She is Sugar Free vs. Barebells: Collagen Cookie or Protein Bar?
At first glance the two products are closer relatives than you might expect: both the Collagen Cookies from She is Sugar Free and the protein bars from Barebells are marketed as "no added sugar", both contain collagen hydrolysate, and both are sweetened with the sugar alcohol maltitol. The difference lies in format and purpose: one is a soft chocolate chip cookie, the other a classic protein bar. This comparison looks at the Collagen Cookie (50 g) and the Barebells bestseller Salty Peanut (55 g).
The Short Answer
As a sweet everyday snack, She is Sugar Free comes out ahead: one cookie contains just 0.5 g of sugar instead of 1.5 g, uses no high-intensity sweeteners such as sucralose, has fewer calories, and costs less per snack. Barebells is the better choice if maximum protein is the priority or if you need to eat gluten-free.
Why She is Sugar Free Wins as a Sweet Snack
Less sugar per snack
A Collagen Cookie contains 0.5 g of sugar, a Barebells Salty Peanut 1.5 g, and the Soft Bar Salted Peanut Caramel 2.1 g. Per 100 g that is 0.9 g for She is Sugar Free versus 2.7 g for the Salty Peanut bar.
No high-intensity sweeteners
She is Sugar Free sweetens with maltitol only. Barebells adds sucralose, and the Cookies & Cream flavour acesulfame K as well. If you prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners, the cookie has the shorter list.
Cheaper per snack
In the She is Sugar Free online shop, one cookie costs between €1.65 (20-pack, €32.95) and €1.74 (4-pack, €6.95). A Barebells bar costs €2.33 in the manufacturer's 12-bar box (€27.99) and around €2.69 as a single bar in drugstores.
Fewer calories, a real cookie format
At 183 kcal the cookie sits below the bar (203 kcal). Then there is the format: if you would rather reach for a cookie than a bar with your coffee, this is a soft chocolate chip cookie, individually wrapped and handbag-friendly.
Sugar alcohol openly declared
She is Sugar Free states the amount of sugar alcohols (polyols) in its nutrition table: 10 g per cookie. Barebells lists maltitol in its ingredients, but the German nutrition table does not show a polyol value.
Where Barebells Scores
More protein
With 20 g of protein per bar (37 g per 100 g), Barebells delivers clearly more protein than the cookie with 13 g (26 g per 100 g). If you use the snack specifically as a protein source after strength training, the bar is the better fit.
Gluten-free by ingredients
The Collagen Cookie contains wheat flour and wheat protein. Barebells bars contain no gluten-containing grain as an ingredient, only a trace warning. For people with coeliac disease, that rules out the cookie.
Less salt, more flavours, sold in drugstores
The bar contains 0.23 g of salt, the cookie 0.55 g. Barebells comes in many flavours and is also sold in drugstores; She is Sugar Free currently offers one flavour (chocolate chip) via its own online shop and Amazon.
Nutrition Side by Side
| Per serving | She is Sugar Free Collagen Cookie (50 g) | Barebells Salty Peanut (55 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 183 kcal | 203 kcal |
| Fat / of which saturates | 6.8 g / 3.5 g | 8.5 g / 3.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 20.0 g | 15 g |
| of which sugars | 0.5 g | 1.5 g |
| of which polyols | 10.0 g | not stated |
| Fibre | 2.9 g | 3.1 g |
| Protein | 13.0 g | 20 g |
| Salt | 0.55 g | 0.23 g |
| Sweeteners | Maltitol | Maltitol, sucralose |
| Protein sources | Collagen (bovine), wheat protein, milk protein | Milk protein, collagen hydrolysate |
| Gluten | Contains wheat | Trace warning only |
| Collagen amount | not stated | not stated |
| Price per piece | €1.65–1.74 (online shop) | €2.33 (12-bar box) / approx. €2.69 single |
| Where to buy | Online shop, Amazon | Online shop, drugstores |
Because of the maltitol, both products carry the warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Which One Is Right for You?
She is Sugar Free is the better choice if …
… you want a sweet snack for the afternoon or on the go that feels like a real cookie, contains as little sugar as possible, avoids sweeteners such as sucralose, and costs less per snack.
Barebells is the better choice if …
… protein per serving after training matters most to you, you need to eat gluten-free, or you want to pick up a snack spontaneously at the drugstore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is healthier: She is Sugar Free or Barebells?
It depends on the goal. She is Sugar Free has less sugar, fewer calories, and no high-intensity sweeteners; Barebells has more protein, less salt, and is gluten-free. For a sweet everyday snack the cookie has the edge, for a targeted protein snack the bar does.
Do both contain collagen?
Yes. She is Sugar Free uses hydrolysed bovine collagen in a protein blend with wheat and milk protein; Barebells uses collagen hydrolysate alongside milk protein. Neither manufacturer states how much collagen a serving contains.
Are both really free of added sugar?
Yes, both avoid added sugar and are sweetened with maltitol. The small amount of sugar comes from naturally occurring sugars in the ingredients, such as milk.
Are they keto-friendly?
For a strict ketogenic diet, both are only partly suitable. The cookie contains 20 g of carbohydrates, including 10 g of maltitol and 9.5 g of starch; the bar 15 g of carbohydrates. Both fit a moderate low-carb routine.
Where can I buy She is Sugar Free?
Through the online shop sheissugarfree.com and on Amazon. More about the brand in the She is Sugar Free brand profile.
Data Sources
Nutrition values, ingredients, and prices per manufacturer information, retrieved October 2026: She is Sugar Free Collagen Cookie, Barebells Salty Peanut, Barebells Cookies & Cream, Barebells Soft Salted Peanut Caramel. Prices may change.