The Worst Barebells Protein Bar Flavor Is Really Nothing Special

Protein-centered diets are all the rage these days, not just to build muscle, but to lose weight and curb hunger. No matter what your fitness or weight goals may be, there's a protein bar brand that fits. Barebells protein bars have nearly a decade in the business, offering a range of different products that are loaded with protein. But are they also loaded with flavor? We tasted and ranked 14 Barebells protein bar flavors and found plenty of great options. We also found the underwhelming flavor to skip, which, according to our ranking, was Barbells' chocolate dough.

We based our ranking on taste, texture, and how well each flavor resembles its title. The chocolate dough came in last because it was virtually tasteless. Plus, the little taste it had was disappointing at best and off-putting at worst. Barbells protein bars come with crisp rice dotting their exterior to bring a crunchy contrast to their chewy, doughy interior. And this flavor was no different, with chocolate crispies over a chocolate-coated bar filled with a chocolate-flavored dough. Needless to say, we were expecting this bar to be a chocolate lover's dream with cocoa notes, milky richness, and a balanced sweetness. Instead, the bar was moderately sweet, the cocoa flavor was non-existent, and the chocolate itself was chalky. While dough is supposed to have a soft texture, the lack of chocolatey flavor and the dry aftertaste really put the texture into a bad light.

While the chocolate dough Barebells received fairly favorable reviews overall, there were plenty of reviews that didn't think the flavor or brand lived up to the hype. Bad reviews from Walmart, Target, and Bariatricpal.com described the flavor as bland, chalky, and even too sweet. The main complaint was more with the texture and individual ingredients. One review wrote, "These are terrible. The nougat tastes like chemicals and has an [off-putting] texture." Others described the texture as cardboard-like and prone to melting. While the crispies are supposed to give a textural contrast, one person said they were "very hard little pieces...that I could not chew." Many comments lamented the sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners that leave a bad aftertaste. The sugar alcohol used in these bars is Maltitol, which gave various complaining customers stomach aches and gastrointestinal issues.

If you're looking for a better chocolate flavor, we ranked the Fulfil brand as our favorite protein bar brand because its products taste exactly like biting into a real chocolate bar. If a doughy, chewy tootsie-roll-like texture is off-putting, Cliff Builders bars are the crispiest, crunchiest option out there. They have a Rice Krispies treat feel to them and contain the same 20 grams of protein as Barebells, albeit plant-based. That said, there are other Barebells flavors worth trying; salted peanut caramel is the Barebells flavor we'd buy again and again.