GNC Total Lean
Cookie Dough
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A dessert-leaning protein bar widely praised for flavor and soft chew, delivering 16g of protein at 190 calories with only 3g of sugar. It uses a soy–whey–casein blend for a fuller amino profile and a doughy texture you don’t have to pretend to like.
When to choose GNC Total Lean Cookie Dough
Best for people who want a lower‑sugar, cookie‑like protein snack that actually tastes good—post‑workout, between meetings, or to curb a 3 p. m.
sweet tooth. Not ideal if you avoid sugar alcohols, prefer short‑list ingredients, or need a vegetarian bar.
What's in the GNC Total Lean bar?
Think of this Cookie Dough bar as a protein-first treat built with food science. You get 16g from a blend of soy protein isolate plus dairy proteins (whey concentrate/isolate and casein), which nudges it a bit above the category average for protein.
Carbs are lower than most bars, kept in check not by fruit or grains but by sugar alcohols and glycerin, with just 3g of sugar.
The doughy bite and chocolatey notes come from palm-based fats, refined seed oils, Dutch‑processed cocoa, chocolate pieces, brown sugar/corn syrup, and natural flavors—then a cast of emulsifiers keeps everything soft and cohesive.
If you’re after a lower‑sugar, cookie‑inspired bar and don’t mind a longer ingredient list, this one fits the brief.
- Protein
- 16 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Calories
- 190
Protein
1615MIDThe 16g of protein come from a soy–dairy blend: soy protein isolate leads, with whey concentrate/isolate and sodium caseinate adding complete milk proteins (plus a touch of gelatin for texture). That mix delivers a full amino‑acid profile and pairs fast‑digesting whey with slower casein—great for satiety—but it’s not dairy‑free or vegetarian because of the bovine gelatin.
Fat
99MIDMost of the 9g of fat comes from palm kernel/palm oil (for that dough‑like chew and chocolate pieces), joined by refined sunflower and soybean oils, with a small contribution from almonds/peanuts. Expect a blend of saturated fat (palm) and omega‑6‑rich unsaturated oils; the nuts add some naturally occurring vitamin E, while the refined oils mainly serve texture and shelf life.
Carbs
1420LOWThe 14g of carbs are driven by sugar alcohols and glycerin (the moisture‑holding sweeteners common in sugar‑free gum), alongside refined carbs like corn syrup, maltodextrin, and a little table sugar. That’s more “processed” than whole‑food carbs; energy will be mixed—polyols plus protein/fat may temper spikes, while the syrups and maltodextrin digest quickly.
Sugar
34MIDOnly 3g of sugar make the label because sweetness leans on sugar alcohols and glycerin, with a tiny boost from sucralose. The small sugar present comes from ingredients like sugar/brown sugar, corn syrup, chocolate, and milk sugar in whey; the trade‑off is that polyols can bother sensitive stomachs at higher intakes.
Calories
190210MIDAt 190 calories—lighter than many bars—most energy comes from the added fats and the protein, with a smaller share from digestible sugars. Sugar alcohols and glycerin help keep sugars low without making the bar calorie‑free, so think protein‑and‑fat‑forward fuel rather than a pure carb hit.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamins or minerals crack the 10% Daily Value here. You’ll see small contributions from dairy proteins (a little calcium), nuts and seed oils (vitamin E/tocopherols), and added vitamin A (palmitate) plus beta‑carotene used for color, but not enough to make this a meaningful micronutrient source.
Additives
To pull off the soft, cookie‑dough texture and long shelf life, the bar uses a suite of additives: emulsifiers (lecithins, mono‑/diglycerides, acetylated monoglycerides), humectants/sweeteners (glycerin, sugar alcohols), anticaking agents, and a preservative (potassium sorbate). They work, but together they signal an ultra‑processed bar rather than a short‑list, whole‑food snack.
Ingredient List
Defatted soybean flakes
Cow's milk whey
Vegetable oils (palm, soy)
Cattle hides and bones
Oil palm fruit
Cow's milk whey
Sugarcane and sugar beet
apples and pears
Corn or wheat
Cacao beans
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I just found a bar I really like last Saturday. It's the GNC Lean Bar - Strawberry Yogurt Flavor. It's only 15g of protein (unlike the Quest bar OP shared), but I really like it.”
“GNC Lean Bars! So many good flavors, 15g protein for 180cal. Or their layered bars, a bit more decadent but basically same nutritional values.”
“GNC Lean Bars does a mint chocolate bar that's almost identical if you love them”
Main Praise
Taste and texture lead the love. Reviewers repeatedly call out that these bars don’t have the chalky finish that haunts the category, with Amazon’s Cindy S raving that the line’s mint flavors are surprisingly on point.
Reddit threads nod to the broad flavor lineup and a consistency that reads more dessert than duty. Satiety is another bright spot: 16g of protein at 190 calories strikes a nice snack balance that keeps you humming without feeling heavy.
Compared to many mainstream snack bars, the macros are more protein‑forward, and the gluten‑free label broadens the audience. For folks who want a candy‑bar-adjacent treat with actual protein, this one checks the right boxes.
Main Criticism
The flip side is how it gets there. This is an ultra‑processed build, with a long cast of sweeteners, emulsifiers, and stabilizers doing the heavy lifting for texture and low sugar.
That means sugar alcohols and glycerin provide much of the sweetness—fine for many, but a known gut irritant for some at higher intakes. The fat comes largely from palm oils, so expect a meaningful dose of saturated fat in the mix.
It’s also not vegetarian due to gelatin, and allergens abound (milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts). And while “lean” is on the label, legal coverage has questioned whether that descriptor fits by strict regulatory definitions—an ongoing debate rather than a settled verdict.
The Middle Ground
If your top priority is a protein bar that eats like dessert, the Cookie Dough flavor delivers where plenty of competitors stumble. That soft chew and real‑deal sweetness don’t happen by accident; they’re engineered with a soy–dairy protein blend and a suite of sweeteners.
Some Redditors gush that the line nails cookie‑inspired flavors, and based on the broader sentiment, they’re not imagining it. But if you’re the type who reads labels line by line, the ingredient list may read like a kitchen you don’t own—emulsifiers, polyols, and preservatives included.
On fat, 9g per bar isn’t outrageous for a snack, but it’s enough to make the “lean” branding feel fuzzy for label purists. GNC argues “lean” is lifestyle branding; plaintiffs argue it implies a specific fat threshold per 100 grams.
The truth lives in the middle: it’s a tasty, lower‑sugar, moderate‑protein bar, not a minimalist, whole‑food one—and the “lean” promise, at least in a legal sense, remains a question mark.
What's the bottom line?
GNC Total Lean’s Cookie Dough bar is the definition of a strategic compromise: real dessert appeal, respectable protein for the calories, and low sugar achieved with modern sweeteners. If that’s your sweet spot—something that actually satisfies without the sugar crash—it’s easy to see why the line has loyal fans. But the trade‑offs are clear.
This is an ultra‑processed formula with sugar alcohols, palm‑based fats, and a not‑vegetarian protein blend. If you tolerate polyols well and want a genuinely tasty, gluten‑free, 190‑calorie snack that leans sweet without leaning on sugar, it earns a spot in the rotation. If you prefer short‑list, fruit‑sweetened bars or you’re strict about “lean” meaning low fat by the book, this likely isn’t your match.
Condensed listicle blurb: Dessert‑leaning taste with 16g protein at 190 calories and just 3g sugar. Uses a soy–whey–casein blend for a soft, doughy bite; gluten‑free but not vegetarian (gelatin).
Ultra‑processed with sugar alcohols and palm oils; some may get GI upset. Great for sweet‑tooth snacks after the gym; less ideal for ingredient minimalists or those wary of the “lean” label debate.