FITCRUNCH
Lemon Cake
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A rare lemon‑cake flavor with a candy‑bar build: crunchy shell, soft center, and a frosting‑like finish—delivering moderate protein without leaning on much actual sugar.
When to choose FITCRUNCH Lemon Cake
Sweet‑tooth moments or a pre‑workout pick‑me‑up when you want a bakery vibe with 16g of high‑quality protein; best for people who handle sugar alcohols well and aren’t chasing a short‑ingredient list.
What's in the FITCRUNCH bar?
FITCRUNCH Lemon Cake aims for bakery-lemon-square energy with a protein-first build. The 16 grams of protein come mainly from whey (concentrate and isolate) with help from soy—and a small amount of collagen for texture—so quality leans solidly dairy/soy rather than plant-only.
The bright citrus bite is built from concentrated lemon juice and a pear-based lemon layer, plus “lemon-flavored drops” that create an icing-like finish.
Sweetness is kept low in actual sugar by leaning on sugar alcohols and a tiny touch of artificial sweetener, while the 8 grams of fat rely mostly on palm and dairy fats to hold that frosted, cakey bite.
In short: moderate calories, balanced macros, and a flavor system that trades table sugar for more engineered sweeteners and stabilizers—worth knowing as you decide if this style fits your routine.
- Protein
- 16 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Calories
- 190
Protein
1615MIDMost of the protein here comes from whey—both concentrate and isolate—supported by soy protein isolate, with a little collagen in the mix. Whey and soy are complete, highly digestible proteins that support recovery well; collagen, by contrast, lacks some essential amino acids and is used more for texture than top-tier protein quality. At 16 grams, the total lands around the middle of the category, but the dairy/soy pairing keeps the quality strong.
Fat
89MIDThe 8 grams of fat are driven largely by palm kernel oil and palm oil, with smaller contributions from dairy fat (milkfat in the lemon drops), a bit of soybean oil, and trace cocoa butter. That blend skews more saturated than, say, nuts or olive oil, which helps the bar hold a “frosted” structure and clean bite. The overall amount is moderate, but if you’re watching saturated fat, this is one to note.
Carbs
1620MIDCarbs come from a mix of refined and fruit sources: a pear puree and some glucose syrup in the lemon layer, plus sugar alcohols and glycerin that sweeten and keep the bar soft. Sugar alcohols (such as maltitol and sorbitol) tend to blunt spikes compared with table sugar and bring fewer calories, though some people get gassy when they eat a lot at once. Expect steadier energy than a frosting-heavy dessert, but not the slow-burn you’d get from whole grains like oats.
Sugar
34MIDOnly 3 grams of sugar show up because most of the sweetness comes from sugar alcohols (like maltitol and sorbitol) plus a tiny boost from an artificial sweetener (sucralose). The actual sugars you do get come from a little regular sugar in the lemon drops, fruit puree, and lactose from the dairy ingredients. Low sugar here means less of a quick spike; the tradeoff is that polyols can bother sensitive stomachs at higher intakes.
Calories
190210MIDAt 190 calories, this sits on the lighter side for protein bars and spreads energy fairly evenly across protein, carbs, and fat. Because several carbs are sugar alcohols, the label lands a bit lower than a simple 16/16/8 macro math would suggest. It fits nicely as a between-meal holdover or pre-workout bite.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamins or minerals stand out above 10% Daily Value on this flavor. Small amounts can come from the dairy (think a bit of calcium and riboflavin), while beta‑carotene and riboflavin appear mainly as colorants rather than meaningful nutrient boosts. Treat this as a protein snack, not a multivitamin.
Additives
This is a confectionery-style build, so expect a longer list of helpers: emulsifiers (lecithins, mono- and diglycerides) for smooth texture, potassium sorbate for freshness, and colorants—including titanium dioxide—for that bright, opaque “icing” look. Sweetness relies on sugar alcohols plus a micro-dose of sucralose to keep sugars low. If you prefer minimally processed bars, note that this one leans on modern sweeteners and stabilizers to deliver its cake-like bite and shelf life.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk whey
Defatted soybean flakes
Oil palm fruit
Corn or wheat
Pear fruit
Corn, wheat, potato, tapioca starches
Lemons
Bovine, porcine, poultry, or fish skins/bones
Fats and oils
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Just gotta toss a shout out for the Robert Irvine Fit Crunch bars. I just had a PB&J one for breakfast. Each bar has 30g of Protein. They taste really really good.”
