PhD Nutrition
Chocolate Brownie
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A layered, candy-bar-style build—chocolate couverture, caramel, and cocoa crisps—delivering 21g of mixed dairy/soy protein with very low sugar achieved through sugar alcohols and binding syrups rather than fruit or cane sugar.
When to choose PhD Nutrition Chocolate Brownie
Choose this if you want a chocolate-forward protein hit for post-workout or a 3 p. m.
sweet-tooth fix, and you generally tolerate sugar alcohols. It suits people who like “not too sweet” chocolate with real protein heft.
What's in the PhD Nutrition bar?
Chocolate Brownie isn’t just a name—it’s baked into the build: real cocoa mass and cocoa butter in a chocolate couverture, a caramel layer for chew, cocoa crisps for a little snap, and a whiff of vanilla.
Under that dessert-y surface sits a mixed protein system—calcium caseinate and whey (dairy) lead, with soy isolate and a touch of bovine collagen—pushing the bar to 21g of protein (a top‑tier showing) and a satisfying bite.
Sugar stays low because the sweetness is engineered with sugar alcohols and binders, not fruit or cane sugar, so the carb story is more “confectionery science” than oats-and-dates.
The fat comes mostly from cocoa butter with a little sunflower oil, and at 250 calories (on the higher side for a bar) you’re getting a candy‑bar experience with serious protein.
- Protein
- 21 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Calories
- 250
Protein
2115HIGHProtein comes from a blend anchored by calcium caseinate and whey protein concentrate (both dairy), joined by soy protein isolate and a smaller dose of bovine collagen peptides. Dairy proteins are highly complete and well‑absorbed; soy is solid too, while collagen is incomplete and here mostly supports texture rather than muscle protein quality. The mix delivers 21g—well above average—with a “mixed‑source” amino acid profile.
Fat
99MIDMost of the 9.2g of fat traces to cocoa butter in the chocolate and caramel layers, plus a smaller contribution from sunflower oil and a touch from dairy. Cocoa butter brings stearic and oleic acids (creamy melt, more saturated), while sunflower oil adds polyunsaturated omega‑6—together yielding a smooth, chocolatey bite without greasiness. Overall it’s a mid‑pack fat load for bars.
Carbs
2320MIDThese 23g of carbs are built from refined sweeteners and binders rather than whole‑food grains: maltitol (a sugar alcohol) sweetens the chocolate and caramel, glycerol keeps moisture, an isomaltooligosaccharide syrup helps bind, and tapioca starch shows up in the crisp pieces. Polyols typically raise blood sugar less than table sugar, but IMO and tapioca behave more like regular carbs, so expect steady‑to‑moderate—not zero—glycemic lift. If you’re sensitive to polyols, a full bar may feel heavy on the gut.
Sugar
14LOWOnly 1.2g of sugar appears on the label because sweetness relies mostly on sugar alcohols (maltitol) and binders like glycerol and isomaltooligosaccharide, with just a little sugar from condensed milk. That keeps sugars low without being calorie‑ or carb‑free—polyols still contribute energy and can bother sensitive stomachs in larger amounts. If you’ve had issues with sugar‑free candies, test tolerance before making this a daily habit.
Calories
250210HIGHAt 250 calories, this lands on the higher side for a protein bar. The tally comes from both directions: robust protein (21g) and chocolate‑driven fats (cocoa butter, plus some sunflower oil), with bulk sweeteners contributing their share. Think “protein‑fortified brownie experience” rather than a lean, minimalist bar.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamins or minerals clear the 10% Daily Value mark. Cocoa can lend small amounts of minerals (like iron and magnesium), dairy may add a bit of calcium, and sunflower oil brings a touch of vitamin E, but nothing here is a micronutrient standout. Consider this bar for flavor and macros, not for vitamin coverage.
Additives
This is a confectionery‑style, low‑sugar build that leans on refined helpers: sugar alcohols for sweetness (maltitol), glycerol for softness, an isomaltooligosaccharide syrup for binding, and soy lecithin to keep the chocolate silky. They’re purposeful but highly processed, chosen to create a brownie‑like texture and taste while keeping sugars down. Minimal‑ingredient purists won’t love the list; sweet‑tooth pragmatists might.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk
Cow's milk whey
Cattle hides, bones, connective tissue
Defatted soybean flakes
Ground roasted cocoa bean nibs
Corn or wheat
Cocoa beans
Soybeans
Vegetable oils and animal fats
Sugarcane and sugar beet
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Smart PhD bars are fantastic and the one I ate in the video. Comes in a variety of different flavours. You can also get these in plant / vegan editions.”
“I loved the mini phd smart blondie bars for a season, they were so so good.”
“PhD smart plant is my go to if I want something more filling, 21g of protein and definitely satisfies the hunger craving”
Main Praise
Across reviews, Smart Bar’s biggest win is that it feels like an actual treat while delivering a full serving of protein. Men’s Fitness called out the rich chocolate profile and meaningful protein for recovery, and Coach framed it as a reliable, not-too-sweet daily bar that slots easily into a routine.
Redditors often point to the variety of flavors and formats (even a plant line) and say it’s more filling than most, which tracks with 21g of protein and a satisfyingly dense chew.
Flavor-wise, Chocolate Brownie hits that grown-up chocolate note—more cocoa than candy—and the crispies keep it from turning into a paste. For many, it scratches the dessert itch without the sugar crash, and that’s a hard balance to strike.
Main Criticism
The same low-sugar magic that keeps sweetness in check—sugar alcohols and binding syrups—can be tough on sensitive stomachs. Multiple reviewers and one UK fitness write-up flag the heavy polyol load, which can cause bloating if you go all-in.
Texture comes up too: some find it very chewy or slightly gritty, depending on the flavor. A few Reddit users land on the other end of the taste spectrum, calling certain flavors “disgusting,” which suggests the line can be polarizing.
And while sugar is low, total carbs and fats sit a little higher than ultra-lean bars, so this is more satiating treat than bare-bones macro stick.
The Middle Ground
So which is it—dessert or discipline? With Chocolate Brownie, the truth lives in the middle.
The bar eats like a confection thanks to real cocoa butter and caramel, but the sweetness is intentionally restrained. Coach is right that it won’t demolish a raging candy craving; it’s more dark-chocolate mood than syrupy rush.
Still, the structure delivers: 21g of protein from dairy and soy, with a little collagen mostly for texture, and 250 calories that leave you satisfied. The gut question is the swing vote—if sugar-free candies give you grief, start with half and see.
As for taste drama, one Redditor declaring it “disgusting” likely met a flavor mismatch (Toffee Popcorn does divide opinions); meanwhile plenty of others rank Smart Bar among their daily go‑tos. The consensus: if you like real chocolate flavor, denser chew, and can handle polyols, Chocolate Brownie lands exactly where it aims.
What's the bottom line?
2g sugar, engineered with sugar alcohols to keep sweetness measured and texture indulgent. It’s not a minimalist bar and it’s not a vitamin booster; it’s a satisfying, chocolatey snack that actually moves the protein needle. Reach for it when you want a post-workout top‑up or a late‑day treat that doesn’t avalanche your blood sugar.
Skip it if you’re polyol-sensitive or chasing a “whole-foods only” ingredient list. For everyone in between, this is an easy bar to keep in a gym bag or desk drawer—grown-up chocolate, real protein, fewer sugar fireworks. 2g sugar; delicious and filling, but the sugar alcohols can bother sensitive stomachs.