Power Crunch
Red Velvet
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A true wafer‑style protein bar with a crisp snap, built on hydrolyzed whey “micro‑peptides,” and a red‑velvet profile that actually eats like dessert.
When to choose Power Crunch Red Velvet
Best for a sweet‑tooth, afternoon pick‑me‑up when you want a light, crunchy bar with 12g of high‑quality whey—without the dense, chewy vibe of typical protein bars.
What's in the Power Crunch bar?
Power Crunch Red Velvet is a crisp, wafer‑style bar built on dairy protein and confectionery craft. Its “Proto Whey” blend—hydrolyzed whey peptides plus whey protein isolate with a touch of milk protein isolate—delivers 12g of high‑quality protein.
The macro profile skews fat‑forward (13g, around the 84th percentile among bars) with comparatively low carbs for the category (13g, near the 13th percentile), 8g of sugar, and 215 calories. Red‑velvet character comes from alkalized cocoa for a smooth chocolate base and natural colors—carmine provides the signature red—layered with dairy and natural flavors to nod toward cream‑cheese frosting.
Tasty and satisfying, but it’s not gluten‑free or vegetarian.
- Protein
- 12 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Calories
- 215
Protein
1215MIDProtein here comes from a “Proto Whey” trio: hydrolyzed whey peptides and whey protein isolate, plus some milk protein isolate. Hydrolyzed whey is partially pre‑digested into smaller peptides for fast absorption, while isolates are low in lactose and very clean. At 12g, it’s a modest dose by bar standards, but the amino‑acid quality is top tier.
Fat
139HIGHMost of the 13g fat comes from palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and milkfat, with a smaller contribution from canola oil. That mix leans saturated—great for crisp wafers and shelf life, less ideal if you’re watching LDL cholesterol. Canola adds some heart‑friendlier unsaturated fat, but overall this is a fat‑forward, saturated‑leaning bar.
Carbs
1320LOWThe 13g of carbs come mostly from the wafer’s enriched wheat flour and refined sugars (sugar, fructose, trehalose), with small amounts of chicory root fiber and maltodextrin shaping texture. These are quick‑acting carbs that deliver a faster bump rather than slow, whole‑grain energy. The bar’s higher fat and moderate protein will blunt the rise somewhat, but this isn’t a slow‑burn carb source.
Sugar
84HIGHAbout 8g of sugar per bar come primarily from table sugar and fructose, with trehalose adding mild sweetness; the brand also uses tiny amounts of high‑intensity plant sweeteners (stevia and monk fruit) to keep sugar grams in check. These sugars are refined rather than fruit‑based, so they provide quick sweetness without extra micronutrients. Expect a moderate sweetness level for the category, tempered by the bar’s fat and protein.
Calories
215210MIDAt 215 calories, it sits near the category middle, but the calories lean heavily on fat: roughly half the energy comes from the oil/butter blend, with the rest split between protein and carbs. That design makes it satisfying and can smooth out sugar’s impact, though it’s not the pick if you want a carb‑centric pre‑workout boost.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamins or minerals clear 10% Daily Value here. Enriched flour brings small amounts of B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid), and dairy/cocoa contribute traces of calcium and iron, but not at standout levels. Think of this as a protein‑and‑energy treat rather than a vitamin vehicle.
Additives
As a wafer bar, it leans on a few kitchen chemists’ tools: soy lecithin to keep fats and cocoa smooth; baking soda and ammonium bicarbonate to puff the wafers; alkalized cocoa and natural colors (including carmine) for the red‑velvet look; and chicory root fiber/maltodextrin for body. Stevia and monk fruit add intense sweetness in pin‑drop doses. It’s a fairly refined ingredient list built for crunch and shelf stability; if you’re sensitive, note chicory fiber can cause gas at higher intakes.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk cheese whey
Cow's milk whey
Skim cow milk
Oil palm fruit
Sugarcane and sugar beet
Wheat grain endosperm
Sprouted barley grain
Petrochemical-derived pyridine synthesis
Mineral salts from elemental iron
Synthetic vitamin B1 salt
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Power Crunch bars. There are a ton of flavors and they don't have that gross chemical taste like a lot of protein bars (Quest, FitCrunch).”
“Powercrunches SLAP, I have a dedicated shelf of them in my fridge 🥹”
“power crunch is amazing, especially the strawberry =]”
Main Praise
Taste and texture are the headline acts. Reviewers—from Reddit threads to magazine roundups—routinely call out the wafer snap and the way it dissolves instead of fighting back.
Verywell Fit and SELF both praised it for being one of the rare bars that doesn’t taste chalky, and Amazon buyers echo the same: crisp, light, and genuinely dessert‑like. Fans also love that you can hand it to a picky eater (or a kid) and it lands like a treat, not a chore.
On Reddit, one fan even admitted to keeping a dedicated fridge shelf for Power Crunch—commitment that says as much about craveability as any lab test. And while 12g isn’t a sky‑high protein count, the whey blend is quality, which helps the bar satiate better than the number alone suggests.
Main Criticism
Not everyone vibes with the sweetness system. A recurring critique is a lingering sweetener aftertaste—likely from the tiny amounts of stevia or monk fruit layered on top of the 8g of sugar—which some taste more than others.
The wafer can be crumbly (multiple reviewers warn of flakes on your clothes), and the bar is very low in fiber, so it won’t keep you full like a dense, oat‑based bar might.
Nutrition‑savvy skeptics also point to the saturated‑leaning fat blend, which is great for texture but not ideal if you’re trying to pare back on saturated fat. Finally, it contains dairy; lactose‑sensitive folks on Reddit called that out after discovering the hard way.
The Middle Ground
How can one bar be praised for “no weird aftertaste” while another person calls the sweetener flavor overwhelming? Palates differ, especially with high‑intensity sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit—some taste them as clean, others as bitter or lingering.
Here, those sweeteners are used in pin‑drop amounts to keep sugar at 8g, but they’re present, and a subset will notice. The wafer’s mess factor is real; a crisp, laminated wafer that breaks cleanly in a factory tends to shed crumbs in human hands.
A Redditor who keeps theirs in the fridge has the right idea—cooling firms up the layers and reduces flake‑fallout. On nutrition, the protein is quality but modest at 12g, and the fats do the heavy lifting for satiety; if you wanted a 20g post‑workout hammer, this isn’t it.
And while one 2019 Reddit commenter grumbled it’s not exactly a KitKat, that’s fair: it’s a compromise between candy and macros. The truth sits squarely in the middle—delicious if you want a crunchy, dessert‑like protein snack; less compelling if you need maximal protein, high fiber, or a squeaky‑clean ingredient list.
What's the bottom line?
Power Crunch Red Velvet is a treat‑first protein bar: crisp wafer layers, real cocoa notes, and 12g of high‑quality whey wrapped in a 215‑calorie package. The macro design leans fat‑forward with moderate sugar and low fiber, which explains why it satisfies a sweet tooth and takes the edge off hunger, but won’t anchor a meal or a heavy training session. If you love the idea of a protein bar that actually eats like dessert, this is a standout—reviews consistently celebrate the taste and texture.
If you’re sensitive to stevia/monk fruit aftertastes, prefer higher fiber, or need gluten‑free or vegetarian options (carmine makes this one non‑vegetarian), look elsewhere. Store it in the fridge to tame the crumbs, pair it with something fibrous if you want longer‑lasting fullness, and enjoy it for what it is: a crunchy, nostalgic break from the chew‑fest of typical protein bars.