I've been deep in the protein bar game, and the dirty secret is that most "healthy" bars are basically Snickers with a protein scoop.

Here's what I look for when evaluating any bar — including my own:

1. Protein source matters more than grams

Whey isolate and egg white > soy protein concentrate. If the first source listed is "soy protein isolate," it's cheap filler.

2. Sugar alcohol is not "zero sugar"

Maltitol, sorbitol, erythritol — they spike blood sugar differently. Erythritol is the cleanest. If you see maltitol, run.

3. The fiber trick

Brands add IMO (isomalto-oligosaccharides) and call it "fiber." It's basically syrup. Real fiber = chicory root, oats, or flax.

4. The 1:1 rule

A solid bar = ~1g protein per 10 calories. 200-cal bar with 20g protein = efficient. 300-cal with 15g = glorified granola bar.

5. Ingredient count

Under 10? Probably real food. Over 20? Science experiment.

This is exactly why I started FUELBAR — bars I'd actually eat daily without decoding a chemistry textbook. We ship 12 curated bars monthly. Clean labels, real ingredients, zero chalk taste.