During exercise, there is an increase in the breakdown of protein in the muscle, and so it's important to include enough protein foods in your diet to counteract a negative protein balance. There’s a saltiness to the bar that also compliments it perfectly because chocolate and salt go hand-in-hand. Look out for our esteemed Sports Nutritions Awards badge below, as products with this insignia have been deemed our worthy winners for 2022. The remaining products on this list have also earned the Runner's World Lab seal of approval. The interior is soft and fluffy, and the crispies on the outside add a great crunch to the bar, making this eat very much like a candy bar. I prefer milk chocolate because I have a big sweet tooth, and the flavor of this bar reminds me a bit of those chocolate bunnies you get around Easter.

The major difference between these bars and Barebells protein bars is that when it comes to Barebells, I haven’t had a flavor I do not like. With Fulfil bars, I loved 3 of the flavors, but the other 2 would not be bars I’d be running out to buy.

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The exterior of this bar is loaded up with crispy puffed rice, leading me to believe that this bar is going to have an amazing Crunch Bar-like texture. The good news is that, as protein supplements continue to balloon in popularity, there are a plethora of bars, brownies and biscuits to help you get your fix. The best bit? Unlike the first ones to hit the shelves, many of them genuinely taste great, too. Supplementing protein shouldn’t just be a priority for weightlifters, runners should consider it too. As you can see in the photo, there is a slight caramel layer, but I can’t really call that caramel.

Considering this bar is salted caramel, you’d hope that the interior would feature a nice caramel layer, right? It’s rare that I bite into a protein bar and immediately know that I love it, but that’s exactly what happened here. There's no wrong time to eat a protein bar, but you’ll reap the most rewards from munching yours post run, especially if it’s also high in carbs. Protein bars were judged on their taste, texture, aroma, nutritional value, ease of use and, most importantly, their impact on running performance. Look for a bar made with simple, nutrient-dense ingredients that you can recognise,' says Kendter. 'Steer clear of those with lots of artificial sweeteners and preservatives, as these could aggravate the gut.' Should I eat a protein bar before or after a run?

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Looking at the exterior, I fully expected this bar to be yet another dense & chewy protein bar (what we like to call “Quest bar chewy”) so I was pleasantly surprised by the interior of the bar. Fulfil most recently released their triple chocolate flavor, and I was really excited to give this one a try. The flavor of the bar reminds me of a really delicious milk chocolate, which is a nice change of pace from most bars that tend to taste more like bitter dark chocolate. In terms of flavor, I really don’t get any caramel taste, and definitely not the salted aspect. I love the combination of salty & sweet in salted caramel flavor, but those flavors don’t come through in this bar. The best protein bars contain sufficient ‘complete protein’ – protein containing all the essential amino acids that the body can’t make on its own.

With all of that being said, I actually really enjoyed this bar. If it weren’t for the fact that this is supposed to taste like salted caramel, this one would be a real winner for me.

Questions & Answers

If Fulfil could find a way to make these protein bars softer, like Barebells, they’d be one of the best protein bars out because the flavor is awesome. Replacing the protein you break down during exercise is important, as it helps the body build lean tissue and helps muscles repair, ensuring you recover adequately and are primed for your next training session.