Taste test

PROTEIN SNACKS

Protein snacks are popular with gym-goers, and increasingly marketed as healthy snacks. If they are a regular feature of your diet, it’s worth looking closely at the label to check the calorie and sugar counts as both can be high.

EAT NATURAL CRUNCHY NUT BAR WITH PEANUTS AND CHOCOLATE, 45g, €1.69, 8/10

With 215 calories and 10g of protein per bar, our testers liked the crunch and lightness of this compared to some of the heavier bars. The peanut/ chocolate combination is a classic. Contains 9.8g of sugar.

JOANNE’S ABSOLUTE NUTRITION CHOCOLATE PROTEIN BALLS, 95g, €4.99, 7/10

Developed by Joanne Davey, a Dublin nutritionist, these are a blend of nuts and added protein sweetened with dates and honey. The tub contains five raw protein balls, each one has 85 calories, 6g of sugar and less than 2g of protein. The real deal.

MERIDIAN PEANUT BAR, 40g, €2.75, 6/10

Dense and chewy, this bar is full-on in terms of peanut flavour, and is sweetened with agave and concentrated fruit juice. Contains 185 calories, 8g of protein, and 10.9g of sugar.

BOOST PROTEIN BITES, 50g, €2.60, 5/10

Crumbly in texture and with a pronounced coconut flavour, these are made in Ireland. The packet contains 280 calories, 16g of sugar (solely from dates, it says) and 10g of protein. Quite sweet.

DELICIOUSLY ELLA CACAO & ALMOND ENERGY BALL, 40G, €2.99, 4/10

There’s 173 calories, 12.7g of sugar and 5g of protein in the ball. Dense and chocolatey, this one tastes like cookie dough, thought our testers. Pricey.

PULSIN MAPLE & WHEY PROTEIN SNACK, 50g, €2.75, 1/10

Our testers found the texture and flavour of this bar quite unpleasant, and it is expensive. 15.2g of protein, 9.4g of sugar and 207 calories in the bar. Not recommended.