Is this list different from the Ozempic list?

No, and that is deliberate. Our criteria describe the food, not the drug: protein per calorie, sugar, fat and bar size are properties of the bar, and the appetite effects that make them matter are shared by semaglutide and tirzepatide. What differs between the pages is the surrounding guidance. If we ever find evidence that tirzepatide users benefit from different label criteria, the lists would diverge.

How much protein do people on Mounjaro or Zepbound aim for?

Published guidance for people losing weight on GLP-1 class medications commonly cites 1.2–1.6g of protein per kg of body weight per day to help preserve lean mass, but individual targets vary; your prescriber or dietitian sets yours. Protein Pal’s calculator has a GLP-1 mode if you want a starting estimate to discuss with them.

Do the sugar alcohol markings apply to tirzepatide too?

Yes. The marking is about the bar’s ingredients, not the drug: sugar alcohols like maltitol are known to cause gastrointestinal discomfort in larger amounts, and tirzepatide’s own most common side effects are gastrointestinal. No study has tested the combination directly, so we surface what the label says and leave the judgment to you and your care team.

Best Protein Bars for Mounjaro & Zepbound Users

Mounjaro and Zepbound are both tirzepatide, a weekly injection that suppresses appetite and slows digestion, so protein has to fit into much smaller meals. The bars below meet the same verified standard as all our GLP-1 bar rankings: at least 18g of protein in 200 calories or less, with tight sugar and fat caps, ordered by protein per calorie, then absence of certain sugar alcohols, then fiber, then smaller bar size. This page covers what is specific to tirzepatide: how it differs from semaglutide (the Ozempic and Wegovy page covers that side), the Mounjaro versus Zepbound naming, and the weekly dosing rhythm. Every value is transcribed and verified from the manufacturer’s nutrition label.

Rankings recompute automatically as new verified products are added. Tap a column to sort; product lines with multiple flavours show their best scoring flavour.

#	Product
1	No Cow Protein Bar5 flavours	20g	200	10g	≤1g	16g	60g
2	Quest Bar10 flavours	20g	170	11.8g	≤1g	15g	60g
3	Kirkland Signature Protein Bar4 flavoursvaries by flavour	22g	170	12.9g	2g	10g	60g
4	think! High Protein BarBanana Oat Muffincontains maltitol	20g	200	10g	≤1g	11g	60g
5	David Protein Bar12 flavoursvaries by flavourcontains maltitol	20g	150	13.3g	0g	6g	58g
6	Pure Protein Bar7 flavourscontains maltitol	20g	180	11.1g	≤1g	≤1g	50g

Bars marked “contains maltitol” include a sugar alcohol some people prefer to avoid. What are sugar alcohols?

Note: This page is nutrition information only, not medical advice. Nothing here is a claim that any product treats, prevents or reduces side effects of any condition or medication. Always follow your clinician’s guidance on nutrition while taking GLP-1 medications.

Mounjaro and Zepbound are the same medication

Both are tirzepatide, made by Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is the brand approved for type 2 diabetes; Zepbound is the same molecule approved for weight management. The nutrition picture is identical, which is why this is one page and one list: whichever box your pen comes in, the label criteria describe the bar, not the prescription.

How tirzepatide differs from semaglutide

Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) activates the GLP-1 receptor. Tirzepatide activates both the GLP-1 receptor and the GIP receptor, a second gut hormone pathway. What matters for food choices is what the two share: slower gastric emptying and a much smaller appetite, with gastrointestinal side effects the most commonly reported in trials of both. That is why the bar criteria are the same across our GLP-1 pages: high protein per calorie so small portions still deliver protein, and low sugar and moderate fat reflecting the lighter foods many users say they reach for.

Eating around your weekly shot

Tirzepatide is injected once a week, and many people report appetite is weakest, and queasiness most likely, in the first day or two after injecting. On those days users commonly keep portions small and lead with protein. A smaller bar you can actually finish beats a bigger one you abandon, which is why bar size is one of our tiebreakers. If eating is disrupted for days at a time, raise it with your prescriber.

