Optimum Nutrition
Chocolate Berry Crunch
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A true cereal‑bar crunch wrapped in milk chocolate, dotted with real berry flecks, and powered by an 18‑gram multi‑source protein blend with only 2 grams of sugar.
When to choose Optimum Nutrition Chocolate Berry Crunch
Best for people who prefer a crispy, lighter bite over dense taffy bars and want a post‑workout or mid‑afternoon pick‑me‑up that tastes like a treat without leaning heavily on sugar.
What's in the Optimum Nutrition bar?
Chocolate Berry Crunch reads dessert first: a thick milk‑chocolate coat, real but tiny touches of strawberry powder plus pin‑dots of freeze‑dried cherries and raspberries, and soy crispies for snap. Underneath, the protein is a blend—collagen peptides, dairy (milk and whey), and soy—delivering an above‑average hit without the shake‑like heft.
Carbs land mid‑range and skew engineered for low sugar (sugar alcohols and glycerol) more than whole‑grain heft, while fats mix cocoa butter with canola. Translation: candy‑bar experience, sports‑bar intent.
- Protein
- 18 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 222
Protein
1815MID18 grams of protein come from a multi‑source blend: collagen hydrolysate sits high on the list, backed by milk protein, whey, and soy. Collagen is incomplete on its own, so the dairy and soy help round out the amino acids; still, not every gram here is as “muscle‑efficient” as pure whey. Expect good satiation and chew, with slightly less leucine‑rich punch than a whey‑only bar.
Fat
109MIDFat comes largely from cocoa butter in the milk‑chocolate coating, plus rapeseed (canola) oil and some dairy fat from milk powders. Cocoa butter is saturated but predominantly stearic acid, while canola brings heart‑friendly unsaturated fats. The combo gives a creamy snap and decent staying power without tasting oily.
Carbs
2020MIDThe carbs are a mix of crisp‑rice and malted‑barley pieces (in the soy crispies), a little lactose from dairy, and sweetness carried mostly by sugar alcohols and glycerol rather than table sugar. Sugar alcohols (lower‑calorie sweeteners made from starch) temper spikes, but the starches in the crispies are refined, not whole‑grain. Net effect: steadier energy than a syrup‑sweetened bar, especially with protein and fat slowing the ride.
Sugar
24MIDWith just 2.1g sugar, most sweetness comes from sugar alcohols (notably maltitol) plus a pinch of sucralose, with glycerol adding mild sweetness and softness. The small amount of sugar present is largely lactose from milk ingredients and trace sugars from malt extract and berries. If you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols, start with one bar and see how you do.
Calories
222210MIDCalories come from three places in near equal spirit: the chocolate coating’s fats, the polyol‑sweetened carbohydrate base, and the 18 grams of protein. It sits a touch above the average bar—more satisfying than a nibble, not quite a full meal. Swapping this for a pastry gets you similar energy with far more protein.
Vitamins & Minerals
There aren’t standout vitamins or minerals over 10% DV. You’ll likely get a small lift of calcium and riboflavin from the milk proteins, and a whisper of vitamin C from the berry powders—but the amounts are modest.
Additives
To deliver its candy‑bar feel, this recipe leans on functional helpers: glycerol keeps it soft, lecithin smooths the chocolate, sugar alcohols and a high‑intensity sweetener provide sweetness with little sugar, and a touch of citric acid brightens the berry notes. These are highly refined tools used in small amounts—effective, but more engineered snack than minimalist whole‑food bar.
Ingredient List
Cocoa beans
Cow's milk
Ground roasted cocoa bean nibs
Soybeans
Vanilla orchid beans
Vegetable oils and animal fats
Bovine, porcine, fish, chicken tissues
Cow's milk
Soybeans
Rice grain (Oryza sativa)
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“First time trying this one, and it’s become a favorite already! I love the new granola/puff type of protein bar! It’s so much different than the classic soft and chewy chocolate ones! I can definitely recommend this! Macros are on the last picture! I also are yet to try their Marshmallow White Chocolate and Nutty Caramel! 🤤🤤🤤”
“Just had the marshmallow crunch and it was excellent. Very different from most bars I've tried. Similar to fitness bars.”
“- Optimum Nutrition Marshmallow crunch. Tastes extactly like a marshmallow rice crispy bar with some white chocolate.”
Main Praise
The standout compliment is texture.
Reviewers consistently highlight the “Rice Krispies‑style” crunch as a refreshing break from the usual dense, fudgy bars—several Reddit comments call the line “very different” in a good way, and Stack3d has long praised ON for dialing in uniquely enjoyable textures.
That lighter, snappy bite pairs well with a chocolate coating and hits the nostalgia button without going syrupy. The macros keep things practical: roughly 18 grams of protein, modest calories for the satisfaction level, and sweetness that generally reads balanced rather than cloying.
Even flavor‑specific mentions—like a user comparing another ON chocolate flavor to “chocolate milk”—suggest an approachable, easygoing taste more people can live with day to day. Add in the berry flecks here for occasional tart pops, and Chocolate Berry Crunch feels designed to be something you actually want to reach for.
Main Criticism
Two themes pop up in critiques. First, flavor intensity: independent reviews have noted that some ON bars can taste milder than their names imply.
If you expect a loud, ultra‑sweet chocolate‑berry blast, this will probably land more gentle. Second, the low‑sugar approach relies heavily on sugar alcohols (notably maltitol), which some people don’t tolerate well—one Redditor put it bluntly: “My stomach did NOT like this at all.
” Beyond taste and tolerance, the protein blend here leans on collagen, which is incomplete on its own; the added dairy and soy help, but compared to a whey‑only bar you’re getting a slightly less leucine‑dense punch.
Finally, it’s not a fit for certain diets: there’s soy and dairy throughout, and a touch of barley malt extract means it isn’t gluten‑free.
The Middle Ground
So where does that leave us? If you prize eating experience, Chocolate Berry Crunch delivers a candy‑bar feel without tipping into a sugar bomb, and the 18 grams of protein make it more than empty playtime.
But if you chase loud flavors, you may find the chocolate‑berry profile more restrained—think “chocolate with tart sparks” rather than a jammy burst.
A Reddit user cheering the crispiness and another calling a sibling flavor “excellent” are easy to believe once you bite in; the user who had GI upset is also believable, because maltitol can be rough for some.
From a training perspective, the multi‑source protein is plenty for general recovery, but purists who want every gram to be whey‑level anabolic might prefer a different bar or a shake. In short: the praise and the gripes can both be true.
This is a thoughtfully engineered, fun‑to‑eat bar with clear trade‑offs you should know going in.
What's the bottom line?
Chocolate Berry Crunch is the rare protein bar that leads with joy—an honest crunch, a smooth chocolate coat, little sparks of berry—and still shows up with solid numbers. lull when you want something that feels like a treat but won’t send your blood sugar on a roller coaster. It isn’t a minimalist, whole‑food bar, and it isn’t built for everyone.
The sweetness leans on sugar alcohols (test your tolerance), the protein blend includes collagen (not vegetarian, slightly less whey‑like in muscle efficiency), and gluten/soy/dairy are present. If those boxes don’t bother you, you’re getting a crisp, satisfying eater with 18 grams of protein and a flavor profile that’s friendly rather than loud.
If they do, look elsewhere. Otherwise, enjoy the snap—this one earns its spot in the rotation.