think!
Banana Oat Muffin
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
It marries a fast‑and‑slow dairy protein blend with a breakfast‑leaning oat‑and‑almond base, keeping sugar to 1 gram and calories to 200. In a category full of candy flavors, this one aims for morning‑muffin vibes.
When to choose think! Banana Oat Muffin
Grab it when you want an easy 20g protein bump at breakfast or post‑workout without a heavy calorie hit. Best for gluten‑free eaters who tolerate sugar alcohols and don’t need vegan or dairy‑free.
What's in the think! bar?
think!
Banana Oat Muffin packs 20 grams of protein from a dairy duo—milk protein isolate (casein plus whey) and whey protein isolate—putting it near the top of the category for protein while keeping calories to a lighter 200.
The “muffin” character comes from whole grain oats, and the banana taste is created with natural flavors rather than fruit. Carbs land in the upper half for bars, but much of that comes from low‑calorie fiber and sugar alcohols instead of sugar.
Fat stays moderate and is driven by almond butter and cocoa butter—more nut-and-cocoa than seed‑oil heavy. Translation: a high‑protein, very low‑sugar bar engineered for steadier energy, with the usual caveat for anyone who feels polyols in their gut.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Calories
- 200
Protein
2015HIGHThe 20 grams of protein come from a blend of milk protein isolate (casein plus whey) and whey protein isolate. These are highly filtered, low‑lactose, complete proteins that pair slow‑digesting casein with faster whey for a nice one‑two of satiety and recovery. Excellent quality for the calories—just not for anyone with a milk allergy.
Fat
89MIDMost of the 8 grams of fat come from almond butter and cocoa butter. Almonds supply mainly heart‑friendly monounsaturated fats, while cocoa butter skews toward stearic acid, a saturated fat that’s relatively neutral for LDL cholesterol compared with some others. No heavy seed oils here; the sunflower lecithin present is a tiny emulsifier amount.
Carbs
2320MIDCarbs arrive from two camps: whole grain oats for genuine, slow‑digesting starch, and sugar‑reduction helpers—polydextrose (a synthetic soluble fiber), vegetable glycerin (a plant‑derived moisture holder), and sugar alcohols like erythritol with a touch of maltitol. The oats should deliver steadier energy, while the rest add softness and sweetness with less impact on blood sugar than table sugar. If you’re polyol‑sensitive, one bar is usually fine; stacking several can push tolerance.
Sugar
14LOWOnly 1 gram of sugar because sweetness comes from sugar alcohols (erythritol and a small amount of maltitol) plus high‑intensity sweeteners (sucralose and stevia). That keeps sugar low without fruit, but it relies on a highly engineered sweetening system. Those sensitive to sugar alcohols may prefer to space their intake.
Calories
200210MIDAt 200 calories—below the category average—you get a lot of protein for the energy. Protein and a modest fat portion do most of the work, while several carb ingredients are lower‑calorie (fiber and sugar alcohols). Net effect: a fairly light bar for a 20‑gram protein hit.
Vitamins & Minerals
No big micronutrient highlights here; nothing tops 10% Daily Value. The 8% calcium likely comes from the dairy proteins, with small amounts of iron and potassium contributed by oats and almonds. Think protein‑first, not a vitamin bar.
Additives
This is a modern low‑sugar build: polydextrose (synthetic fiber), glycerin (keeps it soft), erythritol/maltitol (bulk sweeteners), tiny amounts of sucralose and stevia (zero‑calorie sweetness), and sunflower lecithin to help it all blend. These refined additives deliver texture, shelf life, and sweetness control. If you prefer short, whole‑food labels, this will feel more engineered—and some people notice GI effects from polyols.
Ingredient List
Skim cow milk
Cow's milk whey
glucose
Ground roasted almonds
Vegetable oils (palm, soy)
Oat grain
Corn or wheat starch
Cocoa beans
Corn or wheat
Sunflower seeds
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I am eating think protein bars. Decent amount of protein (20g). Dont repulse me like so many out there”
“the Think high protein brownie crunch bar is honestly good if you want a different flavor, I found the one on the top to be pretty decent but defo think the brownie one is better”
“Chocolate brownie one was AMAZING!”
Main Praise
For a mainstream, grab‑anywhere bar, the value is strong: 20g of complete dairy protein for only 200 calories, with a chew that actually feels like food, not taffy. Editors at SELF and BarBend single out the line for taste and satiety, and even protein‑bar skeptics admit it can win them over.
Reddit reactions echo that middle‑ground sanity—“Decent amount of protein (20g). Don’t repulse me like so many out there,” as one user put it—hardly poetry, but high praise in this category.
The Banana Oat Muffin flavor leans breakfasty rather than candy‑coated, which some will find more satisfying mid‑morning than another chocolate clone. Gluten‑free formulation broadens accessibility, and the combo of slow‑digesting casein with faster whey helps hold you through a meeting or a commute.
Main Criticism
The biggest knock is the sweetening system. This line leans on sugar alcohols and zero‑calorie sweeteners to keep sugar low, and while that works on paper, it doesn’t work for every stomach.
Some reviewers report bloating or a lingering aftertaste, especially if they eat more than one bar in a day. Taste runs hot‑and‑cold by flavor; a few folks love the dessert‑y options and dislike others, and vice versa.
If you prefer short, whole‑food labels or fruit‑based sweetness, this will read as engineered. And while 200 calories is fairly light for 20g of protein, it won’t please anyone hunting for sub‑150‑calorie nibbles.
The Middle Ground
So where does the truth land? If you tolerate sugar alcohols, the macro‑to‑calorie ratio is undeniably efficient, and the texture sits in that happy medium—dense enough to satisfy without feeling like a brick.
The oat‑and‑almond base gives Banana Oat Muffin more of a breakfast personality, though the banana flavor comes from natural flavor rather than fruit, which purists may side‑eye. Reddit’s chorus is telling: one user shouted that a different flavor was “AMAZING,” another shrugged and moved on—taste is subjective, but the middle of the bell curve seems genuinely content.
Men’s Health and SELF both praise the line for taste and satiety while flagging the sweeteners, which is the right balance of enthusiasm and caution. If you want a clean‑as‑a‑farmers‑market label, keep walking.
If you want an easy 20g protein with a morning‑ish flavor profile and you’re fine with modern sweeteners, this is a practical, repeatable choice.
What's the bottom line?
think! Banana Oat Muffin is a protein‑first bar dressed in breakfast clothes: 20g of complete dairy protein, 200 calories, gluten‑free, and just 1 gram of sugar. It trades real fruit for natural flavor and relies on sugar alcohols and high‑intensity sweeteners to keep sweetness up and sugar down.
That’s the fork in the road—some will appreciate the steadier energy and low sugar; others will notice an aftertaste or GI grumbles if they overdo it. If you like banana‑bread vibes, want reliable protein without blowing your calories, and your stomach plays nice with sugar alcohols, it’s an easy yes. If you want short, whole‑food ingredient lists or fruit‑based sweetness, you’ll likely prefer another bar.
Practical note: it contains milk and almonds. In short, a smart everyday option for protein efficiency—provided the sweeteners sit well with you.
Listicle blurb: Breakfasty banana‑oat meets 20g of protein at 200 calories, gluten‑free, with just 1 gram of sugar. Great for morning or post‑workout if you tolerate sugar alcohols; skip if you want a short, whole‑food ingredient list or need dairy‑/nut‑free.