BSN
Peanut Butter Crunch
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A true puffed‑rice crunch in a category of chewy bricks, paired with a peanut‑forward flavor and a whey‑led protein blend that delivers 20g of protein at 230 calories. The low sugar comes from fiber‑like syrups plus a sugar alcohol, keeping it sweet without loading up on regular sugar.
When to choose BSN Peanut Butter Crunch
Crunch lovers who want a peanut‑buttery, post‑workout or mid‑afternoon protein hit and don’t mind dairy, soy, or a sugar alcohol. Less ideal if you prefer minimalist ingredient lists or have a sensitive stomach.
What's in the BSN bar?
BSN’s Peanut Butter Crunch goes big on protein and classic candy‑bar texture.
The 20 grams come from a dairy‑led blend (whey isolate/concentrate and milk protein concentrate) backed by soy—and even a touch of egg white—so you get a complete, fast‑digesting profile with multiple allergens in the mix.
The “crunch” is built on rice‑based crisps and starches, while the peanut butter flavor is the real deal: peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut flour (with a cameo from almonds). Sugar stays low because sweetness is handled mostly by fiber‑like syrups and a sugar alcohol, with a pinpoint of sucralose, so the carbs skew more engineered than whole‑grain.
Fat is modest and comes from both nuts and some palm‑derived oils, yielding that crisp bite without a greasy feel.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Calories
- 230
Protein
2015HIGHMost of the 20 grams of protein come from a milk‑protein blend—whey isolate/concentrate plus milk protein concentrate—supported by soy protein isolate/hydrolyzed soy and a bit of dried egg white. That cocktail delivers a complete, highly digestible amino‑acid profile: quick‑absorbing whey with steadier casein, and soy rounding out texture and structure. Because isolates dominate, lactose is relatively low versus milk powder, but not zero—and milk, soy, and egg allergens are present.
Fat
79MIDFat sources are a mix of whole‑food and refined: peanuts, peanut butter, and almonds contribute mostly unsaturated fats, while palm and palm‑kernel oils add structure and some saturated fat. At 7 grams total, the bar stays lighter on fat than many competitors, giving nut flavor without a heavy oil load. If you’re watching saturated fat specifically, the palm‑derived portion is the one to note.
Carbs
2220MIDCarbs are largely ‘engineered’ for texture and low sugar: a fiber‑like syrup (isomalto‑oligosaccharide), a sugar alcohol (maltitol), glycerin, and polydextrose do the heavy lifting, with rice/tapioca starches and a little brown rice syrup and sugar on top. Expect a hybrid energy curve—less spiky than straight sugar thanks to the fiber‑like components and polyols, but the rice‑based starches still bring some quicker burn. Sensitive stomachs may notice bloating from sugar alcohols at higher intakes.
Sugar
44MIDOnly 4 grams of sugar make the label because most sweetness comes from a sugar alcohol (maltitol), a fiber‑like syrup (isomalto‑oligosaccharide), glycerin, and a pinch of the artificial sweetener sucralose. The small amount of real sugar is from table sugar and brown rice syrup—not fruit—and dairy proteins can contribute a little lactose. If sugar alcohols bother your digestion, consider how you feel after the first bar.
Calories
230210MIDAt 230 calories, this lands in the upper‑middle range and spreads energy across all three macros: a strong protein slice, modest fat, and the rest from carbohydrates. The protein and nut fats help with satiety, while the binder syrups and starches account for a meaningful share of the calories. Think practical refuel more than ultra‑light snack.
Vitamins & Minerals
No standout micronutrient hits here—nothing clears 10% of daily value. You do get small amounts of calcium (from the dairy proteins and added calcium carbonate) and iron (from soy and peanuts), but this is primarily a protein‑and‑energy play, not a vitamin boost.
Additives
To keep sugar low while delivering a candy‑bar bite, the recipe leans on functional additives: fiber‑like syrups and polydextrose for binding, a sugar alcohol for bulk sweetness, glycerin for moisture, lecithins for emulsifying, tocopherols to protect fats, agar for structure, and sucralose for a final sweet lift. These are widely used, highly refined tools that work—and they make for a longer, more engineered label than a minimal‑ingredient bar. If you prefer simpler formulations or are sensitive to polyols, take note.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk
Defatted soybean flakes
Corn or tapioca
Corn or wheat starch
Groundnut plant seeds
Fats and oils
Soybeans
Oil palm fruit
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. Across Reddit and Amazon, people keep comparing it to a rice crispy treat—in a good way—and several call it one of the best‑tasting high‑protein bars they’ve found.
Garage Gym Reviews even crowned the Protein Crisp line best‑tasting among high‑protein bars, noting that the puffed crunch makes it feel more like food than the dense, leathery styles. The macros also land in a friendly spot: 20g of protein, modest fat, and calories that fit a snack or a light post‑lift refuel without feeling like a brick.
Many appreciate that it’s sweet without going overboard, with peanut butter flavor that actually reads as peanut. And for some, the crisp format digests more comfortably than heavy nougat‑style bars.
Main Criticism
Not everyone loves the texture; a few reviewers call it dry or crumbly and say it’s better with water or coffee nearby. Others pick up an artificial edge to the sweetness and flavor and would prefer fewer lab‑to‑label ingredients.
The sugar alcohol can be a deal‑breaker—reports of gas and bloating show up often enough to take seriously if you’re sensitive. Some buyers also flag price as a knock relative to what you’re getting.
A couple of articles point out saturated fat and artificial sweeteners as downsides, and allergy‑wise this bar is a minefield for some (milk, soy, egg, peanuts, almonds, sesame).
The Middle Ground
Where does the truth land?
If you want an actually crunchy protein bar, this is one of the very few that nails it, and a lot of people genuinely enjoy the taste—one Redditor even said it was their best bar ever.
Complaints about dryness are fair, but they also come with the territory: a crisp bar won’t be gooey, so expectations matter.
The comment that these have “a lot of sugar” doesn’t match the label; at 4 grams, the sweetness mostly comes from a sugar alcohol and refined binders rather than cane sugar.
That’s a win for keeping sugar low, but it’s also the reason some folks report GI grumbles—and why ingredient purists will pass.
As for the saturated fat concerns, those vary by flavor and formula; what’s consistent is that this Peanut Butter Crunch keeps total fat moderate at 7 grams, which many athletes find easy to slot into a day.
In short: it’s a deliberate trade—crunch and candy‑bar vibes for a longer, more engineered ingredient list.
What's the bottom line?
BSN’s Protein Crisp Bar in Peanut Butter Crunch is the rare bar that actually crunches—and that alone explains a lot of its fan base. You get 20g of protein in 230 calories with a peanut‑forward flavor, a crisp bite, and low labeled sugar. The cost is a more engineered recipe built on fiber‑like syrups, a sugar alcohol, and a pinch of artificial sweetener.
If you want a crunchy, dessert‑leaning protein snack and you’re fine with milk and soy (and don’t mind the occasional GI roulette of sugar alcohols), it’s a crowd‑pleaser. If you’re chasing short, whole‑food ingredient lists or have a sensitive stomach, you’ll likely be happier elsewhere. Listicle blurb: A crispy, peanut‑buttery bar that actually snaps, with 20g of milk‑based protein in 230 calories.
Sweetness is kept low in sugar by using fiber‑like binders and a sugar alcohol—great for macros, not for sensitive stomachs. Best for crunchy‑texture seekers after workouts; skip if you avoid dairy, soy, or sugar alcohols.