Find the right keto bar for you

Whether you’re looking for an easy way to stay in ketosis while on the go, trying to lose weight, or want a tasty, guilt-free snack, protein bars can be a great addition to the keto diet.

However, finding a good keto-friendly protein bar is not easy.

There are dozens to choose from, and from low-carb to high-protein to meat (??) to collagen bars, there’s lots to wade through–and plenty of hype.

Despite marketing claims, most well-known protein bars that claim to be keto-friendly are not. How did this happen? They have a bar initially designed for the low-carb diet that they are trying to sell to us keto dieters.

Such bars are usually not high in fat. We keto dieters need to indulge in fat every chance we get, am I right?

Moreover, even bars that have keto-friendly macros are often Fake Food that could harm your health.

But don’t worry, I’ve got you!

Read on to learn which keto bars taste great and are actually healthy.

The Ugly Truth About Low-Carb Protein Bars

The vast majority of popular low-carb protein bars are not fit for the keto diet. They just don’t have enough fat.

But that doesn’t stop the brands from trying to market to us keto dieters!

Higher-than-advertised net carb counts, sugar alcohols, low-quality protein, synthetic fibers, inadequate fat, preservatives, and poor taste and texture make them unhealthy–and unappealing.

I’ve included some of those bars in this article in case you happen to be considering them, not because I recommend them.

Beyond Macros and Net Carb Counts

In this post I am going to go beyond macros and net carb counts and show you keto-friendly protein bars that are nutrient dense, nourishing and delicious – healthy options that you can safely eat as often as every day.

I’m talking about bars that include superfood fats (MCT’s and Omega 3’s), grass-fed whey protein and natural fiber–and exclude sugar alcohols, GMOs, preservatives and other disgusting synthetic ingredients. All while tasting incredible.

The Good, the Bad, and the Hideous

My research included venturing deep into the underworld of low-carb protein bars, looking at best sellers on Amazon, and in the aisles of Whole Foods, Costco, Target and Walmart.

A lot of what I found was Fake Food that disgusted me, and I’m not going to be shy about my criticism (I hope my rant against Quest Bars does not get me into trouble!).

The good news? I also found some fantastic options that I am delighted to share with you. Get one of my top three and you’ll be happy.

My Method for Rating Keto Bars

The Internet is littered with articles reviewing various keto bars and not a single one uses a compelling framework for rating them objectively.

In the comparison chart below you will see that I have done just that, evaluating eight key attributes that translate into a five star rating scale.

In addition to ingredients, macros and nutrient density, I looked at Amazon reviews as a proxy for taste and quality, assuming that anything that got over four stars likely will please the majority of people.

Naturally, I still prefer my own creation, Human Food Bar , which I launched in March 2023, long after this article was written. I’ve included it on the chart so you so you can see how it compares. 

Let’s dive in!

One of the most popular brands on the market, Perfect Keto bars are an excellent choice if you like nut butters and don’t require high protein content. They still pack 10 grams, and some of it is from Grass Fed Collagen (loaded Conjugated Linoleic Acid, and more). But, that’s only about half of what most other bars have.

If you like lots of fat these bars are for you. They have a higher percentage of fat calories than most other bars, and have MCTs. But, most of the fat is still from nut butter, which is not as nutritious as other fats.

Hand crafted in small batches and made with love, MariGold Bars look and taste like they came from your own kitchen.

They’re the only bar that got a perfect score, easily earning 5 stars.

Their unique recipes, delicious taste and commitment to healthy, clean ingredients have earned them a passionate and loyal following.

I recommend that newbies start with the Very Low Keto Pack, which is a sampler containing Coconut Rage, Ginger Pecan Spice, Choco Pecan and Dark & Salty, my personal favorite. 

With the great sucess of Bullet Proof coffee, it’s tempting to believe that these bars must have something special going on. Loaded with grass-fed collagen and added MCT oil, they’re nutrient dense.

However, they only have 5g of fiber and lots of cashews, leaving them with a relatively high net carb count of 11g that could easily kick you out of ketosis.

Taste is always somewhat subjective, but with 3.5 stars on Amazon, there are plenty of people who are just not that into Bulletproof Collagen bars. These are definitely not the most keto-friendly protein bars. Unless you’re extra hot for collagen and MCTs, you can do better.

Julian Bakery is a rather unusual brand that has come up with some odd products over the years, including some of the first meat bars. They seem to miss on taste and texture most of the time, and this low-carb protein bar is no exception.

It’s basically just a hunk of grass-fed whey protein with a ton of tapioca starch. And I do mean a ton: there’s 18g of resistant fiber in this modest 130 calorie bar. If you can tolerate 18g of tapioca starch without getting a stomach ache, it’s possible that this bar could be good for your gut bacteria (they feed off resistant starch). 

The super low net carb count may make this seem like an excellent option for keto, but it’s sorely lacking in fat which means you’re going to be left hungry. Like their other products, I don’t really understand Julian Bakery Protein Bars.

Let me be honest: there’s no low-carb protein bar I hate more than Quest Bars. It’s the perception that they’re a healthy choice that bothers me the most. In fact, Quest Bars are very unhealthy. 

If you’re trying to eat well, the fact that they can be microwaved and then successfully reconstituted into cupcakes, cookies and crepes tells you everything you need to know.

I still included them in my list of the top 10 keto bars because, due to Quest Nutrition’s marketing prowess, they’re extremely popular and I know people are wondering about them.

I think folks should be educated about why they’re a bad choice for keto (and for any diet, for that matter).

There’s a wide misconception that Quest Bars are keto-friendly because of their purported low net carb count.

It’s actually higher than advertised because they’re sweetened exclusively with sugar alcohols, which are NOT completely indigestible, as claimed. Your body still absorbs some of them as carbs.

This misleading marketing lead to Quest Nutrition being sued, and losing. 

The other reason Quest Bars are a very poor choice for keto is that they have inadequate fat. Only about 30% of their calories are from fat, and some or all of it is usually palm oil. They’re also loaded with artificial ingredients.

Now, I will concede that Quest Nutrition has made some strides towards making more nutritious low-carb protein bars in recent years.

But there’s still no good reason to make them your go-to keto bar unless you just can’t afford the real deal. If you must, slather a bunch of coconut oil or butter on, because they just don’t have enough fat.

Right when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I came across One Bars, the worst low-carb bars availabe. Fittingly for it’s name, the One Bar gets just a single star.

One look at the inside of this bar and you can immediately tell this is not going to be good for you. Popular flavors include Glazed Donut and Birthday Cake. Who eats these things?!

They contain isomolto-olligosacharides (ISO), the fake and misleading fiber that Quest Bars got sued over. One of the many problems with ISO is that it’s partially digestible, increasing net carbs. One Bars also contain Carnauba Wax, which is what I use to polish my car (no, really).

I included them here because, despite their inferiority, they’re selling well on Amazon and anyone in the market for a keto-friendly protein bar could come across them.

Sadly, taste and price alone are enough to earn bars high ratings on Amazon. The problem is that the people these bars are being marketed to are trying to be healthy. Beware, keto friends: these could be the unhealthiest bars money can buy.