Protein bars offer an easy, convenient go-to for busy people on the run or anyone looking for that extra boost before, during, or after exercise.
While the market is flooded with an overwhelming selection of protein bars, you might be surprised at how many of them are actually made with some fairly unhealthy ingredients and additives. Just start reading labels and you’ll find all kinds of excess, artificial, and even unpronounceable ingredients you probably don’t want to put into your body.
A healthy bar needs to be full of the good stuff – protein, complex carbs, essential nutrients – and none of the bad stuff – saturated fat, excess sugar, artificial flavors, or additives – to keep you going. If you want the best that a good protein bar can offer, why not make your own?
Learning how to make protein bars at home is a great way to ensure you get all the healthy benefits you’re looking for. Even better, when you make your own protein bars, you can customize them to your liking and add less common ingredients, like CBD, to make your protein bars even more beneficial for your lifestyle.
Read on to learn four of our favorite CBD protein bar recipes.
What Can Protein Bars Do for You?
Protein helps your body heal and build muscles. Consuming good protein after exercise boosts muscle repair to keep you going with less downtime.
Exercise is meant to tear down muscles so they strengthen as they repair and grow. That’s why it's so important after a workout or strenuous activity to fuel your body with healthy protein to promote the necessary repairing and rebuilding of muscles. Protein also replenishes enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals in the body, which in turn helps to maintain everything from cartilage and bones to skin and blood.
A good protein bar not only gives you what you need to power through your workout or favorite sport, it can provide the nutrients and protein necessary for your body to recover faster. Protein also fills you up and keeps you full longer, which aids the management of metabolism and weight as well. With the right mix of ingredients, protein bars provide a healthy, beneficial boost to help you with your health and exercise goals.
Protein Bars + CBD
If you already use CBD as part of your daily routine, you know it can provide benefits to support your overall health and wellness. Maybe you use topicals after your workout to soothe overworked muscles. Or maybe you take gummies to start your busy day. If so, you know that CBD is a great option for daily self care.
If you’re new to CBD, you should know that it is a natural compound in cannabis plants like hemp that supports the body's endocannabinoid system, which helps your body regulate and maintain balance across various systems.
While more research is needed, CBD is shaping up to be the perfect workout partner. And while topicals with approved pain-relief agents are especially helpful for post-workout soreness, you might want to also consider an inside-out approach for overall recovery.
That’s where protein bars with CBD can help! If you’re interested in how to make protein bars to ensure you’re getting a healthy version, why not make your protein bars with CBD? It’s easy to do! You don’t need a lot of complicated ingredients and you can make them with or without an oven.
If you’re ready to make your own protein bars with CBD, read on! We’ve pulled together a few CBD protein bar recipes so you can enjoy this easy, delicious way to get not only the healthy protein you need, but a daily serving of CBD too!
CBD Protein Bar Recipes
Making your own protein bars with CBD oil at home is easier than you think. Get creative and indulge your favorite healthy flavors by swapping out any variety of nuts, oats, grains, fruits, nut butters, non-dairy milk, and chips. You can also adjust as needed for special dietary preferences such as gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan by using appropriate substitutions.
No-Bake CBD Protein Bars
Peanut Butter Hemp Bar
Ingredients:
- 2 cups peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
- 2 cups chocolate or carob chips
- 2 30-gram scoops of hemp protein powder
- 1/2 cup of coconut flour (or flour of your choice)
- Desired concentration and amount of CBD oil
Directions:
- Prepare an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper
- Heat the peanut butter (microwave or double boiler) until it is easily stirred
- In a bowl, stir the peanut butter and CBD oil together, then mix in the dry ingredients
- Pour into the lined baking dish, pressing firmly into an even layer
- Heat the chocolate or carob chips in a small saucepan on low heat until melted (but not hot)
- Pour melted chocolate over the protein bars and spread evenly with a spatula
- Place the pan in the refrigerator until the bars and chocolate are firm, about an hour
- Remove from fridge and cut into 24 even squares
- Store in airtight container in the refrigerator
Fruit and Nut Hemp Bar
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of nut butter
- 2 cups oats
- 1 cup hemp seeds
- 1 cup dried fruit, berries, or raisins
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup hemp seed or almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate
- Desired concentration and amount of CBD oil (try the berry flavor!)
Directions:
- In a large bowl, mix dried fruit, nuts, hemp seeds, cinnamon, and oats
- In a small pot, combine nut butter, milk, honey, and dark chocolate
- Place over low heat, stirring until it becomes a soft paste
- Remove from heat, add in the CBD oil, and stir
- Add to the dry ingredients bowl and mix together
- Pour mixture into a glass baking dish and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes
- Once firm, slice into even pieces
- Store in airtight container in the refrigerator
Oven-Baked CBD Protein Bars
Low-Sugar Protein Bars
Ingredients:
- 90 grams of preferred protein powder
- 1/4 cup of almond or coconut flour
- 6 tbsp of nut butter
- 4 oz of cream cheese
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- Desired concentration and amount of CBD oil
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until smooth
- Grease or line a shallow baking dish
- Pour in the mix and flatten out evenly
- Top them with anything you have, like nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, chia seeds, etc.
- Bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until firm
- Cut into bars or squares and store in airtight container
Yogurt Protein Bars
Ingredients:
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup natural nut butter, melted
- 6 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup vanilla protein powder
- 2 oz dark chocolate (chopped or chips)
- Desired concentration and amount of CBD oil
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 13x9 baking dish
- Combine oats, sunflower seeds, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt in a large bowl
- In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth
- Add wet mixture into the oats mixture and stir to coat
- Stir in the protein powder, chocolate, and CBD oil
- Spread mixture evenly into the baking dish
- Bake about 15 minutes, or until browned
- Remove, let cool, and cut into squares or bars
- Store in airtight container in the refrigerator
Choosing the Right CBD Oil
Now that you know how to make your own protein bars, you’ll need the right CBD oil. Just like with protein bars, there are endless options on the market to choose from, and not all CBD oil is made the same way. You need to know what you’re looking for and where to get a quality product.
Reputable CBD companies use domestic hemp, employ good manufacturing practices, and provide third-party ISO-certified lab reports to ensure quality and potency. Packaging should clearly list how many milligrams of CBD is in each serving size, not just in the whole product.
CBD Buyer’s Guide. If you’d like to learn more, check out our CBD Buyer’s Guide where you’ll find everything you need to know about getting the perfect ingredient for your CBD protein bars!
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Disclaimer: The cbdMD page contains general information about health, diet, lifestyle, and nutrition. Any information provided should not be considered or treated as medical advice and always consult a medical professional before making any lifestyle changes. Products and information mentioned on the cbdMD blog are not intended to be used as a substitute for medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Any links to third-party websites are provided as a convenience only and cbdMD is not responsible for their content.