BSN
Coldstone Mint MInt Chocolate Chip
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A licensed Cold Stone flavor with a true crispy‑treat texture—20g of protein in a candy‑bar experience that keeps sugars to 4g and calories to 230.
When to choose BSN Coldstone Mint MInt Chocolate Chip
Mint‑chocolate fans who want a post‑workout or dessert‑swap bar with serious crunch and 20g of protein—and who are comfortable with processed sweeteners and colors.
What's in the BSN bar?
BSN’s Cold Stone Mint Mint Chocolate Chip bar leans on a whey‑forward dairy blend to deliver 20g of complete protein in a crispy, mint‑chocolate package. The chocolate comes from cocoa, the minty vibe from natural and artificial flavor, and the “ice‑cream‑shop” look is helped along by artificial colors.
Carbs are mostly engineered for texture and sweetness (think fiber syrups and a sugar alcohol) rather than coming from whole grains, while fat stays modest and is built mainly from palm‑based confectionery oils with a cameo from almonds.
Translation: big protein, modern sweeteners, restrained fat—great if you want a candy‑bar‑style protein hit and you’re comfortable with a more processed ingredient list.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Calories
- 230
Protein
2015HIGHProtein is anchored by a milk‑protein blend—whey isolate and concentrate alongside milk protein concentrate—supported by soy protein isolate and a little dried egg white. That mix delivers a complete, highly digestible amino‑acid profile with the fast uptake of whey and the crisp structure plant and egg proteins help create. Because whey powder and nonfat milk solids also appear, expect a small amount of lactose even though whey isolate keeps it lower than straight milk.
Fat
69LOWMost of the bar’s modest fat comes from palm‑derived confectionery fats (palm kernel oil, palm oil) and shea oil, chosen for snap and shelf stability, plus a touch from almonds. That skews the profile toward saturated fat compared with olive oil or nut‑butter‑based bars, though the total per bar remains low. It’s a functional dose to hold the chocolatey coating and crunch together, not a heavy fat load.
Carbs
2420MIDThese are “engineered” carbs more than whole‑food carbs: isomalto‑oligosaccharide (a fiber‑style syrup), polydextrose (a synthetic soluble fiber), maltitol syrup (a sugar alcohol), and glycerin provide bulk and sweetness, while refined tapioca and rice starch add structure; a little dextrose and sugar round it out. Compared with straight sugar, this blend can blunt sharp spikes, but it’s still refined carbohydrate—and sugar alcohols can cause gas or bloating for some at higher intakes. Expect quick‑to‑steady energy rather than the slow burn you’d get from oats or sweet potato.
Sugar
44MIDOnly 4 grams of sugar appear on the label, largely from small amounts of table sugar plus milk sugars (lactose) in whey powder/nonfat milk and a bit of dextrose. Most sweetness instead comes from a sugar alcohol (maltitol), “fiber” syrups like isomalto‑oligosaccharide, glycerin, and a tiny dose of the zero‑calorie sweetener sucralose—highly processed tools that keep sugars low. Effective for cutting sugar, yes, but some people find polyols and fiber syrups a little gassy.
Calories
230210MIDAt 230 calories, the bar’s energy is driven by its protein‑and‑carb matrix with a smaller share from fat. It sits on the higher‑calorie side for a snack bar, which makes sense for post‑workout recovery or as a dessert swap. If you’re spending calories, the 20 grams of protein help make them pull their weight.
Vitamins & Minerals
Calcium lands around 10% of daily value, thanks to the dairy proteins and added calcium carbonate. Iron is modest (~6%), likely contributed by cocoa and soy. No other vitamins or minerals meaningfully stand out.
Additives
This is a highly engineered bar: emulsifiers (soy/sunflower lecithin), stabilizers (agar, gum arabic), humectants (glycerin), fiber‑style bulking agents (polydextrose), a sugar alcohol (maltitol), high‑intensity sweetener (sucralose), and synthetic colors (Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5/6) all shape the crisp, sweetness, and look. They’re common in dessert‑like protein bars but are far from whole‑food ingredients. Great for candy‑bar texture and low sugar; less ideal if you’re minimizing refined additives.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk
Corn or tapioca
Defatted soybean flakes
Oil palm fruit
Shea tree kernels
Fats and oils
glucose
Corn or wheat starch
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“BSN Protein Crisp It’s by and large the best bar I’ve ever had.”
“Well, the brand is BSN. The flavor is just licensed from Cold Stone Creamery. Those protein crisp bars are pretty good! Sort of like a rice crispy treat.”
“BSN Protein crisp is still a great option. I literally used to eat a box of them a day while back in 2019 for a bulk”
Main Praise
Taste and texture lead the applause.
Multiple reviewers—across Reddit, Amazon, and independent roundups—say this bar actually feels fun to eat: light, crackly, and closer to a rice‑crispy treat than the taffy‑brick chew so many protein bars risk.
Garage Gym Reviews even crowned the line best‑tasting in its class, praising the balance of sweetness and the satisfying crunch. The macros help the case: 20g of milk‑forward protein in 230 calories is an easy win for a post‑workout or late‑night sweet fix.
Fans also like that it travels well and doesn’t coat your mouth in peanut butter fatigue. In short: it’s one of the few “dessert‑like” bars people actually finish with a smile.
Main Criticism
The flip side of that engineered crunch is, well, engineering. Some tasters call the Cold Stone flavors “too artificial,” especially the chocolate notes, and a few describe a vitamin‑ish or chapstick‑adjacent aftertaste.
Others find certain batches a bit dry and crumbly, which clashes with the “marshmallowy” image the crisp format evokes—water helps. The bigger functional complaint is GI: sugar alcohols and fiber syrups (like maltitol and polydextrose) can bloat sensitive stomachs.
Finally, price gets grumbles; it’s not the cheapest way to score 20g of protein, and the ingredient list won’t please minimalists.
The Middle Ground
So where’s the truth? If you want a clean, nuts‑and‑dates bar, this isn’t it; the BSN Crisp is proudly engineered to be crunchy, minty, and dessert‑forward with only 4g of sugar.
One Redditor even admitted to crushing a box a day while bulking—that says plenty about eatability.
On the other hand, the occasional “tastes fake” complaint isn’t imaginary: the Cold Stone line uses artificial flavors and colors to nail that ice‑cream‑parlor vibe, and some palates will pick that up more than others.
A lone comment about “a lot of sugar” doesn’t square with the label; the sweetness mostly comes from polyols and fiber syrups, not table sugar, which explains why some folks get tummy grumbles.
Fat stays modest at 6g total, though the palm‑based oils do tilt it toward saturated fat—functional for the snap, but not a Mediterranean moment.
If you’re mint‑chip curious, try one on a day you can assess how your stomach does; if it loves you back, you’ve got a breezy, crispy way to land 20g of protein.
What's the bottom line?
BSN’s Cold Stone Mint Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Crisp is a crowd‑pleaser because it eats like a treat and performs like a protein snack. You get 20g of high‑quality milk‑based protein, a genuine crispy bite, and only 4g of sugar in 230 calories—an easy win after training or when the dessert siren calls. It’s also gluten‑free and vegetarian, with a mint‑chocolate profile that feels playful rather than punishing.
The trade‑off is the ingredient philosophy: expect fiber syrups, a sugar alcohol, sucralose, emulsifiers, and artificial colors. If your stomach gets along with polyols and you’re not avoiding dairy, soy, egg, or almonds, this bar is an excellent “candy‑bar‑style” protein hit. If you prefer short‑list, whole‑food bars, or you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols, you’ll likely want a different lane.
Listicle takeaway: A crispy, mint‑chip dessert swap that delivers 20g of protein at 230 calories. Great taste and crunch; skip if sugar alcohols bother you or if you avoid dairy/soy/egg/almonds.