Primal Kitchen
Macadamia Sea Salt
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A nut‑forward, paleo‑friendly bar that gets its 13g of protein from bovine collagen plus egg whites—uncommon in a category dominated by whey and plant blends—and keeps sweetness to 3g of honey with a touch of monk fruit.
When to choose Primal Kitchen Macadamia Sea Salt
Reach for it as a steady, low‑sugar, gluten‑ and dairy‑free snack between meals or on the road—especially if you want collagen in your day and prefer real‑nut fats over syrupy sweetness.
What's in the Primal Kitchen bar?
Macadamia Sea Salt comes at you with rich macadamias, a lick of honey, warm vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt—then quietly builds its structure with bovine collagen peptides and egg whites.
It’s a nut‑forward, animal‑protein bar with more of its energy coming from heart‑friendly fats than from sugar.
You’ll see 13g of protein (mid‑pack among bars), 13g of fat (on the higher side, thanks to nuts and seeds), comparatively low carbs aided by prebiotic tapioca fiber, and just 3g of sugar boosted by a tiny touch of monk fruit.
Translation: crunchy‑chewy, slow‑burn energy rather than a quick sugar pop.
- Protein
- 13 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Calories
- 210
Protein
1315MIDProtein here is a tag team: bovine collagen peptides do most of the lifting, with egg whites rounding out the profile. Collagen is easy to digest but incomplete (it lacks some essential amino acids), while egg‑white protein is complete and helps balance things out. Net result: a moderate 13g of animal‑derived protein with a softer chew than whey‑heavy bars.
Fat
139HIGHThe 13g of fat come naturally from macadamias, almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds—so we’re talking mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from whole foods, not added oils. Macadamias bring a generous dose of MUFAs, while seeds add a bit of omega‑6. This mix leans satiating and slow‑release, which suits a snack meant to carry you for a while.
Carbs
1420LOWCarbs (14g) are anchored by prebiotic tapioca fiber, a refined soluble fiber made from cassava that largely resists digestion and helps keep blood sugar steadier than syrupy bases. A touch of honey adds quick energy, and monk fruit sweetens in tiny amounts without adding carbs. Expect a smoother energy curve, though sensitive stomachs may notice gas from fermentable fibers.
Sugar
34MIDOnly 3g of sugar, primarily from honey; the rest of the sweetness comes from monk fruit, a highly concentrated extract used in tiny amounts. Low sugar isn’t automatically ‘better,’ but here it means flavor without relying on syrups or sugar alcohols. If you’re watching glucose swings, this approach tends to be gentler than a bar built on sugars.
Calories
210210MIDAt 210 calories, it lands near the middle of the pack. Most of those calories come from nuts’ fats, with protein next and carbs—many of them fiber—trailing. That balance explains why it feels like a modest snack but holds you over like a small meal.
Vitamins & Minerals
No multivitamin dusting—just about 10% Daily Value of iron, likely from pumpkin seeds and nuts, plus small amounts of minerals like calcium and potassium. It’s a macro‑ and fiber‑forward bar rather than a micronutrient vehicle.
Additives
A short, functional list: sunflower lecithin keeps the texture cohesive, and rosemary extract helps protect those delicate nut fats from going rancid. Prebiotic tapioca fiber is a manufactured soluble fiber for texture and lower net carbs, and monk fruit is a purified natural sweetener used at pin‑drop levels. Overall, a light touch of refined helpers rather than a chemistry set.
Ingredient List
Cassava root starch
Almond tree seeds
Cattle hides and bones
Macadamia tree seeds
Cashew tree kernel
Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita spp.)
Eggs
Honey bees collect floral nectar
Chicken eggs
Vanilla orchid beans
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Marigold and Primal Kitchen are two good brands that use monkfruit - the latter uses a teeny tiny bit of honey with monkfruit but it's a small enough amount that it's still like 4g net carbs a bar.”
“Mark Sisson's brand. They're awesome. Also see their mayo, marinades, and protein powders/bars. I usually buy their avocado oil.”
Main Praise
Fans appreciate that this bar reads more like a pantry than a lab. The core comes from macadamias, almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds, with protein from collagen and egg whites and sweetness from a tiny bit of honey alongside monk fruit.
Reviewers who like the brand call out the monk‑fruit‑plus‑honey approach as gentler than sugar alcohol–heavy formulas, and publications like Greatist, Women’s Health, and Well+Good have highlighted the line’s low‑sugar, whey‑free appeal.
Practically, the macro split delivers slow‑burn energy: 210 calories with 13g of fat and 13g of protein is the right zone for a snack that actually tides you over. Add a short list of helpers—sunflower lecithin to smooth texture and rosemary extract to protect those delicate nut fats—and you get a “cleaner” build than many bars.
Main Criticism
Taste and texture are polarizing across the Primal Kitchen bar line. On Amazon, some buyers describe certain flavors as chalky, oddly floral, or even “soapy,” and the overall star rating skews low.
One reviewer basically needed whipped cream to enjoy it—a clever hack, but not exactly a ringing endorsement. The bar is also compact for the calories, which some interpret as underwhelming value.
Nutrition‑wise, collagen is an incomplete protein; while egg whites help, this isn’t the most targeted pick for muscle recovery after hard training. And if your stomach is sensitive to added fibers, the prebiotic tapioca base might cause a bit of bloat.
The Middle Ground
Here’s the split: if you want a candy‑bar experience, this isn’t it. If you want a low‑sugar, dairy‑free bar that runs on nuts and delivers collagen without sugar alcohols, it’s right up your alley.
Greatist’s nod to the line’s low‑sugar profile and Well+Good’s whey‑free kudos align with what the ingredient list promises. But Amazon’s chorus of texture/taste complaints—like Matthew’s “needs whipped cream” fix or Nikki Jimenez’s “tastes like soap” take—suggests flavor perception varies wildly.
That discrepancy likely comes down to expectations: a nut‑and‑collagen bar will be dense, subtly sweet, and more “trail mix in bar form” than dessert. It shines as a steady, tidy snack; it’s less ideal as a post‑lift protein solution or a treat replacement.
The reasonable move is to test a single bar first—palates, and GI tracts, are individual—then stock up if it clicks.
What's the bottom line?
Primal Kitchen’s Macadamia Sea Salt bar is a thoughtful, paleo‑leaning build: 13g of protein from collagen plus egg whites, 13g of fat from whole nuts and seeds, 14g of carbs anchored by prebiotic tapioca fiber, and only 3g of sugar from honey. It’s gluten‑free and dairy‑free, with a light touch of additives (sunflower lecithin and rosemary extract) that serve a purpose rather than pad a label. The payoff is steady energy and a savory‑meets‑subtle‑sweet profile—more snack than dessert.
The catch is taste and texture: they’re divisive across the line, and the internet is not shy about saying so. If you like a dense, nutty chew and prefer sweetness that stays in the background, you’ll likely enjoy it; if “sweet and soft” is your thing, you might not. As a midday hold‑you‑over bar or travel backup, it’s a smart pick.
As a post‑workout muscle builder, pair it with a more complete protein source. Allergies note: it contains tree nuts and eggs. All told, it’s a well‑intentioned bar that delivers on low‑sugar, dairy‑free simplicity—just make sure your taste buds are on the same page.