Applied Nutrition
Chocolate Salted Caramel
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A true candy‑bar build—couverture milk chocolate shell, gooey salted caramel, and soy crisps—delivering a dessert‑like bite at 140 calories with a plant‑led protein core and very little sugar thanks to modern sweeteners and fibers.
When to choose Applied Nutrition Chocolate Salted Caramel
A sweet‑tooth snack when you want chocolate‑caramel satisfaction plus a meaningful protein nudge, especially pre‑workout or during the afternoon slump—without committing to a heavy, meal‑replacement‑style bar.
What's in the Applied Nutrition bar?
Chocolate Salted Caramel reads like dessert first: a couverture milk chocolate shell (cocoa butter, cocoa mass, vanilla) wrapped around a low‑sugar caramel layer with a pinch of salt. Under the hood, the protein is plant‑led—hydrolysed wheat and soy—nudged up by a little milk protein isolate and crisped soy pieces for bite.
Sweetness leans modern confectionery (sugar alcohols and soluble fibers rather than fruit or cane sugar), while the fats are classic chocolate‑bar fats: cocoa butter with a little coconut oil for structure.
It’s a lighter‑calorie, candy‑bar‑style protein snack with an added vitamin blend, more about chocolate‑caramel satisfaction than “oats-and-nuts” wholesomeness.
- Protein
- 13 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 17 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Calories
- 140
Protein
1315MIDMost of the protein comes from hydrolysed wheat protein and soy protein isolate, with a smaller lift from milk protein isolate and soy crisps. That combo helps cover wheat’s weaker lysine profile (soy is complete) but is generally a step down in digestibility from pure dairy proteins. Allergens stack up here—wheat, soy, and milk—so sensitive eaters should take note.
Fat
59LOWFat is driven by cocoa butter in the chocolate and a touch of coconut oil in the caramel—both more saturated than olive or nut oils. The total per bar is modest, but the type skews toward saturated fat, which is great for snap and mouthfeel, less ideal if you’re watching LDL cholesterol. Emulsifiers like lecithin are present only in tiny, functional amounts.
Carbs
1720MIDCarbs lean heavily on refined binders and sweeteners: soluble tapioca fiber (a processed fiber from cassava) and sugar alcohols such as maltitol, with smaller contributions from oat flour and a bit of tapioca starch/maltodextrin in the caramel. This design generally blunts sharp blood‑sugar spikes compared with straight sugar, but it’s still a processed‑carb profile rather than slow‑burn whole grains. If you’re sensitive, polyols and prebiotic fibers can cause gas or looser stools at higher intakes.
Sugar
14LOWOnly 1 gram of sugar is listed because sweetness comes mainly from sugar alcohols (notably maltitol) plus a tiny boost from sucralose, with soluble fibers adding bulk and softness. That keeps sugar low without fruit or cane sugar, but maltitol is still partly absorbable and can nudge blood sugar—and in larger amounts it may unsettle sensitive guts. If you prefer naturally sweet bars, note there are no date or dried‑fruit sugars here.
Calories
140210LOWThis is a lighter‑than‑average, snack‑sized bar where calories are split across refined carbs/sweeteners, cocoa‑based fats, and a moderate protein dose. It’s easy to fit between meals, though the modest protein and fiber may not fully tide you over. Pairing it with yogurt, nuts, or fruit turns it into a more balanced mini‑meal.
Vitamins & Minerals
The one‑third‑daily‑value hits for C, E, and several B vitamins come from an added premix, not whole‑food ingredients. Green tea extract and a bit of L‑carnitine appear in sprinkle‑level amounts—think supporting cast, not starring roles. Useful if you’re light on B‑vitamins, but not a substitute for produce.
Additives
To deliver a chocolaty, low‑sugar chew, this bar leans on modern tools: glycerin to keep it soft, sugar alcohols and a touch of sucralose for sweetness, soluble tapioca fiber and oligofructose for bulk, and stabilizers like pectin and xanthan to set the caramel. These are highly refined, purpose‑built ingredients that recreate a candy‑bar texture at fewer sugars and calories. If your benchmark is “simple whole foods,” this follows a different playbook.
