Grenade
Lemon Cheesecake Protein Bar
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A layered lemon‑cheesecake profile with a thick white‑chocolate–style coating (over a third of the bar) and a crunchy‑chewy center, paired with 21g of high‑quality protein and just 1.8g of sugar. It’s designed to eat like candy while delivering a serious protein payload.
When to choose Grenade Lemon Cheesecake Protein Bar
Best for dessert‑leaning snackers who want a protein‑forward treat after the gym or between meals and who tolerate sugar alcohols. Not ideal if you avoid dairy, soy, or bovine collagen, or if you prefer minimally processed bars.
What's in the Grenade bar?
Think cheesecake, but gym-ready. Grenade’s Lemon Cheesecake bar leans on milk proteins—calcium caseinate and whey isolate—for the muscle-building core, then folds in a little bovine collagen and crisped soy for texture.
The white‑chocolate–style coating (it’s 36% of the bar) brings the creamy “cheesecake” vibe, while lemony natural flavors and a touch of citric acid deliver the zing. Macros skew protein‑forward (21g; top tier) with moderate carbs and a richer fat profile thanks to cocoa butter and palm fat, landing the bar at a satisfying 234 calories.
Sweetness doesn’t come from sugar; it’s engineered with a sugar alcohol (maltitol), a synthetic fiber (polydextrose), glycerol for softness, and a tiny lift from sucralose. In short: dessert energy, protein-first intent, and a flavor built from dairy, lemon, and a candy‑bar coat.
- Protein
- 21 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 234
Protein
2115HIGHThe 21g of protein comes mainly from milk proteins—calcium caseinate and whey isolate—supported by soy crisps and a bit of bovine collagen. Dairy proteins are complete and highly digestible; collagen isn’t complete on its own, but here it mostly improves chew while milk and soy supply the essential amino acids. Net effect: a strong, high‑quality protein blend that sits near the top of the category.
Fat
119MIDMost of the 11g of fat is from cocoa butter in the white‑chocolate coating and added palm fat. Cocoa butter is rich in stearic acid (generally neutral for LDL cholesterol), while palm fat is higher in palmitic acid (which can raise LDL), so the overall profile skews more saturated than a nut‑ or olive‑oil‑based bar. Expect creamy texture and a richer bite rather than a lean, nut‑driven fat mix.
Carbs
2120MIDThese are engineered carbs rather than whole‑food staples: a sugar‑free white‑chocolate coating sweetened with maltitol (a sugar alcohol) plus polydextrose (a low‑calorie soluble fiber), glycerol to keep it soft, and a little tapioca starch in the soy crisps. That mix keeps sugar low and tends to blunt sharp spikes compared with straight sugar, though maltitol can bother sensitive stomachs if you have multiple servings.
Sugar
24MIDSugar is low at 1.8g, mostly from dairy lactose and traces in the coating. Sweetness instead comes from a sugar alcohol (maltitol) plus a tiny dose of a high‑intensity sweetener (sucralose), delivering dessert‑level sweetness without much sugar. If you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols, pace your intake to avoid GI grumbles.
Calories
234210MIDAt 234 calories (upper‑middle for bars), the generous coating and palm fat carry a big share, with the 21g of protein and low‑sugar carb matrix making up the rest. Using sugar alcohols and fiber trims sugar calories, but this still eats like a satisfying snack‑meal rather than a light bite.
Vitamins & Minerals
No standout vitamins or minerals are listed above 10% Daily Value. You’ll get small incidental amounts of calcium and B vitamins from the dairy ingredients, but this bar isn’t fortified—think protein and flavor first, not micronutrients.
Additives
This recipe uses the typical low‑sugar toolkit: polydextrose for fiber and bulk, glycerol to keep it moist, maltitol for most of the sweetness, a pinch of sucralose to round it out, lecithins to emulsify, citric acid for lemon brightness, and carotenes for color. They’re effective, highly refined ingredients that create a candy‑bar texture while holding sugar down.