“The Fit Crunch bars are great if you want something that tastes like a candy bar, but almost has the macros of a legit protein bar 190cals, 16g protein, 8g fat, 14g carbs”
“The Robert Irvine’s fit crunch bars. Just found these at Costco, they don’t spike me, and almost reminds me of Reese’s.”
Main Praise
Taste is the headline. Across Reddit and Amazon, fans keep likening FITCRUNCH to a candy bar—only this one brings 16g of whey/soy protein along for the ride.
The texture—crisp outside, softer layers inside—scratches the dessert itch better than most “healthy” bars, and the lemon flavor is a welcome break from the usual chocolate‑peanut rut. At 190 calories, it’s easier to slot into a snack window than the brand’s original full‑size, heavier bars, which some articles criticize.
Several users also note steadier energy and less of a sugar surge compared with frosting‑heavy treats, which tracks with a sweetness system that leans away from straight table sugar. In short: if flavor is your top priority and you want enough protein to matter without feeling like you’re chewing chalk, this bar shows up.
Main Criticism
The flipside of that taste is the toolbox used to get there. Sweetness relies heavily on sugar alcohols (like maltitol and sorbitol) and a touch of sucralose; people who are sensitive to polyols report gas, urgency, or full‑on GI revolt.
The ingredient list is long and includes palm oils for structure and titanium dioxide for that opaque, icing‑like look—fine by U. S.
standards, but not everyone wants those in a daily snack (the EU no longer allows titanium dioxide in foods). Some buyers wish the protein were higher—20g has become a psychological benchmark—and a few find the flavor a bit artificial.
Practical note: the coating can soften or melt in heat, which makes for a messy commute snack.
The Middle Ground
So where does the truth land? If you value taste and texture first, reviewers are loud and clear: FITCRUNCH is unusually enjoyable.
Redditor Checkers10160 summed it up as “tastes like a candy bar, macros of a legit protein bar,” and that nails the Lemon Cake vibe. But the criticisms aren’t noise.
Polyols can be rough on sensitive stomachs, and the ultra‑processed build (palm oils, emulsifiers, brighteners) won’t satisfy the minimal‑ingredient crowd.
Trainer Jacob Zemer argues only about 12g of its protein is “bioavailable,” but that’s a claim worth side‑eye—whey and soy are among the most digestible, complete proteins we have, so the 16g here is functionally useful for recovery and appetite control.
One more bit of confusion to clear: Reddit user organicchunkysalsa praised a 30g FITCRUNCH bar; that’s the older, larger format. This Lemon Cake flavor clocks 16g—lighter by design.
If you want a clean‑label, slow‑burn, oat‑and‑nut bar, this isn’t it. If you want dessert with benefits, it very much is.
What's the bottom line?
FITCRUNCH Lemon Cake is a pastry‑chef take on a protein snack: bright lemon, frosting‑style finish, and enough whey/soy protein to make it more than a guilty pleasure. The 190‑calorie footprint makes it easy to use as a between‑meal bridge or pre‑workout bite, and gluten‑free folks get another flavor option that isn’t just chocolate. The tradeoffs are intentional and worth weighing.
You’re getting engineered sweetness (sugar alcohols + a touch of sucralose) and a confectionery fat blend (palm oils) rather than a short list of whole‑food ingredients. If sugar alcohols treat you kindly and you want something that tastes like a lemon square while still contributing 16g of quality protein, this bar delivers.
If you’re sensitive to polyols, prefer unsweetened or minimally processed options, or demand 20–30g of protein per bar, you’ll be happier elsewhere. As a "dessert‑leaning" protein snack you keep in rotation—not necessarily a daily staple—it shines.