That's All Protein is significantly cleaner than Barebells. Despite trendy branding and "no added sugar" claims, Barebells contains sucralose (artificial sweetener), maltitol (sugar alcohol), sunflower oil, bovine collagen used to pad the protein, and 16+ processed ingredients. That's All Protein uses just 4-7 organic, whole food ingredients — zero artificial sweeteners, zero seed oils, zero sugar alcohols. Trusted by 330+ verified reviews and made in small batches in the USA.
Barebells looks healthy. The Scandinavian design, fitness marketing, and "functional nutrition" messaging creates an aura of clean eating. But flip the package over and read the ingredients. This comparison exposes what Barebells doesn't want you to see.
🏆 Quick Answer: That's All Protein Wins
Clean Label Standard™ Score: That's All Protein scores 50/50 vs Barebells' 3/50. Barebells loses points for sucralose, maltitol, sunflower oil, collagen-padded protein, and a long processed ingredient list — all things That's All Protein avoids entirely.
Quick Verdict:
- Best for clean ingredients: That's All Protein (4-7 organic vs 16+ processed)
- Best for avoiding artificial sweeteners: That's All Protein (Barebells uses sucralose)
- Best for gut health: That's All Protein (Barebells uses maltitol → bloating)
- Best for avoiding seed oils: That's All Protein (Barebells uses sunflower oil)
- Best for taste (subjective): Tie — both have strong fans
Winner: That's All Protein
Clean Label Standard™ Scores
| Product | Score | Key Issues |
|---|---|---|
| That's All Protein | 50/50 ✅ | No issues — all organic whole foods |
| Barebells | 3/50 ❌ | Sucralose, maltitol, sunflower oil, collagen-padded protein, natural + artificial flavors, 16+ ingredients |
According to the Clean Label Standard™ scoring methodology, Barebells fails in nearly every category despite trendy Scandinavian marketing. Their "no added sugar" claim is achieved through artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols — not through cleaner formulation.
What We'll Compare
- Clean Label Standard™ Scores
- 7 Problems With Barebells
- 5 Reasons TAP Beats Barebells
- Who Should Buy Each
- Quick Comparison Table
- The Ingredient Truth: What's Really in Barebells
- Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose in Barebells
- Sugar Alcohols: Maltitol and Bloating
- Seed Oils: Sunflower Oil in Barebells
- Nutrition Facts Comparison
- Final Verdict
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Comparison: That's All Protein vs Barebells
| Criteria | That's All Protein | Barebells | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingredient Count | ✅ 4-7 ingredients | ❌ 16+ ingredients | That's All |
| Artificial Sweeteners | ✅ None | ❌ Sucralose | That's All |
| Sugar Alcohols | ✅ None | ❌ Maltitol | That's All |
| Seed Oils | ✅ None | ❌ Sunflower oil | That's All |
| Protein Source | ✅ Grass-fed whey | ⚠️ Milk protein + collagen padding | That's All |
| Organic Certification | ✅ Organic | ❌ Conventional | That's All |
| Protein Amount | ⚠️ 15g per bar | ✅ 20g per bar (partly from collagen) | Barebells |
| Sugar Content | ⚠️ 14g (from dates) | ✅ 1-2g (from sweeteners) | Depends* |
| Gut-Friendly | ✅ No bloating | ❌ Maltitol bloating | That's All |
| Taste/Texture | ✅ 4.8★ reviews | ✅ Candy-like (popular) | Tie |
| Overall Winner | That's All Protein | ||
*Barebells' "low sugar" comes from artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols — not from using less sweetness. The bars are very sweet; the sweetness just comes from lab-created chemicals instead of whole foods.
7 Problems With Barebells Bars
- Sucralose (artificial sweetener) — 600x sweeter than sugar, linked to gut microbiome disruption.
- Maltitol (sugar alcohol) — Notorious for causing bloating, gas, and digestive distress.
- Sunflower oil (seed oil) — A refined seed oil high in omega-6.
- Bovine collagen hydrolysate — An incomplete protein used to pad the protein number alongside milk protein.
- 16+ processed ingredients — Far from "clean" despite trendy marketing.
- Natural and artificial flavors — Vague catch-all, and yes, artificial flavors too.
- Polydextrose — Synthetic fiber additive, not whole food fiber.
5 Reasons That's All Protein Beats Barebells
- Zero artificial sweeteners — No sucralose. Sweetness comes from organic dates.
- Zero sugar alcohols — No maltitol. No bloating, gas, or digestive issues.
- Zero seed oils — No sunflower oil. Only cacao butter and nuts.
- Only 4-7 ingredients — Every ingredient is a recognizable whole food you can buy at a store.
- Grass-fed whey protein — A complete protein, not padded with collagen like Barebells.
