Bounce and Protein Ball Co. Mini Protein Balls Review

I recently reviewed protein balls by Bounce and Deliciously Ella. However, if like me you decided they were just too high in calories (and price), you may be interested in these mini versions.

Bounce now make Protein Energy Bites which are sold in 90g packs and contain 16 bites per bag.

And just new on the scene are these little packs of whey protein balls made by The Protein Ball Co.

I purchased a pack of Bounce Protein Energy Bites – Cacao Orange and a pack of The Protein Ball Co. Coconut & Macadamia to see how they compared.
Other varieties from The Protein Ball Co. include Peanut Butter, and Goji & Coconut while Bounce Energy Bites include Coconut Cranberry or Sweet & Salty Almond.

The Bounce Energy Bites are actually small disc shaped bites rather than balls. Each bag contains 384 calories. Breaking that down, there are 16 bites in the pack giving each bite 24 calories.

Like the Bounce energy balls, these bites are quite hard to bite into and very chewy. I have to say I didn’t particularly like the flavour as the cacao was a bit too bitter for my liking. But that’s probably down to my sweet tooth which I am really trying to lose! I wish I’d chosen the Coconut Cranberry instead.

Bounce protein energy bites -  cacao orange

Onto the Coconut & Macadamia protein balls from the Protein Ball Co. Inside each bag are 6 perfectly formed balls coated in desiccated coconut. Each ball is worth 29 calories with the whole pack containing 176 calories.

Just from the smell I knew I’d like these. They’re quite firm and have a dense consistency but not as hard as the Bounce bites. Each ball takes a bit of chewing and I found just one or two was enough to satisfy a sweet craving. The macadamia nut is blended in quite smoothly but added a nice creamy texture.

Both protein balls contain 22% protein which is roughly the same amount as you'd find in salmon or mackerel for example. This should certainly help on the satiety front.

The Protein Ball Co. - Coconut & Macadamia

A main point to note about these energy balls is that they are high in sugar!

As you can see from the nutritional values below, if you decide to eat an entire bag (45g) of Protein balls by The Protein Co. you'd be consuming 19.8g of sugar (just over 4.5 teaspoons), although this is not added sugar - it's from the dates. However, as far as the body is concerned, it's still sugar. It's even higher in the Bounce bites with the major sugar contributor coming from the agave syrup - their number 1 ingredient.

So if I'm not having an energetic day, I try to limit this type of snack to no more than 1 or 2 per day because I'm not actively burning off energy while sitting at my desk!


Bounce Energy Bites per 90g pack cost between £2.79 - £2.99.
The Protein Co. Protein Balls per 45g pack cost £1.99.

These protein bites can be found in branches of Holland and Barratt and some other health stores such as Planet Organic.

Nutrition per pack (45g):  (The Protein Ball Co.): 177 calories, 8.1g fat, 5g saturates, 22.1g carbohydrates, 19.8g sugars, 3g fibre, 10g protein, 0.2g salt.

Ingredients: (The Protein Ball Co.): Dates, Whey Powder (milk), Cashews, Macadamia Nuts (9%), Fruit Juice Concentrate, Rice Starch, Desiccated Coconut (7%).

Nutrition per 30g serving (90g bag): (Bounce Protein Energy Bites): 129 calories (24 calories each), 6.3g fat, 2g saturated fat, 12g carbs, 7.4g sugars, 1.7g fibre, 6.6g protein, 0.03g salt. Gluten free, vegetarian, high protein, no artificial preservatives.

Ingredients: (Bounce Protein Energy Bites): Blue Agave Syrup, Inulin (Dietary Fibre), Cashews (12%), Whey Protein Isolate (from Milk) (11%), Coconut (8%), Whey Protein Concentrate (from Milk) (7%), Rice Bran, Brown Rice Flour, Macadamias (6%), Stabiliser (Guar Gum), Tapioca Starch, Flavourings, Whey Protein Hydrolysate (from Milk) (1.5%), Safflower Oil, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt, Antioxidant (Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Sesame Seeds, Stabiliser (Calcium Carbonate), Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin).

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