David protein bars slapped with lawsuit alleging they contain up to 83% more calories than advertised. Macro counters are spiraling

The makers of David protein bars are being slapped with a class-action lawsuit after testing allegedly revealed the nutrition facts are far different than what the packaging claims.

David Protein launched its popular protein bars in late 2024. They come in a variety of sweet-sounding flavors, such as Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Fudge Brownie.

More than that, each bar claims to have just 150 calories, a whopping 28 grams of protein, and 0 grams of sugar, making them a quick favorite among those who want to up their protein intake with packaged foods.

But according to a lawsuit filed in New York federal court back in January, the nutrition labels aren't being totally honest. The lawsuit alleges that an FDA-accredited laboratory tested David bars and found that they contained up to 83% more calories and 400% more fat content than they claimed. 

David Protein has subsequently been accused of "deceptive practices in labeling and marketing the calories and fat content in its consumer food products," as these variations are far outside the margin of error allowed by the FDA.

Fitness fans react to alleged calorie discrepancies

The allegations have gotten fans of David Protein bars all riled up. If true, the discrepancy is large enough that it could throw any macro measuring out of whack, giving consumers a false impression of their daily intake.

David Protein responds

Co-founder Peter Rahal has maintained that the nutrition facts on the label are accurate, and says that the lab and everyone else simply misunderstands how the FDA calculates calories.

"We stand behind the accuracy of our product labeling, which complies with FDA requirements for measuring and reporting nutritional content," he told Vanity Fair earlier this year.

After the controversy hit social media this week, the company released a statement claiming that, "When food is burned in a device called a bomb calorimeter, it measures the heat released. But nutrition labels aren't based on how much heat something produces when burned. They're based on what the human body can actually absorb and use for energy."

"That distinction matters for ingredients found in David, such as fiber, sweeteners, and fat substitutes like EPG," the statement continues. "Burning them in a bomb calorimeter treats them as fully digestible calories, even though they are not."

Online reactions range from panic to "protein bars are just candy" jokes

While fans of David Protein bars might be melting down over the lawsuit, haters and casual onlookers have found the drama more amusing than anything else.

"It's time to accept the truth," one X user wrote. "Protein bars are just candy bars in disguise."

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