The Best High-Protein Snacks, According To Nutritionists
Health experts give these better-for-you treats the green light.
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The only thing everyone seems to agree on these days is the importance of protein. The nutrient has developed such a health halo that food companies are now adding protein to junk foods like cookies, chips, and ice cream, and marketing them as health foods. But are these snacks healthy? Well…maybe.
“Adding protein into everything really isn't necessary,” says performance dietician Kelly Jones MS, RD, CSSD. “And high-protein snacks may cause some people to choose ultra-processed foods that contain added sugar, artificial sweeteners, or a long list of additives in place of whole food sources of protein.”
However, some high-protein snacks do pack wholesome ingredients like nuts, seeds and beans, making them palatable to nutritionists. So it’s important to read labels carefully to ensure you are selecting nourishing snacks, as opposed to sugar-packed treats spiked with protein masquerading as nutrient-rich foods.
How Much Protein Do You Really Need?
Protein is essential for muscle-building, weight management, and cellular repair. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. (To put that in perspective, that’s about 54 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person.) Athletes need more: "Those who exercise or have physically demanding jobs may require up to 2.5 times more protein than the RDA,” says Jones.
But experts caution that you can have too much of a good thing. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2020-2025 shows that men between the ages of 19 and 59 are actually eating too much protein—and research indicates that overdoing it with protein can lead to cardiovascular disease. Ideally, you should aim to eat 15 to 30 grams per meal; some studies suggest that consuming more than 40 grams per meal has no additional benefits.
But since many of us are running around all day, we need grab-and-go options. I asked nutritionists for their favorite high-protein packaged foods, and I added a couple of my own. The list of snacks below (which even includes a couple of cookies and some Dorito-like chips) are remarkably tasty and healthier than most others.
These crisps have the texture of potato chips but are made from chicken breast, egg whites, and bone broth. This sounds kind of gross, but Sarah Alsing, MS, RD, sports dietitian and recipe creator for Delightfully Fueled, swears they are both tasty and healthy.
Each 1.34-ounce bag contains 13 grams of protein, and there are several flavors to choose from. “My favorites are Buffalo and Chicken & Waffles,” says Alsing. “They are a perfect savory snack to get in more protein.”
Compared to other processed snack foods, “Quest’s high-protein products can be a more nutritious choice, especially in terms of protein and fiber content with lower sugar,” says Sapna Peruvemba, MS, RDN, a vegan registered dietitian and founder of Health by Sapna. That being said, Peruvemba still prefers filling your protein quota with whole foods like Greek yogurt, nuts, seeds, and edamame whenever possible. “They offer more complete nutritional benefits.”
While Whisps may not hold a candle to Cheez Its (few things do, to be honest), these crunchy cheese crips are delicious, pack an impressive 13 grams of protein, and are made of 100 percent real cheese (there are seven cheese variations, ranging from Parmesan to Tangy Ranch Cheddar). Alsing adds these to charcuterie boards and appreciates the extra calcium and wholesome ingredients.
Edamame is a plant-based powerhouse, according to Peruvemba, even when it’s roasted, dusted with Buffalo seasoning, and stuffed into a vacuum-sealed bag. A 1/3 cup serving has a whopping 14 grams of protein (as well as containing five grams of fiber and only two grams of sugar)—and they are free of basically everything controversial (gluten, dairy, grain).
“The Only Bean offers a Buffalo-flavored version that’s great for spice lovers,” says Peruvemba. They are also available in Sea Salt, Sriracha, Ranch, and Wasabi.
You don’t often hear nutritionists singing the praises of cookies, but “BHU Foods offers an option with 12 grams of protein and ingredients I can stand behind,” says Jones. (Star ingredients include organic cashews, organic chocolate chips, and organic pea protein.) They are available in Chocolate Chip or Double Dark Chocolate, and even though they taste great and are loaded with virtuous ingredients, a cookie is still a cookie—and calories add up fast (each BHU cookie is 250 calories).
These vegan tortilla chips look like Doritos, and contain four grams of protein per five-ounce bag. The ingredient list includes black beans, navy beans, brown rice, safflower oil, and a medley of spices—nothing sketchy. Jones recommends subbing these for your regular tortilla chips, and if you’re not in the mood for Nacho, there are two other flavors (Black Bean with Sea Salt and Himalayan Pink Salt), with two more coming soon.
If you like old-school corn nuts, you’re bound to enjoy these roasted chick pea snacks which are roughly the same size and texture and are sprinkled with seasonings like sea salt, ranch, or barbeque (there is also a sweet Honey Roasted flavor, and a spin on everything bagel seasoning called Lil’ Bit Of Everything). Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, the author of Unapologetic Eating and founder of Rumsey Nutrition Consulting, is a fan of roasted chickpeas and likes that these have six grams or protein and six grams of fiber.
I have a sweet tooth and if I could eat a candy bar for breakfast, I would. NuGo Dark Bars are the next best thing. With their dark chocolate coating and chewy—not chalky—texture, they taste like candy and have 13 grams of protein so you can eat them in the morning without shame (as I do). I also appreciate that they are significantly larger than most of the puny protein bars on the market (but still only 200 calories) and don’t contain artificial sweeteners. My favorite flavor is the Mint Chocolate Chip, which tastes just like Thin Mints.
Jones recommends these organic, gluten-free crackers because they provide six grams of protein per serving, plus omega-3 fatty acids. They are made of organic flaxseeds, organic apple cider vinegar, organic rosemary, sea salt, and organic sage—an impressive ingredient list for a cracker—and the flaxseeds are first soaked and then dehydrated to boost their nutritional value. Smother the crackers with cheese, dunk them in hummus, or eat them right out of the bag (each eight-ounce serving clocks in at 150 calories).
Regular ice cream actually has a fair amount of protein. For example, ⅔ of a cup of Haagen-Dazs Vanilla contains six grams of protein—not too shabby. The problem is that traditional ice creams also contain appalling amounts of sugar and fat, canceling out the health benefits of the protein.
Halo Top packs the same amount of protein, but slashes the sugar (to seven grams, mostly by replacing it with a sugar alcohol called erythritol) and the fat (to two grams). I wish I could say you don’t miss the sugar and fat with every spoonful—but you do. It’s not as creamy as regular ice cream and there is an artificial sweetener aftertaste. Still, it’s a sweet, cold treat that’s good enough to stand in for your favorite scoops.
Nuts and chocolate are always a winning combination, whether they’re paired up in Peanut M&Ms, a Snickers bar, or these Skinny Dipped almonds. The almonds are roasted and then thinly dipped in real dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt. They have four grams of protein per serving and contain a short list of natural, wholesome ingredients. “I think chocolate-dipped nuts are a great snack that offers you some protein, fiber, and sweetness, which can be really satisfying,” says Rumsey.
Most nutritionists will tell you that it’s often better to have a “real” cookie or brownie that you find delicious and satisfying, as opposed to a high-protein one that doesn’t taste as good. The Protein Bakery’s high-protein brownies are trans-fat and wheat flour-free, and contain 12 grams of protein each—and because the ingredient list is pretty close to that of a traditional brownie, they taste like the real thing.
The calories, however, are also on par with a traditional brownie: one pre-packaged Protein Bakery brownie contains two 190-calorie servings. Keep in mind that the company doesn’t use any preservatives, so these are perishable, but they can be frozen and microwaved.
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