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Dr. Jennifer Hughes, MD
Medical Reviewer
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Whether you’re an athlete, a busy student, or simply need a quick afternoon bite, many people are looking for tasty yet nutritious protein bars.
Unfortunately, many snack bars on the market are laden with sugar, artificial sweeteners or flavors, and iffy ingredients.
The list dwindles even further if you have dietary restrictions, like being gluten-free.
That’s why we’ve come up with a list of the top ten best gluten-free protein bars that also happen to be delicious and made with healthy ingredients.
With these convenient bars at your disposal, you’ll never be caught snack-free and “hangry” again.
One of the best-tasting gluten-free snack bar options is GoMacro.
GoMacro Bars are Certified Gluten-Free, as well as organic, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO.
Two standout bars in terms of taste are their Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip protein bar and the Lemon + Lemon, both of which contain:
GoMacro bars are on the higher end of the added sugar we’d like to see, so keep that in mind when choosing these bars as a snack.
RXBARs are a healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free protein bar option with just a handful of minimally processed and natural ingredients.
While you might recognize their simple packaging that boasts their ingredients on the front with a cheeky “No B.S.” tagline, the bars also contain a few extra ingredients that can be viewed on the back.
Some RXBAR fan favorites are Peanut Butter and Chocolate Sea Salt, which contain:
Keep in mind that while RXBARS do not use gluten-containing ingredients—for example, they use gluten-free oats—the bars are not Certified Gluten-Free because they are made in a facility that also produces wheat-containing products.
No Cow bars are high in plant-based protein—21 grams per bar!—and low in sugar and carbohydrates.
If you’re following a dairy-free keto diet, No Cow bars might be the right fit for you, especially the tasty Dipped Chocolate Salted Caramel or Sprinkled Donut bars.
The vegan protein in these gluten-free bars comes from a combination of brown rice and pea protein, adding up to:
With three flavors—Dark Chocolate Almond, Peanut Butter Chocolate, and Lemon Almond—Simply Protein bars are gluten-free and high in plant-based protein.
Each bar contains:
Like GoMacro, Perfect Bars are a tasty protein bar that is a bit higher on the sugar side.
The original Perfect Bar is the Peanut Butter flavor, with other favorites being Salted Caramel and Chocolate Chip Cookie dough.
The Peanut Butter Perfect Bar contains:
Keep in mind that Perfect Bars are not dairy-free and require refrigeration, so they are not as convenient as other gluten-free protein bars.
A unique plant-based protein bar, Mezcla has interesting flavor combinations that are not seen elsewhere, like Peruvian Cocoa Peanut Butter and Japanese Matcha Vanilla.
These crispy bars are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO, containing:
Truth Bars contain both probiotic bacteria and prebiotics—particular types of fiber that act as food for healthy gut bacteria to consume and thrive.
Truth Bars are gluten-free, keto-friendly, low-sugar, non-GMO, and contain plant-based omega-3 fatty acids from chia seeds.
The top Truth Bar flavors are Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch and Dark Chocolate Toasted Marshmallow, containing:
Another prebiotic snack bar, Exo Bars are disrupting the protein bar industry by using a unique and sustainable source of protein—crickets.
This cricket-based protein is called Acheta Protein, and consumers say it does not taste like crickets—it actually has a nutty, earthy flavor similar to cashews.
While Exo Bars are not vegan protein bars, they are dairy-free and gluten-free, containing:
Another one of our favorite brands is Perfect Keto, which provides us with healthy, zero-sugar collagen protein bars in addition to dozens of other keto-friendly and gluten-free products.
With six flavors, including Banana Bread, Cinnamon Roll, and Almond Butter Brownie, all Perfect Keto protein bars contain:
Last but not least, remember that protein bars don’t have to be sweet—savory bars like Epic Meat Bars are great options for gluten-free people on paleo, Whole30, or keto diets.
These jerky-style bars are packed with protein with high-quality meat like bison, venison, chicken, and beef.
Epic is also the only bar on this list with an EOV (Ecological Outcome Verified) Certification, which assesses key indicators of ecosystem health, including soil health, biodiversity, and water and mineral cycles.
Two top-rated Epic Bars are the Chicken BBQ and Beef Jalapeno, which contain:
While “protein bar” isn’t a regulated phrase, it typically describes a pre-packaged, ready-to-eat bar high in protein.
Protein bars are most often designed to be consumed as a snack but could potentially be eaten as a meal replacement if high enough in calories and protein.
Other terms for protein bars include snack bars, nutrition bars, or energy bars, but “protein bars” will always contain protein.
In addition to being high in protein, these bars come in wide varieties, including gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based or vegan, nut-free, keto, or low-carb.
A common way to add protein to bars is with protein powder sourced from brown rice, egg white, hemp, whey, or pea protein.
In recent years, snack bars have gotten even more creative, using savory animal protein sources like cricket and grass-fed beef.
Gluten is a protein in certain grains, including wheat, barley, rye, and a wheat-rye hybrid called triticale.
People may be gluten-free for many reasons, most commonly because they have celiac disease—an autoimmune response to gluten—or are gluten-intolerant, which can cause both digestive and non-digestive symptoms.
As gluten is a component of wheat, people with a wheat allergy may also consume gluten-free foods.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, gluten-free foods must contain fewer than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.
However, gluten-free labeling is optional, which is why some food brands go a step further and receive a certification.
The “certified gluten-free” symbol on a food package means the manufacturer has followed strict steps to prevent gluten cross-contamination and that a third party has independently tested the food for gluten.
This is the primary difference between “certified gluten-free” and gluten-free labeling, as the FDA does not require manufacturers to test for gluten in food products.
In addition to looking for a gluten-free label—ideally “certified gluten-free”—there are other aspects to consider, including:
No, ONE protein bars do not have gluten; they are Non-GMO Project Verified, vegan, and gluten-free bars.
Many Nature Valley products are gluten-free.
The gluten-free flavors of the Nature Valley Protein Chewy Bars include Salted Caramel Nut, Peanut, Almond & Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate, and Blueberry Nut.
While Clif Bars are not 100% Gluten-Free Certified, they are gluten-friendly.
This means that most of their bars are gluten-free but may have cross-contamination with some ingredients during processing.
Some Clif products, like the Clif Builders Protein Bars, are gluten-free options.
No, the Kellogg’s Protein Bar line is not gluten-free.
These bars include non-gluten-free oats and wheat starch.
Some Nature Valley bars are gluten-free, including the Protein Chewy Bars in the flavors of Salted Caramel Nut, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate, Blueberry Nut, and Peanut, Almond & Dark Chocolate.
The classic “green” Nature Valley bars—the Crunchy Granola Bars—claim to be gluten-free, although they do not specify if their oats are Certified Gluten-Free.
Yes, the Quest Protein Bars are gluten-free—all are considered to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
Unfortunately, most lye-cured olives have been sapped of a sizable portion of their nutrients by the time they get anywhere near your table, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still reap the health benefits of this ancient fruit.
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If you’ve just started paying closer attention to your protein intake for fitness and/or general wellness purposes, you may find yourself feeling overloaded with information.
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