Is it odd that the David's bar website advertises to only consume two bar max per day?
Founded by Peter Rahal of RxBar fame and fortune, David's bars owe part of their low calorie count to esterified propoxylated glycerol, or EPG. David recently reached a $2B valuation, and is one of the fastest growing protein bars ever launched.
Here is what the label says:
28g Protein • 150 Calories • But there’s a catch…
Meet EPG — the unusual fat replacer behind the macros
Regular fat → ~9 cal/g
EPG → ~0.7 cal/g
Why? → Most EPG isn’t absorbed like conventional dietary fat
Why the controversy?
Independent testing sparked claims that the bars contained more “fat” than their labels suggested. David says those tests counted EPG as conventional fat, even though the body metabolizes it differently. The lawsuit was later dropped.
So how is it made? Makers start with parts of plant oils, such as canola. They rebuild the fat with new links between its parts. The enzymes in your gut struggle to reach the bonds they need to cut. Much of the fat passes through you intact. You still get the creamy feel of fat in your mouth. But replacing 100 calories of normal fat with the same weight of EPG leaves about 8 calories. That's the maker's sales pitch. On David's label, you'll find it under "modified plant fat."
However, EPG can rinse vitamins out of your gut. A trial published in 2014 followed 139 healthy adults for 8 weeks. The Chicago Center for Clinical Research ran it, with funding from ARCO Chemical Company.
At 25 or 40 grams of EPG daily (about 1 to 1.4 ounces), those eating it had more gut trouble. They had diarrhea, oily stools, and gas with discharge. At 10 grams daily (about 1/3 ounce), the authors found most handled it well. The EPG groups had lower blood levels of vitamin K1 and beta-carotene, which your body can turn into vitamin A. The study found no clear change in blood vitamins A and E.
The authors think EPG may trap some of these nutrients in the gut. Those nutrients could leave with the fat before you absorb them. The trial can't tell us whether David bars leave you short of vitamins. This trial tested EPG in prepared foods. David also doesn't say that EPG alone causes the gut trouble.
In 1996, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared olestra, another poorly absorbed fat substitute, for salty snacks. Fat-free potato chips came with warnings about cramps, loose stools, and reduced vitamin absorption.
The launch drew thousands of complaints. Those reports helped fuel the backlash, though they couldn't prove what caused each person's symptoms.
In 2003, the FDA dropped the warning after a fresh review. Makers still had to add vitamins A, D, E, and K.
EPG has a different structure from olestra. Its own risks need a close look as it spreads across your grocery cart.
David now has a monopoly on EPG. In May 2025, David’s parent co Medici Brands bought EPG maker Epogee. That gave the bar company control over who could get this fat. Brands sued after losing supply, claiming David had created a monopoly. David disputes those claims and says the deal secured supply for its own growth.
September reporting shows a partial thaw: Lighten Up Foods settled and regained access. Other plaintiffs' claims continued.
On September 2, Medici Brands, raised $250 million in new funding (a quarter of a billion dollars).
David has already expanded to ice cream-style frozen desserts and protein milkshakes. HallPass, its sister brand, sells low-calorie candy made with EPG. Medici's planned Rowdy brand will focus on chips.
David also sells canned cod containing just fish and salt, a tongue-in-cheek joke that to match the macros of the David bar, you’d need to eat a piece of boiled cod.
The FDA has reviewed EPG. Starting in 2015, the agency issued "no questions" letters about companies' conclusions that EPG was generally recognized as safe for specified uses. Those letters cover set uses and expected intake. The FDA says it hasn't made its own finding on that safety status. Food makers still have to keep their ingredients safe.
A label tells you the fat substitute is there. Without grams per serving, you can't add up a day's dose. A bar, candy, and pint could each add to what passes through your gut.
The 8-week human trial leaves a longer question open: what happens when you eat these foods at each meal, year after year?
You can choose simpler foods. Check every bar, candy, and frozen dessert label for "EPG" or "modified plant fat" before buying.
My take: Replace your next packaged protein snack with 2 eggs, plain Greek yogurt, or leftover meat. For frozen treats, look for cream, milk, and sugar on a short ingredient list.