Vegan Protein Bars: Top 8 Picks And Other Protein Sources

Are you a vegan who wants to find the best sources of healthy, sustainable protein? Take a look at these vegan protein bars that can supplement meals and help you recover and build muscle after training.

The 8 Best Vegan Protein Bars

It’s a common misconception that there are no feasible sources of complete protein for vegans. This is far from the truth, and once you know where to look, it’s quite easy to find vegan protein sources.

In this review, we took a look at some of the top vegan protein bars on the market. We compared them and came away with eight we think will serve the training needs of anyone who wants sustainable sourced, GMO-free, vegan protein.

We’ve included an explanation for our rankings below, as well as some tips on how you can find vegan protein from everyday food.

How We Chose Our Ratings

We always strive to have the most accurate reviews on the web, and our vegan protein bar ratings are no exception. Training is important, but nutrition is most of the equation. We want to be sure that you’re getting clean, delicious sources of protein through these vegan protein bars.

Below is an insight into a few of the variables we considered when developing our rankings. If you don’t see one of your favorite vegan protein bars on the list, one of the reasons below might give you a better idea of why we left it off.

Protein Content

Protein content is one of the most critical elements of any protein bar. Without enough protein, you’re essentially eating a vegan chocolate or fruit bar – which is delicious but doesn’t serve the purpose we need.

A lot of vegan nutrition bars market themselves as protein bars, but don’t deliver on that promise. Those who want the best of both worlds – clean eating and bulking – need a substantial amount of protein from their post-workout bars.

Six or eight grams of protein, while nice to have in a regular supplement bar, isn’t what we’re looking for with our review. We need to see at least ten, with special preference given to bars that are packed with 15 to 20 grams of protein.

Other lists will include “protein bars” with five or six grams of protein in a bar. While these are nice to have and will stave off hunger for a while, they aren’t exactly ideal for post-workout replenishment.

It can be difficult for fresh-faced vegans to find reliable sources of protein through there meals. You develop an understanding of where to find protein through experience, but protein bars are extremely useful in these early stages – especially for those who enjoy lifting weights and “making gains.”

Flavor/Variety

The taste of a protein bar is almost as important as its protein content. Some bars are so focused on being the healthiest or most protein-packed vegan protein bar on the market that they skip one of the essential components of making a great protein bar: the taste.

Protein content and taste go hand in hand. You can’t have one of the best vegan protein bars on the market unless you have both elements secure.

Of course, taste is relatively subjective, and one person’s favorite flavor will be another’s least favorite. That’s why variety is another essential part of finding the best vegan protein bars.

The most valuable options on the protein bar market will have several different flavors you can choose from. We did not discriminate against the one flavor brands, but they didn’t receive the highest marks they could because not everyone will enjoy a single flavor.

User Feedback

User feedback is one of the most valuable pieces of information we can use in any of our reviews. Dietary restrictions are particularly important to consider, and we don’t want to recommend any protein bars that might cause an upset stomach for some people.

We may have enjoyed a flavor, for instance, but saw that the vast majority of people did not. Some flavors, for example, taste nothing like the advertisement suggests. This is particularly the case when vegan bars are trying to recreate traditional protein bar flavors.

Thankfully, traditional protein bars aren’t always the tastiest treats you can find. In our opinion, a lot of the vegan protein bars we encountered tasted fresher than some of the brands that use whey protein.

Top 8 Vegan Protein Bars

We used the above characteristics to determine the eight best vegan protein bars on the market. There are a lot of brands out there, however, and there’s a chance we missed one or two that deserve to be included on this list.

If we skipped your favorite vegan protein bar, let us know about it in the comments! We’re always on the hunt for the best tasting, most nutritious protein bars on the market for vegans who want to build muscle.

1. NO COW PLANT-BASED PROTEIN BAR

The No Cow vegan protein bar tops off our list of the best vegan protein bars out there. No Cow has exploded onto the market with their natural protein offerings. They bost soy-free, GMO-free, gluten-free, high-protein bars that are fantastic for pre or post workout enjoyment.

No Cow is one of – if not the – most popular vegan protein company on the market. They have a variety of flavors to choose from – though their most popular is the peanut butter chocolate recipe.

If you’re not a fan of peanut butter, you can choose from one of their other seven flavors, including mint cacao chip, carrot cake, and blueberry cobbler. No Cow also offers a sampler and variety pack so you can find out which one is your favorite on your own.

2. AMRITA NUTRITION BAR

Amrita Health Foods provides another protein bar that’s packed with protein. Fifteen grams might not seem like a lot for the non-vegans out there. But it’s much more than you’ll find with some other recommendations out there.

You can choose one of the eight flavors available from Amrita, including apple cinnamon, mango coconut, pineapple chia and a list of chocolate-infused delights. Like some of the others on this list, you can also purchase a variety pack to find out which flavors you prefer.

As you can expect, the ingredients in the Amrita bars are completely organic and sustainable. Their protein bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, GMO-free, and made in the USA with natural ingredients.

3. PROBAR BASE 2.46 OZ PROTEIN BAR

Another popular option in vegan protein bars is the Probar Base 2.46 Oz Protein Bar. As is the case with all of the protein bars on this list, the Probar bar is 100% vegan-friendly and sustainably-sourced.

Probar prides itself on GMO-free products across the board, and verify that none of their protein products contain GMOs. The vegan protein Probar also includes chia and flax seeds, which is a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids and natural fiber.

There are eight different flavors you can choose from, though many of them revolve around chocolate. The fruit-lovers might enjoy a different offering, but it’s hard to beat 20g of protein in every bar while staying vegan.

4. GARDEN OF LIFE ORGANIC SPORT PROTEIN BAR

The Garden of Life Organic Sport Protein Bar is another fantastic vegan protein bar that boasts 20 grams of protein in every serving. These bars provide some of the most substantial backings of any on this list since they’re certified in multiple areas that matter to the clean eaters out there.

The Garden of Life Organic Sport Protein Bar is certified USDA Organic, non-GMO Project Verified, NSF Certified for Sport, Informed-Choice for Sport Certified, certified vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and soy free.

The only reason this protein bar didn’t make it higher on this list was related to the flavor offerings. Garden of Life only provides four flavors: chocolate fudge, chocolate mint, peanut butter chocolate, and sea salt caramel.

We enjoyed this variety, but some vegan protein enthusiasts prefer the fruity options. Still, this is one of the best vegan protein bars we reviewed and deserves a high placing on our list.

5. PEGAN PROTEIN BARS

The Pegan protein bars are another source of organic, vegan protein that includes 20 grams of seed protein in each bar. There is no added sugar, no GMOs, and the bars are gluten-free.

One of the benefits of these bars is the source of natural probiotics they include. Probiotics assist in digestion and can prevent you from developing intestinal issues down the line.

There are only two flavors of this bar, unfortunately, which is one of the reasons it didn’t rank higher on this list. Those who don’t like cinnamon raisin bun or gingersnap cookie are out of luck. We like the idea of Pegan thinking outside the box on these, though.

6. RAW REV GLO VEGAN PROTEIN BARS

The Raw Rev Glo vegan protein bar only contains 15 grams of protein, but is still better than a lot of the other vegan protein bars you’ll find on the market.

These bars also contain 14 grams of fiber to make the energy and “full” feeling last, with only two grams of sugar in each bar.

There are a variety of flavors with these bars, so you’re sure to find something you like. The Creamy Peanut Butter flavor is one of their best sellers, but they also have cookie dough, dark chocolate, and a list of other chocolate-related flavors.

7. CLIF BUILDER’S PROTEIN BAR

Clif is a powerhouse in the health bar market – both for vegans and meat eaters alike. Clif Builder’s Protein Bar is the vegan brand that offers 20 grams of protein that come from sustainable, non-GMO sources.

There are ten flavors for this bar, so the chances of finding one you like are high. Clif Builder recommends eating their bars 30 minutes after a workout for optimal muscle recovery.

8. HOMEMADE DELIGHTS

There are several delicious recipes for vegan protein bars you can make at home. The easiest ones involve a healthy amount of peanut butter, but you can find any to fit any dietary restrictions or preferences you have.

Purchasing vegan protein bars can be a risk – especially when you’re buying them in bulk from online sources like Amazon. While many of them are delicious, the subjectivity that comes with judging these bars can mean they won’t be for everyone.

You won’t have to worry about this element if you make your own protein bars. You can use any ingredients you like, and may even be able to jam-pack more protein in the bars than the professionals can.

Take a look at the section below if you want some ideas for sources of complete vegan protein. They aren’t as difficult to find if you know where to look.

Comparison Table

Sources of Vegan Protein

Most non-vegans and those who are trying to go vegan for the first time can find it difficult to find sources of complete protein. Sure, it’s easy enough to get protein in your diet, but you’ll probably have to try some new foods if you want complete protein.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. We produce most of these amino acids on our own when our body turns food into energy. There are certain types of proteins, though, that our bodies cannot produce on their own. For this reason, we refer to these amino acids as “essential” amino acids.

Vegetarians often get these essential amino acids from sources like dairy and eggs, but vegans aren’t so lucky. Vegans have to look towards less traditional means of obtaining these amino acids, but it’s not as hard as you might think once you know where to look.

We’ve included a list of vegan foods that contain complete proteins below.

• Soy
• Quorn
• Ezekiel Bread
• Seitan
• Quinoa
• Hummus
• Peanut Butter
• Chia

Adding these to your diet and combining them with some of the vegan protein bars we listed above are sure to bring you all the protein you need to build muscle. Once you know where to look, developing vegan meals that include complete protein becomes much easier.

Last update on 2023-03-30 at 17:05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API