Barebells
Peppermint Bark
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Candy‑bar texture with a crisp coating and chewy center, consistently delivering about 20g of protein—widely praised as best‑in‑class on taste and texture.
When to choose Barebells Peppermint Bark
Anyone who wants a dessert‑like protein hit for the afternoon slump or post‑workout without choking down chalk. Less ideal if you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols or prefer ultra‑simple ingredient lists.
What's in the Barebells bar?
Barebells Peppermint Bark leans on serious dairy firepower for its 20 grams of protein and classic candy-bar flavor for its charm.
The protein comes from a milk-protein trio (calcium caseinate with whey isolate and concentrate) with a little bovine collagen for chew, while the peppermint bark character is built with real chocolate, cocoa butter, cool mint flavor, and red-and-white sprinkles.
To keep sugar low, the bar swaps table sugar for maltitol, glycerin, and polydextrose, and keeps fat modest with just enough cocoa butter and sunflower oil to carry the chocolate-mint experience.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Calories
- 210
Protein
2015HIGHMost of the protein here is dairy: a milk-protein blend of calcium caseinate and whey (isolate and concentrate), backed by a smaller amount of bovine collagen and a touch of soy isolate. Dairy proteins are complete and well-digested, giving you a mix of fast- and slow-digesting amino acids; collagen helps texture but isn’t a complete protein on its own. The result is a robust, high-quality 20 grams—well above what you get in many bars.
Fat
79MIDFat comes mainly from cocoa butter in the chocolate and a bit of sunflower oil (also used in the sprinkles). That means a mix of saturated fat—largely stearic acid from cocoa butter, which is relatively neutral for LDL cholesterol—and unsaturated fat from sunflower oil. At 7 grams, it’s a modest amount that supports flavor without feeling heavy.
Carbs
2020MIDThese carbs are engineered more than they’re farm-fresh: polydextrose (a synthetic soluble fiber), maltitol (a sugar alcohol), and glycerin do most of the lifting, with small contributions from chocolate, milk powders, and starches in the sprinkles. This design keeps sugar low and generally smooths blood-sugar swings compared with straight sugar for many people. If you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols, though, multiple servings can mean extra gas or GI discomfort.
Sugar
14LOWOnly 1 gram of sugar shows up here, mostly what comes along naturally with milk powders and chocolate. Sweetness instead comes from sugar alcohol (maltitol), plant-derived glycerin, and a tiny dose of sucralose, with polydextrose adding bulk and body. That keeps sugar down, but people who react to polyols may want to stick to one bar at a time.
Calories
210210MIDAt 210 calories, it lands near the middle of the pack for protein bars. Most of the energy is split between the dairy proteins and the low-sugar sweetener/fiber base, with a smaller share coming from cocoa butter and sunflower oil. Because polydextrose and maltitol deliver fewer calories per gram than sugar, some of those labeled carbs contribute less energy than a sugar-sweetened bar would.
Vitamins & Minerals
No standout micronutrients—nothing tops 10% of daily value on the label. You do get a modest bump of calcium (about 8% DV) from the milk proteins, but this bar is built for protein and flavor, not vitamins.
Additives
This is a highly formulated bar: polydextrose adds fiber and bulk, maltitol and glycerin provide sweetness and softness, sunflower lecithin keeps the chocolate smooth, and sucralose gives a final sweet lift. Natural and artificial flavors drive the mint, while the sprinkles bring color (including Red 40 Lake) and crunch. These ingredients deliver low sugar and a soft chew, though they’re more refined than whole-food-based options.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk casein
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk whey
Cattle hides, bones, connective tissue
Fats and oils
Corn or wheat
Cocoa beans
glucose
Cow's milk
Rice grain (Oryza sativa)
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I bought two of the cookies and cream protein bars for my boyfriend and I to try…. These protein bars are absolute FLAMES 🔥 they’re so delicious, they taste like a straight up chocolate bar… with barely any sugar and 20g of protein!!!!”
“Best protein bars out there. I’ll die on this hill.”
“Barebell protein bars are genuinely some of the only protein bars I can eat - I hate the weird flavors and bars that are disgustingly chewy - as someone who struggles with binge ed, I’ve been so grateful to have a brand of protein bars that can satisfy that sweet tooth and keep me full so I don’t gravitate towards all that junky food!”
Main Praise
Taste and texture are the headline. Across flavors, Barebells manages a chocolate‑coated crunch with a nougat‑like chew that many people say passes for a candy bar.
Editors at Bon Appétit and SELF call out the texture specifically, and Allrecipes went as far as crowning it the best‑tasting bar they’ve tried. On social, fans echo the sentiment—the Cookies & Cream flavor in particular gets near‑rapturous praise—and the protein number is no slouch at a reliable 20g.
The combo makes it a satisfying stand‑in for dessert or a workout snack that actually feels like a treat. In short: it’s the rare bar people recommend for taste first, nutrition second, and don’t feel sheepish about either.
Main Criticism
The sweetness engine relies on modern sweeteners—think sugar alcohols like maltitol and non‑nutritive options such as sucralose—which some folks find bothers their digestion. A few reviewers report flavor misses alongside the hits; the Birthday Cake launch drew some strong thumbs‑down, and one person wished a banana flavor tasted more like, well, banana candy.
Texture preference is subjective too: if you want a big wafer‑like crunch, a few critics say they prefer a different brand’s crunchier build. Price comes up as a minor gripe; it’s not the budget option, especially if the bar becomes a daily habit.
The Middle Ground
So where does that leave us? On one side: a chorus of fans (and more than a few food editors) who swear Barebells finally cracked the protein‑bar texture code.
On the other: a smaller but vocal camp pointing to sweeteners as a deal‑breaker and noting a couple of flavor duds. The gut concerns are real—sugar alcohol tolerance varies—and if maltitol or sucralose tend to bother you, no glowing review will change your biology.
But the sweeping condemnation from the Reddit user who called a flavor “the most vile thing I’ve ever eaten” likely sits at the far end of the bell curve, especially next to an average Amazon rating around 4.
4 from a hefty sample.
One practical nuance: most signature bars use whey, which is great for a soft, chewy bite but not for dairy‑avoidant folks; the brand’s plant‑based line exists, but tastes and textures differ.
Big picture, Barebells trades a short, minimalist ingredient list for a highly engineered, candy‑bar experience—if that’s your priority, it delivers.
What's the bottom line?
Barebells is the protein bar for people who gave up on protein bars. It tastes like something you’d pick for fun, not penance, and it consistently hits around 20g of protein with a texture that gets near‑universal applause from professional taste testers and everyday snackers alike. The flip side is philosophical and physiological: you’re saying yes to a more processed ingredient deck and sweeteners that don’t agree with everyone.
If your stomach is cool with sugar alcohols and you prize taste and satisfaction, you’ll likely understand the hype in a single bite. If you want a very short list of whole‑food ingredients or you’re sensitive to maltitol or sucralose, look elsewhere. ” It’s good, period.