Ingredient List
Corn or wheat
Cocoa beans
Cow's milk
Ground roasted cocoa bean nibs
Soybeans
Fats and oils
Vegetable oils and animal fats
Corn, tapioca, potato, or rice starch
Chicory root
Corn or wheat starch
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Favorite Protein bars : Barebells: White Salty Peanut, Trust Crunch USN: Triple Chocolat, Applied Nutrition: Crunch White Choc Caramel and Grenade Carb Killa: White Chocolate Salty Peanut. What I tend to do with them is chop them, warm them on the microwave and put them in my plain Skyr.”
Main Praise
Taste leads the story.
Independent reviewers have consistently called out the soft, gooey center and a more enjoyable bite than you’d expect from a low‑sugar bar, and industry coverage has highlighted a refresh aimed squarely at improving taste and texture without sacrificing the macros.
In real kitchens, fans get creative: one Redditor chops and warms the bar into thick Skyr, turning it into a dessert‑leaning parfait that genuinely feels like a treat. The calorie‑to‑enjoyment ratio is impressive for a chocolate‑covered bar, and the soy crisps add just enough contrast so it isn’t one flat chew.
It’s also vegetarian, which broadens its appeal among candy‑bar‑style options. As bonuses go, the vitamin blend is a small, practical nod for people who routinely fall short on Bs and vitamin C—more insurance than headline.
Main Criticism
Some palates find it sweet—decidedly sweet. The “Crunch” in the name can also oversell the texture; a few reviewers describe it as more snap‑and‑chew than truly crunchy.
Sweetness relies mostly on maltitol (a sugar alcohol) plus a tiny lift from sucralose; that helps keep listed sugar at 1 gram but can bother sensitive stomachs with bloating or gas.
The protein is primarily from hydrolysed wheat and soy, which is perfectly serviceable but not as easily digested or leucine‑rich as a whey‑dominant bar. And allergen‑wise it’s a full house: wheat, soy, and milk, so it’s not for gluten‑free eaters.
The Middle Ground
So which is it—decadent win or modern candy science with trade‑offs? Probably both.
If flavor is your north star, this bar delivers a legit chocolate‑caramel experience at everyday‑snack calories, and even skeptics of low‑sugar bars tend to concede the texture is unusually satisfying. If ingredient minimalism is your priority, the playbook here—processed fibers for bulk, sugar alcohols for sweetness, and tiny amounts of stabilizers—won’t change your mind.
A Stack3d‑noted update aimed to boost taste and texture, yet Supplement Check It still describes a soft, gooey center; in practice, expect more “chocolate shell and chew” than a tooth‑shattering crunch.
On the nutrition side, the 13g of plant‑first protein is a nice bump for a snack but not a heavy hitter for hard training days; pair it with yogurt or milk if you want more staying power.
And about those guts: some people tolerate maltitol just fine, others don’t. Start with one bar and see how your system feels.
What's the bottom line?
Applied Nutrition’s Chocolate Salted Caramel Protein Crunch Bar is a dessert‑style protein snack that actually eats like dessert—real chocolate shell, a proper caramel layer, and a soft center—yet it stays light at 140 calories with 13g of protein. The trade is a modern sweetener strategy (maltitol, a touch of sucralose, and processed fibers) and an allergen stack that excludes gluten‑free and dairy‑free eaters. If you want a whole‑foods, nuts‑and‑oats character, this isn’t it.
If you want a sweet, chocolaty fix that contributes meaningfully to protein—and you tolerate sugar alcohols—it’s an easy yes. Short listicle take: Candy‑bar texture, 13g protein, 140 calories, and just 1g sugar thanks to sugar alcohols and fibers. Best for a dessert‑leaning snack; skip if you’re sensitive to maltitol or need gluten‑free.