Nutritionist Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CDN, explains, "While nuts and seeds do contain some saturated fats, they're also chock full of nutrients from heart-healthy fiber, MUFAS mono-unsaturated fats , omega-3s, bone-building magnesium, calcium and energizing iron. While these fatty ingredients aren't a factor, there is an unhealthy culprit lurking in these snack bars: added sugar.
When we say "added sugar," we're not talking about the naturally occurring stuff like lactose, the sugar in dairy products, or fructose, the sugar in fruit. These sugars are naturally paired with fiber, which slows the digestion of the sugar to prevent it from spiking insulin response or damaging your liver, the two serious side effects of added sugar. Rather, added sugars —like honey and vegetable glycerine—are ingredients contributed during the processing of food to provide sweetness and end up adding calories without providing additional nutrients.
Fortunately, giving up added sugar has been shown to improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels. That's why we rifled through the nutritional data for instances of added sugar along with other extra benefits like fiber and protein of every KIND bar so you won't be packing on the pounds next time you pack a snack.
Higher amounts of protein and fiber earned points, while bars lost points for more instances of added sugar i. We chose not to rank based on calories, fat, or saturated fat because most fat in these KIND bars comes from nuts and the calorie differences between bars were minimal. From just okay to pretty great…. Nutrition: calories, 11 g fat 5 g saturated fat , 25 mg sodium, 23 g carb, 2.
Yes, some of the 16 grams of sugar can be attributed to the sugars found naturally in fruit fructose and milk lactose , but there are still four instances of added sugar, and total sugar accounts for over a third of all calories. Even worse, three of the added sugars are in the top five ingredients, meaning there is a higher quantity of sugar than there are apricots.
Instead, grab one of these best yogurts for weight loss. Nutrition: calories, 13 g fat 3 g saturated fat , 15 mg sodium, 19 g carbs, 2. Dipping fruit and nuts in yogurt means you're in for a sugar rush. Although scientists at Turkey's Marmara University found that the sugar in yogurt naturally-occurring lactose doesn't erode tooth enamel, the same may not be able to be said about this yogurt bar, which contains the types of added sugars sucrose, glucose, and fructose that represent the primary causes of cavities in industrialized countries.
Nutrition: calories, 12 g fat 5 g saturated fat , 25 mg sodium, 21 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 3 g protein Ingredients: Almonds, coconut, honey , non GMO glucose , crisp rice, chicory root fiber, soy lecithin.
The coconut fruit is not a big source of naturally-occurring sugars, meaning the total sugar content you see here is most likely all from the added honey and glucose. If you're looking to lose weight, get your coconut fix with the best weight-loss smoothie ever —just use coconut milk! Nutrition: calories, 10 g fat 3. You would assume that apricots would be listed as the first ingredient or second , but they're not even the fourth.
In fact, these bars contain more sugar than apricots. Not sure what vegetable glycerine is? It's just another name for an added sugar that has the consistency of a thick syrup. Nutrition: calories, 10 g fat 1. According to KIND, blueberries are made of apples and plums! Well, not really, but they are added to the "blueberry pieces" in this bar for texture and extra sweetness, along with added sugars.
Rather than nosh on this bar with natural blueberry flavor, pop a few raw blueberries to help burn belly fat and uncover your abs. Nutrition: calories, 12 g fat 1. Loaded with apples and cinnamon, two antioxidant-rich weight-loss tools, this bar will help you slim down and stay satisfied longer with the apples' fat-burning fiber and cinnamon's blood-sugar-stabilizing polyphenols.
Nutrition: calories, 11 g fat 1. It's one of the most popular workout partners, and for good reason: Peanut butter is a high protein snack packed with fiber, monounsaturated fats, and folate to help you burn fat and build muscle.
But when it comes to peanut butter bars, it may surprise you how much protein is really from peanuts and what is supplemented. In this case, the high protein content is due to the addition of soy protein isolate, an almost purely protein extract of soy flour.
We had to discount the added muscle-building properties of the added protein because when soy protein is isolated, it strips out all the other healthy nutrients, leaving behind potentially dangerous substances like hexane and aluminum.
Nutrition: calories, 14 g fat 4 g saturated fat , 15 mg sodium, 18 g carb, 3 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 5 g protein Ingredients: Almonds, cashews, glucose syrup , coconut, honey , rice flour, soy lecithin, chai spice cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg, black peppercorn, allspice , natural flavor, sugar , sea salt.
Even though this chai-flavored nut bar hides added sugars underneath its warm spices, lucky for you, one of those spices is blood-sugar-balancing cinnamon.
Cinnamaldehyde, the active ingredient in cinnamon, works as a blood sugar stabilizer and can reduce blood glucose concentration in diabetic rats, according to a study in the journal Phytomedicine. You can also satisfy your cinnamon chai craving with Rooibos tea, one of our best teas for weight loss.
Nutrition: calories, 13 g fat 1. One ounce of flax seeds contains 5. Nutrition: calories, 15 g fat 2 g saturated fat , 10 mg sodium, 14 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 6 g protein Ingredients: Mixed nuts peanuts, almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts , honey , non GMO glucose , crisp rice, chicory root fiber, flax seeds, soy lecithin.
Simple isn't always better, but in this case, it is. A bar made up of nuts, a couple of added sweeteners, rice, and flax seeds is a solid source of fiber and protein with just a small amount of total sugar.
Nuts are loaded with heart-healthy fats like the polyunsaturated fats found in walnuts that activate genes that reduce fat storage and improve insulin metabolism and the monounsaturated fats in almonds that help keep you satiated. Buy the 1 KIND bar in this category online! Nutrition: calories, 9 g fat 2. Sadly, with four added sugars and a rather lengthy ingredient list, these are your worst Kind Plus bars.
Antioxidants help fight cancer-causing free radicals damage to the body and are found in many fruits and vegetables like cranberries, the second ingredient in this KIND bar.
However, these naturally tart cranberries are dried and combined with three added sugars. So, while you may be warding off cancer when you chew on this, you may also be widening your waistline.
Nutrition: calories, 12 g fat 1 g saturated fat , 20 mg sodium, 20 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 4 g protein Ingredients: Almonds, pecans, honey , blueberry pieces blueberries, sugar , apples, plums, apple juice, vegetable glycerin , citrus pectin, sunflower oil, natural blueberry flavor , cashews, non GMO glucose , raisins, chicory root fiber, crisp rice, soy lecithin.
The fiber in this bar derives from "chicory root fiber" or inulin, which is an added fiber found in many "high fiber" food products. It's cheap to manufacture and adding the words "high in fiber" tricks consumers into thinking their cereal or bread is healthier than it truly is. It's also naturally sweet and calorie free. Seems harmless enough, unless you suffer from a condition like Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS and cannot tolerate even minute doses without discomfort.
Just one questionable ingredient led to the tied demise of these two KIND bars: soy protein isolate. While you'll see high levels of protein in each bar, that is most likely due to the addition of this protein supplement. Isolating protein from soybeans can leave potentially dangerous substances like hexane and aluminum behind, warns nutritionist Stephanie Middleberg, RD. Ingesting small amounts of either substance isn't likely to cause you harm, but a problem arises when they build up in your body over time and that's when they can become a potential danger.
Nutrition: calories, 13g fat 3. But with 7 grams of protein, it provides 14 percent of the protein DRV 50 grams , the same amount you would find in an ounce of peanuts. However, the two aren't exactly equal. Some of the protein in the bar comes from soy protein isolate, a highly processed ingredient. Nutrition: calories, 14 g fat 2 g saturated fat , 65 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 2. This bar would have been ranked number one had it not been for the soy protein because it contains a whopping 10 grams of satiating amino acids and it contains some of the best nuts for a shrinking waist.
Nutrition: calories, 10 g fat 1 g saturated fat , 25 mg sodium, 22 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 4 g protein Ingredients: Mixed nuts almonds, cashews, pistachios , mixed fruit raisins, pomegranate, blueberries, apples, plums , honey , non GMO glucose , crisp rice, apple juice, sugar , vegetable glycerine , chicory root fiber, soy lecithin, citrus pectin, natural blueberry flavor, Vitamin A Vit.
Each bar contains 50 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamins A, C, and E to help you maintain proper immune system function, elevate your mood, mop up metabolism-wrecking free radicals, and counteract stress hormones that trigger abdominal fat storage.
Least processed forms of sugar, like honey and maple syrup, contributed less to deductions than more processed forms like glucose syrup or glucose. Sugar being listed farther down the list of ingredients also played a role. Even though the sodium levels of certain "Sea Salt" varieties spike in comparison to the other bars, these levels are still well within a reasonable range, and thus, we did not factor them into our rankings.
Nutrition: calories, 17 g fat 1. With a fairly short list of ingredients, we were disappointed to see how many times added sugar showed up in this Maple Glazed Pecan bar.
Still, the addition of mixed nuts this bar has adds more fiber and protein than KIND's other maple-flavored bar with pumpkin seeds.
Nutrition: calories, 15 g fat 3. When the Johnson's Candy Company created Turtles candies in , they made what would be one of the most iconic and indulgent flavor combinations. Derived from real sugar, they are more natural than artificial sweeteners and contain fewer calories than sugar. Notably, however, some people complain that sugar alcohols cause them to suffer digestive issues.
If you find this to be true for yourself, you may wish to avoid them. The nutrition label should tell you about any common allergens, including nuts and wheat, that are included in the bars.
You can also check the ingredient list for signs of potential allergens. If you follow a vegan diet, pay special attention to where the protein in your nutrition bar comes from.
Everyone has their own opinion about what makes for a good-tasting nutrition bar. The best brands offer a variety of flavors that provide similar nutrients so you can switch up the taste as often as you want.
Price varies from brand to brand and sometimes within a single brand, depending on the flavor. Rather than focusing on price, we recommend that you focus on the nutrition label and decide if the bars match up with your goals.
Always look at the ingredient list before you buy. There are lots of possible reasons why you might want to consider adding a nutrition bar to your diet. Nutrition bars can be a great source of extra fiber or protein.
That may work for some individuals, and there are plenty of nutrition bars that fit the ratio. There are many factors to consider, including how active you are and your reasons for wanting a nutrition bar in the first place. That depends on your goals.
For example, if extra energy is your primary concern, carbohydrates will be most important. BestReviews wants to be better. Please take our 3-minute survey, and give us feedback about your visit today. Take Survey.
Best Nutrition Bars Updated October BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. Read more. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Bottom Line. Best of the Best. KIND Bars. Check Price. Customer Favorite Bottom Line. Best Bang for the Buck. Zone Perfect.
Flavorful Bar Bottom Line. Clif Bar. Huge Variety Bottom Line. High Protein Bottom Line. Gluten-Free Bottom Line. How we decided We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers. Zero products received from manufacturers. Updated October Written by Jennifer Manfrin. Buying guide for best nutrition bars There are lots of reasons you might reach for a nutrition bar.
The best nutrition bars are made primarily with real food ingredients. This includes nuts, fruits, and oats. Among other ingredients, some energy bars contain caffeine. Other Products We Considered. The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value.
We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5.
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