How to Pick the Healthiest Protein Bars (Recipes You Should Try)

Energy Protein bars are necessary for many athletes and fitness fanatics, but they can be expensive and lacking in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Include these five meals in your diet for major energy-boosting advantages.

If you look at the ingredients list on the package of many protein bars, it appears like it belongs in a laboratory experiment. Make these homemade protein bars in your own kitchen instead of sending extra -ols and isolates to the lab. These delectable snacks are high in protein (rather than sugar!) and will provide you with hours of energy without the mid-afternoon sugar crash.

How to Pick the Healthiest Protein Bars

Examine the protein

Aim for at least 10 grams of protein (that's more than an egg!) to help muscles rebuild and recover after a workout.

Look at the Sugars

With tastes like chocolate chip cookie dough and salted caramel, many protein bars blur the line between dessert and protein. Most just indicate total sugar, so check the ingredient list for extra sweeteners like sugar and honey (ones like dates are fine). Choose a bar weighing less than 18 grams if you see them. If there are no extra sweeteners, you should be fine.

Calorie decoding

There is a large range of bars available, with calories ranging from 100 to 400 or more. Snack on 200-calorie bars or fewer, but if you're substituting a meal, go up to 350 calories.

Related: Simply Develop a Healthy Habit to Transform Your Daily Life

Here are some easy & quick Energy bar recipes which you can try at home:

1. Almonds & Cranberry Homemade Protein Bars

Nuts and berries have the best antioxidant levels and healthy fiber content. This is a basic protein bar recipe that calls for honey (a natural sweetener and binding agent), cranberries, and almonds. A delicious snack high in healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E. To give a subtle flavor, you can also use vanilla extract.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown rice syrup

2 tbsp honey

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 cups almonds

2/3 cup rice cereal (puffed)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Quick Check: Total time required to make this protein bar at home is 30 minutes. The recipe makes 8 bars, each of which has 13g of Protein, 3g of Fibre, and approx. 150 calories.

2. Sunflower power bar

Best for: Energy-lifting, antioxidant-rich, immunity-improving

Makes 24 bars 188kcals | 3g sat fat | 6g sugar

Ingredients:

135g hazelnuts, 135g almonds, 50g sunflower seeds, 70g rolled oats, 5 medjool dates (pitted, soaked) 70g Brazil nuts, 55g pumpkin seeds, 55g sesame seeds, 2 tbsp tahini, 2 tbsp quinoa puffs (£2.99 for 150g, hodmedods.co.uk),

3 tbsp coconut oil, 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp maca powder, 90g goji berries

Set the oven to 100C. Put the hazelnuts and almonds in the oven for 2 mins, adding the sunflower seeds midway. Blitz the oats, dates,

nuts and seeds in a food processor. Add to a bowl with the other ingredients. Mix by hand, then press onto a tray. Freeze for 1 hr.

The best bit: Goji berries are rich in vitamins A and C, vital for building immunity.

3. Homemade granola bars

These bars are packed with all kinds of good stuff, yet it all comes together in a delectable blend of flavors and textures.

Almonds offer protein and crunch, cranberries and raisins add sweetness and chewiness, and chocolate chips bring the party. Toasting the oats may appear unnecessary, but it enhances their flavor and makes them somewhat crunchy.

4. Sweet Potato Protein Bar

Nutrition: 184 calories, 7.4 fat, 1.9 sat fat, 17.2 carbs, 1.7 fiber, 9.9 sugars, 13.3 g protein

Sweet potatoes make an unexpected—but delicious—appearance in this protein bar recipe, giving these bars their wonderful orange tint and giving you a generous amount of vitamin A, a nutrient that aids in immune function, vision, reproduction, and cellular communication.

5. German Chocolate Protein Bars

Nutrition: 230 calories, 11 g fat, 29 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 14 g sugars, 8 g protein

This decadent protein bar is a guaranteed winner. Rich dark chocolate, shredded coconut, and naturally sweet Medjool dates mend together so wonderfully, you'll have a hard time stopping once you dig in!

6. Chewy raspberry apple granola bars

For anyone with nut allergies, this recipe is a total win. The oats pack in tons of fiber, raspberries boast a serious zing, and coconut oil adds a subtle tropical note.

Ready in only three steps, the only labor you have to put in is stirring. Doesn’t get easier than that. Now if only the bowl cleaned itself.

7. Dates & Nuts Oatmeal Energy Bar

These are no-bake protein bars made from a rich decadence of Dates, Nuts, and Oatmeal. These protein bars require no flour or butter. But, Peanut butter is added as a healthy supplement. To add a sweet taste, you can use natural ingredients such as honey. The best way of consuming these protein bars is with a cup of milk during breakfast or simply as an evening snack. Dates & Nuts used in the recipe lowers cholesterol, improves bone health, and is a source of proteins & vital vitamins.

This quick and easy energy bar recipe will keep you full and energized all day long. It’s filled with wholesome ingredients and will taste like heaven!

Quick Check: 1 serving of this protein bar has 20g of Proteins, 23g Carbs, 7g Fats, and 16g Fibre.

8. Fuel-to-go homemade protein bars

With four varieties of seeds, two different berries, and some crisped rice, these bars pack a lot of flavor into a small package.

They come together the same way as traditional Rice Krispies Treats, but with peanut butter rather than marshmallows — a much better choice for protein bars (as much as we love marshmallows).

What qualifies a protein bar as "healthy"?

If you want to achieve your fitness goals, you should consider eating high protein bars. While it may appear to be beneficial, most protein bars on the market are high in sugar alcohols or saturated fat and low in fiber.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, registered dietitian and owner of Toby Amidor Nutrition, tells Eat This, Not That! The key to choosing a clean and healthy protein bar is to "To keep you satisfied, look for a good balance of healthy fat, protein, and fiber. Choose a protein bar with 200 to 400 calories per serving and up to 20 grams of protein."

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