15 Healthy Vegan Protein Bars (2024)

• Best limited ingredient: Larabar
• Best hemp protein:
• Best pea protein: Rise Bar
• Best post-workout: GoMacro MacroBar
• Best dessert-like: Good! snacks protein bars
• Most filling: No Cow Protein Bar
• Best organic: ALOHA Organic Protein Bar
• Best raw: Raw Rev Glo Protein Bar
• Best soy protein: Nugo Slim Vegan Protein Bars
• Best gluten-free: Amrita Protein Bars
• Best with probiotics: LOLA Probiotic Bar
• Best homemade: No-bake chocolate protein bar, Cookie dough protein bars, Healthy Matcha Protein Bars, Easy homemade vegan protein bars

We focused on three main criteria to choose great vegan protein bars.

• Ingredient quality: We selected vegan protein bars that are minimally processed and limit artificial flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives.
• Nutritional value: Protein content is important (that’s why you’re eating them, right!?), but we also gave preference to bars that include other nutrients you may benefit from or need a boost of on a vegan diet.
• Price: We included options within a price range, and even a handful of homemade options, so that you can find something that suits your budget.

Best limited ingredient

Larabar

• Price: $
• Flavors: There are too many to list, but some of the most popular include chocolate chip cookie dough, cherry pie, peanut butter and jelly, lemon bar, and peanut butter chocolate chip.
• Protein source: nuts

Larabars come in 30 flavors and cost less than $1.50 a bar, making them a budget-friendly option. What’s more, they’re available in some major grocery stores like Trader Joe’s, Target, and Whole Foods.

These bars are made with anywhere from two to nine whole food ingredients and do not include preservatives or artificial ingredients.

The protein in these bars is a little on the lower end, with each bar containing only 3–6 grams of protein. This is likely because Larabar avoids using protein powders or additives to increase the protein content. Instead, the protein in these bars comes from cashews, almonds, walnuts, or peanuts.

While one Larabar will not meet your post-lifting protein needs, they make a good balanced snack to ward off hunger and keep you feeling energized on the go.

Best hemp protein

Evo Hemp Pineapple Almond Fruit & Nut Bar

• Price: $$
• Flavors: birthday cake, cookie dough, brownie chip, lemon
• Protein source: hemp

These vegan bars are made using hemp protein, which is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

In addition to relieving inflammation, omega-3 fatty acids can help promote brain function, heart health, and immunity (1).

The company emphasizes sustainability, sourcing its hemp from small family-owned farms in Colorado. All products are put through third-party testing to verify consistency, purity, and potency.

The cookie dough Evo Hemp bar has 220 calories, 12 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and is a good source of several important nutrients, including iron, phosphorus, manganese, vitamin E, and magnesium.

Best pea protein

Rise Bar

• Price: $$
• Flavors: chocolatey coconut, lemon cashew, sunflower cinnamon
• Protein source: peas

The vegan Rise Bars are made using pea protein isolate and boast 1 to 3 grams of fiber (depending on the flavor you choose) and an impressive 15 grams of protein per serving.

They also have just four or five key ingredients (again, depending on the flavor), which makes them an excellent option for those looking to limit their consumption of sugar alcohols or preservatives.

These bars are a good source of potassium, an important nutrient that can help support heart health, manage blood sugar levels, and protect against bone loss and kidney stones (2).

While most Rise bars are vegan, they also have product lines containing whey protein and ingredients like honey. To be sure, check the ingredient list for these non-vegan items before purchasing.

Best post-workout

GoMacro MacroBar

• Price: $$
• Flavors: salted caramel + chocolate chips, peanut butter chocolate chip, double chocolate + peanut butter chips, banana + almond butter, lemon, oatmeal chocolate chip, coconut + almond butter + chocolate chips, peanut butter, blueberry + cashew butter, maple sea salt, sunflower butter + chocolate, dark chocolate + almonds, mocha chocolate chip, cashew caramel
• Protein source: brown rice and peas

With an average of 270 calories, 2-4 grams of fiber, and 10-12 grams of protein, the GoMacro MacroBar is a popular product that’s made using a blend of sprouted brown rice protein and pea protein.

Brown rice protein is a great source of essential amino acids, which are a type of amino acid that can’t be synthesized by the body and need to be obtained from food sources instead (3).

Plus, it’s high in branched-chain amino acids, which can help promote muscle gain and reduce muscle damage after exercise (4, 5).

The biggest downside of these protein bars is that they contain 9–13 grams of added sugar. (The first ingredient is brown rice syrup.) While it may not be a deal-breaker for some, others may wish to avoid these because they include added sugar.

Best dessert-like

Good! snacks protein bars

• Price: $$
• Flavors: birthday, blueberry, chocolate mint, chocolate peanut butter, cookie, lemon, peanut butter, snickerdoodle
• Protein source: fava beans and brown rice

Good! snacks protein bars are vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and soy-free, though they’re manufactured on equipment that processes wheat and soy, according to the company. Each bar contains 15 grams of protein that comes from a blend of fava bean and brown rice protein.

In reviews, customers rave that these taste like a candy bar but still have the protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied between meals.

Each bar has between 210–230 calories, 11–13 grams of fiber, 15 grams of protein, and less than 10 grams of sugar.

Most filling

No Cow Protein Bar

• Price: $$
• Flavors: s’mores, birthday cake, cookies ‘n cream, chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter chocolate chip, chocolate fudge brownie, sticky cinnamon roll, chunky peanut butter, lemon meringue pie, blueberry cobbler, raspberry truffle, pumpkin pie, maple
• Protein source: brown rice and peas

High in both protein and fiber, these protein-packed bars are great for warding off hunger between meals.

No Cow protein bars have 16-19 grams of fiber, 20-22 grams of protein, only 1 gram of sugar, and just 190-210 calories per serving.

Protein has been shown to help reduce levels of ghrelin, a hormone that’s responsible for stimulating feelings of hunger (6).

Meanwhile, fiber moves through the digestive tract very slowly, which can help promote feelings of fullness and may reduce caloric intake. (7).

Best organic

ALOHA Organic Protein Bar

• Price: $$
• Flavors: peanut butter cup, lemon cashew, peanut butter chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate espresso protein + caffeine, chocolate mint, coconut chocolate almond, chocolate fudge brownie, vanilla almond crunch, caramel sea salt
• Protein source: pumpkin seeds and brown rice

These protein bars are vegan, gluten-free, and organic. Plus, they’re made using a blend of pumpkin seed and brown rice protein.

Aside from providing 14 grams of protein and 6–10 grams of fiber per serving, ALOHA Protein Bars are relatively high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.

Monounsaturated fatty acids can help increase HDL (good) cholesterol and reduce blood sugar and triglyceride levels in those with type 2 diabetes (8).

Best raw

Raw Rev Glo Protein Bar

• Price: $
• Flavors: Peanut butter dark chocolate and sea salt, peanut butter and sea salt, double chocolate brownie batter, chocolate chip cookie dough, crunchy peanut butter and sea salt, mixed nuts caramel and sea salt, birthday cake
• Protein source: peas, brown rice, hemp

While the exact numbers vary by flavor, you can expect Raw Rev Glo Protein Bars to provide 10-15 grams of protein, 10-14 grams of fiber. They’re also low in added sugar, containing just 2-5 grams per serving.

Excess sugar consumption can not only contribute to weight gain but also harm heart health, blood sugar levels, and liver function. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day for women and 36 grams per day for men (9, 10).

These flavorful protein bars are naturally sweetened with ingredients like monk fruit extract and dark chocolate and made using a blend of nutritious ingredients, including chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp protein.

Best gluten-free

Amrita Protein Bars

• Price: $$
• Flavors: chocolate chip coconut, sunflower butter and jelly, chocolate maca, apple cinnamon, dark chocolate quinoa, mango coconut, pineapple chia
• Protein source: brown rice, peas

With an ingredient list full of familiar foods rather than chemicals and additives, Amrita Bars are a good option for health-conscious consumers.

They currently offer seven different flavors that are made with ingredients like dates, brown rice protein, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, and chia seeds. Dates are high in fiber and polyphenols, which could help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels (11, 12).

Plus, they’re free from gluten, soy, peanuts, dairy, egg, and sesame.

Each serving provides about 15 grams of protein, 4–6 grams of fiber, and around 220 calories.

Best soy protein

Nugo Slim Vegan Protein Bars

• Price: $
• Flavors: crunchy peanut butter, chocolate mint, espresso, toasted coconut
• Protein source: soy

At less than $2 per bar, these soy-based protein bars are more affordable than many of the options on our list. With only 3 g of added sugar per bar, they’re subtly sweet and have a slightly crunchy texture.

Each bar contains 16 to 17 g of protein, plus 6 g of fiber to help keep you full. You’ll also consume 15-20% of your daily iron. Iron is used to make hemoglobin, a part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to your cells (13).

Best with probiotics

LOLA Probiotic Bar

• Price: $$
• Flavors: blueberry almond, cranberry almond, dark chocolate almond, dark chocolate cherry, dark chocolate peanut
• Protein source: seeds and nuts

Aside from providing 4 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and just 200 calories, each LOLA Probiotic Bar crams in one billion colony-forming units (CFU) of probiotics.

Probiotics are a type of beneficial bacteria associated with a long list of health benefits, including improved regularity and digestive health (14).

What’s more, probiotics may aid disease prevention, thanks to their ability to fight inflammation and boost immunity (15).

Homemade vegan protein bars

No-bake chocolate protein bar

These homemade chocolate protein bars are nutritious, easy to prepare, and indulgent enough to satisfy nearly any sweet tooth.

They’re made using just a few simple ingredients, including bananas. This popular fruit helps enhance the texture while bumping up the content of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium (16).

Each serving contains less than 200 calories and 20 grams of carbs, plus 12.5 grams of protein and nearly 2 grams of fiber. Plus, the flavor is adaptable so you can make them exactly how you like.

Cookie dough protein bars

These homemade cookie dough protein bars are made with vanilla extract, protein powder, maple syrup, cashew butter, and a few other simple ingredients.

They also contain oat flour, which is a good source of beta glucan.

Beta glucan is a compound that can help decrease cholesterol levels, which could help reduce the risk of heart disease (17, 18).

A typical serving of these tasty protein bars provides about 282 calories, 9.6 grams of protein, and 3.2 grams of fiber.

Healthy Matcha Protein Bars

These homemade, vibrantly colored protein bars are equal parts delicious and nutritious.

One serving contains 150 calories, 14 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber, making them a healthful nutrient-dense snack choice.

They also feature matcha, a concentrated form of green tea that has been shown to boost fat-burning, improve brain function, and support heart health (19, 20).

Easy homemade vegan protein bars

With just four simple ingredients, these homemade protein bars are a great option for novice chefs and foodies alike.

Additionally, unlike many prepackaged protein bars, homemade protein bars contain only whole food ingredients and are free of additives, preservatives, and artificial flavorings.

Although the nutritional value can vary based on the specific products you use, each serving contains about 215 calories, 2.5 grams of fiber, and nearly 11 grams of protein.

What makes a protein bar vegan?

Traditional protein bars often use whey protein from dairy, whereas vegan protein bars get their protein from plant sources, including peas, brown rice, beans, nuts, and seeds.

These protein bars avoid other animal-derived products like egg and honey.

Are vegan protein bars high in sugar?

Like any protein bar, vegan protein bars can have as much added sugar as candy bars if you aren’t careful. Look for vegan protein bars that get their sugar from natural sources and are low or free from added sugars. You’ll find this information on the nutrition facts label.

Are vegan protein bars healthier than regular protein bars?

The healthfulness of a protein bar depends on many factors, such as caloric value, protein, added sugar, fiber, and ingredients used. You’ll want to choose a protein bar that meets your specific lifestyle or dietary needs.

Plenty of healthy vegan protein bars are available.

You can find a variety of them at your local supermarket or online, or try whipping up a batch in the comfort of your kitchen.

In addition to providing a hearty dose of protein in each serving, many of these protein bars offer fiber, healthy fats, and a host of other nutritious ingredients.