Ingredient List
Cow’s milk or cream
Cow's milk
Cow's milk casein
Cow's milk whey
Vegetable oils and animal fats
Cattle hides, bones, connective tissue
Soybeans
Cassava root
glucose
Oil palm fruit
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Recently, Grenade (protein bar brand) have released an official Oreo flavoured protein bar. It's absolutely incredible. Tastes like a full-fat Oreo dessert with 50g or more of sugar, but only has 1g. I can't tell at all that it's a workout/diet bar. Has no weird aftertaste. Just tastes like what you'd expect a chewy Twinkie/Cadbury bar to taste like.”
“These are SO GOOD! Only protein bar I don’t suddenly find disgusting when I’m half way through the box”
“Probably a top 3 protein bar honestly. Great macros, low sugar, amazing variety of flavors which taste like an actual candy bar.”
Main Praise
Taste and texture lead the love‑fest. Across Reddit threads and editorial roundups, Grenade gets consistent credit for pulling off a candy‑bar experience—layers, crunch, and a real coating—without drowning the bar in sugar.
Fans call it one of the few protein bars that doesn’t turn on you halfway through the box, and the variety of flavors keeps people engaged; Oreo and White Chocolate Salted Peanut are frequent standouts, and Lemon Cheesecake fits the same blueprint.
The macros back up the fun: 21g of complete dairy protein at around 234 calories feels like a proper snack‑meal, not a flimsy bite.
Independent outlets go further, with The Independent and The Standard both praising the flavor and low‑sugar, high‑protein balance; Informed Sport certification is also highlighted in coverage, which is a reassuring signal for tested athletes.
Main Criticism
Not everyone is charmed by the chew. A minority of reviewers describe certain flavors as cardboard‑adjacent or overly dense, and one memorable comment called the brand “chewy talcum powder.
” Flavor wins aren’t uniform either; several users say a few options hit spectacularly while others are just okay.
The low‑sugar formula leans on maltitol (a sugar alcohol) and a small amount of high‑intensity sweetener, which some people find too sweet or notice gastrointestinal rumbling from if they stack bars.
There are also occasional reports of mouth itchiness—likely an individual sensitivity—plus the facts that it contains dairy, soy, and bovine collagen (so it isn’t vegetarian). And nutritionally, the fat skews more saturated due to cocoa butter and palm fat, which won’t bother everyone but isn’t the same profile you’d get from nut‑ or olive‑oil‑based bars.
The Middle Ground
So which is it—candy in a gym kit, or a serious bar that tastes like dessert? The answer lives in the middle.
If you prioritize whole‑food simplicity, this is the opposite approach: engineered sweetness, a big confectionery coating, and polished texture. But if your goal is a treat‑like snack that legitimately delivers 21g of quality protein with just 1.
8g of sugar, Grenade makes a compelling case. The split in reviews tracks with personal tolerance and taste: one Redditor calls the line “top 3,” another says “chewy talcum powder.
” Both can be true depending on your palate and how you handle sugar alcohols. Editorial outlets praising flavor and the protein‑to‑calorie balance aren’t imagining it; the numbers and layered build support them.
The remaining open questions are individual: Do you tolerate maltitol? Do you want a lemon‑cheesecake candy texture in your bar?
And do you mind that collagen makes it non‑vegetarian?
What's the bottom line?
8g of sugar. It succeeds where many bars stumble—texture and taste—delivering a candy‑bar experience that still moves the protein needle. It won’t be everyone’s everyday bar.
The sweetness comes from sugar alcohols and a tiny hit of high‑intensity sweetener, which some people don’t tolerate well, and the fat profile is more saturated than a nut‑based option. It’s also not vegetarian due to bovine collagen, and it contains dairy and soy. But if you’re after a protein‑first snack that can replace a dessert without feeling like a compromise, this flavor—and the Grenade lineup more broadly—lands squarely on the short list.