The 8 Best Protein Bars for Weight Loss (2024)

All together now, with feeling: protein isn’t just for building muscle. 

For far too long, protein bar marketing has pigeonholed its own products into some exclusionary category of muscle-bound gym rats with one thing on their minds: “gains.”

In reality, protein has hundreds of functions and benefits in the body, several of which can directly or indirectly encourage weight loss. Like, actually effective weight loss. 

Because protein is harder to break down, and because muscle tissue itself burns fat, you should definitely not shy away from protein bars when trying to lose weight.

But as always, crappy products will turn a good thing into a waste of money. That’s why we’ve made this list of the 8 best protein bars for weight loss, including whey protein bars, vegan protein bars, and much more.

In this guide, we’ll show you what to look for and avoid (hint, it’s not all about calories) when it comes to protein bars, with a special emphasis on weight loss.

Best Overall Protein Bars for Weight Loss: Bhu Fit

Best for: Anyone looking for a super clean, well-rounded nutrition bar loaded with around half your daily value of fiber for fitness, weight loss, and general nutrition.

You could take just about every superlative we’ve given to the rest of the entries on this list and combine them in Bhu Fit Protein bars, which we chose as our favorite protein bars for weight loss for the following reasons:

Sugar: Bhu Fit Protein bars are both super low in sugar and free of sugar alcohols (it uses monk fruit). Each bar contains 1 gram of sugar and 2 grams of net carbs.

Fiber: Each bar contains a well-above-average amount of fiber, totaling 15 grams, in the form of organic soluble tapioca fiber.

Protein: Each bar contains 11 grams of plant-based protein.

Calories: While not the lowest on the list, 220 calories is very lean considering all the weight-loss-promoting macronutrients (aka, protein and fiber) that have been squeezed into this thing.

Finally, 12 grams of keto-friendly fat come from organic MCT oil, making this an ideal protein bar for both keto and non-keto folks.

As expected, the price is a bit towards the higher end, but very much on par with the value that Bhu Fit Protein Bars deliver.

Best Vegan-Friendly Protein Bars for Weight Loss: ALOHA

Best for: Both vegans and non-vegans looking for an organic, high protein bar made with real ingredients and no artificial sweeteners or preservatives.

Having extensively tested and reviewed Aloha ourselves, including a conversation with CEO Brad Charron, we can attest to their high standards of ingredient quality, formulation, taste, and more.

Each protein bar ranges between 220 and 260 calories, and are especially high in protein at 14 grams sourced from brown rice and pumpkin seeds.

Tapioca fiber, nuts, nut butter, and the pumpkin seeds contribute 6-10 grams of fiber, and though there’s added sugar, it comes from organic tapioca syrup, brown sugar, chocolate, or chocolate chips.

While ALOHA bars aren’t that high in calories compared to the norm, going above 240 calories per protein bar or so can be more challenging for calorie-restricted diets, especially if you aren’t going the meal replacement route. Hence, we recommend sticking to their lower-calorie bars if you’re counting. 

Still, the protein and decent fiber content will both work to offset these nutrient-dense calories in several ways.

Finally, ALOHA bars are among the best protein bars for weight loss in the taste department. Having tried most of their catalog, we haven’t found one we didn’t really enjoy. 

Best High-Fiber Protein Bars for Weight Loss: Garden of Life High Protein Weight Loss Bar

Best for: Those looking for a well-rounded combination of protein, fiber, and weight-loss-boosting extracts without all the sketchy preservatives and sweeteners.

A mainstay of our “best of” roundups, Garden of Life simply refuses to just be normal, a trend that carries on throughout their Organic Fit Bar line.

In addition to 14 grams of plant-based protein and 13 grams of prebiotic fiber, each weight loss bar contains:

Ashwagandha: An herbal extract with a millennia-old history of relieving stress and promoting sleep, along with weight loss benefits.

Green Coffee Bean Extract: Research demonstrates lipid-lowering effects of green coffee bean extract, in addition to improving insulin sensitivity.

1 gram of sugar: There are no added or refined sugars in these protein bars, though the total carbohydrate content (27g) does knock them out of keto contention.

Garden of Life Organic Fit Bars are also third-party certified, meaning they’ve been tested by an independent laboratory for ingredient quality and purity, including screening for contaminants.

But we can’t beat around the bush any longer—these may be the best protein bars on the quality spectrum, but you will pay just about double for them. 

If you’ve got the budget, Garden of Life Organic Fit Bars are definitely S-tier quality.

Best Zero-Sugar-Added Protein Bars for Weight Loss: RXBar

Best for: Those looking for a minimalistic, no-sugar-added nutrition bar with plenty of protein and nothing weird.

Here’s the ingredient list for our favorite RXBar (Chocolate Sea Salt):

Dates, Egg Whites, Cashews, Almonds, Chocolate, Cocoa, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt.

