People can often be confused about which item to select when it comes choosing between similar snack foods. It is very important to look at the nutrition labels when deciding which product is the best for you. I would encourage you to look at the labels and check out the amounts of the following nutrition categories:
- Calories
- Fiber
- Protein
- Sugar
For example, here is just a quick comparison:
vs.
If you compare the labels for these two products, the calories are exactly the same, at 140. So, these should be comparably healthy options, right? Wrong!
The Quaker® brand granola bar has 14 g sugar, only 1 g of fiber and just 1 g of protein, while the Kashi® brand option has 5 g sugar, 4 g fiber, and 7 g protein. Since the Kashi® bar has more significant fiber and protein content, it would stick with you a little longer. If you eat this bar, you wouldn’t get hungry as fast, making it a more satisfying and nutritionally based snack.
Just some “food” for thought! Here are some label reading tips. If you take the time in the grocery store to compare items, you might be surprised what you find out!
Allison Collins, RD
Major Health Partners
Wellness Coordinator/Registered Dietitian
e-mail: acollins@majorhospital.org
phone: (317) 398-5315
Disclaimer: MHP does not own the copyright for the Kashi or Quaker product images above. These images and included documents are used and intended for educational purposes only.