Protein bars are a convenient snack option when you’re on the go. But with so many options available, deciding which bar is best for your needs can be a challenge. We’ve reviewed every protein bar on the market so you don’t have to! Continue reading for Sugar-Free Protein Bars you can buy at the grocery store.
Protein Bar Nutrition
We have reviewed every granola/snack bar, protein bar, and energy bar on the market. Based on our review, to qualify as a protein bar, a bar must contain at least 10 grams of protein, less than 250 calories per bar, and/or be labeled as a ‘protein bar’. In this roundup of sugar-free protein bars, we have included protein bars with 0g of sugar and 1g of sugar per bar, as 1g of sugar is considered a trace amount.
Non-Sugar Sweeteners Found in Protein Bars
When looking for a sugar-free protein bar, we need to consider what ingredients are used in place of sugar. All protein bars are flavored with a sweetener of some sort – either sugar or a non-sugar sweetener. Common non-sugar sweeteners in protein bars include sucralose, sugar alcohols, and stevia. Monk fruit, aspartame, and acesulfame-K are used as well but are less common.
Sugar vs. Non-Sugar Sweeteners
Whether or not non-sugar sweeteners are better for you than sugar remains controversial. 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 recommend limiting your intake of both added sugars and non-sugar sweeteners. However, you do not have to avoid either of these ingredients altogether. Put simply, if you choose a sugar-sweetened bar, select one with less added sugar. If you choose a non-sugar sweetened bar, select one with fewer non-sugar sweeteners in the ingredient list, and look for non-sugar sweeteners closer to the end of the ingredient list, as this indicates a lesser amount.
For those who prefer to go the non-sugar route, we’ve rounded up all of the sugar-free bars (with less than 1g of sugar per bar) available at the grocery store below, but be sure to check out our top picks at the bottom of the page before making your decision.
Sugar-Free Protein Bars You Can Buy at the Grocery Store
ChocoRite Protein Bar
ChocoRite protein bar contains 9g of protein and 0g of sugar. It is sweetened with 4g of erythritol (sugar alcohol) and sucralose.
Doctor’s CarbRite Diet Protein Bar
Doctor’s CarbRite bar contains 22g of protein and 0g of sugar. It is sweetened with 19g of maltitol (sugar alcohol).
Think! High Protein Bars
Think! protein bars contain 20g of protein and 0g of sugar. They are sweetened with 11g of maltitol (sugar alcohol).
NoSugar Keto Bar
NoSugar Keto Bars contain 10g of protein and 0g of sugar per bar. They are sweetened with 5g of erythritol (sugar alcohol) and stevia.
Sugar-Free Protein Bars You Can Buy at the Grocery Store
The following protein bars have 1g of sugar per bar:
Atkins Protein Wafer Crisp
Atkins bars contain 11g of protein and 1g of sugar per bar. They are sweetened with sucralose.
One Protein Bar
One Protein bars have 20g of protein and 1g of sugar per bar. They are sweetened with 6g of maltitol (sugar alcohol), and sucralose.
Protein & Co Protein Bar
Protein & Co bars contain 15g of protein and 1g of sugar per bar. They are sweetened with 11g maltitol (sugar alcohol) and stevia.
Quest Protein Bar
Quest bars contain 20-21g of protein and 1g of sugar per bar. They are sweetened with 2-6g of erythritol (sugar alcohol), sucralose, and stevia.
YiFiit Keto Bars
Yofiit bars contain 10g of protein and 1g of sugar per bar. They are sweetened with stevia.
Sugar-Free Protein Bars you Can Buy at the Grocery Store
Convenient Nutrition Keto Wafer Bars
These bars contain 9-10g of protein and 1g of sugar per bar (cocoa cream and coffee cream flavours only). They are sweetened with acesulfame potassium, aspartame, and sucralose.
Grenade Carb Killa Protein Bar
These bars contain 20-23g of protein and 1g of sugar per bar (salted caramel, oreo, and chocolate mint flavours only). They are sweetened with maltitol, xylitol (8-9g of sugar alcohols in total), and stevia.
IQBAR
IQBAR contains 12g of protein and 1g of sugar (chocolate sea salt, peanut butter chocolate chip, almond butter chip, and matcha chai flavours only). They are sweetened with stevia.
Julian Bakery Paleo Thin Bars
Julian Bakery bars contain 20g of protein and 1g of sugar per bar (sunflower butter, chocolate brownie, vanilla cake flavours only). They are sweetened with monk fruit.
Pure Protein Bars
Pure Protein bars contain 20g protein and 1g sugar per bar (chocolate peanut caramel, salted caramel, and chocolate peanut caramel flavours only). They are sweetened with 6-8g of maltitol (sugar alcohol) and sucralose.
What is the best sugar-free protein bar?
We recommend limiting your intake of both added sugars and non-sugar sweeteners. Some sugar-free protein bars contain significant amounts of non-sugar sweeteners and are not necessarily a better choice than their high-sugar counterparts. The best sugar-free protein bars are Yofiit Keto Bars, IQBAR, or Julian Bakery Paleo Thin bars. These bars are sweetened with stevia or monk fruit and likely contain lower levels of sweetener altogether.
Related content:
- Best Protein Bars you can Buy at the Grocery Store
- Protein Bar Comparison Chart
- Dairy Free Protein Bars You Can Buy at the Grocery Store here
