HEKA GOOD FOODS may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
I was just looking on Amazon to see if there were any new keto bars on the market.
I was surprised to see just how many new options are now available.
With so many to choose from, I decided to do some research and find out if any of these meet the standards for an ideal keto bar.
A good keto bar can be used as a snack to help get you through that “3pm slump” between lunch and dinner, or those pesky “night-time cravings” that often lead to overeating.
During these crucial times of the day you need a tasty snack that will not send your blood sugar through the roof or your ketone levels plummeting.
Just as important, you want a snack that is satiating, low calorie and that will not leave you bloated or gassy.
I looked at the top fifteen bars that came up when I search for “keto bars” on Amazon an evaluated them based on:
1) macros
2) ingredients
3) taste
1. The Ideal Keto Bar, has Keto Macros
The standard macros for nutritional ketosis call for 60% or more of the calories to come from fat, up to 30% of the calories to come from protein and 10% or less from carbs.
Any bar calling itself “keto”, at the very least, should have most of its calories coming from healthy fats.
However, that was not the case for all bars.
For example, Keto Slim bars have 21g of protein, 4g net carbs and 7g fat. Only 28% of its calories come from fat…this is more of a “protein” bar than a “keto” bar.
Some bars have what appear to be low net carbs. However, in relationship to their size, their net carb count is surprisingly high.
For example, FBomb snack bars have 8g net carbs per serving, yet the bars are only 40g.
In comparison, Heka Good keto bars are 55g in size and have only 1g net carb in the entire bar.
If an FBomb snack bar (40g) was the same size as a Heka Good Keto Bar (55g), it would have 11g net carbs vs. Heka Good with just 1g net carb.
It’s important to note net carb count in relation to the size of the bar.
While calorie counting is not always a focus on a ketogenic diet, those trying to lose weight should be mindful of the calories in some of these keto bars, as many are small and very calorie dense.
Their small size leaves you unsatisfied and wanting more, yet you’ve already consumed a significant number of calories.
For example, at only 40g in size, Dang Bars have 210 calories.
In comparison, a Heka Good keto bar is 55g in size and has just 190 calories. Heka Good Bars are 38% bigger and yet have 14% fewer calories, ideal for anyone fighting hunger or cravings while dieting.
If a Dang bar was the same size as a Heka Good bar, it would have 288 calories…50% more…dang!
2. The Ideal Keto Bar, has Clean Ingredients
To achieve keto macros, companies making keto bars must find creative ways to replace the sugar, flour and grains that make junk food taste so good.
There are a number of sweeteners used to replace sugar, as well as various fibers used to replace flour/grains.
However, not all of these sweeteners and fibers have the same metabolic impact.
Some of these ingredients are well known for their negative impact on blood sugar and their ability to wreck your stomach with unpleasant bloating/gas.
3. The Ideal Keto Bar, has Amazing Taste
Not only should the ideal keto bar have keto macros and clean ingredients, it should also taste amazing.
Afterall, it’s competing against real junk food! If the keto bar tastes even mediocre, chances are you’ll reach for the better tasting brownie, cookie, muffin or whatever sugary carby treat is trying to break your will.
Of the fifteen bars I researched, only five had keto macros and clean ingredients.
I decided to try the chocolate peanut butter version for all five of these brands to see how they compare. I rated each of them on a scale from 1-5 on visual, aroma, flavor, texture and overall eating experience. Here’s the results:
Of the top 15 keto bars I reviewed on Amazon, only 5 have actual keto macros & clean ingredients: