GNC Total Lean
Cookies & Cream
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A candy-bar-like Cookies & Cream bite with 16g of whey-led protein at just 190 calories and only 2g of sugar, achieved with sugar alcohols and a highly engineered coating and crunch.
When to choose GNC Total Lean Cookies & Cream
Choose this if you want a dessert-leaning, snack-size protein boost that actually tastes good and you tolerate sugar alcohols. Skip it if you want a short, whole‑food ingredient list or avoid whey, soy, or common allergens.
What's in the GNC Total Lean bar?
GNC Total Lean’s Cookies & Cream bar is built like a dessert, but its nutrition leans on a whey‑led protein blend—whey concentrate and isolate, plus soy isolate with a touch of milk casein and gelatin—wrapped in a creamy palm‑oil–based coating.
You get 16g of protein in a 190‑calorie bar (a notch above average protein at a lighter calorie count), while the sweetness stays low in sugar thanks to sugar alcohols and a pinch of sucralose rather than fruit or cane sugar.
The “cookie” comes from Dutch‑processed cocoa and vanilla with soy crisps for crunch—tasty, though the carbs and texture rely more on refined sweeteners and additives than on whole‑food ingredients.
- Protein
- 16 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 190
Protein
1615MIDMost of the 16g of protein comes from whey protein concentrate and isolate, with soy protein isolate contributing and small amounts of sodium caseinate (milk) and gelatin. Whey is a top‑tier, complete, fast‑digesting protein; soy is also complete but more highly processed, while gelatin is incomplete and here mostly for texture. The result is a slightly‑above‑average protein hit that digests quickly and covers your essential amino acids well.
Fat
89MIDThe 8g of fat largely come from palm kernel oil and palm oil (semi‑solid, saturated fats that give the coating its structure), plus small amounts from soybean and sunflower oils and a sprinkle of nuts. That mix leans more saturated and omega‑6 heavy than bars built on nuts or olive oil—functional for texture, but not the highest‑quality fat profile. The total amount is modest, landing a bit below average among bars.
Carbs
1520LOWThese 15g of carbs are mostly engineered rather than whole‑food: sugar alcohols (maltitol and sorbitol, which sweeten with fewer calories) and vegetable glycerin (a plant‑derived syrup that keeps bars moist), with smaller amounts of refined corn syrup, sugar, maltodextrin, and tapioca starch. Expect a gentler rise in blood sugar than straight sucrose thanks to the polyols, but this is still a low‑fiber, refined carb mix. If polyols bother your stomach, start with one bar and see how you feel.
Sugar
24MIDOnly 2g of sugar appear on the label because most sweetness comes from sugar alcohols (such as maltitol and sorbitol) plus a tiny dose of sucralose, not from fruit or cane sugar. These keep sugar low and can blunt spikes versus sucrose, but they’re highly refined and can cause gas or loose stools in some people when portions stack up. If you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols, keep it to one bar and assess tolerance.
Calories
190210MIDAt 190 calories—lower than many bars—energy is split fairly evenly across protein, carbs, and fat. Roughly a third comes from protein (whey/soy), a third from fats in the coating, and a third from carbohydrates, some of which are lower‑calorie sugar alcohols. It’s a light, snack‑sized bar rather than a full meal replacement.
Vitamins & Minerals
There aren’t standout vitamins or minerals over 10% Daily Value here. You’ll see vitamin A palmitate and beta‑carotene (color) and mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) on the label, but they’re present for fortification, color, or freshness rather than as major nutrient sources. In short, the value here is protein and flavor, not a micronutrient boost.
Additives
This is a highly engineered bar: emulsifiers (soy/sunflower lecithin, mono‑ and diglycerides, acetylated monoglycerides), preservatives (potassium sorbate), anti‑caking agents (silicon dioxide), and colorants (titanium dioxide, beta‑carotene) keep the texture smooth and the coating stable. The low‑sugar sweetness relies on sugar alcohols and sucralose, all of which are highly refined. Great for shelf life and low sugar, less so if you prefer short, whole‑food ingredient lists.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Vegetable oils (palm, soy)
Cattle hides and bones
Oil palm fruit
Cow's milk whey
Defatted soybean flakes
Cacao beans treated with alkali
Cassava root
Corn or wheat
apples and pears
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 are the stars here.
Reviewers consistently call out the dessert-like experience—crisp layers under a smooth coating—with several Redditors praising the line’s flavors and consistency, and Amazon’s Cindy S celebrating the lack of chalky aftertaste in her mint variant.
For the macros, 16g of protein at about 190–200 calories hits an easy snack sweet spot, with Amazon reviewer Eric L. noting it stacks up well against more carb-heavy bars.
Many users say it’s satisfying enough to bridge a long afternoon or to cap a workout without feeling heavy. The gluten-free label helps those avoiding wheat, and the whey-plus-soy blend delivers a complete amino acid profile that digests relatively quickly.
In short: if your priority is a protein bar that tastes like a treat without blowing your calorie budget, this checks that box.
Main Criticism
The ingredient list is long and very processed—sugar alcohols, a small amount of artificial sweetener, multiple emulsifiers, and palm-derived fats—so it won’t please a whole‑food purist. Sugar alcohols like maltitol and sorbitol can cause bloating or urgency for some people, especially if eaten alongside other polyol‑sweetened foods; tolerance varies.
The fat profile leans more saturated due to palm oils, which some shoppers prefer to limit, and a recent legal dust‑up challenges whether the “lean” branding fairly reflects fat content across the line.
Taste isn’t universally adored either: a few users report an aftertaste in certain flavors, and palates differ. It’s also not vegetarian because it contains gelatin, and it includes milk, soy, peanuts, and almonds—deal-breakers for some.
The Middle Ground
On flavor and snackable macros, the case for this bar is strong.
A Redditor praised the line’s consistency and flavors, and Amazon’s Cindy S raved about the mint variant’s clean finish; this is the rare protein bar many people actually look forward to eating.
On the other hand, if you judge a bar by ingredient minimalism, the long list and engineered sweetness are tough to ignore. The “lean” label controversy adds another wrinkle—legal articles question the branding while the company counters that “lean” refers to a lifestyle line, not a strict fat threshold.
From a nutrition lens, 8g of fat and 16g of protein at 190 calories is reasonable for a treat-like snack, but the fats come mostly from palm oils rather than nuts or olive oil, and the low sugar comes via sugar alcohols rather than fruit.
The truth sits in the middle: it’s a flavor-forward, engineered bar that trades whole‑food simplicity for taste, texture, and low labeled sugar. If you’re okay with that exchange, you’ll likely be happy; if you’re not, you won’t.
What's the bottom line?
GNC Total Lean’s Cookies & Cream bar is a dessert-leaning protein snack: crunchy soy crisps under a creamy shell, 16 grams of whey/soy protein, 190 calories, and just 2 grams of sugar. The sweetness comes mainly from sugar alcohols, which can help keep sugar down but don’t automatically make a bar “better”—they’re highly processed and can bother sensitive stomachs. Reach for this when you want something that tastes like a candy bar but brings a meaningful protein bump after a workout or between meetings.
Skip it if you prioritize short, whole‑food ingredient lists, prefer unsaturated fat sources, avoid sugar alcohols, or need vegetarian options (it contains gelatin). It’s gluten‑free but does include milk, soy, peanuts, and almonds. Net: a tasty, portion‑controlled protein treat—great as an occasional go‑to, less ideal as your everyday “clean” bar.