NuGo Nutrition
Peanut Butter Chocolate
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Signature crispy‑chewy texture under real milk chocolate, no sugar alcohols, and an uncommon multivitamin-style fortification in a bar that still eats like a treat.
When to choose NuGo Nutrition Peanut Butter Chocolate
Quick, tasty energy before a light workout or between meetings—especially for folks who want a gluten-free, sugar‑alcohol‑free bar with a candy-bar vibe and a moderate protein bump.
What's in the NuGo Nutrition bar?
NuGo’s Peanut Butter Chocolate bar leans carb-forward, keeps calories modest, and sprinkles in a multivitamin’s worth of B‑vitamins.
The protein comes primarily from soy—think soy crisps and added soy protein—with a lift from peanut flour, while the classic “peanut butter chocolate” taste is built with peanut flour/extract and a milk chocolate layer.
Expect quick energy from tapioca syrup, agave syrup, and puffed grains, very little fat, and a fortification blend that pushes several vitamins to 25–30% of Daily Value.
- Protein
- 11 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Calories
- 180
Protein
1115LOWThis bar’s 11g of protein is driven mainly by soy: soy crisps (made with soy protein) and added soy protein, with peanut flour contributing a smaller bump. Soy protein is a refined, high‑quality plant protein that’s cost‑effective and neutral in taste, which is why it shows up in so many bars. It’s a modest protein dose compared with heavy‑hitters, but solid for a light snack—just note the bar isn’t dairy‑free because of the milk chocolate coating.
Fat
39LOWOnly 3 grams of fat here, coming largely from cocoa butter and a bit of milk fat in the milk chocolate, plus traces from peanut flour (usually mostly defatted). There are no added seed oils; cocoa butter is a more saturated plant fat with a lot of stearic acid, and the total amount is low. The upside is a lighter calorie load; the trade‑off is a little less satiety from fats.
Carbs
2620HIGHCarbs come from refined sweeteners and fast starches—tapioca syrup (a cassava‑based glucose syrup), agave syrup (fructose‑heavy), cane sugar in the chocolate, and crisped rice/tapioca starch—so the energy hits quickly rather than lingering. Oats and small amounts of acacia/soy fiber add a touch of steadiness, but the overall profile skews toward quick fuel. If you want long, even energy, pair it with something protein‑ or fiber‑rich.
Sugar
134HIGHSugar lands on the higher end for protein bars at 13g, primarily from tapioca syrup and agave syrup, plus cane sugar in the milk chocolate. Tapioca syrup is a refined starch syrup that behaves like glucose; agave brings sweeter, lower‑GI fructose, which still counts as added sugar even if it spikes blood glucose less. No sugar alcohols or high‑intensity sweeteners here—the sweetness is old‑school and tastes like it.
Calories
180210LOWAt 180 calories (on the lower side for bars), most energy comes from carbohydrates, with protein in second place and very little from fat. It’s more of a snack than a meal replacement: quick to eat, quick to energize. Great between meetings or before an easy workout, less ideal when you need staying power for hours.
Vitamins & Minerals
The impressive list of 25–30% Daily Value for vitamins A, C, E, and several B‑vitamins doesn’t come from whole foods; it’s added via a fortification blend (e.g., vitamin A palmitate, ascorbic acid, tocopheryl acetate, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folic acid, B12). Calcium (20% DV) is likewise from calcium carbonate, not dairy alone. If you like your snack to double as a mini‑multivitamin, this checks that box.
Additives
You’ll find a handful of functional add‑ons: soy lecithin to keep chocolate smooth, acacia gum (a soluble plant fiber) for stability, and a vitamin/mineral premix for fortification. The sweeteners—tapioca and agave syrups—are refined, and the crisped grains are processed for that airy crunch. Overall, it’s a moderately processed bar with familiar confectionery tools rather than sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.
