Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe Bar: 21g Protein, Labelgrade B+ (81/100)
B+ 81 / 100 — The value-tier protein bar — Pure Protein bars typically run $1-1.50 vs Quest's $2-3. 21g protein at 180 cal (8.6 cal/g protein) is the densest protein-per-calorie ratio in the value tier. Trade-offs: maltitol + sucralose stack (same sweetener issues as Barebells), collagen as protein extender.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe packs 21g of protein into a 180-calorie, 50g bar (USDA FDC 2666605) — that’s 42g of protein per 100g, and 8.6 calories per gram of protein, the leanest ratio of any bar on this page. It earns a B+ (81/100). The pitch is simple: it hits the same protein numbers as Quest and Barebells while typically selling for about half the price, which makes it the protein-per-dollar pick for anyone eating bars by the box. The catch is in the formula, not the macros — a maltitol-and-sucralose sweetener stack, a palm-kernel-oil coating instead of real chocolate, and a slug of collagen padding the protein count. None of that is hidden; all of it is on the label.
Why the B+
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | A+ | 100 / 100 | 42g per 100g — hits the formula ceiling. As dense as Quest and Barebells |
| Sugar load | A+ | 96 / 100 | 3g sugar, only 1g of it added; maltitol does the sweetening instead |
| Sodium load | B+ | 83 / 100 | 85mg per bar — low, and far below Quest’s 200mg |
| Saturated fat load | C+ | 65 / 100 | 3g per bar — same gram count as rivals, but heavier in a 180-cal bar |
| Fiber | C- | 58 / 100 | 2g — the real weak spot; Quest carries 14g |
| Ingredient quality | B- | 70 / 100 | 20+ ingredients, palm-kernel coating, collagen extender, maltitol + sucralose |
Two scores tell the whole story. The A+ on protein density is earned outright — at 42g per 100g this bar matches the best in its class. The drag is ingredient quality (B-) and fiber (C-): this is a value formula, and the value shows up as a cheaper coating fat, a collagen-padded protein blend, and almost no fiber. The sodium grade is quietly excellent — 85mg is less than half what Quest carries.
The protein-per-dollar case
This is the one number that justifies the whole product. Look at protein-per-calorie across the three mainstream bars:
| Bar | Protein | Calories | Cal per g protein | Bulk sweetener |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe (this bar) | 21g (50g) | 180 | 8.6 | Maltitol + sucralose |
| Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough | 21g (60g) | 200 | 9.5 | Erythritol + stevia + sucralose |
| Barebells Caramel Cashew | 20g (55g) | 200 | 10.0 | Maltitol + sucralose |
Pure Protein delivers the most protein per calorie of the three, in the smallest bar, and it’s the one that usually rings up cheapest. If you treat bars as a protein-delivery tool rather than a treat — meal-prep backup, gym-bag staple, the thing you eat three times a week — the math points here. The premium you pay for Quest buys you fiber (14g vs 2g) and a real-chocolate coating; the premium for Barebells buys you a candy-bar texture. Neither buys you more protein.
What the value costs you
The savings are real, and so are the compromises — worth naming because they’re exactly where this bar differs from its pricier rivals.
- The coating isn’t chocolate. It’s a “chocolate flavored coating” whose first two ingredients are maltitol and fractionated palm kernel oil. Quest and Barebells both coat with real cocoa butter; this one doesn’t, and that’s the single biggest reason it tastes more like a “protein bar” than a candy bar.
- Collagen is doing some of the protein’s job. Hydrolyzed collagen sits mid-list as the fourth protein source. It’s cheap and it’s legitimate protein, but it’s incomplete — so a few grams of the headline 21g won’t support muscle the way the whey and milk isolate up top will.
- Maltitol carries the same baggage as Barebells. It appears twice (coating plus maltitol syrup), it’s glycemically active (GI ~52), and in larger amounts it’s a known cause of GI upset. Barebells shoppers already know this trade; Quest sidesteps it by leaning on erythritol and stevia instead.
