You asked for it, you got it! Readers questions answered.

A reader asks:
"What are examples if the healthy kinds of granola bars. I love thise peanut butter or chocolate chip chewy granola bars, but I know they have little to no nutritional value. I'm not sure what would be a good alternative? Thoughts?"

Good question!

The first thing to consider when purchasing a processed or convenience item (and you're considering the nutritional value) are the ingredients. I first look for high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils, aka trans fat. If it has these, I put it back...unless it's something I really have to have. Granola bars often have both or at least one of these.

Next I consider the caloric content per serving/bar. Many granola bars are pretty high in calories (and thus have a lot of sugar.) I would try to stay around or under 150 calories per bar.

Finally, I would look at fiber. I would say that the primary nutritional benefit of a granola bar would be fiber. So if it ain't got none, why bother? I would aim for at least 3 grams per bar. However, I would stay away from the "high fiber" bars. These are often pumped full of additional fiber that isn't natural to the product. This type of fiber may not even provide the health benefits of the naturally occurring variety. It also can cause considerable stomach discomfort and force frequent bathroom trips (if you know what I mean.)

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend any specific products/brands to you. Instead, I suggest reading labels. Become a label investigator. Pick up a couple different brands/types and compare their labels. When it comes to granola bars and most processed foods, the simpler the better. Look at the ingredients....does it have a lot of them? Then its heavily processed. Does it have fiber? Is it relatively low calorie?

Of course, you can always make your own. Here is Alton Brown's recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/granola-bars-recipe2/index.html


Thanks for the question! And good luck!