Ingredient List
Soybeans
Rice grain (Oryza sativa)
Cassava root
Cassava starch
Sugarcane stalks
Cocoa beans
Cow's milk
Cacao beans
Soybeans
Vanilla orchid seed pods
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Yeah they’re shockingly delicious tbh; the dark chocolate pretzel flavor is one of my favorite easy snacks.”
“I’m a big fan of the Nugo Dark protein bars; might not have as high of a protein content than some others but they use minimal ingredients and taste like a treat.”
“Nugo bars are criminally underrated for their taste. Their regular dark and dark pretzel flavors are absolutely orgasmic. The crunch is similar to that of kit kats... or at least what I remember them tasting like.”
Main Praise
Taste and texture lead the lovefest. Across NuGo’s lineup, editors and testers often single out the brand’s crisp, chocolate-coated bite as best-in-class, and this flavor keeps that signature airy crunch.
Fans on Reddit liken NuGo’s crunch to nostalgic candy bars, and multiple Amazon reviewers call out the satisfying, dessert-adjacent taste without the heaviness of a dense protein brick. Glamour’s RDN-approved nod to the Slim line for skipping artificial sweeteners translates here too—the sweetness comes from familiar sugars, which many people prefer for flavor and digestibility.
At 180 calories, it slots neatly into the snack lane, and the gluten-free formulation broadens its appeal for those who need it. The added vitamins are a quiet bonus for anyone who likes their snack to pull double duty.
Main Criticism
If you’re chasing a post-lift protein wallop, 11 grams won’t blow your socks off; several reviewers compare NuGo’s regular bars unfavorably with higher-protein options (including NuGo Slim). Sugar sits higher than in many “macro-max” bars, which some Reddit users mention when they’re trying to keep added sugar in check.
A handful of Amazon reviews point to inconsistency—occasional dry or hard bars, waxy-tasting chocolate, or off batches—which can sour a first impression.
There’s also brand-level chatter on Reddit about a limited undeclared-milk recall in late 2024; while this flavor plainly contains milk, it’s a reminder that label‑reliant shoppers (especially dairy‑free) should choose flavors carefully.
And for strict vegans, the milk chocolate here is a nonstarter.
The Middle Ground
Put simply: this bar wins hearts with flavor and texture, then asks you to accept a modest protein number and classic sugar.
Bon Appétit’s enthusiasm for NuGo’s crispy‑chewy bite and BarBend’s 5/5 taste rating for the Dark line set expectations high, and Reddit’s “Kit Kat-like” comments back that up—though one Redditor said a free sample tasted “weird,” which might be a flavor mismatch more than a universal truth.
The nutrition profile backs what you’ll feel: carb-forward, very low fat, and a quick energy lift—great before a walk or when the 3 p. m.
slump hits, less ideal if you need a bar to carry you through a long stretch. If you want the same general experience but tighter macros, the chorus of internet coaches pointing you to NuGo Slim isn’t wrong.
But if you’re tired of sugar alcohols and want a real-chocolate treat with some protein and a sprinkle of vitamins, this Peanut Butter Chocolate lands right where it aims. The remaining questions—batch consistency and whether the sweetness suits you—are best answered by trying a single bar first.
What's the bottom line?
NuGo Nutrition’s Peanut Butter Chocolate is a “treat-with-benefits” bar: candy-bar crunch, real milk chocolate, and a friendly 180 calories, plus 11 grams of protein and a notable vitamin boost. It’s built for enjoyment and quick energy rather than maximum satiety or gym-rat macros. Accept the trade-off—more sugar than the ultra-lean crowd prefers, less protein than heavy hitters—and you get a snack that’s genuinely pleasurable to eat and easy to digest, with no sugar alcohols lurking in the small print.
Choose it when flavor matters and you want a gluten-free, sugar‑alcohol‑free option that still feels like dessert. Skip it (or switch to NuGo Slim) if you’re counting every gram of protein or managing carbs tightly. For everyone else, this is the bar you keep in your bag for the moment your sweet tooth and your to-do list collide.