None of these are deal-breakers for the stated job. They’re the reason the bar is cheap, and they’re disclosed plainly on the panel rather than buried.
Ingredients
Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate), chocolate flavored coating (maltitol, fractionated palm kernel oil, whey protein concentrate, cocoa, calcium carbonate, natural flavors, soy lecithin, sucralose), hydrolyzed collagen, glycerin, cocoa powder, water, milk chocolate drops, maltitol syrup, peanut flour, natural flavors, sucralose, almond butter, soy lecithin. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2666605.)
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 bar (50 g)
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 bar (50 g)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 180 |
| Protein | 21g |
| Total Fat | 4.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 3g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 17g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Total Sugars | 3g |
| Added Sugars | 1g |
| Sodium | 85mg |
| Cholesterol | 10mg |
| Calcium | 150mg |
| Iron | 1.8mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe Bar (1.76 oz (50 g) bar) · UPC 749826126517. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains animal-derived ingredients
contains meat, fish, or gelatin
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in a Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe bar?
21g per 50g bar (USDA FDC 2666605) — 42g per 100g, and 180 calories, so 8.6 calories per gram of protein. That protein-per-calorie figure is the leanest of any bar in this comparison: Quest is 9.5 cal/g (21g at 200 cal) and Barebells is 10 cal/g (20g at 200 cal). The 50g bar is also physically smaller than both, so you get the protein in fewer calories and less bar.
Is all 21 grams complete protein?
No — and the label is honest about it. The first three protein sources (milk protein isolate, whey isolate, whey concentrate) are complete dairy proteins. But 'hydrolyzed collagen' appears mid-list as a fourth source, and collagen is an incomplete protein that doesn't drive muscle protein synthesis the way whey or casein does. Realistically about 3-4g of the 21g is collagen, so roughly 17-18g is the 'builds muscle' kind. For satiety and daily protein totals, all 21g counts; for post-workout recovery specifically, treat it as a high-17g bar.
Why is it so much cheaper than Quest or Barebells?
It uses cheaper inputs in two visible places. The chocolate shell is a 'chocolate flavored coating' built on fractionated palm kernel oil instead of the real cocoa butter Quest and Barebells use — palm kernel oil is a fraction of the cost. And it stretches the protein blend with hydrolyzed collagen, which costs less per gram than whey isolate. Quest and Barebells spend on cocoa butter and (for Quest) soluble corn fiber; Pure Protein doesn't, and passes the saving on.
Maltitol — is this the same concern as Barebells?
Same sweetener, same caveat. Both bars lead their bulk-sweetener list with maltitol (plus a little sucralose). Maltitol has a glycemic index around 52 — not far below table sugar's 65 — and can cause bloating or a laxative effect above roughly 15-20g. This bar's maltitol comes from both the coating and a separate 'maltitol syrup' in the base. If you're strict keto, don't trust the net-carb subtraction on the label; count the maltitol as carbohydrate.
How does the fiber compare to Quest?
Poorly, and it's the bar's weakest macro. Pure Protein has 2g of fiber; Quest Cookie Dough has 14g (USDA FDC 2629232) because Quest is built on soluble corn fiber. If you specifically want a protein bar that doubles as a fiber source, Quest wins outright. Pure Protein is a lean-protein bar, not a fiber bar.
What's the deal with the saturated fat?
3g per bar, which is the same absolute number as Quest and Barebells — but because this bar is only 180 calories and 50g, that 3g is a slightly higher share of a smaller bar, which is why it lands at C+ (65/100). The source is the fractionated palm kernel oil in the coating, a saturated fat. It's the main reason a bar with an A+ protein score doesn't grade higher overall.
Is it gluten-free?
Retail packaging generally lists it as gluten-free, but there's no certified-gluten-free seal and Pure Protein bars are made on shared equipment. The ingredient list itself (dairy proteins, collagen, peanut flour, almond butter, cocoa) contains no gluten grains, but anyone with celiac should confirm the specific batch label rather than rely on this page.