Leslie Beck's Q and A on rating granola bars

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Leslie Beck's Q and A on rating granola bars

Leslie Beck
Published Wednesday, October 1, 2008 6:41AM EDT

Text:

Question: Granola bars are better than chocolate bars, right?

Yes, even a chocolate dipped, candy-filled granola bar has half the calories and less sugar and saturated fat than a typical chocolate bar (that's partly because granola bars are smaller). And most granola bars have something chocolate bars don't: whole grain oats.

Of course, some granola bars are healthier than others. And they seem to be getting more nutritious. We last rated the best and worst granola bars in 2005; since then there's a lot more variety to choose from.

Question: What's new in the world of granola bars since our 2005 rating?

Today you'll find granola bars with more fibre thanks to the addition of oats, flaxseed and inulin, a fibre derived from chicory root. Some brands (e.g. Nature Valley FibreSource bar) pack in 5 grams of fibre and Kashi whole grain bars deliver 4 grams per serving. That's comparable to many whole grain breakfast cereals.

You'll also find granola bars made with flaxseed and salba provide heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. (Salba is an ancient grain oilseed grown in Ica, Peru. Like flaxseed, it's an excellent source of an omega-3 fat called alpha linolenic acid, or ALA.) Salba Soft and Chewy Ancient Grain Bars offer 300 milligrams of ALA per bar - one-third of a woman's daily requirement!

There is also a greater variety of products with antioxidant rich fruits like blueberries, cranberries and raspberries. More fruit means more fibre and less refined sugar.

And nut free options are also available. Quaker has introduced a number of nut free granola bars that kids can are school friendly. But always check the label on the box in the event that ingredients should change.

Question: Okay, what should look on labels for when buying a granola bar?

Look for:

Whole grain as first ingredient
0 grams of trans fat
No more than 1.5 grams of saturated fat
No more than 8 grams of sugar
At least 2 grams of fibre

Question: What are your best and worst picks?

Out of 80 different granola bars I rated, only 14 met all 5 nutrient criteria. At least half had no more than 1 measly gram of fibre. And some has as many as 4 teaspoons worth of sugar added. Here are some of the best and worst picks:

Best and worst Granola Bars