Who Should Buy Barebells vs Who Should Buy That's All Protein
✅ Buy That's All Protein If You:
- Want actually clean ingredients (not Instagram "clean")
- Experience bloating from Barebells
- Avoid artificial sweeteners
- Avoid seed oils
- Want organic, grass-fed protein
- Read ingredient lists, not just nutrition labels
⚠️ Buy Barebells If You:
- Prioritize 20g protein and low sugar numbers above all else
- Don't experience digestive issues from maltitol
- Not concerned about artificial sweetener research
- Like candy-bar taste profiles
- Follow strict keto (need very low sugar on label)
The Ingredient Truth: What's Really in Barebells
Barebells has mastered fitness marketing. The clean Scandinavian design and gym selfie culture makes them look like health food. Let's look at the actual ingredients (Cookies & Cream, US label):
That's All Protein Chocolate Bar
- Organic dates — natural sweetness + fiber
- Grass-fed whey protein — complete protein from pasture-raised cows
- Organic almonds — healthy fats + texture
- Organic cacao — antioxidants + chocolate flavor
- Organic cacao butter — stable healthy fat
✅ Every ingredient is recognizable whole food
Barebells Cookies & Cream (16 ingredients)
- Milk protein blend (calcium caseinate, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate)
- Glycerin
- Maltitol — sugar alcohol (bloating)
- Bovine collagen hydrolysate — incomplete protein padding
- Polydextrose — synthetic fiber
- Cocoa butter
- Water
- Soy protein isolate
- Dry whole milk
- Sunflower oil — seed oil
- Unsweetened chocolate
- Tapioca starch
- Natural and artificial flavors — includes artificial flavors
- Cocoa processed with alkali
- Sunflower lecithin
- Sucralose — artificial sweetener
❌ Contains artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, sunflower oil, collagen padding, and processed additives
The Kitchen Test™
Could you buy maltitol, polydextrose, collagen hydrolysate, and sucralose at a grocery store? These are laboratory ingredients. That's All Protein passes The Kitchen Test. Barebells fails it — badly.
Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose in Barebells
Barebells contains sucralose — a chlorinated artificial sweetener that's 600x sweeter than sugar. This is the same ingredient in Splenda.
What Research Says About Sucralose
A 2019 review in Advances in Nutrition found that artificial sweeteners may:
- Disrupt gut microbiome — altering beneficial bacteria populations
- Affect glucose metabolism — potentially worsening blood sugar response
- Increase sweet cravings — intense artificial sweetness may drive appetite
Why Barebells Uses Sucralose
Simple: to claim "no added sugar" while still making candy-sweet bars. Sucralose provides intense sweetness with zero calories and zero sugar on the label. It's a marketing tactic, not a health choice.
That's All Protein: Zero Artificial Sweeteners
We use organic dates for sweetness — a whole food humans have eaten for thousands of years. Yes, dates contain natural sugar, but they also provide fiber, potassium, antioxidants, and B vitamins. That's nutrition, not empty chemicals.
Sugar Alcohols: Maltitol and Bloating
Barebells contains maltitol — one of the worst sugar alcohols for digestive issues.
Why Maltitol Is Problematic
- High glycemic impact: Maltitol has a glycemic index of 35-52 — much higher than most sugar alcohols
- Causes digestive distress: Bloating, gas, cramping, and laxative effects are common
- Ferments in the gut: Produces gas as gut bacteria break it down
- Dose-dependent: The more you eat, the worse the symptoms
Maltitol is particularly notorious compared to other sugar alcohols like erythritol. It's cheaper, which is why manufacturers use it — not because it's better for you.
Common Complaint: "Barebells Makes Me Bloated"
Search "Barebells bloating" online and you'll find countless complaints. The maltitol content is the likely culprit — the label itself warns of a laxative effect at excess consumption.
That's All Protein: Zero Sugar Alcohols
No maltitol. No erythritol. No sorbitol. Our customers consistently report zero digestive issues — a common reason people switch from Barebells.
Seed Oils: Sunflower Oil in Barebells
Barebells contains sunflower oil — a refined seed oil. (Specific ingredients may vary by flavor and region; this reflects the US Cookies & Cream label.)
Problems with Seed Oils
- Highly processed: Refined using chemical solvents, bleaching, and deodorizing
- High omega-6: Seed oils contribute to inflammatory omega-6/omega-3 imbalance
- Cheap ingredient: Used because it's inexpensive, not because it's healthy
A review in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism discusses how excessive omega-6 consumption from seed oils may promote inflammation.
That's All Protein: Zero Seed Oils
We use organic cacao butter — a stable, whole food fat rich in antioxidants. Plus organic nuts for additional healthy fats. No sunflower oil, no palm oil, no canola oil.
Nutrition Facts Comparison
| Nutrient | That's All Protein (Chocolate) | Barebells (Cookies & Cream) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 230 | 200 | Similar |
| Protein | 15g | ✅ 20g (partly collagen) | Barebells higher, lower quality |
| Sugar | 14g (dates) | 1g (sweeteners) | Different sources |
| Sugar Alcohols | ✅ 0g | 5g maltitol | Causes bloating |
| Fiber | 3g | 2g* | *Plus synthetic polydextrose |
The Real Picture
Barebells' nutrition label looks impressive: 20g protein, 1g sugar. But that "low sugar" is achieved through:
- Sucralose (artificial sweetener)
- Maltitol (sugar alcohol — causes bloating)
- Polydextrose (synthetic fiber)
And some of that 20g protein comes from bovine collagen — an incomplete protein — not just complete milk protein. That's All Protein's 14g sugar comes entirely from organic dates, and its 15g protein is complete grass-fed whey. Which would you rather eat?
Final Verdict: Which Bar Should You Choose?
🏆 Winner: That's All Protein
That's All Protein wins decisively on ingredient quality. Barebells contains artificial sweeteners (sucralose), sugar alcohols (maltitol), sunflower oil, collagen-padded protein, and 16+ processed ingredients. These aren't "clean" — they're engineered products with trendy marketing.
Barebells might work for you if:
- You prioritize 20g protein and low sugar numbers above all else
- You don't experience digestive issues from maltitol
- You're not concerned about artificial sweetener research
- You like candy-bar taste profiles
Choose That's All Protein if you want:
- Actually clean ingredients (not marketing "clean")
- Zero artificial sweeteners
- Zero sugar alcohols (no bloating)
- Zero seed oils
- Grass-fed protein from organic sources
- Food you can actually digest comfortably
The Marketing vs Reality Gap
Barebells is a case study in fitness marketing. Scandinavian design, gym influencer partnerships, and "functional" branding create a health halo. But the ingredient list tells a different story: sucralose, maltitol, sunflower oil, collagen. Great marketing, questionable ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barebells actually healthy?
Barebells has good protein content (20g) but questionable ingredients. It contains sucralose (artificial sweetener linked to gut microbiome disruption), maltitol (sugar alcohol that causes bloating), sunflower oil (a seed oil), and bovine collagen used to pad the protein. The "no added sugar" claim is achieved through artificial sweeteners, not through being genuinely low-sugar.
Why does Barebells make me bloated?
Barebells contains maltitol, a sugar alcohol notorious for causing digestive issues. Maltitol ferments in the gut, producing gas, bloating, cramping, and sometimes laxative effects. This is a common complaint with Barebells. That's All Protein uses zero sugar alcohols.
Does Barebells have artificial sweeteners?
Yes, Barebells contains sucralose — a chlorinated artificial sweetener that's 600x sweeter than sugar. This is how they achieve "no added sugar" while still making candy-sweet bars. That's All Protein contains zero artificial sweeteners.
Does Barebells have seed oils?
Yes, Barebells contains sunflower oil (a seed oil) on the US Cookies & Cream label; specific oils may vary by flavor and region. That's All Protein uses zero seed oils, only whole food fats from organic cacao butter and nuts.
What is a healthy alternative to Barebells?
That's All Protein is the healthiest Barebells alternative. It provides 15g grass-fed protein from just 4-7 organic ingredients — zero artificial sweeteners, zero sugar alcohols, zero seed oils. If Barebells causes digestive issues or you want actually clean ingredients, That's All Protein is the upgrade.
Is Barebells or RXBAR healthier?
RXBAR Classic is healthier than Barebells. RXBAR Classic avoids artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and seed oils (Barebells has all three). However, That's All Protein is cleaner than both — using grass-fed protein and organic ingredients.
Why is Barebells so popular?
Barebells has excellent marketing — Scandinavian design, fitness influencer partnerships, and tasty candy-like flavors. They also hit popular macros (20g protein, low sugar on label). But popularity doesn't mean healthy — the ingredient list reveals sucralose, maltitol, sunflower oil, and collagen padding.
Why We're Different From Barebells
Barebells optimized for Instagram. We optimized for actual health.
They asked: "How do we make a protein bar that looks healthy and tastes like candy?" The answer required artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, seed oils, and slick marketing.
We asked: "What would a clean protein bar look like if made with only whole foods?" The answer was 4-7 organic ingredients.
Our bars contain:
- Grass-fed whey protein (15g per bar)
- Organic dates (natural sweetness)
- Organic nuts (cashews, almonds, or peanuts)
- Organic cacao and cacao butter
No sucralose. No maltitol. No seed oils. No collagen padding. No bloating. No ingredient list you need a chemistry degree to decode.
That's all.