Power Crunch
Salted Caramel
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A true wafer‑style protein bar—light, crisp layers with a creamy center—powered by a hydrolyzed whey/isolate blend that delivers complete dairy protein without the dense chew.
When to choose Power Crunch Salted Caramel
Taste‑first snackers who want a cookie‑like crunch with moderate protein. Great as an afternoon pick‑me‑up or sweet tooth fix, not as a heavy post‑lift meal replacement.
What's in the Power Crunch bar?
Power Crunch Salted Caramel builds its protein on dairy: hydrolyzed whey peptides, whey protein isolate, and milk protein isolate. The macro profile leans snacky rather than shake-like—lower carbs, higher fat from palm-based oils, and mid-pack calories.
The salted-caramel personality comes from natural flavors and a pinch of sea salt, with annatto lending that warm, golden hue; a little sugar and fructose provide real sweetness while sucralose and stevia keep the total in check.
If you’re hoping for oats or dates, note the crisp wafer is made with enriched flour, so the carbs here are refined and fast-burning.
- Protein
- 13 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Calories
- 215
Protein
1315MIDThe 13 grams of protein come from a Proto Whey blend: hydrolyzed whey peptides (partially broken down for quicker absorption), whey protein isolate (very low in lactose), and milk protein isolate (adds casein’s slower release). It’s a moderate protein dose for a bar, but the amino acid quality is excellent thanks to the dairy base.
Fat
149HIGHMost of the 14 grams of fat come from palm oil and palm kernel oil, with some canola oil in the mix. Palm oils raise saturated fat and give the wafer-and-cream structure its snap and stability, while canola brings more heart-friendly unsaturated fats. Overall, it’s on the higher-fat side, so those watching saturated fat may want to pace their portions.
Carbs
1120LOWCarbs are modest and largely come from the wafer’s enriched flour (refined wheat with a touch of malted barley) plus added sugar and a little fructose. These are refined sources that deliver quick energy rather than the slow, steady burn you’d get from oats or nuts; the bar’s higher fat and protein will blunt the spike somewhat.
Sugar
64MIDSugar sits at 6 grams, coming from table sugar and a bit of fructose rather than fruit. The sweetness is boosted with high‑intensity sweeteners—sucralose (an artificial sweetener) and stevia extract—so it tastes sweeter than the sugar count alone. If you prefer sweetness only from whole foods, note these are refined tools used to cap sugar grams.
Calories
215210MIDAt 215 calories, it lands near the middle of the bar world. Most calories come from fat, then protein, with carbs contributing the least—an energy mix that feels satisfying for a snack without drifting into dessert territory.
Vitamins & Minerals
No standout micronutrients here—nothing tops 10% Daily Value. Small amounts of calcium likely ride in with the dairy proteins, while the enriched flour brings trace B‑vitamins and iron. Think protein-centric snack, not a vitamin vehicle.
Additives
To create that wafer‑light crunch and creamy filling, the bar uses soy lecithin (for smooth texture), baking soda and ammonium bicarbonate (to aerate the wafers), and annatto for a caramel‑like hue. Sucralose and stevia keep sweetness high with fewer sugar grams. These are common, highly refined additives—worth noting if you aim for short, minimalist labels.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk cheese whey
Cow's milk whey
Skim cow milk
Oil palm fruit
Wheat grain endosperm
Sprouted barley grain
Petrochemical-derived pyridine synthesis
Mineral salts from elemental iron
Synthetic vitamin B1 salt
Microbial fermentation or chemical synthesis
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 lead the fan club. Reviewers across Amazon and Reddit consistently call out the “no chalk” factor and the way the bar practically melts after that first snap—more like a treat than a task.
Verywell Fit and SELF both highlight the wafer as a standout in a sea of nougat bricks, and our taste notes align: the salted‑caramel balance is on point without veering cloying.
For the macros, 13 grams of high‑quality whey‑based protein at 215 calories makes sense for a snack you actually want to eat. Parents even mention it passes the kid test, which is no small feat for a protein bar.
Value also gets nods—this is one of the more budget‑friendly, tastes‑great picks in the mainstream aisle.
Main Criticism
The sweeteners divide the room. Some tasters detect a strong sucralose/stevia aftertaste, enough to knock it out of rotation.
Texture, while delightful, can be messy; BarBend flagged crumbly layers, and Amazon buyers recommend a napkin for the flakes. Nutrition nitpicks are fair: very low fiber, refined flour instead of whole grains, and a higher saturated‑fat tilt from palm and palm kernel oils.
It’s dairy‑based, so those with lactose sensitivity report issues, despite the use of whey isolate and peptides. And allergen‑wise, it contains milk, wheat/gluten, and soy.
The Middle Ground
So which is it—snack hero or stealth dessert? The middle holds: it’s a snack‑first bar that happens to carry respectable protein.
Praise for flavor and crunch is widespread; one Redditor summed it up as “Powercrunches SLAP,” and SELF’s editor keeps them as an emergency stash because they “don’t taste like chalk. ” On the other hand, another Reddit user said the sweetener taste was overwhelming, and an Amazon reviewer deemed it “pure fat.
” That’s hyperbolic, but the critique isn’t baseless—14 grams of fat with palm oils is noticeable, especially alongside minimal fiber. If you’re chasing 20–25 grams of protein, this won’t be your closer.
But if you want a reliably delicious, easy‑to‑eat bar with complete dairy protein and can live with the processed wafers and sweeteners, it lands exactly where it aims. The remaining open question is preference: are you sweetener‑sensitive, or does the crisp wafer outweigh that quirk?
Only your taste buds (and your stomach) can answer.
What's the bottom line?
Power Crunch Salted Caramel is the rare protein bar that leads with pleasure: a crisp wafer, a creamy center, and a salted‑caramel profile that actually tastes like its name. It delivers 13 grams of complete whey‑based protein at 215 calories, in a format that’s incredibly easy to eat when you don’t want something dense or chewy. The caveats are clear.
Sweeteners (sucralose and stevia) may leave an aftertaste for some. The fats skew higher and include palm oils. Fiber is barely there, and the carbs come from refined flour.
It also contains milk, wheat, and soy. If you’re okay with those tradeoffs, this is one of the most satisfying “grab‑and‑go” snack bars around.
Treat it like a sweet snack with benefits: pair it with fruit for fiber or a latte/Greek yogurt for extra protein, and enjoy the crunch without pretending it’s a whole‑foods bar. For taste‑first snackers, it’s an easy yes; for ingredient purists, it’s a polite pass.