Pure Protein Bar Review (2024): R.D.-Tested and Approved

There are a few key factors to evaluate when choosing among the best protein bars: taste (of course), texture, and ingredients. For an affordable price tag, Pure Protein Bars provide a nutritional profile with high protein, low sugar, and minimal artificial ingredients. Bonus: They are available in a variety of flavors that our product testers agree are delicious. 

Our team has tested dozens of protein bars using our supplement testing methodology. In our Pure Protein Bar review, we’ll give you the low down of our personal experience testing these bars. As a registered dietitian, I’ll discuss the nutritional profile and ingredients as well. 

Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine. Individual needs for vitamins and minerals will vary.

Main Takeaways

• With about 20 grams of protein and about 3 grams of sugar per serving, Pure Protein Bars provide a great nutrition profile.
• There are nearly a dozen flavors to choose from, most of which were rated highly by our product testers.
• Pure Protein Bars are very accessible, as they are available online and in most grocery stores

Pure Protein Bar Highlights

Price Per Bar	$1.56 to $1.87
Protein Source	Soy protein isolate, milk protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and whey protein isolate
Protein Per Serving	20 grams
Calories Per Serving	About 200 calories
Available Flavors	Lemon Cake, Birthday Cake, Cookies and Cream, Chewy Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Caramel, Chocolate Salted Caramel, Chocolate Deluxe, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Galactic Brownie, Caramel Churro, Chocolate Mint Cookie

Several people on our BarBend team taste-tested Pure Protein Bars. As a registered dietitian, I can attest that they are convenient ways to add protein to your diet. At around 200 calories per bar, they can be used as a snack, post workout recovery, or as part of a meal replacement, as I would consider this to be one of the best protein bars for weight loss. I like that they are available online but also in most grocery stores, and that they ring up for less than $2 a bar. 

With their high protein and low sugar content, Pure Protein Bars can fit into most meal plans. They are gluten-free, but the label warns that these bars may contain milk, soy, tree nuts, and peanut ingredients.

However, it should be noted that the ingredient list isn’t exactly “clean.” You’ll see ingredients on the label like maltitol syrup, soy lecithin, glycerine, disodium phosphate, and sucralose. Therefore, if you’re looking for an all-natural protein supplement, this wouldn’t be it. 

Using Pure Protein Bars

We personally put Pure Protein Bars to the test, trying almost every available flavor. Here’s what we found.

Taste

There are nearly a dozen flavors available for you to choose from, which means there is essentially something for everyone. In my personal experience, Pure Protein bars taste quite sweet, but also not too rich. Kate Meier, BarBend editorial team member and an NASM-certified personal trainer, gives them a 4 out of 5 for taste. She tried Chocolate Peanut Caramel, Chocolate Mint Cookie, and Chewy Chocolate Chip.

“They aren’t overly protein-flavored like some bars are,” she said, “They taste like dessert.” 

Texture

Pure Protein Bars have a texture that I think most people will enjoy. 

“Texture-wise, these are a lot like candy bars, but they do leave a bit of a chalky residue in your mouth,” Kate says, giving them a 4 out of 5 for texture. Once you get over the chalky residue, the bars are quite chewy and moist and a pleasure to eat. 

[Related: Best Protein Bars for Women]

Formulation

One of the most important considerations for any supplement is its ingredient makeup. As a registered dietitian, I have years of experience digging into products like this. I’d rate the overall formulation of Pure Protein Bars a 4 out of 5. I like how much protein they contain and that you get a healthy dose of carbs, but I don’t love the saturated fat and artificial ingredients.

Protein Content

Each Pure Protein Bars provides around 20 grams of quality protein that comes from a protein blend of soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and milk protein isolate. That’s about the amount of protein per serving I look for in the best protein powders as well, because it means you’re getting a healthy dose of what should be the No. 1 ingredient in a protein supplement. 

Generally, the recommended daily protein intake is between 1 gram of protein per 1 kilogram of bodyweight for minimally active adults, and up to 1.6 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of bodyweight for those who participate in intense physically active intensity. (1) Therefore, if you weigh 200 pounds (about 90 kilograms) and are moderately active, you’d want to consume about 117 grams of protein per day (1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight). 

Therefore, getting 20 grams of protein from a bar like this would account for between 15 and 20 percent of your daily protein intake, which is a great way to make sure you hit those goals.

Carbohydrates and Sugar Content

Depending on the flavor you choose, you’ll find around 20 grams of total carbohydrates in each Pure Protein Bar. This makes it a decent choice for those looking to have a hearty snack and need an energy boost as well. If you need something lower in carbs, check out our list of the best low-carb protein bars.

Since these bars are not made with any types of grains, there is little to no dietary fiber. An upside to that is that the bar should be easy on the stomach after a hard workout.

However, while most of these bars have only a few grams of added sugars, they contain a significant amount of sugar alcohols. Pure Protein uses artificial sweeteners such as maltitol syrup, maltitol, and sucralose. Some studies have shown that consuming a significant amount of maltitol can cause unwelcome side effects such as flatulence, though there isn’t enough medical evidence to determine its long-term effects. (2)

Therefore, if you have sensitivities toward sweeteners, this may not be the bar for you.

