A Dietitian Breaks Down the David Protein Bar Lawsuit
Customers feel misled by the nutrition label. Here's what's really going on.
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David protein bars took the wellness industry by storm when they hit stores and online retail in late 2024. Now, with an equal amount of drama, attention is swirling around a lawsuit arguing these flashy, metallic-packaged bars may not be as healthy as they claim to be. Here's what a registered dietitian wants you to know.
What is a David bar?
Created by the founder of Rx Bar, David bars catapulted to fame. The brand's “Gold” varieties are stacked with 28 grams of protein and 0 grams of added sugar, with only 150 calories per bar. Flavors include Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Red Velvet and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk. The chocolate-coated “Bronze” flavors include Double Chocolate and S’mores Chocolate. While these also boast no added sugar and 150 calories, they contain a slightly lower 20 grams of protein per serving.
What are David bars made of?
No matter which flavor you choose, the core ingredients are essentially the same. David bars are made from a protein blend of milk protein, collagen whey and egg white, along with a combination of sugar alcohols, corn fiber, tapioca starch, natural and artificial flavors and a few no-calorie sweeteners including acesulfame potassium and sucralose (a.k.a. Splenda).
Where these bars really get interesting is the “Fat System,” as listed on the ingredients, which consists of modified plant fat (EPG) and coconut oil. EPG (esterified propoxylated glycerols) is a plant-based fat alternative that can be added to food. EPG gives the taste and texture of fat but is almost completely undigestible. It does not get fully absorbed in the digestive tract, meaning it doesn’t contain many calories. While it sounds a bit sci-fi, there is data to support the safety of EPG, and it has received a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) designation from the FDA.
(Fun fact: Due to David's roaring success, the company acquired the sole producer of EPG, giving it exclusive usage rights.)
Why is there a lawsuit against David?
A recent lawsuit accused David of mispresenting its nutrition information, claiming the bars contain 80% more calories and 400% more fat than the nutrition facts panel indicates. This has led to a firestorm of social media posts on both sides of the issue, including a March 12, 2026 letter from owner Peter Rehal defending the company's products.
Is there any merit to the Davis lawsuit?
As a dietitian, I can see why there is confusion over the calorie and fat count of these bars.
The FDA has very strict food labeling laws — otherwise, any food manufacturer could easily lie about the nutrition quality of its products. To accurately assess nutrition information, companies will send recipes and products to specialized labs to be carefully analyzed. The issue here is that traditional methods of nutrition analysis don’t properly account for EPG, thus creating what appears to be a wild discrepancy. Since EPG is only absorbed in the body in small quantities, it cannot be counted via traditional methods. Fat contains 9 calories per gram, while EPG only contains 0.7 calories per gram. While you may take issue with eating something indigestible, it does not make the nutrition info on David bars wrong.
A dietitian's bottom line on David Bars:
I have tried David Bars, and honestly, I don’t love how they taste. Regardless of my personal opinion on flavor, though, these bars are what they say they are — though the concept of EPG can be confusing. Furthermore, gripes about indigestible substances in these bars may sound worrisome, but good old fiber isn’t digested either!
If you prefer to skip EPG and David bars, I can’t say that I blame you, but the nutrition information appears to be accurate based on the ingredients listed on the label.
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