Barebells
Barebells protein bars, soft bars, vegan bars and ready-to-drink milkshakes, all high in protein with no added sugar. We explain which format suits which moment, how the textures differ and what to check on the label.Read more →
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Barebells protein bars, soft bars and milkshakes explained
What Barebells makes
Barebells is a Swedish brand that launched in 2016 and works from Stockholm, as part of the Vitamin Well Group. It stays in one narrow niche: protein snacks that taste like confectionery. Most products are made inside the EU and the brand is now sold in around forty markets. The range splits into four groups: original bars, Soft bars, vegan bars and ready-to-drink milkshakes. All of them are high in protein and made without added sugar.
The four formats suit different moments
The original bars have a firmer, chewier bite under a milk chocolate coating. Soft bars sit closer to a caramel bar: a softer core, more coating, and they melt faster if they spend the day in a warm gym bag. The vegan bars use plant protein, and one of them, Caramel Peanut, is built on wheat protein, so it contains gluten. The milkshakes are lactose-free and gluten-free, and you can finish one in a minute when chewing after a hard session feels like too much. If you want to compare texture and price across makers, our wider selection of protein bars is the place to look.
No added sugar does not mean no sweeteners
The bars get their sweetness from sugar alcohols such as maltitol, plus polydextrose as added fibre. That is how you get a dessert-like bar without added sugar. It also explains the most common complaint we hear: bloating or a loose stomach when someone eats two or three bars in a day. Start with one a day and see how you react. The dairy bars contain milk protein, so they are not the right pick if you avoid lactose. In that case the milkshakes work better, and you can also compare them with other ready-to-drink protein shakes. Barebells states that none of its products contain palm oil.
Why we stock Barebells at BONO
We judge a protein snack the same way we judge a capsule: how much protein per portion, which sweetener does the work, and whether the label tells you the whole story. Barebells is open about its sugar alcohols, its gluten traces and its milk protein, which is why it clears our compliance check. We buy straight from the brand, with no intermediaries, so what reaches you is authentic. We taste and test products ourselves, and independent labs spot-check batches. We would tell our own mother the same thing we tell you: a bar is a useful top-up on a busy day, not a meal. Read how we choose our brands.
Who it genuinely suits
Barebells fits you if you train regularly and keep falling short of your protein target by mid-afternoon. Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass, and a bar is a simple way to add 20 grams without cooking. It also suits anyone who wants something sweet after lunch but would rather it carried protein. If you prefer powders, or want a cheaper cost per gram, other brands in our range will serve you better. Barebells earns its place on taste and convenience, and that is exactly what it is for.
Frequently asked questions
Barebells is a Swedish functional food brand that launched in 2016 and is based in Stockholm, where it is part of the Vitamin Well Group. It makes protein-enriched alternatives to sweets and snacks: bars, soft bars, vegan bars and ready-to-drink milkshakes. Everything in the range is high in protein and made without added sugar. Most products are produced inside the EU, and the brand is sold in around forty markets.
It depends on texture and on when you eat it. The table below sums up the practical differences.
| Format | Texture | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Original bar | Firm, chewy centre | Everyday snack, travel |
| Soft bar | Soft core, thick coating | Dessert-style treat |
| Vegan bar | Drier, chewier | Plant-based diets |
| Milkshake | Ready to drink | Straight after training |
Soft bars melt faster in warm weather, so keep those for cooler days or a cool bag.
A standard 55 gram bar carries roughly 20 grams of protein, and the milkshakes are in a similar range. To put that in context, here are the UK reference figures for protein.
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Adult reference intake | 0.75 g per kg body weight |
| Average intake, 19 to 64 | 76 g per day |
| Average intake, 65 plus | 67 g per day |
One bar covers a useful share of a day, but it is a top-up beside meals.
There is no magic window. Most people use one as an afternoon snack, before a session when a full meal would sit heavily, or straight after training when cooking is not realistic. Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass, and spreading protein across the day is easier than loading it all into dinner. If you train late, a milkshake is often gentler than a bar because you do not have to chew through a dense snack.
Only the vegan bars are. The original and Soft bars are built on milk protein, so they are dairy-based. The vegan line uses plant protein, and the Caramel Peanut version uses wheat protein, which means it contains gluten. Texture is the honest trade-off: plant protein gives a drier, chewier bite than the dairy bars. If you shop plant-based across the board, our vegan products collection filters the whole assortment for you.
Not all of them, and the split matters if you react to either. According to the brand, the milkshakes are gluten-free, while the other bars may contain traces of gluten and the Vegan Caramel Peanut bar contains wheat protein. The milkshakes are also lactose-free, whereas the dairy bars contain milk protein and therefore lactose. Always check the label on the specific product you buy, because recipes and flavours change over time.
Because of the sweeteners that replace sugar. Barebells uses sugar alcohols such as maltitol, plus polydextrose as added fibre. These are poorly absorbed in the gut on purpose, which keeps the sugar content down but can cause gas, bloating or loose stools in larger amounts. The practical fix is simple: start with one bar a day rather than two or three, and drink water alongside. Most people tolerate one portion without any trouble.
We would not use it that way. A bar delivers around 20 grams of protein and roughly 200 calories, but it gives you little of the fibre, vitamins and minerals a plate of food provides. UK guidance points to a varied diet built on whole foods, with protein spread across meals. Treat a bar as the snack that stops you skipping protein on a rushed day. Barebells also sells drinkable meal products, which are designed for that job rather than the bars.
