Vital Proteins
Chocolate Almond
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A collagen-forward protein blend rounded out with whey and milk isolates—softer bite, fuller amino profile—wrapped in a dark-chocolate, crispy shell that stays very low in sugar.
When to choose Vital Proteins Chocolate Almond
Choose it if you want a filling, lower-sugar bar for post-workout or long afternoons, and you tolerate dairy and sugar alcohols. It’s a chocolate-and-nut lover’s pick that feels more like fuel than candy.
What's in the Vital Proteins bar?
Vital Proteins’ Chocolate Almond bar plays to its strengths: big protein, restrained sugar, and classic nut‑and‑chocolate flavor.
The 20 grams of protein come from a clever blend—bovine collagen peptides for softness and dairy isolates (milk and whey) to round out the amino acids—so you get a high‑protein bar that doesn’t chew like drywall.
At about the 90th percentile for protein and on the low end for carbs among bars, it’s built for steadier energy rather than a sugar rush. Carbs are kept comparatively low thanks to a sugar‑alcohol‑sweetened chocolate coating and moisture‑holding glycerin, with just a small drizzle of coconut nectar.
Fat sits on the higher side because the flavor is built honestly—almond butter and peanut butter meet cocoa powder, cocoa mass, and cocoa butter—so it eats creamy rather than candy‑sweet. If you’re looking for a bar that feels more like fuel than dessert, with the caveat that sugar alcohols don’t love every stomach, this one is worth a look.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 230
Protein
2015HIGHThose 20 grams come from a hybrid: bovine collagen peptides plus complete dairy proteins—milk protein isolate and whey isolate/hydrolysate. Collagen on its own isn’t complete, but pairing it with whey/milk fills the amino‑acid gaps and adds fast‑digesting leucine for muscle repair. If you tolerate dairy, this is a high‑protein, well‑rounded mix.
Fat
119MIDFat comes from almond and peanut butter (mostly monounsaturated) and the chocolate components—cocoa butter and a touch of refined sunflower oil—plus the coating’s vegetable fat. Cocoa butter leans saturated but much of it is stearic acid, which is relatively neutral for cholesterol, while sunflower oil adds unsaturated fats. The mix lands on the higher side for bars but reads more “nut‑and‑chocolate” than “oily.”
Carbs
1420LOWMost carbs here are formulated rather than from whole grains: a dark‑chocolate coating sweetened with maltitol (a sugar alcohol) and soft, moisture‑holding glycerin, with a small assist from coconut nectar and the tapioca starch in the whey crisps. That setup tends to hit blood sugar more gently than table sugar, though polyols can bother sensitive stomachs in larger amounts. Think steadier lift, not a quick carb surge.
Sugar
24MIDOnly 2 grams of sugar because most sweetness comes from sugar alcohols (maltitol in the coating) and glycerin, with just a touch of coconut nectar. That keeps added sugar low, but it also means the sweetness is delivered by refined ingredients rather than fruit or honey. If you’re polyol‑sensitive, start with one bar and see how you feel.
Calories
230210MIDCalories skew toward protein and fat: roughly a third from protein, a bit more from fats, and the rest from carbs. That balance makes it feel more like a mini meal than a sugary snack, with staying power for a long afternoon or post‑workout commute. The chocolate coating and nut butters nudge the total above the category average.
Vitamins & Minerals
Calcium lands around 10% DV, coming from the dairy proteins and added calcium carbonate used in the whey crisps. Cocoa and nuts contribute small amounts of minerals, but there aren’t other standout micronutrients above 10% DV.
Additives
To make a high‑protein, chocolate‑coated bar behave, it leans on a few helpers: sunflower lecithin to keep chocolate smooth, glycerin to hold moisture, and rosemary extract to protect the oils. Maltitol is a refined sugar replacer that gives the coating sweetness and snap without much sugar. More processed than a date‑and‑nut bar, but typical for this style.
Ingredient List
Cattle hides and bones
Skim cow milk
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk cheese whey
Corn or wheat
Defatted cacao bean solids
Sunflower seeds
Fats and oils
Ground roasted almonds
Cow's milk whey
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Vital Performance Bars 20 G protein 230 calories top tier source”
“Ooh, the vital proteins one sounds really good!”
Main Praise
The biggest win is the protein-to-calorie ratio paired with genuinely enjoyable texture. Reviewers consistently point to the satisfying bite—crisp chocolate on the outside, a soft, cohesive center—which feels more like a treat than a slog.
Several lifters note it’s more filling than its 230 calories would suggest, which tracks with 20 grams of protein plus a moderate fat backbone from nut butters and cocoa butter. The collagen-plus-whey combo is another draw: collagen helps the bar stay tender while the dairy proteins supply leucine-rich muscle support.
And for folks minding daily sugar, 2 grams without a cloying aftertaste is a hard trick to pull off—this bar does it better than many.
Main Criticism
Two themes pop up when people don’t love it. First is the price; even satisfied buyers describe it as a splurge, not a staple.
Second is the sweetener strategy: keeping sugar low means the coating relies on maltitol (a sugar alcohol) and the bar uses glycerin for softness—both are refined and can bother sensitive stomachs, especially if you double up.
A smaller camp prefers bars that get all protein from complete dairy or plant blends; collagen isn’t complete on its own, and while it’s paired smartly here, purists may still balk.
Finally, the allergen load (dairy, peanuts, almonds, coconut) puts it out of reach for a lot of households.
The Middle Ground
So where does that leave us?
If you chase macros and texture, this checks both boxes: one Redditor even labeled it “top tier” on that front, and that sentiment aligns with an Amazon crowd that calls it heavy, crunchy, and unusually satiating for the calories.
On the other side, the 3. 9-star average hints at a split—likely driven less by flavor and more by cost and tolerance for sugar alcohols.
If you saw “collagen” and worried about muscle-building, take a breath: the bar balances it with whey and milk isolates, which is how you cover collagen’s amino gaps and keep leucine in the picture.
But if your north star is whole-food ingredients only, this is an engineered, chocolate-coated build; a date-and-nut bar it is not. As for sweeteners, Maltitol can be totally fine for some and a non-starter for others—call it the choose-your-own-adventure of bar shopping.
Reddit user Wonderful_Mind7590 said it “sounds really good,” and it does—just make sure your stomach agrees.
What's the bottom line?
Vital Proteins’ Chocolate Almond is a thoughtfully built protein bar: 20 grams of protein, a soft-and-crisp texture, restrained sweetness, and enough fat to feel like a mini meal rather than a sugar spike. It’s a strong pick for post-workout or long stretches between meals—especially if you like chocolate-and-nut flavors and appreciate collagen’s texture benefits alongside whey’s muscle support. ” If those don’t faze you, you’re getting a tasty, satiating high-protein option that actually feels like food.
Quick take for listicles: A crunchy, dark-chocolate almond bar with 20 grams of protein from collagen plus whey, 230 calories, and just 2 grams of sugar. Great as a post-workout or hold-you-over snack if you tolerate sugar alcohols; skip if you avoid dairy, peanuts, or prefer only whole-food sweeteners.