Simply Protein is a popular protein bars brand hailing all the way from Canada.
These bars boast up to 12g of plant-based protein, good fiber and minimal sugar in each serving, making them appealing to anyone seeking a nutritious snack.
These bars are available in various flavors such as peanut butter chocolate, Lemon coconut, and Dark chocolate almond.
However, are Simply protein bars healthy as they seem?
Short answer: Simply Protein bars are healthy as they are low in sugar and sodium, high in protein and fiber, and contain no artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. They are also vegan, non-GMO, keto-friendly, and gluten-free.
Read on to find out more about Simply protein bars, including their ingredients, sugar, protein, fiber, sodium content and more.
I’ll also see how they compare nutrition-wise to top competitors like RxBars, Kind Bars, and Quest Bars.
So let’s start.
Read also: Are Anabars Healthy? Everything You Need To Know
What are Simply protein bars made up of?
Currently, Simply protein bars come in three varieties – Cookie bars, Snack bars and Dipped bars.
These varieties further come in different flavors.
Therefore, the exact ingredients can vary depending on the flavor.
The Simple Protein Cookies bars are available in two flavors – Chocolate chip and peanut butter. Here are the ingredients in all.
| Cookies bar variety | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Peanut butter | PEANUTS, SOLUBLE TAPIOCA FIBER, SOY PROTEIN CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SEA SALT), VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, OAT FLOUR, RICE FLOUR, COCONUT OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CELLULOSE, PEANUT OIL, SEA SALT, STEVIA LEAF EXTRACT. |
| Chocolate chip | SOLUBLE TAPIOCA FIBER, ALMONDS, SOY PROTEIN CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SEA SALT), VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, OAT FLOUR, SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (CANE SUGAR, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, SOY LECITHIN, NATURAL FLAVOR), COCONUT OIL, RICE FLOUR, NATURAL FLAVORS, BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES, SEA SALT, STEVIA LEAF EXTRACT. |
The Simple protein Snack bars are available in three flavors – Peanut butter chocolate, lemon coconut, and dark chocolate almond. Here are the ingredients in all.
| Snack bar variety | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Peanut butter chocolate | SOY PROTEIN CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SEA SALT), PEANUTS, CHICORY ROOT FIBER, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, BROWN RICE CRISPS (BROWN RICE), NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER (PEANUTS), CANE SUGAR, PEANUT OIL, SUNFLOWER OIL BLEND [SUNFLOWER OIL, ANTIOXIDANTS (MIXED TOCOPHEROLS, ROSEMARY EXTRACT)], NATURAL FLAVORS, SEA SALT. |
| Lemon coconut | SOY PROTEIN CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SEA SALT), CHICORY ROOT FIBER, TOASTED COCONUT, OATS, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, CASHEW BUTTER (DRY-ROASTED CASHEWS, SUNFLOWER OIL), FLAXSEEDS, BROWN RICE CRISPS (BROWN RICE), CANE SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVORS, SUNFLOWER OIL BLEND [SUNFLOWER OIL, ANTIOXIDANTS (MIXED TOCOPHEROLS, ROSEMARY EXTRACT)], SEA SALT. |
| Dark chocolate almond | SOY PROTEIN CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SEA SALT), CHICORY ROOT FIBER, ALMONDS, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, ALMOND BUTTER (ALMONDS), SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (CANE SUGAR, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER), BROWN RICE CRISPS (BROWN RICE), COCOA POWDER, OATS, NATURAL FLAVORS, SUNFLOWER OIL BLEND [SUNFLOWER OIL, ANTIOXIDANTS TOCOPHEROLS, (MIXED ROSEMARY EXTRACT)], SEA SALT. |
The Simple protein dipped bars are available in two flavors – Strawberry chocolate and Cookies & creme. Here are the ingredients in all.
| Dipped bar variety | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Strawberry chocolate | SOY PROTEIN CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SEA SALT), SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE COATING (CANE SUGAR, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN [AN EMULSIFIER], VANILLA EXTRACT), INULIN, BROWN RICE CRISPS (BROWN RICE), OAT FLOUR, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, BROWN RICE SYRUP, FREEZE-DRIED STRAWBERRIES, NATURAL FLAVORS, SUNFLOWER OIL, SEA SALT, VEGETABLE AND FRUIT EXTRACTS (BROCCOLI, SPINACH, SWEET POTATO, ORANGE, PUMPKIN, MAITAKE MUSHROOM, PAPAYA) |
| Cookies and creme | SOY PROTEIN CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SEA SALT), SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE COATING (CANE SUGAR, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN (AN EMULSIFIER], VANILLA EXTRACT), INULIN, BROWN RICE CRISPS (BROWN RICE), VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, OAT FLOUR, DAIRY-FREE VANILLA CHIPS (CANE SUGAR, PALM KERNEL OIL & PALM OIL, NATURAL FLAVOR, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN (AN EMULSIFIER], SALT), BROWN RICE SYRUP, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, NATURAL FLAVORS, SUNFLOWER OIL, SEA SALT, VEGETABLE AND FRUIT EXTRACTS (BROCCOLI, SPINACH, SWEET POTATO, ORANGE, PUMPKIN, MAITAKE MUSHROOM, PAPAYA) |
In short, the Simply protein bars are made up of Soy protein crisps as the main source of protein and soluble tapioca fiber and chicory root fiber as the main source of fiber.
The bars are low in sugar and therefore are packed with stevia leaf extract and inulin as the natural sweetener.
The good thing about Simply protein bars is that they are free from high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
Still, Simply protein bars are not top-notch healthy as they contain processed ingredients.
If I were to rank the Simply protein bar varieties based on their ingredient profiles, here’s how they stack up:
Cookie bars > Snack bars > Dipped bars
How much sugar is in Simply protein bars?
Simply protein bars are low in sugar containing 1 to 4g per bar, depending on the variety.
The Cookie bars variety has 1g of sugar(no added) per bar, the Snack bars variety has 2g sugar(all added) per bar, while the Dipped bars variety has 4g of sugar(mostly added) per bar.
The little added sugar in these bars comes from cane sugar.
Instead of sugar, these bars are primarily sweetened with Stevia leaf extract and vegetable glycerin (sugar alcohol).
Stevia leaf extract is a natural sweetener from the stevia plant, whereas vegetable glycerin typically comes from soy, palm or coconut oils.
Both are much sweeter than sugar but have a minor effect on blood sugar levels. Don’t worry, they don’t taste too sweet.
If you are controlling your sugar intake, Simply protein bars are really a good option.
Here’s how Simply protein bars sugar content compared to similar bars on the market.
| Protein bar brand | Sugar(g) |
|---|---|
| Simply protein bars | 1-4 |
| Rxbars | 13-18 |
| Kind protein bars | 8 |
| Quest bars | 1-2 |
| Larabars original | 13-20 |
How much protein is in Simply protein bars?
Simply protein bars are moderate to good source of protein containing 7 to 12g per bar, depending on the variety.
The Cookie bars variety has 10-11g of protein per bar, the Snack bars variety has 12g of protein per bar, and the Dipped bars variety has 7g per bar.
Now, this isn’t as astronomically high as some competitors that throw in 20+ grams of protein.
But here’s what I actually like about Simply Protein – all their protein comes straight from non-GMO soy protein isolate, making them vegan-friendly.
Soy protein isolate is a protein made from soybeans, containing all nine essential amino acids.
However, some people don’t consider soy protein isolate as a good source of protein for mainly two reasons.
- First, soy protein isolate is highly processed and refined. In fact, it is treated with acid and chemicals.
- Second, it is lower in certain essential amino acids. As a result, it is not considered good for muscle building.
So if you are looking to build muscles and can tolerate dairy, you better opt for protein bars with whey protein.
