Protein is a vital component of any diet – it serves numerous essential functions within the human body including muscle mass building supporting muscle development.1
The recommended daily intake of protein varies based on factors such as age, gender, activity level, and overall health goals.
Whether you're an athlete looking to enhance performance, someone trying to control weight while preserving muscle mass, or simply aiming to improve your overall nutrition, upping your protein intake can have its benefits!
Protein is found in many different foods, from both animal and plant sources. In this guide, we will be looking at various ways you could start to add more protein into your diet and some of our favourite high-protein snacks.
Skip to: What is a high protein diet? | How to add more protein to your diet | 10 of the best snacks & bars | Low sugar & low calorie bars | High protein, low carb snacks | Best protein bars for energy | Vegan high protein snacks | High protein, low-fat snacks
A high-protein diet is one in which you consume a significant portion of your daily caloric intake from protein-rich foods.
While there's no one-size-fits-all definition, a high-protein diet typically involves obtaining a higher percentage of your total daily calories from protein sources than the recommended Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI).
This is around 0.75g of protein per kg of body weight per day.2 On average, this works out to around 56g per day for men and 45g/day for women.2
High-protein diets are often popular among athletes, bodybuilders, and individuals seeking to build or maintain muscle mass or support weight management.
These diets generally encourage the consumption of lean protein, while limiting fat and carbohydrates.
If you're thinking of taking supplements, protein powder or trying out a high-protein diet, it's advised to contact a health professional for help to ensure that the diets and foods are right for you.
Luckily, a high-protein diet doesn’t mean you’ll have to eat turkey and rice for every meal! There are tons of super tasty tweaks you can make to start meeting your new protein goals:
Low sugar protein bars can make a great replacement for your typical ‘lighter’ snack, which can sometimes be lacking in nutrition.
At least with protein bars, you can enjoy a ‘guilt free’ snack that can also help you hit your protein goals.
There are so many innovative, protein-packed, and downright delicious protein bars on the market now, so you can find the one (or a few!) that works for you.
Here are some of our tried and tested favourites!
A deliciously crunchy way to get your protein fix – each of these bars contain 20g of high-quality protein, with a tiny 1.8g of sugar.
Try them in Peanut Butter and Marshmallow flavours, too.
PhD protein bars: the intelligent way to get your daily protein fix, low in sugar.
Each triple-layered bar packs 20g of protein, with 2g of sugar.
You can also enjoy the following flavours: Dark Chocolate & Raspberry, Cookies & Cream, Peanut Butter Chocolate, White Chocolate Blondie, Salted Fudge Brownie or Birthday Cake.
Perhaps the most famous low-carb and high-protein bars on the market, Grenade’s Carb Killa protein bars really do live up to the hype.
With around 20g of protein per bar (depending on flavour) and 1.7g of sugar, you really can’t go wrong with Grenade protein bars.
If you're following a lower-carb diet like Keto or Atkins, finding tasty snacks can sometimes be a challenge.
Eating a protein bar while following a keto diet may provide a convenient and portable source of protein without significantly impacting your carbohydrate intake. Here are some of our favourites:
These all natural, boost balls contain 6.5g of protein per serving(4 x 10g balls) with 4.4g of carbs, 1.9g of which are natural sugars.
They’re vegan too!
With ketone boosting MCT, crunchy peanuts and no added sugar chocolate chips, this tasty bar delivers 12.6g plant-based protein in a bite!
Although high-protein and lower-carb protein bars are the norm, some protein bars are purposefully high in natural carbohydrates – for good reason.
Our bodies use carbs to fuel our workouts, especially when it comes to endurance and cardio exercises like running, swimming, hiking and bike riding.
Here are some of our favourite high-protein and higher-carb protein bars to help you perform at your best.
This tasty bar is made with wholegrain oats, all-natural nut butters and added protein for slow energy release to help you get through even the most jam-packed of days.
Although it’s packed with healthy carbs and 17g of protein and 3.4g of sugar – all of the good and (very) little of the bad!
If you follow a plant-based, it's entirely possible to meet your protein requirements through plant-based food sources, but you may need to be mindful of your choices to ensure adequate intake.
Including a variety of protein-rich vegan foods such as legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas), tofu, tempeh, seitan, edamame, quinoa, nuts, seeds, and fortified plant-based drink is a great way to ensure you are meeting your daily protein targets.
If you're looking to prepare a few high-protein vegan snacks at home, here are a couple of fun ideas:
If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, here are some of our favourite ready-made plant-based protein bars:
Whether you’re vegan, flexitarian, plant-based or simply looking for a great tasting, high protein snack, the Smart Bar Plant by PhD delivers 20g plant protein and less than 1g of sugar, without compromising on taste.
With 20g protein per bar, THE BAR makes the perfect snack to complement a healthy plant based lifestyle. Each of the 3 delicious flavours are coated in dark chocolate and crispies for the ultimate crunch!
A plant protein packed, chocolate coated, hazelnut flavoured ball filled with a deliciously squidgy nut butter centre. Each ball is bursting with 10g protein.
A delicious source of plant-based protein enrobed in a sumptuous chocolate alternative. Gluten free, each power bar packs in 15g of plant protein!
Or for an extra on-the-go protein top up, explore our favourite vegan protein powders here.
High-protein, low-fat snacks are great options for those looking to increase protein intake while minimising fat consumption.
Remember to pay attention to portion sizes and incorporate a variety of snacks to ensure a well-rounded diet.
Here are some delicious and nutritious high protein low fat snack ideas: