PhD Nutrition
Chocolate Peanut Butter
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A candy‑bar build—chocolate coating, caramel layer, soft center—with a legitimate 21g of milk‑led protein and very low sugar.
When to choose PhD Nutrition Chocolate Peanut Butter
Reach for it as a post‑workout top‑up or an afternoon hold‑over when you want dessert‑like texture without a big sugar hit—and you’re fine with sugar alcohols.
What's in the PhD Nutrition bar?
PhD Nutrition’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar plays a clever game: top‑tier protein, dessert‑level texture, and only a whisper of sugar. With 21g, protein sits near the 94th percentile and comes from a milk‑led blend (casein + whey), with soy isolate and a bit of collagen to shape the chew.
Carbs are on the higher side for the category (around the 80th percentile) because sweetness and structure lean on refined binders and sugar alternatives—maltitol, glycerol, and isomaltooligosaccharide—rather than oats or dates.
The milk‑chocolate coating (cocoa butter, cocoa mass, milk powder) and a caramel layer carry the chocolate‑peanut profile; no peanuts are listed, so the “peanut butter” note appears to come from flavorings.
Fat is moderate and largely from cocoa butter and canola, which helps temper the carb hit. Big picture: a candy‑bar style protein bar built from modern ingredients, high in protein and low in sugar, with macros tuned for taste and satiety more than “whole‑food” purity.
- Protein
- 21 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 245
Protein
2115HIGHMost of the 21g of protein comes from milk proteins—calcium caseinate and whey concentrate—backed by a little soy isolate and bovine collagen. The dairy proteins are complete and well studied; casein digests slowly while whey is fast, a useful one‑two for satiety and recovery. Collagen adds chew but is incomplete (low in tryptophan), so a slice of the 21g won’t deliver the same muscle‑building punch as the milk/soy portions.
Fat
99MIDThe fat is moderate and comes mostly from cocoa butter in the milk‑chocolate coating plus a touch of rapeseed (canola) oil. Cocoa butter skews toward stearic (a saturated fat that’s relatively neutral for LDL) while canola brings heart‑friendly unsaturated fats, a reasonable mix for a dessert‑style bar. That fat also helps slow digestion a bit, keeping the sweetness from landing all at once.
Carbs
2520HIGHCarbs here lean engineered rather than whole‑food: sweetness and structure come largely from maltitol (a sugar alcohol), isomaltooligosaccharide syrup (a starch‑derived binder), and glycerol, with a little tapioca starch. That combo tends to blunt sharp sugar spikes compared with straight sucrose, though many IMOs behave like digestible carbs and tapioca digests quickly—so expect steady‑ish energy, not a true slow burn. If your gut is sensitive, remember polyols like maltitol can cause bloating at higher intakes.
Sugar
24MIDSugar stays low at 2g because the bar relies on sugar alcohols (maltitol), glycerol, and a starch‑derived syrup (IMO) for sweetness rather than cane sugar. The small sugar that is present comes from dairy ingredients like whole‑milk powder and condensed milk in the coating and caramel. Low sugar doesn’t mean “free pass,” though—these sweeteners are highly processed, and larger servings of polyols can bother sensitive stomachs.
Calories
245210HIGHAt 245 calories, this eats like a small snack‑meal: protein contributes a big share, with the rest coming from the chocolate fats and the bulk sweeteners/starches that hold the bar together. Polyols such as maltitol carry fewer calories than sugar, but they still add up, which is why the count sits above many lighter bars. If you want something truly mini, this isn’t it; if you want staying power without a full meal, it fits.
Vitamins & Minerals
This isn’t a fortified bar, so you won’t see standout vitamins or minerals on the label. You’ll get small amounts of calcium and B vitamins from the dairy and a little magnesium from cocoa, but not enough to count as a significant source. Think protein and confectionery first, micronutrients second.
Additives
To create a chocolate‑bar experience with little sugar, the recipe leans on several modern helpers: maltitol and glycerol for sweetness and softness, IMO for binding, soy lecithin as an emulsifier, and flavorings for the peanut‑chocolate profile. These are highly refined ingredients designed to mimic sugar’s bulk and keep the bar chewy on the shelf. If you prefer minimally processed sweeteners or whole‑food binders, this formula won’t feel “clean”; if you’re okay with engineered texture for lower sugar, it does what it says.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk
Cow's milk whey
Cattle hides, bones, connective tissue
Defatted soybean flakes
Corn or wheat
Cocoa beans
Cow's milk
Ground roasted cocoa bean nibs
Soybeans
Vegetable oils and animal fats
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
Fans keep coming back to the same trio: taste, protein, and variety. Multiple reviewers call Smart Bars some of the tastiest in the aisle, with flavors that lean chocolate‑forward rather than aggressively sweet.
You still get the real protein payoff—roughly 20–21g per bar—thanks to a blend dominated by milk proteins, which is exactly what most people want after training or between meals.
Independent reviews from Coach and Men’s Fitness echo that it’s an easy everyday choice: low sugar, plenty of flavor options (plus plant versions in the wider Smart line), and satisfying enough to curb a craving without feeling like a sugar bomb.
Value shows up too when boxes are on offer, and the minis get shout‑outs as a just‑right treat.
Main Criticism
Taste isn’t unanimous. A handful of Redditors found certain flavors flat‑out unpleasant, with one calling Toffee Popcorn “rank.
” Texture splits the room as well: some love the chewy, layered bite; others find it too dense or slightly gritty in cocoa‑heavy flavors. The bigger technical trade‑off is digestive comfort—these bars lean hard on polyols, especially maltitol, and that can bloat sensitive stomachs.
Carbs and fats sit a touch higher than super‑lean competitors, which matters if you’re counting every macro. And if you’re a whole‑foods purist, the engineered sweeteners and binders will feel like a philosophical mismatch.
The Middle Ground
So who’s right: the “best protein bar I’ve ever had” crowd or the “disgusting” contingent? Probably both, depending on flavor choice and your gut.
Chocolate‑led flavors tend to land better with mainstream palates, while outliers like Toffee Popcorn can be polarizing—Reddit being Reddit, one person’s favorite is another’s dramatic exit. The nutrition math checks out: you’re getting meaningful milk‑based protein with a slow‑fast casein‑whey combo, low sugar, and a moderate calorie count around 245.
The cost is modern sweeteners and a chew that’s more confectionery than “whole‑food. ” If you tolerate polyols and enjoy candy‑bar textures, the Smart Bar delivers exactly what the label suggests.
If you need a zero‑tolerance GI experience or you want ingredients you could shop for in a produce aisle, this isn’t your match—no matter what Steven on Amazon says.
What's the bottom line?
PhD Nutrition’s Smart Bar threads a very specific needle: dessert‑style texture, real (mostly dairy) protein, and minimal sugar. snack to feel indulgent without sending blood sugar on a roller coaster. The trade‑offs are upfront: more engineered sweeteners, a chewy bite, and the chance that your stomach votes no on maltitol.
If you’re polyol‑tolerant and like the idea of a candy‑bar protein bar, start with a chocolate‑centric flavor and consider minis if you just want a sweet finish. If you prefer simpler ingredients or ultra‑light macros, look elsewhere—or grab a whey shake right after training and save this for later. Condensed listicle take: Candy‑bar texture, 21g of milk protein, and very low sugar make it a satisfying everyday pick; skip if you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols or want whole‑food ingredients.