As the keto diet becomes more popular, a growing number of keto bars are hitting the market.
One recent offering is the IQ Bar — a high-fat, vegan, keto-friendly energy bar that has 12 grams of protein and is made with plant-based natural ingredients.
Here’s a look at how the IQ Bar compares to our own Perfect Keto Bar and which one will best suit your keto diet needs.
What are IQ Bars?
IQ Bars are vegan, keto-friendly protein bars. They use natural ingredients with no added sugar, synthetic preservatives, or artificial sweeteners. At only 3g net carbs per bar, they’re a quality snack that will keep you in ketosis.
IQ Bars currently come in seven flavors:
- Almond butter chip
- Chocolate sea salt
- Banana nut
- Peanut butter chip
- Matcha chai
- Wild blueberry
- Lemon blueberry
All seven flavors are gluten-free and plant-based.
IQ Bar Nutrition
One chocolate sea salt IQ Bar contains:
- 150 calories
- 15g total carbs
- 3g net carbs
- 12g fat
- 12g protein
Nutrition facts vary a bit from bar to bar, but are generally similar to those listed above. All the bars have 3g net carbs.
IQ Bar Ingredients
All of IQ Bar’s ingredients are naturally derived. The only preservative is vitamin E, a healthy and natural antioxidant.
There are several IQ Bar ingredients worth highlighting.
Pea Protein
Pea protein is the main protein in IQ Bars.
When it comes to plant-based proteins, pea protein is an excellent choice. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids that your body needs.
It’s also easy to metabolize and is very bioavailable — a 2019 study found that pea protein is as effective as whey protein at promoting post-workout muscle growth[*].
Allulose
IQ Bars are sweetened with a combination of allulose and stevia.
Allulose is a type of sugar that your body cannot digest well. Much like with erythritol and other sugar alcohols, your digestive system lacks the enzymes to break down allulose.
As a result, allulose contributes almost no calories and has minimal glycemic effect (it doesn’t raise your blood sugar).
Your gut bacteria can ferment allulose as it passes through your digestive tract, which may cause bloating and gas in some people, especially in higher amounts.
Flaxseeds
IQ Bars also contain flaxseeds. They’re a rich source of ALA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid.
IQ Bar’s website touts the benefits of omega-3s, mentioning that they can promote “the creation of new brain cells,” “memory, learning, [and] brain adaptability,” and “lower levels of free radicals and inflammation.”
However, all the studies they cite use DHA and/or EPA, the animal-based forms of omega-3s[*][*][*][*][*].
DHA and EPA omega-3s offer a wide variety of benefits, but ALA (the omega-3 in flaxseed) does not.
Your body can’t use ALA for many things, so it has to convert it to DHA and EPA — but it can only convert about 5% of it[*][*].
As a result, plant-based omega-3 supplements like flaxseed aren’t particularly useful. They don’t offer the health benefits that, say, fish oil does[*].
Perfect Keto Bars Nutrition
Perfect Keto makes keto-friendly bars in six different flavors:
- Birthday cake
- Cinnamon roll
- Chocolate chip cookie dough
- Salted caramel
- Almond butter brownie
- Lemon poppyseed
One Birthday Cake Perfect Keto bar contains:
- 230 calories
- 11g total carbs
- 3g net carbs
- 17g fat
- 13g protein
All Perfect Keto bars have 2-3g net carbs per bar.
Perfect Keto Bars Ingredients
Perfect Keto bars are made with functional, whole food-based ingredients, including:
- Almond butter
- Coconut oil
- Grass-fed collagen protein
- Cacao powder
- Tapioca fiber
- Stevia
Perfect Keto bars are packed with good fats and high-quality protein. They’re low sugar and contain nothing artificial, which makes them ideal for a balanced ketogenic diet.
Here’s a look at a few noteworthy ingredients in Perfect Keto bars.
Grass-Fed Collagen Protein
Collagen protein is a main component of your skin, hair, bones, and teeth.
Collagen is popular as a way to slow down skin aging. Studies show that eating collagen improves skin hydration, elasticity, smoothness, and density[*][*][*].
Adding collagen to your diet may also improve the integrity of your gut lining, improving digestion and gut health[*].
MCT Oil
Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil is a type of healthy fat derived from coconut oil. Your liver converts MCTs into ketones almost instantly, which helps you stay in ketosis[*].
MCTs also speed up weight loss[*] and suppress hunger so you naturally eat less, even without counting calories[*].
IQ Bars vs. Perfect Keto Bars
Both IQ Bars and Perfect Keto bars are keto protein bars that support a low-carb lifestyle. Both contain high-quality ingredients and have low net carbs.
Which bar is best for you depends on your goals. There are a few things that set the two bars apart from one another.
Net Carbs
IQ Bars contain 3g net carbs per serving.
Perfect Keto bars contain 2-3g net carbs per serving.
Plant-Based vs. Animal Products
IQ Bars are vegan, while Perfect Keto bars are not (they contain collagen protein).
If you’re on a vegan keto diet, IQ Bars are your best bet.
Gut Health
Both IQ and Perfect Keto bars contain tapioca fiber, which feeds good bacteria in your gut and promotes a healthy gut microbiome[*][*]. Perfect Keto bars contain two more grams of fiber per bar.
IQ Bars are sweetened with allulose, which can cause gastrointestinal upset for some people. If you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol, you may want to avoid allulose as well.
Perfect Keto bars are sweetened with stevia, which is unlikely to cause digestive distress.
Protein Quality
Both IQ and Perfect Keto bars are fairly high-protein. a Perfect Keto bar has 13g of protein, while an IQ Bar has 12g of protein.
IQ Bars contain pea protein, which is good for building muscle[*].
Perfect Keto bars contain collagen protein, which is especially good for keeping skin hydrated, elastic, and smooth[*][*][*].
Fat Quality
IQ Bars contain coconut oil, which is a high-quality fat source. They also contain flaxseeds, which they promote as a good source of omega-3s. However, flaxseeds contain omega-3s in the form of ALA, which does not provide the typical benefits associated with omega-3 intake[*][*][*].
Perfect Keto bars contain organic coconut oil, as well as almond butter, which is a nutrient-dense fat source. They also contain MCT oil, which keeps you in ketosis[*], helps you lose weight[*] and suppresses appetite so you stay full for several hours[*].
The Takeaway
Both IQ Bars and Perfect Keto bars are high-quality low-carb protein bars. They have no sugar added, use natural ingredients, and are low in net carbs, making them both good keto snacks.
Which bar is best for you depends on your unique goals.
If you’re eating a vegan diet, IQ Bars are an excellent choice. They’re entirely plant-based and are a good source of protein and fat.
Perfect Keto bars contain grass-fed collagen protein that promotes smoother, more hydrated skin[*][*][*], as well as MCT oil to speed up weight loss[*].
If you’re looking for a delicious and satisfying keto bar, Perfect Keto bars are an excellent option. You can also find the Keto Bars in our Perfect Keto Starter Kit.
At the end of the day, both bars are good choices for a keto diet.