Dirty Little Secrets Of The “Healthy” Protein Bar Industry (& The Shocking Truth About Protein Bars, Paleo Bars & Beyond).

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I used to be a “health” bar addict.

I'd easily consume 2-3 on a long bike ride, always have some kind of satiating “Paleo-ish” bar tucked away somewhere during a long road trip or airplane ride, and would typically be munching on some kind of massive protein bar after weightlifting.

No wonder I struggled for years with chronically elevated blood sugar, gut rot, excess protein intake, energy level roller coaster rides and toxins in my blood tests.

(And no wonder so many other folks who depend on health bars as a staple wind up constantly fighting an uphill battle against weight gain, poor energy levels, bloating, gas, constipation, and more.)

Why this seeming paradox?

Unfortunately, the “health” bar industry is full of issues—from filling their bars with gobs of sugar or artificial sweeteners to excess (oftentimes inferior) protein that give you gut issues like bloating, gas and constipation.

And this is only scratching the surface of the issues and the shocking truth about so-called “health” bars.

Click here to discover “The Dark Side of Protein Bars.”

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37 thoughts on “Dirty Little Secrets Of The “Healthy” Protein Bar Industry (& The Shocking Truth About Protein Bars, Paleo Bars & Beyond).

  1. C says:

    After all the hard work coming up with a formula for this, why did you choose to manufacture it in a plant that also manufactures the main allergens?

  2. Justin Swenson says:

    When you say IMO resists hydrolysis, what exactly does that mean? Why is this a bad thing?

    1. Because that means that it can be adequately broken down in the gut as a normal fiber would.

  3. Margaret says:

    I just purchased a box of bars to try, but what do you think of Bulletproof collagen bars? There aren’t all the junk ingredients you describe but it does have inulin in the form of chicory root.

    1. Haven't tried them! Basically, all inulin isn't created equal. Stay tuned for a follow up post about this.

  4. Fernando says:

    Excellent work again Ben! Agree with Leslie you come up with solutions and great ones! Bill can always unsubscribe.

  5. Daniel says:

    Awesome podcast Ben. Do you have a strong opinion either way on whether coconut flakes are better for you toasted or untoasted? Thanks.

    1. I prefer untoasted, but I've eaten both (as long as they're unsweetened) Thrive actually has these amazing toasted flakes I use a cereal sometimes: http://thrivemarket.com/ben

  6. Brian says:

    Some more great info Ben. I was a regular buyer of the old bar, I’ll be putting an order for the new version. On the topic of IMO’s and inulin, I’m looking for a new protein powder. I’ve been using Thorne VegaLite, but find it a little chalky tasting and I’m “concerned” with the ingredient “flavors.” Kind of a red flag… I was looking at Organifi’s Complete Protein, it has a solid deck, but it’s got agave inulin, so I’m staying away from that. What is your go-to vegan protein powder that you recommend? Thanks!

  7. Pat says:

    Hi Ben. I just placed an order for 3 boxes so that my son and I an try them as a cycling fuel. May I suggest you consider a packaged mix version that would allow me to add my own honey, etc and customize as I see fit for purpose. This may be a great compliment product to your bars…Pat

  8. Rochelle says:

    Any way you can make this with less honey? Sounds good overall but too sweet.

    1. Renée says:

      Agreed! We can handle it. And prefer (and purchase) it. All else looks great

  9. Gabriel Kaiser says:

    Are your almonds sprouted? If so, hook me up with the bioavailability!

  10. Alexa says:

    This is amazing! I remember when you offered these bars under a different brand name, I believe (before Kion was founded). They were delicious and I was so sad when they ran out of stock. Super happy to see them back, with a sleek wrapper design, no less! Question for you – when do you expect to stock these in stores? It would be super convenient to be able to buy them from local health food stores (or Amazon) :) Keep rocking on!

    1. Happy to hear you like them! Hopefully sooner than later, if you're not signed up for my newsletter, I usually make announcements like that there: BenGreenfieldFitness.com/newsletter

  11. Karen says:

    Very important info and thank you for sharing. I stopped eating bars when starting Keto and I know they were the source of many of my issues. I do miss the convenience of them so I’d love to try these. Just not up for dropping $35 without knowing I will like them and how I digest them. Any chance of getting one bar to try? Are they sold in any retail shops? Thank you!

    1. Renée says:

      Same for me- that’s what I wanted to know

    2. Not at the moment. We do offer a money back guarantee though!

    3. Kim says:

      I think they are delicious. Very interestingly balanced flavor of chocolate without being too sweet but not bitter. I was impressed how satisfying it is and not getting a craving that I have eat another one like other bars can do.

  12. Ed says:

    So here’s a guy with all these degrees and a triathlete and it took how long to realize you were eating junk? Hmmmm😂

  13. Paul says:

    Is the bar raw or baked?

  14. mia says:

    wish it wasnt so high in carbs and sugars

  15. Jean Bissonnette says:

    What is the cocoa percentage in the nibs- 70% . or 85% . ? Have the almonds been soaked before adding to the bar??

  16. Ivo SUVEE says:

    Not surprised. When it’s heavily processed, stay away. That will help anywhere, anytime.

    My favorite is the original and oldest protein bar: a chunk of cheese…
    Keto friendly to boot.

  17. Nancy says:

    Would like a vegetarian bar…

    Is that in the future?

    1. It's definitely something to consider, thanks for the suggestion!

  18. Phil George says:

    With all the antioxidants, what about blunting the hermetic response after strength training?

    1. You only need to worry about high doses of synthetic antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E… listen to the podcast just came out today: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/podcast/nutritio…

  19. James says:

    Thanks for the info on IMO’s. Just threw $35 of Ucan bars in the trash.

  20. Molly says:

    A great big thank you for your research and the new bar without junk in it. I was really happy to read the article but what if someone is allergic to nuts? Are you able to make a version without almonds? Thanks.

    1. Unfortunately at this time, we can't make custom formulations.

  21. Bill H says:

    Man, i just want scream. An interesting health topic, then a long dense analysis, wrapped up with yet another kion product promo.

    Ben, you’re obviously talented, a hard worker, and entrepreneurial. All great things. But your schtick has evolved from excellent content feeding an eager market of performance-seekers into a cult-like infomercial. When the purpose of the content shifts from being about the listener to being about Ben, you lose me (and I suspect a few others). But hey, a buck is a buck…

    1. Leslie says:

      Bill, this seems quite critical, when Ben has poured his heart and soul into this project. If he was simply interested in making money, he would have created yet another bar like all others on the market. He is coming up with solutions, rather than just pointing out problems. Something we can all learn from!

      1. Gary says:

        I agree Leslie. I mean there comes a point where people have to make a living. Just because they sell their products doesn’t mean they are trying to deceive you or rope you in. I mean with Ben you just have to pick and choose what you want to buy. If you bought every product he talks about you probably would go broke…but at least you get some different angels on options…etc.

    2. John says:

      Very good point!

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