They contain teaspoons of sugar, layers of chocolate and a laundry list of unpronounceable ingredients.
So why is it that granola bars are considered a nutritious snack?
The North American appetite for the handy, individually wrapped bars has been rising for years, and with it, the steady introduction of new products. Row upon row of granola bars now eat up close to an entire grocery-store aisle.
Granola bars, breakfast bars and cereal bars, which are referred to collectively as “snack bars,” are part of a food category that’s grown 5 per cent a year since 2005 and is worth an estimated $720-million in Canada, according to figures provided by PepsiCo Foods Canada, which owns the Quaker brand.
In 2008, the average Canadian ate 55 granola, cereal or breakfast bars over a 12-month period, according to NPD Group, a market research firm. By 2010, that number had jumped to 73, representing growth of 32 per cent.
That growth is fuelled, in large part, by health-conscious consumers craving nutritious foods that offer convenience. Many granola-bar makers have begun to tap into the consumer health trend by fortifying their bars with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and fibre. Other bars tout the fact they are low in calories and can help consumers maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“It’s definitely been growing,” said Joel Gregoire, food and beverage industry analyst with NPD Group. “That whole notion of that ‘better for you’ halo that’s wrapped around it, I think, is really pervasive with snack bars.”
Now, the makers of granola and similar snack bars are hoping a recent ruling from Health Canada will give a boost to perceived benefits and further drive sales.
Last month, Health Canada approved a new claim that will, for the first time, allow companies to promote products fortified with fibre, such as granola bars, as helping to lower cholesterol.
At least one company is wasting no time to incorporate the new health claim on product packages.
“As a result of the Health Canada confirmation, Quaker will be able to better communicate the specific benefits of eating oat fibre to Canadian consumers,” Kathryn Matheson, vice-president of marketing at Quaker and PepsiCo Foods Innovation at PepsiCo Foods Canada, said in an e-mail. “We will start reinforcing these communications to Canadians on Quaker packaging in the new year.”
Despite the push to emphasize the health benefits of granola bars, loyal consumers might be surprised to learn their place in cupboards is drawing fire from nutrition experts who say they are nothing more than dressed-up junk food.
“They’re not health food,” said Jayne Hurley, senior nutritionist with U.S.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest. “They’re basically cookies masquerading as health food.”
Indeed, one 46-gram package of peanut butter Nature Valley barscontains 230 calories, 11 grams of fat, 150 milligrams of sodium and 11 grams of sugar.
Compare that to a 45-gram Kit Kat chocolate bar, which contains 230 calories, 12 grams of fat, 35 milligrams of sodium and 22 grams of sugar.
(General Mills, which sells Nature Valley bars, did not respond to a request for comment.
Traditionally, granola bars are made by pressing granola, a nutritious dish typically made by baking a combination of ingredients such as rolled oats, nuts and spices.
But in the past few decades, the basic granola bar has evolved into a powerhouse snack that may contain hunks of chocolate, marshmallows, significant amounts of sugar and numerous artificial flavours.
Their appeal is wide, reaching to parents who want to send their children to school with a nutritious snack as well as health-conscious adults who want a convenient bite they can munch on at work.
The perception of their healthfulness, however, often doesn’t match up to reality, according to Yoni Freedhoff, medical director of Ottawa’s Bariatric Medical Institute and outspoken advocate on nutrition issues.
