caseinate, palm kernel oil, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, sucralose, xantham gum, baking soda, stevia sweetener, peppermint oil. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), soluble corn fiber, water, oats, unsweetened chocolate, natural flavors, erythritol, cocoa butter, sea salt, cinnamon, sodium caseinate, sunflower lecithin, stevia sweetener. | Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), polydextrose (prebiotic fiber), almonds, water, erythritol, palm kernel oil, natural flavors, sodium caseinate, cocoa, sea salt, soluble corn fiber, beet root powder (color), cabbage juice (color), beta carotene (color), annato extract (color), carnauba wax, gum arabic, sunflower lecithin, stevia sweetener. |
Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate): milk protein powder and the main source of protein in these bars. Milk protein isolate contributes both casein and whey protein, while whey protein isolate is just the whey portion.
Polydextrose: a prebiotic fiber contributing 12g of fiber to Quest bars. Polydextrose is made from dextrose (a form of sugar) but is not sweet tasting and has low digestibility. It is used to add bulk to foods and reduce calorie content (1).
Almonds: type of tree nut and a source of unsaturated fats in most Quest bar flavors.
Water
Cocoa butter: the fat that is removed from cocoa beans during processing.
Erythritol: a type of sugar alcohol used to sweeten Quest Protein Bars. It is made by fermenting dextrose or sucrose (forms of sugar). It is absorbed in the small intestine and is excreted from the body through urine. It is considered zero calories since it is not metabolized in the body (2).
Glycerin: helps to retain moisture in foods.
Maltodextrin soluble corn fiber: source of added fiber
Natural flavors: this is a blanket term for any combination of extracts from plant or animal products. Check out our blog post, What are Natural Flavors and Should you Avoid them, for more information on natural flavors.
Cocoa: unsweetened form of chocolate. This is the leftover part of the cocoa bean after the cocoa butter has been removed.
Palm kernel oil: vegetable oil that contains mostly saturated fats.
Sea salt: a form of added salt.
Sodium Caseinate: a binder, emulsifier, and stabilizing agent.
Sunflower lecithin and/or soy lecithin: used as an emulsifier to help fats blend with other ingredients. Read more about lecithins in our Lecithin Ingredient Review here.
Sucralose (93mg): a type of non-calorie sweetener made from table sugar.
Xantham gum: emulsifying, stabilizing, thickening agent. Used to improve the texture of foods.
Baking soda: leavening agent.
Stevia extract: a non-caloric sweetener that comes from the leaves of the plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.
Priority allergens: contains milk and almonds. May contain soy (lecithin) – Canada only. Processed in a facility that processes wheat, peanuts, and macadamia nuts. Always read the product label for the most up-to-date allergen and nutrition information.
Quest Bar Nutrition Facts
| Cookies & Cream | White Chocolate Raspberry | Smores | Chocolate Brownie | Chocolate Peanut Butter | Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough | Birthday Cake | Blueberry Muffin | Chocolate Mint | Oatmeal Chocolate Chip | Sprinkled Doughnut | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 190 | 190 | 180 | 170 | 200 | 200 | 180 | 180 | 200 | 190 | 180 |
| Fat (g) | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 2.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 4 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 |
| Fiber (g) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
| Sugar (g) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | <1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | <1 |
| Protein (g) | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 10 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Sodium (mg) | 290 | 250 | 220 | 250 | 200 | 190 | 220 | 220 | 220 | 190 | 210 |
| Potassium (mg) | 125 | 100 | 120 | 210 | 150 | N/A | N/A | 90 | 140 | 140 | 110 |
| Calcium (mg) | 175 | 110 | 120 | 120 | 80 | 130 | 130 | 120 | 110 | 120 | 100 |
| Iron (mg) | 0.75 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.72 | 0.36 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 |
Note: the nutrition facts below reflect the Cookies and Cream flavor of Quest Protein bars. The range of nutrition information for all flavors is listed in parentheses.
Calories: 190 (170-200)
Fat: 8g (5-9g)
Saturated fat: 2.5g (1-4g)
Carbohydrates: 22g (21-25g)
Fiber: 13g (12-16g)
Sugar: 1g
Protein: 21g (20-21g)
Sodium: 290mg (200-250mg)
Potassium: 125mg (90-210mg)
Other micronutrients: calcium 175mg (80-175mg), iron 0.75mg (0.4-2.7mg)
Cost
Quest Protein bars can be purchased for $9.32 (USD) or $14.97 (CAD) for a four-pack box.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Quest bars healthy for weight loss?
Weight loss depends on your overall pattern of eating. However, Quest bars contain an appropriate amount of calories for most adults to consume between meals as a snack, and the high fat, protein, and fiber content may help you feel more satiated between meals, which can aid in weight loss. However, these bars are highly processed and contain multiple non-caloric sweeteners. We suggest having a whole food snack, such as Greek yogurt, fruit and nuts, as a more satiating and nutritious option to help with your weight loss goals.
Are Quest bars good for muscle gain?
Meeting your daily protein needs is needed for muscle gain. Quest bars provide 20-21g of protein per bar, which can help you meet your protein needs if you are otherwise unable to with whole foods.
How much protein is in Quest bars?
Quest bars contain 20-21g of protein per bar.
Are Quest bars available in Canada?
Yes, Quest bars are readily available in most grocery stores across Canada.
Are Quest bars keto?
Quest bars contain ~10g of net carbohydrate per bar and may not be suitable for a keto diet.
Are Quest bars gluten-free?
Yes, Quest bars are gluten-free. Always check the product label for up-to-date allergen information before consuming.
Are Quest bars nut-free?
No, most flavors of Quest bars contain almonds and some contain peanuts.
Are Quest bars dairy-free?
No, Quest bars use milk protein and are not dairy-free.
Are quest bars vegan?
No, Quest bars contain milk protein and are not vegan.
Quest bar calories
There are 170-200 calories in Quest bars, depending on the flavor.
Quest bar macros
Quest bars contain 5-6g of fat, 21-25g of carbohydrates (~10g net carbs), and 20-21g of protein per bar.
Related Posts
Additional Sources:
- Sugar Alcohols and Polydextrose Used as Sweeteners in Foods. Health Canada (2005). Accessed September 25, 2023.
- O’Donnell, K., & Kearsley, M. W. (2012). Sweeteners and sugar alternatives in food technology (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
- Food Additive Dictionary, Health Canada (2006)
- List of approved Emulfyers, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents, Health Canada (2023).
