Are Granola Bars Healthy? Here’s How You Can Tell.

Are granola bars healthy?  They certainly can be, if you know how to pick the right one. Use these handy tips to find out if a granola bar is good for you!

Sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.

Are Granola Bars Healthy?  Here’s How You Can Tell.

Granola bars are great for a snack or a light meal on the go, but how do you know if your granola bar is good for you?  All you need to do is take a close look at the granola bar package or box and follow three simple rules.  I’ll be using an assortment of the new Bob’s Better Bars from my good friends at Bob’s Red Mill to demonstrate.  With the right granola bar picked out, you can keep on living your busy life without missing a single step.

1. Do you recognize the ingredients?

Quality ingredients like peanuts, whole grain oats, honey, banana, salt, and so on, are easy to recognize as wholesome.  You might also see natural sweeteners like tapioca syrup, or natural preservatives like rosemary extract, as in this Peanut Butter Banana & Oats Bob’s Better Bar.

Granola bar wrapper showing wholesome ingredients

Watch out for granola bars with artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

2. Does it contain less added sugar?

The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of 38 grams of added sugar per day for men, or 25 grams of sugar per day for women.  This total doesn’t include naturally occurring sugars such as those in milk or fruit.  Many nutritional labels will clearly indicate the amount of added sugars, separate from the total carbohydrates and total sugars.

Granola bar wrapper with nutritional info that shows the amount of added sugars

Check the number of grams of added sugar.  For example: the Peanut Butter Coconut & Oats Bob’s Better Bar pictured above has just 8 grams of added sugar.  The lower the amount of added sugar, the better the granola bar will fit within your daily limit of added sugar.

3. Does it contain whole grains?

Whole grains are packed with fiber and nutrients, and their inclusion in a granola bar makes it a healthier choice.  Whole grains come in many varieties, but one of the most common whole grains encountered in granola bars is whole grain oats.  

Granola bar and wrapper showing whole grain oats as a major ingredient

As a bonus, the whole grain ingredients in Bob’s Better Bars, like the Peanut Butter Jelly & Oats variety pictured above, are Certified Gluten Free, making them ideal for those with gluten dietary restrictions (in addition to being just plain delicious).  Plus, Bob’s Better Bars are Non-GMO Project Verified.

Now that you know how to tell if your granola bar is healthy, go forth and enjoy!  Be sure to check out Bob’s Better Bars for tasty, filling, better-for-you goodness.