Gatorade is a popular food and beverage-selling brand and is unique because of its sports-themed products. People who are fond of post-workout munchies find something for themselves here.
After their famous sports drinks, Gatorade Protein Bars are now the talk of the town. People are wondering if these protein bars are healthy to consume or not. And if it is wise to consume these bars after workouts.
If you’ve got similar questions, this review is just going to answer all your queries. So, keep reading!
What are Gatorade protein bars?
Gatorade Protein Bars are energy bars with added nutrients. You can also refer to them as Gatorade Recover Whey Bars. It is because they help you recover your strength and energy after a vigorous workout session.
You can eat them before or after a workout and receive a surge of protein and minerals from them. They replenish your body with the calories you burned during the exercise and thus maintain your energy and strength.
The basic purpose of Gatorade Whey Protein Bars is muscle rehabilitation. The protein is essential for healing muscle tissue injury. Thus, it helps your muscles to prepare for the coming workout sessions!
Ingredients
Gatorade Protein bars are usually composed of the following ingredients;
- Chocolate Flavored Coating (Cane Syrup)
- Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel and Palm Oil)
- Whey Protein Isolate
- Cocoa (Processed With Alkali),
- Soy Lecithin,
- Whey Protein Crisp (Whey Protein Concentrate, Corn Starch)
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips (Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract)
- Chocolate Chips (Cane Syrup, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract)
- Corn Syrup
- Brown Sugar
- Caramel (Glucose, Sugar, Palm Oil, Nonfat Milk, Glycerin, Butter, Corn Starch, Whey, Salt, Mono And Diglycerides, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Soy Lecithin)
- Glycerin
- Invert Sugar
- Milk Protein Concentrate
- Water
- Salt
- Natural And Artificial Flavor
- Soybean Oil
- Caramel Color
- BHT – Butylated Hydroxy-Toluene (Preservative)
- Citric Acid
Additionally, the peanut butter bars have peanuts too. While the other varieties may or may not have traces of tree nuts including almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.
These bars are usually allergen-free but not vegan. They include milk and whey protein along with butter, cream, and milk concentrate, all of which are animal derivatives.
Nutrition Information
Besides 20 good grams of protein, Gatorade protein bars also contain sodium, cholesterol, and fats. The following table contains all the major nutrients of the product along with their quantities in a single bar.
| Nutrients | Fats (g) | Protein (g) | Carbohydrates (g) | Cholesterol (mg) | Sodium (mg) | Calcium (mg) | Potassium |
| Amount | 10-13 | 20 | 40-42 | 25-30 | 200-400 | 220-280 | 170-190 |
Flavors
Gatorade protein bar is available in the following flavors;
- Chocolate chip
- Chocolate caramel
- Cookies and Crème
- Peanut butter chocolate
- Mint chocolate crunch
- Chocolate pretzel
- S’Mores
Are Gatorade protein bars good for you?
The Gatorade Whey Protein Bars may be healthy but not the healthiest snack to go for! It surely has protein, calcium, and potassium present in some amount and all of them are necessary nutrients to support optimum bodily performance. However, Gatorade Whey Protein Bars are a pretty sweet snack as well.
Gatorade Whey Protein Bars contain about 26-29 grams of sugar on average. Of this, about 25-27 grams are added sugars. Some varieties may have 2-3 grams of sugar alcohol. Additionally, they include harmful processed additives including salt, chocolate, caramel, and cookies. The healthiness is largely offset by the added carbohydrates from salt and sugar. Thus, they offer too many carbohydrates to consume if you are not extremely active.
There are more wholesome sources of protein available, even if you are an athlete. For instance, filling and delectable options for meals include eggs, Greek yogurt, trail mix, and fruits dipped in peanut butter. You should definitely go for them and reserve these as a sweet treat for a day when you want to reward yourself!
Otherwise, consuming them every day might not be a healthy choice!
Are Gatorade protein bars good for weight loss?
People seeking to reduce weight shouldn’t use Gatorade Whey Protein Bars because it is a high-calorie snack. Your attempts to manage your macros can be ruined by even one bar. And calorie management may become challenging for you.
Additionally, each bar contains around half of the recommended daily intake of saturated fats. Despite your normal workout regimen, excessive consumption can harm your heart health. The bar’s ingredients are not suitable for those following a low-fat diet.
Also, they don’t work with ketogenic diets. Keto-friendly bars are free of sugar and carbohydrates. But Gatorade bars are not so. Thus, it is better to avoid them if you are on a weight-loss mission!
Are Gatorade protein bars good for muscle gain?
Yes, Gatorade protein bars are good for muscle gain. They have a high concentration of whey, which has nine necessary amino acids. These amino acids work as crucial to rebuild your muscles. Thus, these protein bars are excellent for developing a muscular, lean body.
Note, without exercise, eating the bars will only make you develop flab. But when you exercise, the proteins and lipids are designed to increase your body’s strength. They contribute to increased strength and stamina. You can then use this to create some massive, powerful muscles!
Gluten-free?
No, gluten is present in Gatorade bars and thus they lack a gluten-free certification. Wheat flour is used in several variants, including S’mores and Cookies and Crème. Other varieties, however, don’t purposefully include wheat, rye, barley, or other components that contain gluten. However, they are handled and kept in locations where gluten is also present.
Purchasing the Gatorade Protein Bars
There are a lot of stores and websites selling Gatorade protein bars. However, for a genuine and safe purchase, we recommend you buy them from the official website of the company named Gatorade.com. If it is not accessible for some reason, you can go to amazon.com. They too are selling Gatorade protein bars.
The price is almost the same between $17-18 per bar. Please make sure to check for the brand before purchasing. For a better experience, don’t forget to read the customer reviews!
Final Thoughts
Gatorade Protein Bars can be a perfect snack after a workout or during the afternoon for a pick-me-up. Try their abundance of flavors and pack on the protein. They aren’t the healthiest snack in the world but they are good when you are low on electrolytes.
