7 criteria when choosing a quality protein bar

When we recently created our ranking of the best protein bars, we found that there were so many different products available on the market that we had no idea how many differentto try them all to make our ranking as objective as possible. So we'll be honest and admit that we didn't try all the bars, but only the ones that caught our eye because of their price, ingredients, taste or popularity.

However, in this article we will give you a universal guide on how to determine whether a protein bar is of good quality or not.

1. Simple sugars content

Simple sugars content is an absolutely pivotal, simple and accurate indicator of a quality bar. While the higher quality products in our rankings contain no more than 5g of simple sugars, the lower quality ones can contain up to five times as much.

If a protein bar contains that much carbohydrate, it's best to avoid it altogether, because as we mentioned in our article on the dangers of sugarthis "white killer" can impair memory, cause osteoporosis and, according to some findings even cancer.

2. Carbohydrate to protein ratio

The ratio of carbohydrates to protein is also an important criterion when choosing a protein bar. If the product you choose has significantly more carbohydrates than protein, you are likely to comparecompared to conventional supermarket bars, you won't be much better off and they are completely unsuitable for your diet.

The most ideal ratio is 2:1 in favour of protein, but a 1:1 ratio is still acceptable. It should be noted here, however, that not many products achieve this ideal composition.

3. Total calories

Another important criterion is the total calorie content of the protein bar, as itsome lower quality bars can have energy values as high as a hearty lunch. And it's probably clear that in both diet and volume, you should always give preference to a quality meal.

As for the optimal caloric value of a protein bar, it should not exceed 300 kcal.

4. The ingredients used

If you want to delve deeper into buying protein bars, it's a good idea to look at the overall ingredients. Just because you see simple sugars in the nutritional table is not very indicative, as even healthy sugar alternatives contain sugar in many cases.

The composition of the Essential Pure Bar, which dominated our test with ease, can be considered to be absolutely ideal. In it you will find almond butter, soluble fibre and the best possible protein.

5. The price of a protein bar

It is clear that we usually try to save on things. Even in the case of protein bars, it doesn't hurt, but let's face it, cheaper bars very often use low quality ingredients.

Therefore, it is worth noting that it is better to treat yourself from time to time to high-quality (and thusthan to gorge on cheaper ones every day.

6. Palm fat content

Palm oil is a very controversial food in itself. Although it is commonly found in various supermarket bars, the protein bars we pay many times more and should therefore expect to see the corresponding quality. Palm oil has absolutely no place there.

7. Proteins represented

The last, but no less important criterion, is the source of protein. The protein component should consist primarily of whey protein, milk protein, micellar caseins and possibly egg albumin. On the other hand, hydrolysed collagen, calcium caseinate or all vegetable protein sources are completely inappropriate.

In conclusion, perhaps the only thing left to say is that if you decide to buy a protein bar, it should meet the above criteria. After all, protein bars are not a very cheap affair, so there is no point in throwing money away on poor quality ones that are basically the same as the ones from the supermarket.

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If you have any questions about today's article or protein bars in general, feel free to ask in the comments, we'll be happy to answer.