What are keto bars?

Keto Bars. Founded in 2012, Keto Bars was one of the first companies to create protein bars specifically for the keto diet. In addition to being high in fat and low in net carbs, their bars are vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free.

healthline.com - 8 Best Keto-Friendly Protein Bars of 2022 - Healthline

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We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

How we vet brands and products

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process. You’ll often see the number of net carbs highlighted on the packaging — though this value is likely lower than the number of total carbs listed in the nutritional information. Keto-friendly bars like the ones on this list regularly contain fiber and sugar alcohols , which your body can’t fully digest or absorb. Therefore, subtracting the grams of fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbs gives you the number of net (digestible) carbs.

Keep reading for our picks of the 9 best keto-friendly protein bars.

Still, if you look carefully, you can find protein bars that are both keto-friendly and nutritious. Alternatively, you can make them on your own. Even protein bars that meet the keto criteria are not always healthy options. They often contain large amounts of artificial ingredients, additives, and preservatives. However, finding a keto-friendly bar can be difficult — most protein bars are too high in carbs or too low in fat or contain ingredients that don’t fit on a keto diet, such as dairy. If you’re following this diet, protein bars can be a convenient grab-and-go option when you need a quick meal or a filling snack. The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that’s associated with several health benefits, including weight loss ( 1 ). All the keto protein bars on this list are generally sold in multipacks with 8, 12, or 15 items per pack. General price ranges with dollar signs ($–$$) are indicated below. One dollar sign means the product is rather affordable, while two dollar signs indicate a higher price.

When choosing the best keto protein bars, we considered the following factors:

Best high protein

Price: $$

$$ Available flavors: Almond Mocha Crunch, Coconut Rage, Ginger Coconut, Macarooned, Chocolate Mint, Salty Caramel, Pure Joy, Banana Nut, Double Fudge Brownie, Chunky Choco Pecan, Dark & Salty, and Cinnabähn. MariGold Protein Bars are made with just a few ingredients, including whey isolate from grass-fed cow’s milk, cashews, filtered water, chicory root fiber, L-glutamine, grass-fed ghee, organic flavors, coconut oil, stevia extract, salt, and sunflower lecithin. Whey protein is a popular supplement because your body can quickly absorb this type of protein. As a result, it may promote significant increases in strength, muscle mass, and even fat loss ( 2 , 3 , 4 ). MariGold bars are also free of sugar alcohols, which are natural or manufactured carbs that taste sweet yet contain half as many calories as sugar. Some people may wish to avoid sugar alcohols because they may cause digestive distress ( 5 ). Instead, these bars are sweetened with stevia, although a few of the flavors also contain very small amounts of coconut nectar, coconut sugar, and maple syrup.

Here’s the nutrition info for the Salty Caramel flavor (6):

Calories: 226

226 Protein: 22 g

22 g Fat: 12 g

12 g Net carbs: 5 g

5 g Fiber: 6 g

Pros high protein content

wide variety of flavors

free of artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols Cons too-strong stevia flavor, according to some reviews

not vegan-friendly

some flavors high in FODMAPs

Best meat-based

Price: $

$ Available flavors: Chicken BBQ, Beef Barbacoa, Beef Jalapeño, Beef Sea Salt + Pepper, Chicken Sriracha, and Venison Sea Salt + Pepper

EPIC bars are meat-based bars that contain just a handful of ingredients.

For instance, the Venison Sea Salt + Pepper bar is made using grass-fed venison, sea salt, encapsulated lactic acid (not from milk), water, black pepper, cultured celery powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. While these bars are low in net carbs, they’re very high in sodium, providing 600–750 milligrams (mg) of sodium per bar, depending on the flavor. Most other bars on this list contain only 100–200 mg of sodium. Keep in mind that, at time of publish, EPIC offers nine flavors, but only the six listed above are keto-friendly. Here’s the nutrition info for the Venison Sea Salt + Pepper flavor (7):

Calories: 150

150 Protein: 13 g

13 g Fat: 10 g

10 g Net carbs: 0 g

0 g Fiber: 1 g

What our tester says

“These bars are really delicious. I appreciate that they contain real meat and simple ingredients. Because of this, they’re not what you typically expect from a protein bar — they’re more like jerky. My personal favorite is the Venison Sea Salt + Pepper flavor.”

— Healthline writer SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

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Pros very low in net carbs

minimal ingredients

meaty, savory flavors Cons high in sodium

not vegan-friendly

some flavors not keto-friendly

Best allergy-friendly

Price: $$

$$ Available flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond, and Mint Chocolate Founded in 2012, Keto Bars was one of the first companies to create protein bars specifically for the keto diet. In addition to being high in fat and low in net carbs, these bars are vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free. All three flavors have short ingredient lists and are made with a base of unsweetened chocolate, coconut, and nut butter. To keep the bars sugar-free, the brand uses two alternative sweeteners — stevia and erythritol — in place of added sugar. The Mint Chocolate bar contains chocolate, almonds, coconut, non-GMO erythritol, cocoa processed with alkali, water, salt, stevia, and peppermint oil.

Here’s the nutrition info for the Mint Chocolate flavor (8)

Calories: 240

240 Protein: 6 g

6 g Fat: 20 g

20 g Net carbs: 4 g

4 g Fiber: 6 g

Pros vegan-friendly

allergy-friendly Cons contain erythritol, which could cause digestive side effects in some people ( 5 , 9 )

, ) lower in protein

Best organic

Price: $

$ Available flavors: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie Dough, Double Dark Chocolate Cookie Dough, Chocolate Coconut Cookie Dough, Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough, Caramel Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Mint Double Dark Chocolate Cookie Dough BHU’s keto-friendly protein bars have a fudgy texture and are made without any artificial sweeteners or preservatives. As a result, they need to be kept refrigerated. One unique ingredient in these bars is organic tapioca flour, which contains prebiotic fiber. This indigestible fiber helps feed beneficial bacteria in your gut, supporting proper digestion, immune system health, and heart health ( 10 , 11 ). The White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie Dough bar contains the following ingredients: cashews, white chocolate, red palm oil, tapioca fiber, pea protein, macadamia nuts, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, baobab, vanilla, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, monk fruit, and water. Here’s the nutrition info for the White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie Dough flavor (12):

Calories: 250

250 Protein: 11 g

11 g Fat: 20 g

20 g Net carbs: 0 g

0 g Fiber: 11 g

What our tester says

“BHU’s keto bars are some of the best-tasting I’ve tried. They really taste like cookie dough, and they make for a great dessert. But since they’re pretty high in fat, these relatively small bars are pretty high in calories — something to keep in mind if you’re trying to lose weight.”

— Healthline writer SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

Pros USDA organic and non-GMO verified

contain prebiotic fiber for digestive support

available in several flavors

free of artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols Cons require refrigeration

Best vegan

Price: $

$ Available flavors: Lemon Matcha, Toasted Coconut, Crazy Rich Chocolate, Almond Cookie, and Peanut Butter Dang Bars are a great option if you’re following a plant-based keto diet or simply prefer a vegan-friendly snack bar. Many of the ingredients in Dang Bars — such as nuts, pea protein, and chia and sunflower seeds — are instantly recognizable as nutritious and keto-friendly. For example, the Lemon Matcha flavor contains the following ingredients: almonds, chicory root fiber, cocoa butter, pea protein, sunflower seeds, coconut, chia seeds, natural flavors, lemon oil, sunflower lecithin, matcha green tea, citric acid, sea salt, stevia extract, and mixed tocopherols. Plus, these bars contain chicory root fiber, which is an excellent source of gut-healthy prebiotic fiber. However, it’s also high in short-chain carbohydrates called FODMAPs, so these bars may not be the best option for individuals with digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ( 13 , 14 ).

Here’s the nutrition info for the Lemon Matcha flavor (15):

Calories: 210

210 Protein: 9 g

9 g Fat: 15 g

15 g Net carbs: 5 g

5 g Fiber: 6 g

Pros vegan-friendly

contain prebiotic fiber

free of artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols Cons contain FODMAPs, which may not be easily digestible for people with conditions such as IBS

Best high fiber

Price: $–$$

$–$$ Available flavors: Chocolate Sprinkled Donut, Chocolate Sea Salt, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate Salted Caramel, Chocolate Mint Cookie, Cinnamon Roll, Key Lime Pie, and Chocolate Coconut Almond With 11–15 g of fiber per bar, No Cow Dipped Bars have the highest fiber content of all the bars on our list. Consuming enough fiber each day is associated with a number of health benefits ( 10 , 11 ). No Cow Dipped Protein Bars are vegan and keto-friendly bars made using all plant-based ingredients. They’re also certified gluten-free and kosher, soy-free, and Non-GMO Project verified. The Chocolate Sea Salt bar is made using a brown rice and pea protein blend, soluble corn fiber, chocolate coating, glycerine, almonds, palm oil, natural flavors, cocoa powder, salt, water, and a sweetener blend of monk fruit, stevia extract, and erythritol.

