Prepare the caramel:Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 20-second spurts until everything is melted. Whisk together until smooth and pour over the nougat. Other Ingredients:Protein Blend (19%) ( MILK Protein Isolate, MILK Protein, WHEY [MILK] Protein Concentrate (from MILK), Emulsifier ( SOYA Lecithin)), MILK Chocolate (15%) (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Skimmed MILK Powder, Cocoa Mass, LACTOSE and Protein from WHEY [MILK] (from MILK), Palm Fat, WHEY [MILK] Powder (from MILK), MILK Fat, Emulsifier ( SOYA Lecithin E476), Natural Vanilla Extract), Hydrolysed Collagen (14%), Caramel (14%) (Sweetened Condensed Skimmed MILK, Glucose Syrup, Invert Sugar Syrup, Palm Oil, Butter (from MILK), Sugar, Emulsifier (E471), Stabiliser (Pectin), Salt, Natural Flavouring), Humectant (Maltitol), PEANUTS (10%), Humectant (Glycerol), PEANUT Flour, Fructo-Oligosaccharide, Natural Flavouring ( PEANUT), Salt, Colour (Plain Caramel), Antioxidant (Natural Mixed Tocopherols. The M&M’s bar does a great job of capturing the flavour of the real chocolate sweets, and there are large M&M’s chunks in the bar itself. With 15g of sugar per bar, it’s not quite as healthy as the other protein bars on this list, but is a slight improvement over going for a regular chocolate treat and still tastes great. Each 51g bar contains 15g of protein and the peanut version is a little higher in calories at 207 compared to 182 for the chocolate M&M’s protein bar.

These bars are made with just a handful of ingredients and are much less intensive to make than they appear, making them great for even novices in the kitchen. Allergen Information: Contains MILK, GLUTEN, PEANUTS and SOYA ingredients. May contain; PECANS, HAZELNUTS, ALMONDS and EGG Albumin. Most protein bars contain somewhere between 15g and 25g of protein and it’s important to know how much protein you’re getting per calorie. The majority of good bars contain about 200 calories for 15g of protein to around 250 calories for 25g of protein. Keep an eye out for fibre levels, too, since this roughage is something lots of people don’t get enough of in their diets. Five grams and above is a good amount. What ingredients should be avoided?Protein powder– Vanilla or unflavored protein powder. I used brown rice protein powder, but casein or pea protein work. Once the nougat layer is solid, remove from the freezer and evenly spread the date caramel sauce over the nougat layer. Natural vegan vanilla protein powder or collagen peptides (note: collagen is not vegan but is unflavoured and you can’t taste it!) Line a pan with parchment paper: Take an 8 x 8 or deep dish pan to line it with parchment paper. Once done, set this pan aside.

Obviously, the main type of ingredient you’re interested in is protein, but you need to be on your guard for less healthy ingredients that might be hidden in the bar too. In particular, it’s a good idea to look for what’s known as “macronutrient composition” – the proportion of carbs, proteins and fats. The key stats are as impressive as the taste and texture too, with 20g of protein per 55g bar (15g protein in the vegan bars). The sugar content is low at 1.9g per bar, and each contains around 200 calories. As a bonus, you also get a solid amount of fibre, with some flavours containing over 4g per bar. In a food processor, blend together the soaked and drained dates with the peanut buter until creamy and smooth, stopping every so often to scrape the sides with a spatula. Place the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer to set for 12-15 minutes until the chocoalte coating is completely hardened.Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use 2 forks to carefully take one bar and dip it into the chocolate, flipping it over until fully coated. Unfortunately, the final thing you ought to think about isn’t something you can determine from the label and that’s how tough they are on your teeth. Seriously, the sheer chewing involved with some protein bars amounts to a workout in itself. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and press evenly to create the base layer, then place in the freezer for 20 minutes or until solid.

That great taste would be for nought if Barebells hadn’t also nailed the texture of the bars as well, with each being just the right level of gooey to satisfy without straying into the annoyingly chewy category that many protein bars fall into. Also, in lots of protein bars you’ll find that makers swap out natural sugars for sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and xylitol as they bring down the calorie count. These substances can cause an upset stomach for lots of people, so take a look at the ingredients list if your gut is particularly sensitive. Other Ingredients:protein blend (22%) WHEY [MILK] protein concentrate ( MILK), MILK protein isolate, WHEY [MILK] protein concentrate. MILK emulsifier, MILK chocolate (19%)(sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, skim MILK, LACTOSE, MILK fat, SOY lecithin, artificial flavour), PEANUTS, corn syrup, sugar, palm oil, skim MILK, LACTOSE, partially hydrogenated SOYbean oil, salt, EGG whites, artificial flavour, dried glucose syrup,fat reduced cocoa, barley malt extract, sugar, glucose syrup, salt, EGG white powder, MILK protein, natural vanilla extract, MILK chocolate contains MILK solids 14% minimum, MILK chocolate contains vegetable fats in addition to cocoa butter READ NEXT: Our favourite bathroom scales The best protein bars to buy 1. Barebells Protein Bar: The best-tasting protein bar I would not say that those bars are healthy as they are not made with whole foods and still contain almost 10g of refined sugar each.You’ll find many different types of protein in the average protein bar. But you needn’t worry as much about the particulars as you would with protein powders because the rate of absorption is far slower in solid form and when paired with dietary fats and fibres. How much should I spend on a protein bar? After 1 hour, melt the chocolate together with the coconut oil. (You can do this using a double boiler or the microwave).