Gatorade
Chocolate Caramel
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
It tastes unabashedly like a candy bar—crispies, caramel, chocolate—while delivering 20 grams of whey and avoiding artificial sweeteners.
When to choose Gatorade Chocolate Caramel
Best for post-workout recovery when quick carbs plus protein are useful, or for anyone who hates chalky bars but still wants a straightforward 20 grams of protein.
What's in the Gatorade bar?
Chocolate Caramel says it all: a gooey caramel made from glucose syrup, sugar, butter, and milk meets a chocolate coating built with alkalized cocoa.
Underneath the dessert vibes sits 20 grams of dairy protein—driven by whey protein crisps and supported by milk protein concentrate and a touch of whey isolate in the coating—for a complete, fast‑digesting amino acid profile.
The surprise is how much of the bar’s calories come from refined sugars and palm‑based fats; carbs and sugars run very high for the category.
If you want something that eats like a candy bar but still lands a meaningful protein hit, this is it; if you’re after slow, whole‑food carbs, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 43 g
- Sugar
- 28 g
- Calories
- 330
Protein
2015HIGHProtein comes primarily from whey protein crisps (whey protein concentrate), with milk protein concentrate and a bit of whey isolate in the chocolate coating rounding it out. That mix delivers complete, leucine‑rich protein that digests quickly, with some slower casein from the milk protein concentrate. Because nonfat milk and whey also appear, there’s some lactose—good to note if you’re sensitive.
Fat
109MIDMost of the 10 grams of fat come from palm kernel and palm oils in the coating and shortening, with a smaller dose from dairy butter in the caramel. This skews toward saturated fat—great for a firm, glossy coating and shelf stability, less ideal than nuts or olive oil from a heart‑health perspective. If you’re budgeting saturated fat, account for these sources.
Carbs
4320HIGHAt 43 grams, the carbs are dominated by refined sweeteners: caramel made with glucose syrup and sugar, plus corn syrup, invert sugar (sucrose split into glucose and fructose), brown sugar, and some cornstarch in the crisps. These are quick‑burn fuels—expect fast energy and a sharper blood‑sugar rise than you’d get from oats, dates, or fruit. The protein and fat will blunt the spike a bit, but this is more sprint than slow jog.
Sugar
284HIGHThe 28 grams of sugar largely come from refined sources—the caramel (glucose syrup and sugar), chocolate coating sugar, brown sugar, and invert sugar—rather than fruit. There are no artificial sweeteners; glycerin adds moisture and a touch of sweetness but doesn’t count toward ‘sugars’ on the label. Expect pronounced sweetness and quick‑hitting energy.
Calories
330210HIGHMost of the 330 calories are driven by the sweet layers and coating, not the protein. For orientation: 20g protein contributes ~80 calories, 10g fat ~90, and 43g carbs ~170—so sugars and syrups do the heavy lifting. It eats like dessert with a protein boost.
Vitamins & Minerals
Calcium lands at about 15% DV, thanks to dairy proteins (whey and milk protein concentrate) plus added calcium carbonate in the crisps. Beyond that, this bar isn’t built for micronutrient fortification—it’s primarily about protein and flavor.
Additives
To keep caramel soft and the coating smooth, the bar uses familiar helpers: soy lecithin and mono‑/diglycerides as emulsifiers, glycerin to hold moisture, citric acid for pH, and mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) to protect fats. These are widely used and safe at food‑use levels, but they signal a more processed build versus bars bound with oats or nut butters.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Corn (maize) endosperm
Limestone and chalk
Heat-treated sugars and starch hydrolysates
Sugarcane and sugar beet
Oil palm fruit
Cow's milk
Fats and oils
Cow’s milk or cream
Cow's milk whey byproduct
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“gatorade chocolate protein bars are so crispy and covered in a layer of really nice chocolate. does not have that protein bar taste or mouth feel at all.”
“Another great option are the Gatorade bars. All flavors taste great.”
“They’re not the most healthy for some, but I love Gatorade whey protein bars, the peanut butter flavor. They have 20 grams of protein each and taste like a better Whatchamacallit candy bar.”
Main Praise
Fans rave about the taste—and for once, the internet isn’t exaggerating. Multiple reviewers say it eats like a Snickers or a Whatchamacallit, with none of the chalky “protein bar” signal.
The texture nails that crispy-meets-chewy balance, and the chocolate coating tastes like…chocolate. The macros do their job too: a reliable 20 grams of whey-based protein that’s easy to digest post-workout.
People who can’t stand the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners appreciate that the sweetness here comes from sugar rather than sucralose or stevia. And because it’s so easy to eat, it’s a compliance win—hitting your protein target is simpler when the bar doesn’t feel like homework.
Main Criticism
Then there’s the sugar. At 28 grams, this skews much closer to dessert than to “healthy snack,” and the total 330 calories reflect that.
The fats lean saturated thanks to palm oils, and fiber is basically a no‑show, so don’t expect lasting fullness. Several reviewers and articles compare it directly to a candy bar with whey added; Reuters even covered a lawsuit that takes aim at the bar’s sugar-forward profile.
For anyone watching added sugar or seeking whole-food ingredients, this isn’t the everyday choice.
The Middle Ground
The split makes sense.
If you’ve just finished heavy lifting or a hard run, fast carbs plus 20 grams of whey can be exactly what your muscles ordered; that sugar isn’t a moral failure, it’s glycogen.
But if you’re sitting at a desk and want a tidy 200‑calorie, lower-sugar nibble to bridge lunch and dinner, Reddit’s “basically a candy bar” chorus isn’t wrong.
Bon Appétit asked why not just eat a candy bar with whey—fair question—but the answer is that most candy bars don’t deliver a complete, leucine-rich 20 grams of protein in one go.
On the flip side, using this as a daily meal replacement is a stretch; the bar lacks fiber, a diverse micronutrient profile, and the kinds of fats that tend to keep you satisfied.
As always, context calls the shots.
What's the bottom line?
Think of the Gatorade Chocolate Caramel Protein Bar as a dessert-forward recovery tool. It excels when you want something delicious right after training and you’d like that something to carry 20 grams of whey. Used intentionally, it’s a tasty, practical bridge to your next meal.
If you want a daily snack that’s lower in sugar, higher in fiber, or built from nuts and oats, there are better fits. But for the athlete who values compliance, convenience, and flavor—and doesn’t mind that the sweetness comes from sugar—this one delivers exactly what it promises.