Lawsuit Over Viral David Protein Bars Sparks Mean Girls Comparisons

By Blessing Nweke

A growing controversy surrounding David protein bars — a viral favorite among wellness influencers — has sparked online debate and drawn humorous comparisons to the movie Mean Girls.

A class action lawsuit filed in January alleges that the popular snack bars contain more than 400% more fat and about 80% more calories than the amounts listed on their labels. The claims have fueled a wave of social media posts referencing the film’s character Regina George, who unknowingly gains weight after eating supposedly “healthy” diet bars.

The lawsuit says David protein bars — sold in flavors such as fudge brownie, blueberry pie and cake batter — are labeled as containing 150 calories and 2 grams of fat. However, independent tests cited by the plaintiffs reportedly found the bars contain between 268 and 275 calories and 11 to 13.5 grams of fat per serving.

Under regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the nutrient content of a product should not exceed the declared value by more than 20%, the plaintiffs argue.

David Protein founder Peter Rahal dismissed the lawsuit as “frivolous,” saying the discrepancy stems from how calories were measured during testing.

According to Rahal, the bars contain esterified propoxylated glycerol (EPG), a plant-based fat substitute that passes through the body without being digested. Because it is not absorbed, Rahal said, the ingredient contributes little to the calories the body actually uses.

He added that the laboratory cited in the lawsuit likely used a bomb calorimeter, a device that measures total energy in a food item but includes calories from nondigestible ingredients such as EPG.

Nutrition expert Amy Goodson, a registered dietitian, said EPG has been used in food products for decades and produces far fewer calories than traditional fats.

Still, she noted that such ingredients can confuse consumers who expect nutrition labels to reflect exactly what is in a product. Rahal said the company will fight the lawsuit and stands behind its labeling.