Fat Content

Another potential downside to Pure Protein Bars are the fats. These bars are made with fractionated palm kernel oil and canola oil. The American Heart Association recommends that we should eat no more than 5-6% of our daily calories from saturated fats to reduce the risk for high cholesterol and heart disease. (3)  One of these bars includes nearly 20 percent of that recommended daily value.

Micronutrients

When it comes to micronutrients, Pure Protein Bars provide what you would expect: not very much. These bars provide small amounts of sodium, calcium, and potassium since they are designed to be shelf stable and made with milk products. However, you won’t find significant sources of vitamins in these bars.

Other Ingredients

Depending on the flavor, Pure Protein bars sometimes contain hydrolyzed collagen, which is used as a structural component and texturizing agent in food manufacturing. In addition, hydrolyzed collagen has been shown to help reduce the risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis and aid in joint health. (4)

These protein bars are made with synthetic food colorings to give their appealing appearance.  A Meta Analysis on synthetic food dyes published in the UK Pharmaceutical and Biosciences in 2016 suggests that these dyes can be associated with cases of cancer, hyperactivity, and asthma. (5) Therefore, it would be prudent to eat foods with artificial dyes sparingly. If you would like a protein bar with less artificial ingredients, check out our No Cow Protein Bars review. 

What to Consider Before Buying Pure Protein Bars

Before diving right into Pure Protein, there are a few factors to consider. Here are a few items to note:

Price Per Serving

The cost of Pure Protein Bars can vary widely.  We have seen prices as low as $1.56 per bar to as high as $2.19 per bar, just depending on where you purchase them and how many you buy at once. But we agree that these supplements are one of the most budget friendly bars available. Anytime you buy more items at once, you will get a better price per unit. 

In addition, convenient stores and supplement shops may charge a premium compared to big box stores. Pure Protein offers subscription programs and coupons on their website to offset costs for their loyal customers. 

Third-Party Testing

Pure Protein does not list any third party testing on its website. The FDA does not legally require or regulate supplement companies to certify their ingredients. Supplement companies can voluntarily submit their products to be tested by neutral  organizations such as USP, NSF, or cGMP. But, it costs them money.

Therefore, we cannot certify the dosage, purity, or potency of the ingredients of the label.  The many positive reviews on the websites and great nutritional profile of the product does give us confidence that these bars are high quality. We give Pure Protein Bars a 2 out of 5 here. 

Pure Protein Bars Vs. The Competition

How do Pure Protein Bars stack up to their competition?  See below for a comparison so you can make an informed decision about your protein bar of choice. 

	Pure Protein Bars	Legion Protein Bars	Transparent Labs Protein+ Bars
Price Per Serving	~$1.56-1.87	$3-3.33	$3-3.33
Protein Per Serving	~20 grams	20 grams	15 grams
Protein Source	Soy isolate, whey isolate, milk isolate, whey protein concentrate	Whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate,milk protein isolate	Peanut butter, grass fed whey protein isolate
Calories Per Bar	~200 calories	240-250 calories	280 calories
Available Flavors	Lemon Cake, Birthday Cake, Cookies and Cream, Chewy Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Caramel, Chocolate Salted Caramel, Chocolate Deluxe, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Galactic Brownie, Caramel Churro, Chocolate Mint Cookie	Peanut Butter and Jelly, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Blueberry Muffin, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough	Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

Places to Buy Pure Protein Bars

Pure Protein Bars are usually pretty easy to find on Amazon. They can be purchased per bar, in a variety pack, or in bulk. I have historically bought mine as individual bars from a small, regional grocery store. However, these protein bars can be found almost anywhere supplements are sold such as Target, Costco, and CVS. 

Customer Experience

Pure Protein’s website is quite easy to navigate. You can shop by bundles/sampler packs and specific flavors. Once you choose your flavor, you can choose the quantity of bars to purchase. Orders over $85 get shipped free within 1-3 days.  Most ratings on their website are a favorable 4 to 5 stars.

In Conclusion

In general, I think Pure Protein Bars are worth their affordable price tag. They pack a nutritional punch, taste great, and come in a variety of flavors. While there are many benefits to these protein supplements, be sure to consider all aspects of these products.  They do contain some artificial ingredients and potential allergens.

FAQs About Pure Protein Bars

 References

1. Wu G. Dietary protein intake and human health. Food Funct. 2016 Mar;7(3):1251-65. doi: 10.1039/c5fo01530h. PMID: 26797090.
2. Saraiva A, Carrascosa C, Raheem D, Ramos F, Raposo A. Maltitol: Analytical Determination Methods, Applications in the Food Industry, Metabolism and Health Impacts. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jul 20;17(14):5227. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17145227. PMID: 32698373; PMCID: PMC7400077.
3. American Heart Association. (n.d.). Saturated fats. Retrieved July 8, 2024, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/saturated-fats#:~:text=The%20American%20Heart%20Association%20recommends,of%20saturated%20fat%20per%20day.
4. El Khatib, S., Salla, M., Krayem, M., Khaled, S., & Hassan, H. F. (2024). Hydrolyzed collagen: Exploring its applications in the food and beverage industries and assessing its impact on human health – A comprehensive review (Preprint). SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4675640
5. Okafor, S. N., Obonga, W., & Ezeokonkwo, M. A. (2016). Assessment of the health implications of synthetic and natural food colourants – A critical review. UK Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biosciences. Vol. 4(4) 1-11. https://doi.org/10.20510/ukjpb/4/i4/110639