The ketogenic diet involves a very low-carb, high-fat intake that comes with several potential health benefits, such as weight loss.
Keto dieters also need a quick meal or filling snack. That said, protein bars can be a great grab-and-go option. However, it can be challenging to find a keto-friendly bar because most protein bars are either too low in fat or too high in carbs.
Plus, even low-carb, fat-rich protein bars are not always healthy; they often hold large amounts of artificial ingredients, preservatives, and additives.
Still, there are both keto-approved and nutritious protein bars for keto dieters out there—store-bought or homemade.
So here are 11 yummy keto protein bars to try.
1. MariGold Protein Bars
Known for their homemade taste and texture, MariGold protein bars have seven different flavors, with each bar offering an impressive 20–21 grams of protein, 16–18 grams of fat, 5–8 grams of fiber, and 2–3 grams of net carbs.
Made with a few ingredients, including grass-fed whey protein powder, MariGold protein bars may promote fat loss and significant increases in muscle mass and strength.
They are also free from sugar alcohols, which are manufactured carbs that can sometimes cause digestive distress. They are sweetened with zero-calorie, natural sugar alternatives, such as monk fruit extract, stevia, or a combination of the two.
Moreover, some of these bars contain low short-chain, indigestible carbs called FODMAPs, which may cause constipation, bloating, and other digestive side effects.
Marigold bars are available online and in supermarkets.
2. Perfect Keto Bars
Specifically formulated for keto dieters, perfect keto bars come in five flavors, including chocolate chip cookie dough, cinnamon roll, and salted caramel.
Each bar provides 2–3 net carbs, along with 11 grams of protein and ~ 17 grams of fat.
Protein bars like these typically hold fiber and sugar alcohols, which your body can’t efficiently digest and absorb.
You can get the number of net (digestible) carbs, which is highlighted on the packaging, by subtracting the grams of fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbs.
Perfect keto bars are made with a short ingredient list, including cocoa butter, almond butter, cashews, tapioca fiber, grass-fed collagen, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, and stevia.
The fatty acids in MCT oil have been found to promote weight loss by reducing body fat and improve exercise performance. Further research is, however, necessary.
Perfect Keto bars are available online and in your local health food or supplement store.
3. Primal Kitchen Protein Bars
Primal kitchen protein bars come with five flavors made with coconut oil, egg whites, nuts, and various spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.
These keto-friendly protein bars are sweetened with monk fruit extract and a touch of honey.
Many primal kitchen protein bars also contain flax seeds, which are packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are important for your immune system, heart, and brain. It may also help reduce inflammation.
Each bar carries ~ 200 calories, 4 grams of net carbs, 8–9 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, 16 grams of fat, and 2 grams of sugar.
These are also available online or at your local supermarket.
4. Homemade Low-carb Protein Bars
If you want to enjoy the craft of making your own foods or you want to carefully control the ingredients of your snack, then homemade low-carb protein bars are a great option.
These bars are packed with almond butter, almonds, pecans, and other whole ingredients. Each bar carries only 4 grams of net carbs and a whopping 28 grams of fat.
Research has shown that consuming nuts regularly may help reduce chronic inflammation and aid weight loss.
5. DNX Bars
DNX bars are made from free-range chicken or grass-fed beef or bison.
Free from added sugars, these bars are made with egg whites, nuts, seeds, dates, dehydrated vegetables, and spices.
DNX bars boast sacha inchi oil, which is rich in vitamin A, calcium, and essential omega-3 fatty acids.
What’s more, they offer comparable amounts of nutrients, e.g., a bar made from grass-fed beef, jalapeños, and uncured bacon carries 140 calories, 1 gram of sugar, 9 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein, and 1 gram of net carbs.
If you can’t find DNX bars locally, check them out online.
6. Keto Bars
Keto bars are specifically created for those following the keto diet. These high-fat, low-carb bars are soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
They come in four flavors made with nut butter, coconut, and a base of unsweetened chocolate.
