AUTHORS
ANNA DEBENHAM & ALEX PARKER Anna and Alex are leading Australian Accredited Practising Dietitians and the co-founders of The Biting Truth . The duo has a no-nonsense , balanced and science-based approach to nutrition and wellness and a natural ability to translate complex science into simple , everyday messages .
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ARE MUESLI BARS HEALTHY ?
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHOICES
Alex and Anna from The Biting Truth break down what to look for when choosing the healthiest muesli bar for your family .
Ingredients
We always recommend running your eye down the ingredients list . The ingredients list is written in descending order , which means the first ingredient is what the product contains most of . Ideally , the first ingredient of a muesli bar will be a wholegrain of some description . Wholegrains , as their name implies , are less processed and more nutrient-rich than refined grains , providing you with longer-lasting energy .
Tip : Look for wholegrains like oats , barley , buckwheat , quinoa , and brown rice .
Sugars
If a muesli bar is high in sugars (> 15g per 100g ), it ’ s time to put your detective skills to the test and investigate where these are coming from . Some sugars are naturally occurring ( i . e . they come from fruit ), which you don ’ t need to worry about too much . We ’ re more concerned about added sugars , which provide a surge of short-lived energy . If sugar , or another name for sugar , is listed in the first three ingredients , it ’ s worth looking for a healthier alternative .
Tip : Aim to choose a muesli bar with less than 15g of sugar per 100g .
Other names for sugar : Dextrose , fructose , glucose , golden syrup , honey , maple syrup , sucrose , malt , maltose , lactose , brown sugar , caster sugar , maple syrup , raw sugar , sucrose .
Fat
It ’ s recommended to choose foods with less than 10g of fat per 100g , however you will find that many muesli bars exceed this guideline because they contain nuts and seeds . The fat coming from nuts and seeds is the healthy and essential component of a balanced diet , so we don ’ t want to be scared off by these . Unfortunately , nut bars aren ’ t appropriate for a nut-free school lunchbox .
Be mindful of unhealthy , saturated fats in muesli bars , such as coconut or palm oil , as we want to limit these . You can check whether a bar is high in saturated fats by looking at the nutrition information panel .
Tip : Rather than worrying about total fat , look for less than 3g of saturated fat per 100g .
Fibre
Another nutrient to keep on your radar is fibre . A muesli bar high in fibre will keep you feeling full , focused and well-fuelled . It will also feed your friendly gut bugs , help
Tip : Aim to choose a muesli bar with at least 3g of fibre per serving .
18 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE