The short answer
You can get dessert flavor and real protein in the same snack. Protein candy bars, protein crispy treats, protein bars, and protein cereal now taste close to the real thing. Hormbles Chormbles makes a fudgy candy bar with 10g of protein and 0g of sugar, and Magic Spoon Protein Treats have 12g of protein and 1g of sugar.
A sweet tooth does not go away just because you are trying to eat more protein. The good news is that sweet protein snacks have gotten really good. Fudge, caramel, cookies, peanut butter, chocolate: they are all on the menu now, with protein and much less sugar.
Why sweet snacks are hard to give up
Sweet foods are just enjoyable, and that is fine. The problem with most candy is not the sweetness. It is that a candy bar is mostly sugar, with very little protein or fiber. It tastes great, and then you are hungry again soon.
A sweet protein snack keeps the flavor and changes what is inside.
Candy vs. protein sweets, side by side
Here are two classic candy bars next to protein sweets, from each label.
| Snack | Protein | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Hershey's Milk Chocolate (1.55 oz) | 3g | 24g |
| Snickers (1.86 oz) | 4g | 27g |
| Hormbles Chormbles Salted Fudge Protein Candy | 10g | 0g |
| Magic Spoon Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Treats | 12g | 1g |
| David Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bar | 28g | 0g |
The FDA Daily Value for added sugars is 50g. A single candy bar can use up about half of that. The protein options barely touch it.
Sweet protein snacks by craving
When you want a candy bar
Protein candy bars look and bite like the real thing. Hormbles Chormbles Salted Fudge is fudgy, with 10g of protein and no sugar. Barebells Cookies & Caramel is chewy and caramel-y, with 20g of protein.
When you want a crispy treat
Think rice crispy treats, but with protein. Magic Spoon's Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Treats have 12g of protein and 1g of sugar.
When you want cookie dough
The David Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bar packs 28g of protein into 150 calories, with 0g of sugar.
When you want a bowl of something
Chocolate protein cereal makes a great late-night snack. Magic Spoon Cocoa has 13g of protein and no sugar. Eat it with milk or straight from the bag. For more on cereal, see is high-protein cereal healthy.
How they stay sweet without sugar
Zero-sugar sweets still taste sweet because they use other sweeteners. Common ones:
- Sugar alcohols, like erythritol or maltitol.
- Allulose, a rare sugar that is not counted as added sugar on the label.
- High-intensity sweeteners, like stevia, monk fruit, or sucralose.
Some people's stomachs do not love sugar alcohols in large amounts. If you are new to them, try one serving at a time. Here is more on sugar alcohols and allulose.
Protein sweets are still treats. They are a smarter way to have dessert, not a reason to eat five of them.
Tips for snacking on sweets
- Pick one, and plate it. Eating from the pack makes it easy to lose track.
- Pair it with a drink. A cold sparkling drink or coffee makes a small sweet feel like more.
- Keep one in your bag. If you have a good option on hand, you are less likely to grab a candy bar at checkout.
Try a box of sweet finds
Protein sweets are one of the hardest categories to shop for. They come from small brands, the flavors vary a lot, and most sell in boxes of 12. One bad flavor and you are stuck with 11 more.
finds box lets you taste around. Every box has 10 snacks and drinks, each high in protein, high in fiber, or low in sugar, picked and tasted by our team. Sweet tooth? Build your own box with just the dessert-style picks. Repeats are allowed, so you can double up on your favorite.
Common questions
It depends on your craving. Protein candy bars are great for chocolate, crispy treats for crunch, and protein cereal for a bowl of something.
Yes, if the label says 0g of sugar. They taste sweet because of sweeteners like sugar alcohols, allulose, or stevia.
