Optimum Nutrition
Chocolate Sea Salt Crunch
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A candy-bar experience with a cereal-style crunch, real chocolate and sea salt, 18g of protein, and just 2g of sugar—delivered via a collagen-dairy-soy blend rather than all whey.
When to choose Optimum Nutrition Chocolate Sea Salt Crunch
Reach for it when you want a lower-sugar chocolate fix with satisfying crunch between meals or after a light workout. Best for folks who tolerate sugar alcohols and don’t need the bar to be vegetarian or gluten-free.
What's in the Optimum Nutrition bar?
Optimum Nutrition’s Chocolate Sea Salt Crunch reads like a protein bar dressed as a chocolate bar: above‑average protein from a blend of collagen peptides, milk and whey proteins, plus some soy; low sugar thanks to a milk‑chocolate coating sweetened with maltitol; and slightly‑above‑average fats from cocoa butter and rapeseed (canola) oil.
The crunch comes from soy crispies made with rice flour and a touch of barley malt, so it’s not gluten‑free. Flavor-wise, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, vanilla, and a real pinch of sea salt do the heavy lifting, delivering a true chocolate‑sea‑salt profile without a sugary aftershock.
The trade‑off is a more processed recipe that leans on sugar alcohols and emulsifiers to nail the taste and texture. If you want a lower‑sugar chocolate‑style snack with 18g of protein, this fits the bill—just note some of those grams are collagen rather than purely whey.
- Protein
- 18 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 221
Protein
1815MIDThe 18 grams of protein come from a blend: collagen hydrolysate leads the list, backed by milk protein and whey, with a bit of soy from the crispies. Collagen isn’t a complete protein (it lacks tryptophan), so the dairy and soy components help round out the amino acids. Net effect: above‑average protein, though not the same gram‑for‑gram muscle support you’d get from an all‑whey bar.
Fat
109MIDMost of the 10 grams of fat come from cocoa butter in the milk‑chocolate coating, with rapeseed (canola) oil and dairy fat in support. Cocoa butter brings stearic and oleic acids, while canola adds more unsaturated fats—so you get a confectionery‑style fat mix that’s satisfying without being greasy. It sits a touch above average for bars.
Carbs
2020MIDCarbs land around the middle of the pack and skew refined rather than whole‑food: sugar alcohols (maltitol) in the chocolate and glycerol for chew, plus rice flour and a touch of barley malt in the soy crispies. Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates your body only partly absorbs, so they add fewer calories and typically hit blood sugar less than table sugar. Expect a gentler rise than a candy bar, though polyol‑sensitive stomachs may prefer one bar at a time.
Sugar
24MIDSugar is low (about 1.9 grams) because sweetness comes primarily from sugar alcohols (maltitol) in the chocolate and a tiny dose of sucralose, with small amounts of lactose from milk ingredients. Low sugar doesn’t mean zero impact—polyols still contribute calories—but it avoids the sharp spike of a sugary bar. If you’re prone to bloating from sugar alcohols, keep portions moderate.
Calories
221210MIDAt 221 calories, this is a snack that leans indulgent. Calories are shared across all three macros: protein from collagen/dairy/soy, fats from cocoa butter and canola, and carbs from polyol‑sweetened chocolate plus the crispies. Balanced enough for a hold‑you‑over bite—not a full meal.
Vitamins & Minerals
No standout vitamins or minerals are listed over 10% of daily value. You’ll likely get small amounts of calcium and riboflavin from the milk powders/proteins and trace minerals from cocoa, but nothing label‑worthy. Think of this as a protein‑and‑energy bar, not a multivitamin.
Additives
A few modern helpers do the heavy lifting: glycerol keeps the bar soft, soy lecithin smooths the chocolate, maltitol supplies bulked sweetness, and sucralose fine‑tunes flavor. These are highly refined ingredients that deliver texture and sweetness with minimal sugar. If you favor short, pantry‑style labels, this reads more processed.
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
Cow's milk
Soybeans
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
Texture is the headline. Across ON’s newer lineup, fans keep calling out how different these bars feel—lighter, snappier, and more fun to eat than the usual dense bricks.
Even outside this flavor, Reddit posts gush about the puffed, Rice Krispies-like structure being “very different” and “excellent,” and Stack3d has praised ON for marshmallow-soft centers elsewhere in the range. This Chocolate Sea Salt Crunch leans into that playful side with soy crispies under a milk chocolate coating, so you get contrast in every bite.
The taste stays on the grown-up side of sweet, with cocoa and a real pinch of salt that reads more “chocolate bar” than diet candy. Add 18g of protein and a measured 221 calories, and you’ve got a snacky bar that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
Main Criticism
Two consistent caveats show up.
First, sweetness and flavor intensity can be milder than the name suggests—one commenter said a chocolate flavor in the range landed closer to “chocolate milk” than full-on brownie, and that vibe can apply to this line’s restrained sweetness.
Second, the sweetening system—mostly maltitol with a touch of sucralose—won’t sit well with everyone; several users report stomach grumbles if they overdo it.
There’s also the fine print: collagen leads the protein blend (not ideal if you want pure whey for post-lift), the bar isn’t vegetarian due to collagen, and it’s not gluten-free because the crispies include barley malt.
The Middle Ground
So where does that leave us? If you value the eating experience—snap, crunch, real chocolate, a clean-ish finish—this bar holds its own.
The protein is solid for a snack at 18g, but it’s not gram-for-gram comparable to an all-whey bar; collagen is incomplete on its own, though the added milk and soy help round the amino profile.
Flavor-wise, the restrained sweetness means you won’t get a syrupy blast—great if you dislike cloying bars, underwhelming if you expect dessert-level punch.
And about carbs: a 2019 Reddit claim of “5g net carbs” likely refers to a different variant or era; ON’s own lineup varies, and this one sits at 20g of carbs with most of the sweetness coming from maltitol.
If sugar alcohols sometimes give you trouble, keep it to one bar and some water—Reddit’s anonymous “my stomach did NOT like this” probably describes that scenario more than a mystery food conspiracy.
In short, it’s a polished, lower-sugar, candy-bar-style protein snack with a few trade-offs you can plan around.
What's the bottom line?
Chocolate Sea Salt Crunch is Optimum Nutrition leaning into joy: a crisp, cereal-bar center under milk chocolate and a whisper of sea salt, with 18 grams of protein and only 2 grams of sugar. It’s engineered to eat beautifully and feel like a treat, and on that front, it succeeds. The nutrition is snack-balanced—221 calories with protein from collagen plus dairy and soy—good for holding you over, less ideal if you’re chasing all-whey recovery.
The catches are straightforward. Collagen means it’s not vegetarian. Barley malt in the crispies means it’s not gluten-free.
And maltitol makes the sweetness work without much sugar, but sensitive stomachs should steer toward one-and-done. If you want a crunchy, chocolatey, grown-up sweet that slots easily between meals, this is a strong pick. If you demand a whey-only bar with big flavor intensity and zero polyols, this isn’t your match.
Condensed listicle version: A candy-bar-crisp bite with real chocolate and sea salt, 18g protein, and 2g sugar. Great for a lower-sugar chocolate fix; not ideal if you avoid sugar alcohols, gluten, or collagen.