8 Ingredients You Never Want in Your Protein Cookie Dough (Label Watch 101)

It’s a shame, but you really can’t trust marketing. Did you know most of the foods in the health and wellness sections are full of junk you wouldn’t want if you knew it was in there? Even a lot of things labeled organic or free-range tend to be a little deceiving. 

Well, your friends here at FUUL want you to know what’s going into your protein snacks. We believe in wholesome food that fuels your dreams and keeps you on target for your goals. Not junk. 

We’re transparent about our ingredients, and we’re more than happy to address the more controversial bits like sugar. What about when you’re looking around the aisles and other companies aren’t quite as open? 

We’re going to help you spot those dirty little secrets of the industry, like the kinds of bad ingredients in protein cookie dough you’d never expect, so you can avoid them and make sure you’re only buying something wholesome. 

1. Dextrin

You’re trying to eat a snack that makes you feel great, fills you up for a long time, and repairs your body. Well, one of the ingredients that often slips by unnoticed is the dextrin family. 

It’s not that it’s unsafe or anything like that. However, dextrin and maltodextrin can spike your glycemic load. 

That’s a lot of fancy talk for boosting your blood sugar levels. It’s best to avoid doing that a lot of the time, and it’s certainly not something you want in a wellness snack. Thankfully, our cookie dough bites are high in protein and low in sugar, so that’s one less thing to worry about.

2. Artificial Sweeteners

People are so afraid of sugar that companies sometimes just refuse to use it. It’s not the best for you. Especially in large amounts. However, the alternatives a lot of brands use are no better or even worse. 

Sorbitol is the exception to this. It’s a natural ingredient that has several positive effects and provides a bit of sweetness to food. Notice that we said it’s natural. It often gets lumped in with artificial sweeteners, but it’s perfectly fine. It’s even recommended by dentists fairly often to avoid tooth decay, because it’s sweet without being as damaging to your teeth. 

However, as for the weird science experiment sweeteners, it’s best to stay away from those entirely, as they are one of the worst protein snack additives. Especially when you’re talking about a snack that you expect to be good for you. 

Even sugar is better. That’s why we use a little bit instead of avoiding it entirely, just to put a “sugar-free” label on it. 

3. Excessive Sugar

While we’re talking about sweetness, we might as well talk more about sugar. 

Like we said, we use a little sugar in our protein cookie dough, and that’s because it tastes great, satisfies your sweet tooth, and doesn’t have all the negative effects of artificial options. 

With that being said, you never want to see excessive amounts of sugar in the dough. You want enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, get a little energy boost, and feel good. You don’t want to spike your blood sugar, have a sugar crash, or deal with any of that other stuff, especially if you’re trying to lose some weight.

Our protein cookie dough bites have only 6g of sugar, and that’s just a small fraction of what you’re allowed to have in a day according to standard guidelines. That’s about where you want any product to be when it comes to sugar. 

Also read: Worried About Sugar in Cookie Dough Bites? (Total Intake > Carb Panic)

4. Whey Protein Concentrate

If you look at the ingredients, you’ll see whey protein isolate. That’s the good stuff. It’s roughly 90% pure protein, and it’s about as pure as you can get. 

Whey protein concentrate is a highly processed protein, and you only end up with 70 to 80% protein content. It retains a lot of lactose and fat, and that makes it into the final product. 

Whey protein isolate is what you want. You’re spending your hard-earned money on a snack that’s supposed to maximize benefits and minimize all the junk you can find in the snack aisle. You‘re paying to get the best, and you should get it. 

Not to mention, the concentrated version can also lead to gastrointestinal discomfort. You don’t want that when you hit the gym or start a long hike. 

5. Milk and Soy Solids

You’ll find milk-something in most protein snacks. We use a milk protein isolate to boost the protein content. However, you do not want milk or soy solids in the mix. 

Solids are used to bulk up the product, and they’re not the highest quality ingredients. Again, this comes down to our last point. You’re paying for the best, and you deserve to get it. Also, if you have lactose intolerance, those solids can create a problem for you. 

6. Soy Protein

We’re not entirely against soy protein. It can be used properly. The issue is that a lot of soy protein sources are heavily dosed with pesticides and chemicals. These are wellness and fitness products. You don’t want all that in your protein snack. 

You want something you can eat every day, and that’s going to make you feel great and minimize any possible drawbacks while maximizing your gains. Since it’s so common, we recommend just avoiding soy protein products. 

7. Vegetable Oil

Take a look at the cookie dough bites ingredients. We use oil. However, it’s palm and sunflower oil, and they’re both perfectly fine for our fat system. 

Vegetable oil is cheap, derived from corn, and tends to raise your bad cholesterol. It’s what we call bad fat. You need fats, but you want wholesome and healthy fats that agree with your body. Vegetable oil is harder on your system, and it’s best to avoid it. 

8. Added Fibers

You need a binder, and sometimes, fibers can be used to help with that. However, you don’t want to accept any random, umbrella statement or ingredient in your protein snacks. If they’re not listing exactly what that source of fiber is, it’s a filler and probably low quality. 

Check out the “Binding System” section of our ingredients list to see what a good binder system looks like. 

Try FUUL Today

Bad ingredients in protein cookie dough can completely undo the benefits of a snack you thought was good for you. 

From artificial sweeteners to low-grade proteins and cheap fillers, it’s surprisingly easy to end up with something that doesn’t do your body any favors. 

We at FUUL take a completely different approach! We use simple, clean ingredients and offer two flavors people genuinely love: chocolate chip and birthday cake. Every bite is tasty, satisfying, and protein-packed, so you actually feel good about what you’re eating. 

Contact us today to discover just how delicious clean, high-quality protein cookie dough can be.