However, if you are a vegan, these bars get the job done protein-wise.
Here’s how Simply protein bars protein content compared to similar bars on the market.
| Protein bar brand | Protein(g) |
|---|---|
| Simply protein bars | 7-12 |
| Rxbars | 12 |
| Kind protein bars | 12 |
| Quest bars | 18-21 |
| Larabars original | 3-6 |
How much fiber is in Simply protein bars?
Simply protein bars are a good source of fiber containing 4 to 13g per serving, depending on the variety.
That’s anywhere from 16 to 52% of the daily recommended fiber for adults.
The Cookie bars variety has 12-13g of fiber per bar, the Snack bars variety has 7g of fiber per bar, and the Dipped bars variety has 4g of fiber per bar.
The fiber in these bars comes from multiple sources, such as Chicory root fiber and/or Soluble tapioca fiber.
You may find inulin as an ingredient in the Dipped bars, which is another name for chicory root fiber.
Fiber is essential as it helps you feel satisfied, promotes healthy digestion, and regulates blood sugar levels.
Note that it’s important to limit your intake of these bars as too much of them can result in side effects such as gas and bloating.
Here’s how Simply protein bars fiber content compared to similar bars on the market.
| Protein bar brand | Fiber(g) |
|---|---|
| Simply protein bars | 4-13 |
| Rxbars | 3-5 |
| Kind protein bars | 5-6 |
| Quest bars | 8-15 |
| Larabars | 2-4 |
Are Simply protein bars high in sodium?
Simply protein bars are low in sodium containing 100 to 180mg per bar, depending on the variety.
The Cookie bars variety has 120-150mg of sodium per bar, the Snack bars variety has 150-180mg of sodium per bar, and the Dipped bars variety has 100-105mg of sodium per bar.
While sodium is an essential part of the diet, too much can result in heart-related issues.
Fortunately, with Simply protein bars, you don’t have to worry about excess sodium intake.
That’s good news for those limiting sodium intake in their diet.
Here’s how Simply protein bars sodium content compared to similar bars on the market.
| Protein bar brand | Sodium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Simply protein bars | 100-180 |
| Rxbars | 130-310 |
| Kind protein bars | 125-135 |
| Quest protein bars | 170-300 |
| Larabars | 5-150 |
Are Simply protein bars Keto-friendly?
Yes, mathematically, Simply protein bars are keto-friendly, containing 6 to 8g of net carbs.
However, I won’t consider these exceptionally good for the ketogenic diet. Anything with less than 5g of net carbs is much better for keto.
But if you can control your carbs intake from other food, these can indeed be a part of your keto diet.
Plus, they also fulfil other keto requirements, such as high protein and fat(except the dipped variety).
So yes, Simply protein bars are keto-friendly
Are Simply protein bars good for weight loss?
Simply protein bars can be considered good for weight loss as they are low in sugar and packed with protein and fiber.
Additionally, they are low in calories, with around 100 to 200 per bar, depending on the variety.
200 or less calories per bar is considered decent for weight loss.
Note that weight loss depends not only on one food but overall diet and lifestyle.
Are Simply protein bars gluten-free?
Simply protein bars are gluten-free as they don’t contain any gluten-based ingredients.
However, it’s important to note that Simply protein bars are made in a facility that processes milk, peanuts and other tree nuts.
So be careful if you are prone to allergies.
Are Simply protein bars vegan?
Simply protein bars are vegan as they are completely off of any dairy or animal-based ingredients.
Final words
After looking at the ingredients and nutritional value, it can be concluded that Simply protein bars are healthy.
There are many reasons for this, such as:
- They are low in sugar.
- They are a good source of protein and fiber.
- They are low in sodium.
- They are free from artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
- They are vegan, non-GMO, keto-friendly and gluten-free.
However, despite so many positives, limiting your consumption of Simply protein bars is important.
This is because they contain some processed ingredients and are high in fiber which may result in digestive issues.
That’s it.
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