Keto bars are sugar-free, as they use alternative keto-approved sweeteners—erythritol and stevia.
Although erythritol naturally occurs in some fermented foods, like wine, and fruits, like grapes, it can also be manufactured.
This sugar alcohol may seem to be very safe, but one study found that 50-gram erythritol consumption caused digestive side effects, such as stomach discomfort and nausea.
But keto bars are unlikely to cause these side effects as they only contain 5 grams of erythritol. They might slightly vary in macronutrient content and calorie count, but they generally provide around 230 calories, 3 grams of net carbs, 6 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber, and 20 grams of fat.
Like other yummy keto protein bars, keto bars are available online and in some supermarkets.
7. Atlas Protein Bars
Atlas protein bars come in a cookie dough consistency and 6 dessert-inspired flavors.
Offering ~ 200 calories, 5 grams of net carbs, 15 grams of protein, and 11 grams of fat each, Atlas is not made with any artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. Each bar is lightly sweetened with a natural, zero-calorie sweetener monk fruit extract.
Atlas protein bars contain two herbs considered to be adaptogens—maca root powder and ashwagandha extract—which have been found to potentially help ease anxiety, manage stress, and boost energy levels.
The bars are available online or at your local health food market or grocery store.
8. BHU Keto Bars
Made without any preservatives or artificial sweeteners, BHU’s keto-friendly protein bars need to be kept in the fridge.
These bars come in five flavors with a fudgy texture. They may vary in nutrient content, but they generally provide 200–270 calories, 2–3 grams of net carbs, 8–11 grams of protein, 9–12 grams of fiber, and an impressive 15–18 grams of fat.
These bars contain organic tapioca flour, which has prebiotic fiber—a non-digestible fiber that helps feed beneficial bacteria in your gut, resulting in a strong immune system, proper digestion, and healthy heart.
BHU keto bars are available online and in some stores.
9. Dang Bars
Dang bars are made with nutritious and keto-friendly ingredients, including pea protein, nuts, and sunflower and chia seeds, with each providing 14–16 grams of fat, 9–10 grams of protein, and 4–5 grams of net carbs.
Dang’s products are notably vegan, containing chicory root fiber—a great source of gut-healthy prebiotic fiber.
However, some people may not tolerate Dang bars particularly well as they’re also high in FODMAPs.
Dang bars are also available for purchase online or locally.
10. Homemade No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Homemade no-bake peanut butter bars made with monk fruit syrup are a great option for keto dieters who love peanut butter cups.
It only takes < 10 minutes to make this delicious treat. You just need these five low-carb ingredients: peanut butter, a protein powder of your choice, a sticky keto-approved sweetener of your choice, coconut flour, and chocolate chips.
You can have this as your keto recipe for dessert or keto recipe for breakfast.
11. Keto Crave Energy Bar
Keto crave energy bar provides 5 grams of net carbs, 9 grams protein, and 16 grams of fat.
In addition, they contain MCT oil, which is more satiating than vegetable oil, making you feel full even when you consume less.
Choose a Healthy Keto Protein Bar
A ketogenic diet has several different versions, but the most popular one involves consuming no more than 10% of your daily calories from carbs, 20% from protein, and at least 70% from fat.
So when choosing a keto protein bar, you might want to stick to this macronutrient breakdown as closely as possible.
Avoid bars with a long list of unfamiliar ingredients, including preservatives or artificial sweeteners, as they indicate that the bar is highly processed. Well, except for sucralose sweeteners which are keto-friendly.
Consuming highly processed foods are linked to an increased risk of chronic illnesses, including obesity, heart disease, and cancer.
So you better choose bars that are made from real foods, including natural sweeteners, seeds, nuts, healthy oils (e.g., avocado oil and MCT oil), and spices.
Conclusion
Although there are numerous low-carb, high-fat protein bars that keto dieters can still enjoy between meals, looking for bars packed with a decent amount of healthy fats, fiber, protein, and other nutritious ingredients is very essential.
