Oats, nuts and dried fruits are good snacks. They are healthy by all standards. However, just throw some sugar into the mix and the final product loses its health value, read granola bar. In a recent survey, conducted by The New York Times and Morning Consult, media and polling company, less than 30% nutritionists believe that granola bars are actually healthy.
Americans, on the other hand, beg to differ. 71% Americans are fooled into believing that granola bars are actually healthy. However, what they fail to see is that they are packed with extra calories and sugar that robs it of its nutritional value. If you absolutely must consume this easily accessible food, then go for low sugar, high-fiber granola bars.
According to Sharon Zarabi, a nutritionist and fitness expert at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, it is better to eat homemade granola. This way you would have greater control over the ingredients that go into its making. Zarabi recommends that you can toast oatmeal on your own, hold the sugar and other artificial sweeteners. Instead, she suggests that you can use blueberries, dried fruits, dried apricots, etc. to make your own granola bars.
Based on the survey, foods that are really healthy and nutritious include quinoa, hummus, kale, wine, sushi, eggs, apples, olive oil, almonds, shrimp, chicken and spinach. Quinoa is a power food packed with goodness of magnesium, manganese, calcium, dietary fiber, vitamins B & E.
Foods that are unanimously considered unhealthy include French Fries, choco-chip cookies, bacon, white bread, beer, ice-cream and SlimFast shake. Even coconut oil and American cheese are considered to have poor nutrition.
While U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that they will introduce new label designs, displaying calories and serving sizes, but the food manufacturers don't have to incorporate these new labels until July 26, 2018. Until that happens, consumers should eat carefully and consume more whole foods to be on the safe side.
