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.