The criteria and the research

The thresholds behind this list, why each one exists, and the research on sugar alcohols are explained in full on our GLP-1 protein bars page, the home of the criteria every page in this series shares.

Others worth considering

These lines hit the key standard, a strong protein to calorie ratio, but each misses the strict criteria on one debatable point, noted below. Depending on your priorities they can still be a solid pick; the note is something to weigh up, not a hard line.

Barebells Protein Bar18 flavours checked; closest: Caramel Cashew
- first protein is caseinate: casein digests more slowly than the whey based options we prioritise (see research notes)
ONE Protein Bar10 flavours checked; closest: Birthday Cake
- 220 kcal, just over the 200 kcal cap

Why some popular bars miss the cut

Product lines where no flavour meets the criteria, and what the label analysis surfaced for each line’s closest flavour. This updates automatically as products are verified and reformulations are checked again. If you simply want the most protein per calorie regardless of these criteria, see the highest protein bars ranking.

ALOHA Organic Protein Bar25 flavours checked; closest: Key Lime
- 14g protein (needs 18g+)
- 210 kcal, just over the 200 kcal cap
- 4g sugar (cap 2g)
GoMacro MacroBar14 flavours checked; closest: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
- under 6g protein per 100 kcal
- 12g protein (needs 18g+)
- 260 kcal (cap 200)
- 9g sugar (cap 2g)
Built Puff12 flavours checked; closest: Banana Cream Pie
- 17g protein (needs 18g+)
- 7g sugar (cap 2g)
Power Crunch Protein Energy Bar12 flavours checked; closest: French Vanilla Crème
- 14g protein (needs 18g+)
- 220 kcal, just over the 200 kcal cap
- 5g sugar (cap 2g)
- 13g fat (cap 8g)
FitCrunch Protein Bar10 flavours checked; closest: Caramel Peanut
- 16g protein (needs 18g+)
- 3g sugar (cap 2g)
IQBAR Protein Bar10 flavours checked; closest: Almond Butter Chip
- 12g protein (needs 18g+)
- 13g fat (cap 8g)
Perfect Bar10 flavours checked; closest: Almond Butter
- under 6g protein per 100 kcal
- 13g protein (needs 18g+)
- 320 kcal (cap 200)
- 18g sugar (cap 2g)
- 19g fat (cap 8g)
Clif Builders Protein Bar8 flavours checked; closest: Chocolate
- 280 kcal (cap 200)
- 17g sugar (cap 2g)
- 9g fat (cap 8g)

How this ranking works

Every nutrition value is transcribed from the manufacturer’s published nutrition label and verified by hand, with no third party food databases.
Product lines are ranked, not individual flavours, so one product’s 20 flavours can’t fill the list. Each entry shows its best scoring flavour.
A maximum of two lines per brand keeps the list diverse.
Labels that don’t state sugar or fiber are treated as unknown (never as zero) and are excluded from sugar and fiber rankings.
Want to hit a daily protein target? The Protein Pal app lets you scan any label and track your protein day by day.

Frequently asked questions

Is this list different from the Ozempic list?: No, and that is deliberate. Our criteria describe the food, not the drug: protein per calorie, sugar, fat and bar size are properties of the bar, and the appetite effects that make them matter are shared by semaglutide and tirzepatide. What differs between the pages is the surrounding guidance. If we ever find evidence that tirzepatide users benefit from different label criteria, the lists would diverge.
How much protein do people on Mounjaro or Zepbound aim for?: Published guidance for people losing weight on GLP-1 class medications commonly cites 1.2–1.6g of protein per kg of body weight per day to help preserve lean mass, but individual targets vary; your prescriber or dietitian sets yours. Protein Pal’s calculator has a GLP-1 mode if you want a starting estimate to discuss with them.
Do the sugar alcohol markings apply to tirzepatide too?: Yes. The marking is about the bar’s ingredients, not the drug: sugar alcohols like maltitol are known to cause gastrointestinal discomfort in larger amounts, and tirzepatide’s own most common side effects are gastrointestinal. No study has tested the combination directly, so we surface what the label says and leave the judgment to you and your care team.