Think Thin Bars Review
This is our review of Thin Thin Bars which are popular high protein bars from health company thinkThin.
They’re a protein bar which is claimed to help promote better nutrition by being:
- High in Protein
- Low in Sugar
- Gluten Free
- High in Fiber
- GMO Free
- Low GI (Glycemic Index)
- Kosher
- Vegan
But how well will they work for you? In this review, we look past the claims and more of the facts with our view on this bar, and if it is the best choice for you.
You’ll learn about the nutrition, ingredients, keto compatibility, and general healthiness of this product and whether that aligns with what you’re looking for.
What is Think Thin?
thinkThin is a wellness and nutrition company that aims to provide healthy foods for the whole family.
They have a range of high protein bars, low calorie bars, keto protein bars, protein cakes and fruit bars. There’s also a range of protein oatmeal which is enhanced with extra fiber and probiotics.
Finally, there is also a kids range which has their own range of protein bars.
In short, the main focus of this company is protein, and in this article we’ll mainly be focusing on the Think Thin High Protein Bars.
What Flavors are there?
Think Thin Bars are available in the following flavors:
- Brownie Crunch
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Chunky Peanut Butter
- Lemon Delight
- Chocolate Fudge
- White Chocolate
- Caramel Fudge
- Maple Almond
- Chocolate Strawberry
- Cookies and Creme
- Coconut Cake
- Berries and Creme
- Double Caramel Bliss
- Chocolate Mint (Plant Based)
- Sea Salt Almond Chocolate (Plant Based)
Where to buy thinkThin High Protein Bars?
think! thinkThin bars are available at numerous major retailers both online and offline.
Stores that sell Think Thin High Protein Bars include: Amazon.com, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Market, CVS, Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond – and more.
Prices for a box of 10 bars are around $15.00, some vendors do sell it cheaper – but the shipping usually knocks it up to $15.00.
Think Thin Bars Nutrition
What are Think Thin Bars Nutrition Facts?
- Serving size (1 bar): 60 g
- Calories per serving: 230
- Total Fat: 8 g
- Sat Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Total Carbs: 23 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 0 g
- Sugar Alcohol: 11 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Calcium: 120 mg
- Iron: 2.1 mg
- Potassium: 170 mg
Although there’s no added sugar – but there is sugar alcohol, thinkThin High Protein bars are high calorie products.
With a 230 calories to a 60 g bar, and 23 g of carbs – this is not the type of product you’d want to be taking on a ketogenic diet.
Most Keto and low carb diets recommend a maximum of 50 g of carbohydrates per day from your diet. Think Thin Bars provide more than half of that allowance. Keep that in mind when considering this product.
Ingredients
think! Thin High Protein Bars ingredients: PROTEIN BLEND (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CALCIUM CASEINATE, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE), MALTITOL SYRUP, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, WATER, ALMOND BUTTER, COCOA BUTTER, ALKALIZED COCOA, CHOCOLATE, SUNFLOWER OIL, LECITHIN, SODIUM, CASEINATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, TAPIOCA STARCH, MILK FAT, SALT.
CONTAINS: TREE NUTS (ALMOND), MILK, AND SOY.
Again, the main thing to keep in mind here is that these bars contain whey protein isolate (excl. Chocolate Mint and Sea Salt Almond Chocolate), meaning that they are not suitable for vegans.
Think Thin Bars also contain Maltitol Syrup, which is also known as Sugar Alcohol – which has numerous problems of it’s own.
Problems with Maltitol Syrup
Maltitol syrup is made by artificially processing corn starch (or equivalent) and adding hydrogen to them.
The idea is that it’s a cheap sugar substitute which has fewer calories, and something that your taste buds won’t notice the difference.
However, it has been linked to causing the following issues:
- Indigestion: Your body struggles to digest it, to the point that it ferments in your stomach which may lead to gas and bloating.
- Diarrhea & Stomach Upset: Again, more of this stems from the fact that your stomach can’t effectively digest the maltitol – meaning it comes out in uncomfortable ways.
- Raised Blood Sugar: Maltitol Syrup has a Glycemic Index (GI) score of 52. Natural sweetener stevia on the other hand scores 0.
- Not Suitable for Diabetics: The 52 GI index may cause issues for diabetics as it could raise blood sugar levels.
- Potential Weight Gain: Higher blood sugar levels, can cause higher insulin levels which lead to increased fat storage from the food you eat.
This is the biggest drawback in Think Thin Bars. If they used Stevia instead of Maltitol Syrup, we’d have far less of an issue with them.
For future reference, Maltitol is also known as Sugar Alcohol, Xylitol and Sorbitol. It can still raise your blood sugar despite having 0 g net carbs.
Think Thin Bars Keto
Are Think Thin Bars Keto?
No. Think Thin High Protein Bars are not keto, or suitable for a ketogenic diet.
As we’ve mentioned Think Thin Bars contains 26 g of carbs per serving which is over half the recommend max carbohydrate intake that you’re supposed stick to on a keto diet.
The next issue is that it contains Maltitol Syrup which has a glycemic index of 52 which could raise your blood sugar and risk your ketosis.
Think Thin Bars Healthy
Is Think Thin Protein Bar Healthy?
It’s better than many of the other protein bars out there when it comes to general health. A lot of the ingredients are completely natural and can work as a good source of protein.
However, we have issues with the Maltitol Syrup in this product which has links to causing side effects such as bloating, gas and general gastrointestinal distress.
It also has a 52 GI score which could pose a problem to diabetics and those on a keto diet.
Are they Gluten-Free?
Yes they are. thinkThin High Protein bars are claimed to be absolutely gluten free.
Do Think Thin Bars have artificial sweetener?
No. Think Thin Bars do not contain artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, neotame, or advantame.
However, they do contain Maltitol which as we continuously mention, harbors issues of its own.
think! Thin High Protein Bars Summary
Think Thin Bars are widely available across America and are an option if you’re looking for a low-cost, convenient source of protein.
The downside is that you have to compromise in several areas for this benefit. With 26 g of carbs per serving, the majority of the bars not being vegan friendly and the fact that it relies heavily on sugar alcohol (nearly a sixth of the bar) to give it flavor is a problem.
It gives it a higher GI score and may even cause gastrointestinal distress. If these factors aren’t an issue to you, feel free to try Think Thin Bars and see how they handle with you. However, if you want something plant-based, safe and reliable – you may have to look elsewhere.
We recommend:
Performance Lab Protein Stack
Performance Lab's Protein stack is the cleanest and most effective protein powder we've seen on the market.
Made with USDA organic brown rice protein and enhanced with probiotics, it is all natural vegan alternative which claims to be 30% faster to absorb than whey products.
It's low carb at 2 g of carbohydrates per serving, and high protein making it perfect for keto diets or for those who want more control of their macros.
If you're in the market for a better protein powder, you should definitely read what we had to say about it: