Are KIND Bars Keto or Not?

Are Kind Bars Keto or Not?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no… mostly no. Kind Bars are not keto-friendly. All of the products in this line contain between 8 and 14 grams of total carbs, and the carbs they contain are the very type of sugar most notorious for disrupting ketosis.

Kind bars contain between 8 and 14 grams of precisely the wrong type of sugars for staying in ketosis, which is likely to lower your ordinary carb limit. As you know, the average limit for staying in ketosis for the average person is between 30 and 50 carbs per day. Most people will fall into the lower end of that range, and that means just one Kind bar will put you so close to the edge that it might take just one more little dietary indiscretion to kick you out of keto.

Kind bars are so-called “energy bars.” Their purpose is to be an eye-catching impulse buy at the checkout counter at your local grocery store. You know, at about the same location as those racks of candy that have always been there. So, while it may be possible to have one Kind bar over the course of a day and remain in ketosis, you will be pushing it very close to the limit, leaving very little room for a healthy diet the rest of the day.

Kind Bars Nutritional Facts

There are a lot of different Kind bars on the market. They are very popular, and they are somewhat misleading in the way they are marketed and packaged. They are called energy bars, which have become associated with fitness and low-carb counts. But Kind bars are able to be called energy bars because they provide the sugar people often crave, especially in the mornings. By the same token, a Snickers bar is an energy bar.

Also, keep in mind that where products are placed in the store is part of how they are marketed, and Kind bars are almost exclusively placed in areas designed to encourage impulse buying.

Kind Bar (regular)

Calories: 200
Carbs: 17g
Fat: 15g
Protein: 6g

Cherry Kind Bar

Calories: 180
Carbs: 22g
Fat: 9g
Protein: 4g

Kind Peanut Butter Bar

Calories: 200
Carbs: 17g
Fat: 13g
Protein: 7g

Kind Caramel Almond & Sea Salt

Calories: 90
Carbs: 8g
Fat: 8g
Protein: 4g

Vanilla Almond Kind Bar

Calories: 210
Carbs: 14g
Fat: 16g
Protein: 7g

Kind Nut Bar

Calories: 200
Carbs: 16g
Fat: 13g
Protein: 6g

Kind Energy Bar

Calories: 200
Carbs: 17g
Fat: 13g
Protein: 7g

Kind Breakfast Bar

Calories: 180
Carbs: 22g
Fat: 9g
Protein: 4g

Kind Almond Bar

Calories: 190
Carbs: 15g
Fat: 12g
Protein: 10g

To make matters worse, if you look at the labeling alone, it can be rather tough to tell how much carbs you are really getting. The nutritional facts printed on the regular Kind bar say it has 17 total grams of carbs, but it then lists out the carbs as 5 grams of dietary fiber and 8 grams of sugar. So where are the other four grams and what Kind of carbs are they made of? That’s a sticky question that is likely to leave your daily carb count wonky.

Health Benefits of Kind Bars

To be brutally honest, it is almost impossible to get accurate information on a product that is heavily processed, mass produced, and marketed to people at the most impulsive parts of a grocery run. However, there may be some health benefits to eating Kind bars in limited amounts at an optimal time of day.

The Kind company promotes itself by offering simple ingredients that most people can pronounce. They claim to be vegan, GMO-free, and gluten-free, which are important to some people but are not necessarily part of a wholly healthy diet.

However, anyone who is trying to get started on a healthier way of life, who has a lot of sugar in their diet, might use Kind bar products as a way to gradually reduce their intake of calories from sugar. Compared to the average American diet, 8 to 14 grams of carbs is very low. That could make Kind bars a nice, easy crutch for someone trying to ween themselves off less healthy diets.

If you have a sweet tooth, you might be able to get away with having a Kind bar in the morning at the start of a busy day. If you are just starting on a low-carb diet, you might reasonably start with a Kind bar stashed away in your purse or glove box. You might keep it in reserve as your sneaky cheat bar. This is a way to be “Kind” to yourself while trying to kick a tough habit. It’s not ideal, but it could represent progress toward a healthier set of habits.

Best Keto Brands Similar to Kind Bars

For anyone looking for keto-friendly foods, Kind bars are not on the top of the list. They might be good as a transition to a better diet, as mentioned, but that’s it. The problem is if you’re looking for an “energy bar,” chances are that you are looking to feed a sugar habit. This is not something we want to encourage.

Many of the comparable products that are naturally sweetened with sugar alternatives contain Stevia. Stevia is great, (by itself, it is very good actually) but it is usually padded with maltodextrin which is a sneaky carb. So, once again, it’s not ideal but Stevia-sweetened energy bars could be a serviceable transition.

Most brands you find on the shelf are going to sneak in carbs in the form of maltodextrin or some other FDA-approved back door. Nevertheless, we have a few recommendations.

Epic All Natural Meat Keto Bar