Here’s the nutrition info for the Chocolate Sea Salt flavor (16):

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Calories: 200

200 Protein: 20 g

20 g Fat: 7 g

7 g Net carbs: 3 g

3 g Fiber: 15 g

What our tester says

“The taste of these bars wasn’t my favorite, but it also wasn’t terrible. Compared to some of the bars that I prefer the taste of, this one contains more protein and fiber — so it’s a trade-off.”

— Healthline writer SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

Pros vegan

wide variety of flavors

high in protein and fiber

certified gluten-free

non-GMO verified Cons contain erythritol, which may cause digestive side effects in some people ( 5 , 9 )

, ) mixed reviews of taste and texture

Best-tasting

Price: $$

$$ Available flavors: Butter & Salt, Almond Butter Blackberry Jelly, Chocolate Raspberry, Almond Butter, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk, Maple Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt, and Chocolate Mint Keto Krisp offers a unique texture twist: crispy yet still soft and chewy. These bars also come in unique flavors such as Butter & Salt, as well as more traditional flavors such as Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk. All the varieties are gluten-free and sweetened with stevia and erythritol to keep the sugar content low. With the exception of the Butter & Salt flavor (which contains collagen), they’re also plant-based. Keto Krisp bars also contain MCT oil, which may be helpful for weight loss, as well as fiber to promote fullness ( 17 , 18 ).

Here’s the nutrition info for the Butter & Salt flavor (19):

Calories: 240

240 Protein: 10 g

10 g Fat: 19 g

19 g Net carbs: 4 g

4 g Fiber: 9 g

What our tester says

“These protein bars taste more like candy bars than traditional protein bars. They have a crisp, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth texture. “My absolute favorite is the mint chocolate flavor, which tastes like a really fudgy Thin Mint cookie. However, the Butter & Salt flavor is also very good and reminds me of a buttery pastry.”

— Healthline writer SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

Pros gluten-free and low in sugar

unique and classic flavors

good reviews for taste and texture Cons contain erythritol, which may cause digestive side effects in some people ( 5 , 9 )

, ) relatively expensive

Best with probiotics

Price: $$

$$ Available flavors: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, and Peanut Butter Chocolate CORE Foods offers keto bars made with probiotics, which may be beneficial for gut health. They contain the strain Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 6086, which may help your body absorb protein more effectively ( 20 ). However, because they contain live probiotics and no preservatives, these bars should be refrigerated. These bars are also non-GMO, plant-based, and sweetened with allulose and monk fruit extract.

Here’s the nutrition info for the Peanut Butter Chocolate flavor (21):

Calories: 170

170 Protein: 7 g

7 g Fat: 12 g

12 g Net carbs: 3 g

3 g Fiber: 7 g

What our tester says

“I like CORE Keto Bars, especially the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor. They are soft and chewy with some crispy pieces and are not overly sweet.”

— Healthline writer SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

Pros plant-based and gluten-free

contain added probiotics

free of artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols

non-GMO Cons must be refrigerated

Most widely available

Price: $

$ Available flavors: Chocolate Mousse Pie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough These keto-friendly protein bars from think! are available at many grocery store chains, including Walmart, so you can purchase them in person or as part of your regular grocery order rather than needing to order them online. They’re available in dessert-like flavors and are highly rated for taste. They’re also gluten-free and sweetened with erythritol and stevia. However, it’s important to note that these bars are made with milk protein, so they’re not vegan-friendly.

Here’s the nutrition info for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie flavor (22):

Calories: 180

180 Protein: 10 g

10 g Fat: 14 g

14 g Net carbs: 3 g

3 g Fiber: 3 g

What our tester says

“The Chocolate Mousse Pie think! Keto Bar is one of my all-time favorites. I actually brought some on our last vacation to have as my dessert each day. They taste really indulgent — definitely more like a candy bar than a typical protein bar.”

— Healthline writer SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

healthline.com - 8 Best Keto-Friendly Protein Bars of 2022 - Healthline

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