If you’re dead serious about following the keto diet, you know how the wrong types of food can ruin ketosis. After all, nutritional ketosis requires a very low carbohydrate intake of only 50 grams or less per day. This includes both your meals and snacks.
Let’s talk about snacks — keto protein bars in particular. While there are lots of keto-friendly bar options out there that promise amazing deliciousness, unfortunately not all of them support your lifestyle goals. In other words, the number of carbs per serving is just too high to maintain ketosis. Not to mention, they contain a crazy amount of added sugars.
Whether you’re looking for something to curb your hunger at work or around your exercise sessions, you need the right options.
You’re in luck because recently, we’ve searched various protein bars and identified the top 10 that are worth it. We’ve based our list on their macros, ingredients, and more importantly — real feedback from the low-carb community.
Without further ado, here are 10 protein bars that are both keto-friendly and healthy.
1. Quest Protein Bar
Quest Nutrition has been applauded for being one of the tastiest keto protein bars out there. There are lots of protein bars that have a characteristic sugar-alcohol taste that turns you off. (You’ll wish you had a traditional bar for a snack, instead!) But not Quest Nutrition.
While these keto protein bars satisfy you, they won’t raise your blood glucose. They’re chewy and sweetened using erythritol and stevia. Other ingredients include almonds, cocoa butter, and sea salt. Dig in!
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 200 | Net carbs: 4g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g
Price: $29.98 at Quest Nutrition
2. EPIC Venison
Here’s a unique protein source that’s made of 100% grass-fed venison. EPIC’s bars are sure to satisfy your random meat cravings. Venison is a high-quality source of protein and it contains minerals such as zinc, iron, and phosphorus.
You’ll love the texture and flavor. If you’re fond of eating meat jerkies, then these bars will be your new favorite. However, note that while these bars feature venison, they’re not for carnivore dieters since they also contain celery powder, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 150 | Net carbs: 0g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10g
Price: $29.99 at EPIC
3. SlimFast Keto Meal Bar
Instead of a keto-friendly meal, have this meal replacement bar. What we appreciate about SlimFast is that they’ve created these bars with your nutrition in mind. If you check the nutrition label, you’ll find that each bar contains vitamin D, iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and more.
Another ingredient is medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconuts. Research shows that MCTs boost exercise endurance and help decrease weight and inflammation (1).
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 190 | Net carbs: 3g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g
Price: $23.97 at Walmart
4. Kiss My Keto Bars
Craving a protein snack that tastes like dessert? Then try Kiss My Keto’s keto bars. We’ve personally tried these bars before our workouts and yes ― they make for a great fuel source. Ingredients include unsweetened chocolate, egg whites, sea salt, and healthy MCTs.
Aside from enjoying these bars as snacks, you can also use them as an ingredient for homemade chocolate pudding. Melt the bars with coconut butter, microwave, combine with coconut milk mixture (coconut milk + egg), heat, and stir in dissolved gelatin.
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 170 | Net carbs: 4g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g
Price: $35.99 at Kiss My Keto
5. No Cow Protein Bar
These protein bars have been specially made for those who follow a plant-based ketogenic diet. The brand name No Cow says it all. One bar provides you with as much as 22 grams of protein.
They taste as sweet as pie but are surprisingly low-carb and low-sugar. What more can you ask for? Sweeteners used here include erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit — all keto-friendly and have a glycemic index of 0-1.
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 190 | Net carbs: 0g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 4g
Price: $29.99 at No Cow
6. :ratio KETO friendly Bars
Featuring almonds, lemon oil, and pumpkin seeds, :ratio’s bars have a fresh and nutty taste. For every crunchy craving that attacks at midday, these bars are just perfect. Eat one straight out of the pack or crush it and use it as a keto yogurt topping.
The almonds provide healthy fats and antioxidants that boost health and protect you from diseases. Plus these lemon almond bars are gluten-free.
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 220 | Net carbs: 2g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g
Price: $6.88 at Walmart
7. Perfect Keto Bars
What makes Perfect Keto’s keto bars stand out is that they’re made of clean ingredients. They’re free of junk fillers, corn syrup, soy, gluten, and even sugar alcohols. To sweeten each bar, Perfect Keto used stevia — a zero-calorie sweetener that’s sourced from the stevia plant. Studies show that stevia offers an advantage for weight loss (2).
If you love cinnamon rolls, then you’d definitely love these bars. These are great on-the-go snacks that will satisfy you anytime. Plus they contain grass-fed bovine collagen for skin hydration and elasticity (3).
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 220 | Net carbs: 3g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g
Price: $43.99 at Perfect Keto
8. Dang Bars
Dang’s mission is to share their culture for a healthier and more flavorful world. The coconut ingredient in their bars come from farms in Thailand.
Aside from being keto-approved, these toasted coconut bars are vegan, gluten-free, and don’t use sugar alcohols (only stevia as the sweetener). You can also get Dang bars in other flavors like Crazy Rich Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Almond Cookie.
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 210 | Net carbs: 5g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g
Price: $33.20 at Dang Foods Company
9. Grenade Carb Killa High Protein Bars
Created specifically for low-carb dieters, Grenade’s bars are a delicious way to increase your protein intake minus the guilt. If you miss the taste of white chocolate cookies, these bars make for a healthier alternative.
Each bar has only 2 grams of net carbs and a high 22 grams of protein for building or maintaining muscle mass on keto. Take these bars with you for extra energy during hikes and other outdoor activities while staying in ketosis.
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 220 | Net carbs: 2g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 8g
Price: $46.27 at Grenade
10. Bulletproof Collagen Protein Bars
Bulletproof drinks are so popular in the keto community. But you gotta try their collagen protein bars too! Get a delicious break from traditional chocolate bars with this fresh citrus flavor.
These bars are made with clean ingredients such as organic cashew butter, caprylic triglycerides, sea salt, organic lemon oil, and stevia extract. Want an alternative way to enjoy Bulletproof bars? They recommend crumbling a bar onto your ice cream or dessert.
Nutrition per serving (1 bar): Calories: 220 | Net carbs: 9g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g
Price: $32.38 at Bulletproof
Of course, you can always make your own low-carb bars at home with a few ingredients.
But if you’re looking for something that has already been properly formulated to meet your protein needs and the keto community loves, then choose from the best keto protein bars above.
And just because they’re the perfect snacks, doesn’t mean they can’t be eaten instead of a meal. They also work well as a breakfast or lunch meal whenever you’re in a hurry.
References:
- Wang Y, Liu Z, Xu J et al. Medium Chain Triglycerides enhances exercise endurance through the increased mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism. 2018 February 08
- Ashewell M. Stevia, Nature’s Zero-Calorie Sustainable Sweetener. 2015 May 14
- Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J et al. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. 2019 October 17
