think! Protein Bar Review
think! Protein Bars: Think Again and Avoid This Fake Food (Nutritionist Reacts)The think! line of protein bars is marketed as “Protein-rich. Smart. Delicious. No compromises.”
However, one look at the think! nutritional label shows that there’s more than meets the eye about this product—and not all of it is.
Join us for a complete breakdown of think! Protein Bars.
What Are think! Protein Bars?
think! is a health bar manufacturer that claims to “provide quality ingredients without sacrificing taste,” and features six product lines:
- High Protein Bars
- Vegan High Protein Bars
- Protein+ 150 Calorie Bars
- Keto Protein Bars
- thinkKIDS (a line specially formulated for children 18 months and up)
- Protein and Fiber Oatmeal (a quinoa-oats breakfast cereal blend in individual cups)
The company posits that everything is gluten-free, non-GMO, and free from artificial colors or sweeteners. All adult products contain between 10 and 20 grams of protein per serving, and kids’ bars have 7 grams of protein per serving.
The company’s products are widely available in grocery stores and supermarkets, retailers such as Walmart and Target, and online shops.
think! is one of the top-sellers in the niche, but it’s not without critics.
“I expect a little bit more than 13 grams of protein with a better formulated texture.”
—Hailey Oliviera, USA
think! Protein Bar Nutritional Macros
We’ll be looking at the think! Vegan High Protein Bars in this review, as they’re the only think! product suitable for plant-based diets. The table below displays the macro counts for the three bars from this category.
| Flavor Variety | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Total Fat | Fiber | Total Sugars |
| Sea Salt Almond Chocolate | 230 | 13 grams | 27 grams | 9 grams | 3 grams | 5 grams |
| Chocolate Mint | 230 | 13 grams | 28 grams | 8 grams | 3 grams | 5 grams |
| Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip | 190 | 13 grams | 24 grams | 6 grams | 1 gram | 5 grams |
Let’s explore the benefits and drawbacks of this brand.
Pros and Cons of think! Vegan High Protein Bars
People like think! for its convenience, but fall out of love upon considering these bars’ macros and ingredient list. The table below outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the macros in think! Vegan High Protein Bars.
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The bar's unique formulation can help you cut cravings, lose weight, sleep better, have more energy, regulate digestion, and more. It does this by balancing your gut biome.
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Scroll through the gallery to learn more!
Rating the think! Protein Bars
We gave think! High Protein Bars an overall rating of 2 out of 5. Let’s break that down and show you why we have such a low opinion.
Texture and Taste
One major selling point of think! is that it offers unique flavors. However, this doesn’t extend to the company’s vegan products. You don’t get their unique brownie crunch, lemon delight, or cookies ‘n cream. Instead, there are only three flavors, and they’re all typical protein bar-style—mint chocolate, peanut butter, and almond chocolate. The texture left us wanting more, too. The most common word that came to mind was “chalky. Overall, the taste and texture is okay, deserving an average grade on our scale.
Macros
As shown in the table above, there are both good and bad aspects about the think! Vegan High Protein Bars macro content:
- Protein is non-GMO certified, soy-free, and extracted from peas, pumpkin, and brown rice. The counts in think! tread a fine line where they’re unsuitable for snacking or full meals.
- Carbs aren’t that bad, but there are a lot of them in think! products. Too many for weight loss and too few for bulking up.
- Fat content is relatively low compared to some other protein bars on the market, but the bars contain saturated fats which should have you label-checking and thinking again.
Plant Protein or Fiber Content
This bar prioritizes protein over fiber, but falls short in both regards. Protein isolates in think! bars consist of peas, brown rice, and pumpkin seeds. These are good, soy-free-sources, but in poorly considered quantities. Not to mention, there’s barely any fiber per bar, so we can’t give good marks there either.
Ingredients
Read the ingredients label on any variety of think! Vegan High Protein Bar and two facts become glaringly obvious:
- Sweetener, typically maltitol syrup, is the second ingredient after the protein sources.
- Real foods like nut butter, chocolate, and cocoa butter are somewhere in the middle or toward the end of the list.
Fake food, anyone?
Value
With their dependence on sugar alcohols like maltitol syrup, and processed ingredients like oils and glycerine, we can’t give think! Vegan High Protein Bars a high value rating. Rarely any super-healthy ingredient ever reaches the manufacturing process! Sure, you get a lot of protein in a relatively low-calorie package, but it’s coming from food sources that don’t promote well-being. High-value bars nurture your body, and these fake ingredients don’t.
Low Sugar
Much like our judgment of think! ingredients and value, we can’t give a high rating when it comes to its sugar contents. These bars are low-sugar and free from artificial sweeteners, and instead depend on sugar alcohols for their sweetness. These compounds bother your digestion and can cause conditions like IBS to flare up.
think! Protein Bar vs. Human Food Bar
The situation isn’t looking great for the think! bar. A rating of 2/5 leaves you with a bar to consume sometimes, but not an addition to your daily diet.
That’s where our Human Food Bar enters the picture. We’ve spent years looking into the industry giants, gauging what works and what doesn’t.
Our alternative bar delivers on all fronts, whether you need a post-workout snack or an after-dinner sweetener.
It supplies the right amount of fiber, made of prebiotics and resistant starch, helping your digestive system run smoothly. We also avoid fake food sources, prioritizing natural superfoods like baobab making these bars delightful, with no texture issues.
The table below compares think! to our Human Food Bar across several relevant categories.
| think! Protein Bars | Human Food Bars | |
| Fiber | Low—up to 4 grams per bar | Just the right amount—12 grams per bar, from diverse sources |
| Taste & Texture | Varied tastes but gummy | Solid and crunchy at all temperatures |
| Protein | Derived from peas, rice, and pumpkin | Derived from hemp—packed with minerals and antioxidants |
| Sugar | Low added sugar, contain sugar alcohols | Zero added sugar |
| Superfoods | None | Baobab, tiger nuts, green banana flour |
Your body can only benefit from daily Human Food Bar consumption.
Rethink your choice of think!
think! is something you might have in a rush, but too many fake foods and unhealthy ingredients went into these bars to make them a worthy addition to your diet. You can reap immense benefits from protein bars, but only if you choose the right products—such as the Human Food Bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are think! vegan protein bars meal replacements?
think! high-protein bars are advertised as multi-purpose and are supposed to be energy bombs, workout boosters, and meal replacements.
But, you need at least 18 grams of protein per meal and think! bars fall short. If you’re using these products to replace a missed meal, add a piece of high-fiber fruit and two tablespoons of chunky peanut butter to complete your necessitated protein intake.
What diets are think! Protein Bars suitable for?
The vegan protein bars by think! suit the following dietary preferences:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Kosher
Unlike our Human Food Bar, these products don’t suit low-sugar, low-carb, or lectin-free eaters.
What should I look for in a protein bar?
Besides natural ingredients and good taste, macro contents differentiate good from bad bars. Here’s a brief rundown (you can read the full version in our plant bar buyer’s guide):
- Protein—8–10 grams for snacking, 18–20 grams for meal replacement
- Carbs—2:1 protein to carbs for fat loss, and 1:2 for muscle gain
- Total fat—no saturated or trans fats
- Fiber—a carb-to-fiber ratio of 4:1 or less, from healthy sources
- Total sugars—no more than 6–8 grams of total sugars
The Human Food Bar meets these standards, making it ideal for health-conscious individuals.
Still not sure? Check out these reviews of other fiber rich bars we tested:
