A Celiac's Top Gluten Free and Vegan Protein Bars
Not too long ago, I shared a post with my favorite oat free and gluten free snack bars and promised a protein bar roundup would be coming soon. Well, guess what? Today’s the day I’m talkin' all about six of my favorite gluten free and vegan protein bars!
Like I said in my first post, there are tons of gluten free snack bars out there nowadays and I haven’t tried them all. But since my celiac disease diagnosis five years ago, I’ve been lucky enough to try a lot of different gluten free protein bars. And since I don’t do well with whey protein or large amounts of milk, all the protein bars I’m highlighting below are also vegan.
Ready to dig into my six top gluten free and vegan energy bars? Keep reading for some majorly delicious gluten free snack inspiration!
Right now, Truth Bar only has two vegan flavors: Dark Chocolate Coconut and Chocolate Raspberry Coconut. I like how crunchy the chocolate coating is compared to the soft filling, and the tartness of the raspberry makes it my favorite flavor hands-down. If you are OK with whey protein, Truth Bar also offers Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Almond Crunch and Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch.
These bars are so sweet and dense, I only like a few bites at a time. They also are some of the more processed gluten free protein bars on this list. But if you love chocolate and want to try something different, Truth Bar is a delicious way to change things up!
One of my favorite parts about these bars is the texture: they're soft, chewy and smooth (no chunks) and have a toffee-like consistency. As for flavors, so far I've tried two. The Lemon Cashew Mini Bars tasted refreshing and the lemon was present but not overwhelming (a problem I usually run into with citrus-flavored bars). And you better believe I fell head over heels for their Sunflower Cinnamon protein bars, since those are two of my favorite ingredients ever.
I also did want to point out that the ingredient list for Rise Bar is impressively simple. Their bars usually just have five to six ingredients, like nuts or nut butter, coconut nectar, pea protein and extracts and spices. It can be hard to find gluten free protein bars made with easily identifiable ingredients, so Rise Bar definitely impressed me with that.
Truwomen’s vegan energy bars are also unique in that they use ingredients like cassava flour and brown rice protein. As for the flavors...they’re all crazy delicious, but Zamn Good Zesty Lemon was my surprise favorite, followed by Oh Oh Cookie Dough and Daydreaming About Donuts.
Like I wrote in my review last year (which is when I received some samples of Truwomen to try!), my favorite part of Truwomen bars is the sweet coating around each bar. It seriously tastes like frosting - only healthier! These bars are pretty dang dense and sometimes they taste a little too hard and chewy (especially if you eat a whole bar at one time - that’s a lot of chewing!), but I highly recommend trying Truwomen if you’re a sweet snacker.
I actually won some of these bars to try in an Instagram giveaway (feel free to tag me - collegeceliackc - in any Insta giveaways!), and I struggled to choose which flavor to pick, especially out of Sunflower Butter and Jelly, Pineapple Chia, Chocolate Max’s and Dark Chocolate Quinoa.
I went with the last flavor, and it was definitely a tasty choice. Amrita bars are dense and the chocolate flavor is intense, but the quinoa added a delicious crunch and I really felt like I was eating a candy bar that just happened to be high in plant-based protein. And if that’s not one sign of a delicious protein bar, I don’t know what is!
Like I’ve shared in a previous review, “Dharma" itself means purpose, and there are three different Dharma bars, each with a slightly different “purpose,” including Endurance in a Chocolate Almond Date flavor, Recover in a Cacao Hemp Cherry flavor and Balance in a Vanilla Coconut Almond flavor.
As I hinted at earlier, Dharma bars taste soft and chewy but have crunchy bits of almonds dispersed throughout. I also like that they don’t taste as sugary as many other gluten free protein bars on the market.
Some of my personal favorites are Dark Chocolate Coconut and Dark Chocolate Mint, which both have a super crunchy dark chocolate coating. I also love Coconut Cashew Crisp, which is one of Zing's “soft cookie” flavors that are less dense and a little less sweet since they aren’t coated with chocolate.
Overall, I appreciate that Zing Bars are made of simple, nutrient-dense foods like nuts and nut butter, prebiotic tapioca fiber (for that healthy gut), dark chocolate and shredded coconut, fruit, etc. I also like that they sell smaller squares since the regular bars are often too big and dense for me to eat the whole thing at once. Whether you want a super chocolatey protein bar or something a little less sweet, there's a flavor of Zing Bars you’ll probably like!
So the next time you're getting ready for a crazy busy day, I hope you have one of these gluten free protein bars in your backpack or briefcase. Because, at least in my experience, there's no better secret weapon for a busy day than a snack that's just as yummy as it is nutritious!
What’s your favorite gluten free protein bar? Tell me in the comments, whether it’s one I mentioned or a brand I didn’t mention or haven’t tried!
Like I said in my first post, there are tons of gluten free snack bars out there nowadays and I haven’t tried them all. But since my celiac disease diagnosis five years ago, I’ve been lucky enough to try a lot of different gluten free protein bars. And since I don’t do well with whey protein or large amounts of milk, all the protein bars I’m highlighting below are also vegan.
Ready to dig into my six top gluten free and vegan energy bars? Keep reading for some majorly delicious gluten free snack inspiration!
1. Truth Bar
I got to try Truth Bar for the first time last year after I won some samples in an Instagram giveaway, and if you’re looking for a snack that’s sweet and chocolatey, these are going to be your best friends. All Truth Bars are gluten free, kosher, low in sugar, high in fiber and packed with probiotics and prebiotics (for that healthy gut!).Right now, Truth Bar only has two vegan flavors: Dark Chocolate Coconut and Chocolate Raspberry Coconut. I like how crunchy the chocolate coating is compared to the soft filling, and the tartness of the raspberry makes it my favorite flavor hands-down. If you are OK with whey protein, Truth Bar also offers Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Almond Crunch and Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch.
These bars are so sweet and dense, I only like a few bites at a time. They also are some of the more processed gluten free protein bars on this list. But if you love chocolate and want to try something different, Truth Bar is a delicious way to change things up!
2. Rise Bar
Rise Bars also come in whey or vegan protein flavors, and they’re the newest-to-me vegan protein bar on this list. Besides being certified gluten free, Rise Bars are also soy free and peanut-free. I also love that they sell “mini bars” for some of their flavors, which are the perfect size for people like me who prefer smaller snacks.
One of my favorite parts about these bars is the texture: they're soft, chewy and smooth (no chunks) and have a toffee-like consistency. As for flavors, so far I've tried two. The Lemon Cashew Mini Bars tasted refreshing and the lemon was present but not overwhelming (a problem I usually run into with citrus-flavored bars). And you better believe I fell head over heels for their Sunflower Cinnamon protein bars, since those are two of my favorite ingredients ever.
I also did want to point out that the ingredient list for Rise Bar is impressively simple. Their bars usually just have five to six ingredients, like nuts or nut butter, coconut nectar, pea protein and extracts and spices. It can be hard to find gluten free protein bars made with easily identifiable ingredients, so Rise Bar definitely impressed me with that.
3. Truwomen
Oh my goodness, guys. If you want a vegan protein bar that seriously tastes like dessert, Truwomen’s energy bars are an amazing option. They’re certified gluten free, dairy free and soy free, and have 12 grams of protein per bar.Truwomen’s vegan energy bars are also unique in that they use ingredients like cassava flour and brown rice protein. As for the flavors...they’re all crazy delicious, but Zamn Good Zesty Lemon was my surprise favorite, followed by Oh Oh Cookie Dough and Daydreaming About Donuts.
Like I wrote in my review last year (which is when I received some samples of Truwomen to try!), my favorite part of Truwomen bars is the sweet coating around each bar. It seriously tastes like frosting - only healthier! These bars are pretty dang dense and sometimes they taste a little too hard and chewy (especially if you eat a whole bar at one time - that’s a lot of chewing!), but I highly recommend trying Truwomen if you’re a sweet snacker.
4. Amrita Nutrition Bars
Another brand of bars chillin’ in my snack drawer? Amrita! Amrita bars are gluten free (obviously!), dairy-free, non-GMO, vegan, raw and kosher. They also use pretty dang simple ingredients, like dates, brown rice protein, quinoa, seeds, coconut oil and dried fruit.I actually won some of these bars to try in an Instagram giveaway (feel free to tag me - collegeceliackc - in any Insta giveaways!), and I struggled to choose which flavor to pick, especially out of Sunflower Butter and Jelly, Pineapple Chia, Chocolate Max’s and Dark Chocolate Quinoa.
I went with the last flavor, and it was definitely a tasty choice. Amrita bars are dense and the chocolate flavor is intense, but the quinoa added a delicious crunch and I really felt like I was eating a candy bar that just happened to be high in plant-based protein. And if that’s not one sign of a delicious protein bar, I don’t know what is!
5. Dharma Bars
If you like a lil’ bit of chunky crunch in your vegan energy bars, Dharma Bars might be your snacky soul mate. These are gluten free, organic, soy free, organic, non-GMO, and free of refined sugars, preservatives and trans fats. Equally important: they taste pretty dang good!Like I’ve shared in a previous review, “Dharma" itself means purpose, and there are three different Dharma bars, each with a slightly different “purpose,” including Endurance in a Chocolate Almond Date flavor, Recover in a Cacao Hemp Cherry flavor and Balance in a Vanilla Coconut Almond flavor.
As I hinted at earlier, Dharma bars taste soft and chewy but have crunchy bits of almonds dispersed throughout. I also like that they don’t taste as sugary as many other gluten free protein bars on the market.
6. Zing Bars
I’m ending this energy bar roundup with a boom (correction: Zing) with this last protein bar. Zing bars are certified gluten free, soy free and non-GMO, and come in either whey or vegan protein options. Compared to some other brands using various types of protein powder, though, Zing Bars actually have 10 vegan flavors!Some of my personal favorites are Dark Chocolate Coconut and Dark Chocolate Mint, which both have a super crunchy dark chocolate coating. I also love Coconut Cashew Crisp, which is one of Zing's “soft cookie” flavors that are less dense and a little less sweet since they aren’t coated with chocolate.
Overall, I appreciate that Zing Bars are made of simple, nutrient-dense foods like nuts and nut butter, prebiotic tapioca fiber (for that healthy gut), dark chocolate and shredded coconut, fruit, etc. I also like that they sell smaller squares since the regular bars are often too big and dense for me to eat the whole thing at once. Whether you want a super chocolatey protein bar or something a little less sweet, there's a flavor of Zing Bars you’ll probably like!
The Bottom Line of Finding the Perfect Gluten Free and Vegan Energy Bar
I know first-hand how overwhelming it can be to revamp your WHOLE diet after a celiac disease diagnosis or some other change in your health. That's why I love highlighting some of the gluten free products that make my life easier...and can do the same for you.So the next time you're getting ready for a crazy busy day, I hope you have one of these gluten free protein bars in your backpack or briefcase. Because, at least in my experience, there's no better secret weapon for a busy day than a snack that's just as yummy as it is nutritious!
What’s your favorite gluten free protein bar? Tell me in the comments, whether it’s one I mentioned or a brand I didn’t mention or haven’t tried!
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