Protein bars are a quick and easy snack that can bridge the gap between meals. Finding vegan protein bars can be hard though as many protein bars contain honey, milk, or whey protein.
Best vegan protein bar picks
Getting enough protein in your regular diet can sometimes be a challenge. When eating any type of diet, it’s important to make sure you hit your daily protein requirements. Vegan protein bars can be an excellent way to do this.
Not only do they contain a good amount of protein, but they typically have a low sugar content as well. We’ve listed some of the best vegan protein bars out there so that you can have an easy time picking the right one for you.
Taking a more detailed look into these protein bars
This organic protein bar is gluten-free and vegan. The protein comes from brown rice protein and pumpkin seeds. This gives 14g of protein and 6 to 10 grams of fiber for each bar. These bars are also good for heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. This can help to increase HDL and reduce blood sugar levels for those with type 2 diabetes. These bars come in a huge variety of different flavors including chocolate mint, vanilla almond crunch, and caramel sea salt. With only 5g of sugar, there’s not much to dislike in these bars. The only potential issue here is that they do contain peanuts.
These lemon-flavored protein bars are made from completely sustainable ingredients. They use hemp seeds from family farms in Colorado, so they’re supporting local communities and have a low carbon footprint. Each bar contains 12g of protein (there is also brown rice protein). With just 4g of sugar, they’re low sugar content too. They are, however, on the pricier side compared to some of the other vegan protein bars out there.
These protein bars are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. Each bar from this brand contains 15g of protein. This is created from a mix of brown rice protein and fava beans. The bars have from 210 to 230 calories each with 11 to 13 grams of fiber. Even though they also have sugar, this is less than 10 g. Many happy users say that this tastes like a candy bar, which is not always preferred by everyone. Additionally, the brand does say that the bars are manufactured on wheat and soy processing equipment so be aware of this. Finally, they are sweetened with allulose which, while it’s a safe sugar substitute, has been known to cause digestive issues for some.
These protein bars are made from brown rice protein and peas. On top of that, these bars contain a list of healthy foods including shredded coconut, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, and dates. As such, they’re really good for anyone who wants a healthy snack. Additionally, these bars are gluten-free, and do not contain peanuts, dairy, sesame, or soy. Each serving has 15g of protein and 220 calories. The only downside is that they don’t have a high fiber content at just 4 to 6g of fiber. They do contain 9g of sugar, which is on the high side. However, all of this sugar is not added. Instead, it comes from naturally sweet dates.
This is a great bar when it comes to high protein and low sugar content. R.E.D.D has 15g of fiber and 10g of protein in each of the bars. Additionally, the bars include a blend of probiotics as well as maca and turmeric. On top of that, there are also superfoods including acai, goji berry, and mushrooms including chaga, reishi, and cordyceps. Finally, there’s only 2g of sugar in each bar. They also come with in wide range of different flavors. These include mint chocolate and oatmeal. However, they are some of the more expensive protein bars.
This protein bar uses protein from peas and brown rice. It has around 270 calories and 2 to 4 grams of fiber with 10 to 12 grams of protein. Brown rice is an excellent source of the amino acids that need to be obtained from food. It’s also great for promoting muscle gain.
This brand also comes in a wide array of different flavors ranging from almond butter to lemon, blueberry, and cashew to name a few. However, the biggest downside here is that they do have sugar and a lot of it. Depending on the flavor, there is anywhere from 9 to 12g of sugar. Not everyone will be put off by this though.
Evo Hemp has a wide array of hemp-based products. All the protein bars are made of sustainable ingredients. Importantly, there is protein from both hemp and brown rice protein. All the ingredients are locally sourced for added sustainability. In fact, the hemp comes from small, family-run farms in Colorado. Each of these bars has around 12g of protein and 4g of sugar, which means they have a low sugar content. They are a little bit expensive though in comparison to some of the other brands. You can choose from an array of different flavors such as Brownie Chip, Birthday Cake, and Cookie Dough.