As you can see, there are zero sketchy additives, cheap fillers, or sweeteners to be found. We’re not the biggest fans of “natural flavors,” considering the attached ambiguity, but that’s the only micro-gripe we’re bringing to this ingredient list.

Checking it out on the macro level, each RXBar delivers 12 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 210 calories. 

The fiber content is considerably lower than a few of our favorites listed here, but so is the calorie count. For a leaner bar, 12 grams of protein is plenty.

Organic ingredients would definitely be preferred, but at less than $1.50 per protein bar, we’re really impressed with RXBar. It’s definitely one of the best protein bars for people who like transparent, clean products.

Best Low-Calorie Protein Bars for Weight Loss: Orgain Protein Snack Bars

Best for: Anyone looking for a highly affordable protein bar made with plant-sourced USDA Organic ingredients and a bit of fiber.

It’s not necessarily a race to the bottom calorie-wise in the case of protein bars, but for those who are budgeting calories, Orgain Protein Snack Bars are definitely among the best protein bars for weight loss with just 150 calories per bar.

This is what makes the otherwise average amount of protein (10g) and fiber (5g) content more impressive; they come in a leaner format.

Not to mention, Orgain’s healthy protein bars and other products are made with high-quality, USDA Organic ingredients from real foods, like chia seeds, pea protein, almonds, chocolate, and more. We cover their ingredients and quality standards in much greater depth in our Orgain review.

And if you’re going to be sweetened, organic cane sugar is the way to go, but 6 grams of it plus 3 grams of erythritol per vegan protein bar is a bit more than we’d like, so that’s our main gripe here.

Otherwise, Orgain is a very well-vetted, high-value brand for anyone looking to up their game nutritionally and lose weight, including these vegan protein bars.

Best Energy + Proteins Bars for Weight Loss: Picky Bars Energy

Best for: Anyone with an active lifestyle looking for an energy bar that’s both clean and fortified with a bit more protein and fiber. 

While it may not be the most efficient choice on a macro level for a hardcore gym rat, the more outdoor-inclined endurance athlete has plenty to benefit from with Picky Bars Energy.

Loaded with natural ingredients like organic dates, apricots, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and more, this bar is an excellent slow-burning fuel source for anyone embarking on a tough workout or what have you. 

We also like the lower calories (<200) and well-below-average sodium (65mg), but as mentioned, the 7 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber aren’t going to compete with the above protein bars.

And as you may have guessed with all this fruit, each bar contains 15 grams of sugar, 5 grams of which are added.

Overall, Picky Bars offer a squeaky clean and weight-loss-friendly source of energy for anyone looking to stay active and lose weight. 

Best Keto-Friendly Bars for Weight Loss: Atkins Vanilla Pecan Crisp Bars

Best for: Anyone who likes a tasty, crispy snack bar for weight loss that delivers on high fiber and protein content.

Thanks to the almond butter, coconut oil, and real pecans, Atkins Vanilla Pecan Crisp Bars introduces a refreshingly “non-plasticky” flavor to the at-times underwhelming world of protein bars.

As for macros, each protein bar contains 1 gram of sugar (4 grams net carbs), 15 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fiber, which is an excellent combination both for weight loss and keto-friendly snacking.

At 190 calories per bar, it’s not breaking records, but these healthy protein bars are still around 20-30 calories below average. 

The protein comes from soy, whey, and milk protein isolates, and we would rank the ingredient cleanliness as moderately above average – natural flavors and sucralose, but nothing in the way of 6-syllable preservatives. 

Overall, Atkins Vanilla Pecan Crisp Bars offer a tasty and nutritious alternative to your standard chalky whey protein bar.

Best Value: Protein One 90-Calorie Keto Protein Bars

Best for: Anyone looking for a snack swap that slashes calories while incorporating protein and fiber; keto people looking for a low-calorie and low-carb snack.

Protein One 90-Calorie Keto Protein Bars may not make the most suitable meal replacement, considering the smaller size (27 grams total per bar), but the 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber can at least hold you for a while.

For non-keto people, this at least provides an opportunity to cut down on calories by replacing a more “robust” snack with these bars, and for keto folks, these could make the difference between a hangry mid-afternoon and a clutch tide-me-over to help you coast to dinnertime.

As for ingredient quality, chicory root extract provides healthy plant fiber in the form of inulin, and the protein comes from a soy protein isolate.

This product does contain natural and artificial flavors, as well as canola oil, but otherwise everything’s pretty benign and standard (soy lecithin, vegetable glycerine, peanut oil, etc.).

We recommend Protein One 90-Calorie Keto Bars for both keto and non-keto folks looking for a slimming snack.

Protein Bars and Weight Loss FAQ