How much Protein should be in a Protein Bar?

Firstly, it’s good to understand why we supplement protein in the first place. Protein has been shown to increase muscle mass when combined with heavy weight training. As compared to a diet consisting of 0.8 grams of protein/kg body weight, a protein intake of 1.6-1.8 g/kg/day will further enhance muscle development, when combined with weight training. Most importantly, there is little evidence that very high protein (greater than 2g/kg body weight per day) is beneficial.

Most of us would probably assume that more is more, but this isn’t the case with protein bars, or protein in general.

In terms of protein content, bars available at shops and gyms can vary widely, some containing less than 10 grams, while those on the higher end of the spectrum can have around 40 grams. It’s good to look for bars with the perfect middle ground, which is often 15-25 grams of protein, however, depending on the size of the bar you should be looking for a protein content over 20% of the total bar weight. This signifies a high protein bar, rather than one which can be classified as a source of protein.

This being said, it is good to consider how much protein you actually need and assess the amount of protein you are getting naturally through your diet. If for one reason or another you are falling short of the RDA by a lot on a daily basis it may be worth eating a protein bar and/or another protein snack a day. It’s always good to tailor your exact dietary needs, rather than just guzzling down protein shakes, bars and other snacks without really understanding why you’re doing it. You’ll only end up hurting your bank account.

It is also possible to have too much protein, although it may not cause any serious issues, it can cause your body to have to filter out much more protein than it would normally handle. This is due to the fact that protein is broken down into amino acids and produces waste products that are filtered through the kidneys. With healthy functioning kidneys, this additional waste is excreted. Excess protein consumption only makes the kidneys work harder, rather than damage the kidneys, as may be assumed.  High protein load does, however, lead to increased water loss, and can lead to dehydration. For athletes, this can be a win or lose differential between a good performance, and a bad dehydrated performance.

In summary, you should always look to your exact dietary needs, however, a general rule of 15-25g of protein per bar is the golden amount of protein.