Unlike the other protein bars, this bar is made from pea protein isolate. Because of this, there’s a high protein dose of 15g per bar. Depending on the flavor you choose, you can get anywhere from 1 to 3 grams of fiber as well. Each bar has four to five key ingredients (though these do differ depending on the flavor). Additionally, this bar is a great source of potassium, which is important for managing blood sugar levels and supporting a healthy heart. Be careful when choosing your bar though. Most of them are vegan, but this brand does offer a few lines with whey protein and honey. Simply make sure you’re grabbing a vegan bar before you buy.
The No Cow protein bar is made from brown rice and peas. These bars have a high protein content of 20 to 22 grams per bar. Additionally, they have an average calorie count of 190 to 210 per bar. If that wasn’t enough in their favor, these bars also have only 1 gram of sugar. They come in an array of fun flavors too including birthday cake, s’mores, lemon meringue pie, and maple.
Which bars have the most protein in?
The No Cow Protein bar has the most protein. Each bar contains anything from 20 to 22g of protein. This is the highest value of the protein bars listed here. Some of the other vegan protein bars, such as Rise Pea Protein bar, AMRITA, and good!, all have 15g of protein per bar as well. You can always check the protein content of each bar before you purchase.
Types of vegan protein bar sources
Vegan protein bars get their protein from a number of different sources. One of the most common is brown rice combined with pea protein. Other sources of protein include hemp and soy.
Are vegan protein bars healthy?
Yes, they are. They’re a good source of protein for vegans. The best ones have a high protein content and a low sugar content. Additionally, some of the more healthy bars also contain superfoods, which help to make them even more of a healthy snack.
For instance, many of them contain dried fruits, grains, and seeds, such as goji berries, oats, quinoa, chia, sunflower, and flax. Many come with natural sugars from ingredients such as dates and peas, which also contain fiber, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants, all of which are very healthy for you.
What to look for in vegan protein bars
When you look for a vegan protein bar, the first thing to check are the ingredients. Typically, protein bars are made from dairy proteins such as casein and whey. These are not suitable for vegans. Additionally, protein bars often contain additional ingredients such as honey, which also can’t be consumed by vegans.
Instead, you should be looking for protein bars that contain plant-based protein sources such as soy, brown rice, and pea. If you have allergies, many protein bars (both vegan and non-vegan) do contain nuts, so it’s worth being aware of this fact.
Another very important factor when choosing a vegan protein bar is how much protein each one contains. Some protein bars contain more protein than others, which can make a difference to which one you choose. Additionally, protein bars have varying amounts of sugar, which is something you may wish to avoid if you’re trying to stay healthy.
How much protein do you need a day?
The majority of adults need at least 0.75g of protein per kg of body weight each day. For most women, this is around 45g whereas for men this is as much as 55g. Vegans need to make sure that they boost this amount as they typically won’t get as much protein in their diet as an omnivore.
How we chose the best protein bar
When we looked at the top vegan protein bars, there were a number of different factors that we considered before listing our top options.
First, we made sure that all the vegan protein bars listed were exactly that — vegan. This meant we carefully checked the ingredients for each bar to ensure there were no surprise ingredients like honey (Rise Pea protein bar is our main culprit).
We also made sure to check the levels of protein in each of the options. We’ve provided a range of options so that you can choose higher protein concentrations as well as lower ones. This is also the case when it comes to the sugar level contained in the various bars with some containing more than others.
Finally, we also looked to see how sustainable each bar was. And, whether they offered environmentally friendly packaging and the ability to reduce your carbon footprint.
Summary
If you’re looking for a healthy snack between meals, then a vegan protein bar is a good option. Not only do they contain high levels of protein, but they’re also tasty and come in a range of different flavors. Many come with added health benefits too, due to being packed with different superfoods to boost your health.
So, why not take a look at the different vegan protein bars available and grab a healthy snack today!