Hi Everyone!

Aly Shoom here, guest blogger on Mondays for Jenn:)

Granola Bars are often disguised as healthy, but are usually just dressed up junk food. Frequently, granola bars claim they contain lots of fiber, however most of them really only contain 1 gram, and we need at least 25 grams per day. Traditionally, granola bars were just pressed granola, which was made from oats, nuts, and spices. Now, granola bars contain some of these ingredients, but often are filled with chocolate, marshmallows, sugar, and artificial ingredients. These ingredients lead to weight gain and feeling sluggish.

Some healthy and delicious store bought granola bars:

The Kind Bar

The Nature Bar

Larabar

Genuine Health Healthy Squares

Genuine Health Vegan Bars

Vega Whole Foods Bars

Elevate MeBars

What to look for when choosing a granola bar:

-No added Sugar

-No refined grains

-At least 3g of fiber

-No more than 8g of sugar

-And, my rule of thumb for anything….If a child can’t read the ingredient list, stay away!

For a healthy granola option, make your own:

Energy Bites:

These are jam packed with healthy ingredients!

1 cup oats (a great source of fiber, and helps lower cholesterol)

½ cup natural nut butter (helps with weight control, contains protein, and healthy fats)

1/3 cup raw honey

1 cup coconut flakes (contains amino acids, vitamins and minerals)

½ cup ground flax (great source of fiber and omega 3…contains 8g of fiber in just 1 tbsp!)

½ dried fruit of choice (raisins are a good option, aim for fruit that is sugar and preservative free)

1tsp. vanilla

**Let recipe chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes, then roll into balls

Have a great night!

Aly Shoom:))

.

Posted in Nutrition, Recipes and tagged , , , ,