There is a misconception that granola bars are healthy.

The word “granola” throws our minds for a loop because we associate this word with oats, grains and nuts that, in theory, would form an ultra-healthy snack.

And while granola bars seem to relatively innocent, in reality, they are generally over-processed and aren’t much healthier than a candy bar.

There are exceptions to this idea, however, as healthy granola bars most certainly exist. I’m discussing recognizable granola bar brands that are very unhealthy — many of the most familiar granola bars having been called out for having very unhealthy ingredients including Quaker Oats, Nature Valley and Clif Bars.

Quaker Oats is a very common granola bar for children. Healthy Holistic Living writes, “Albeit marketed toward children, these bars really aren’t healthy for anyone. The first five ingredients are whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, rice flour, sugar, and salt. Not to mention many bars contain things like milk chocolate, which just adds even more unnecessary sugars right on top. It’s a struggle to find anything of value in any of these bars.”

Nature Valley is also a household name among granola bars. We see this brand in vending machines all throughout campus. The food website Bruce Bradley discussed why Nature Valley granola bars are so unhealthy: “With 12 grams of sugars, six grams of fat, 160 milligrams of sodium and several genetically modified ingredients, Nature Valley isn’t as pure and good for you as one might think. In fact, there is just as much sugar in one serving of Nature Valley Oats ‘n’ Honey granola bars as there is in a bowl of Fruit Loops, and Fruit Loops has even more fiber (3 grams.)”

Clif Bars are another common granola bar around campus. We see them in Parks Library and other places.

Spoon University looked into these bars in more detail. They wrote, “Although they have a decent amount of protein (around 9 to 11 grams) and some vitamins and minerals, Clif Bars aren’t much different from your average candy bar (and in many cases, are actually worse). Clif Bars range from having a whopping 230 to 270 calories per bar and have the same (if not higher) quantity of sugar and sodium than a Snickers.”

At this point you might as well go full measure and consume a candy bar. The purpose of granola bars are to have a quick and filling snack that is healthy. If a brand granola bars cannot deliver on these needs, then it should be considered a candy bar.

Caution is a must before you delve into a habit of routinely having a certain kind of granola bar. Some of the most popular brands are unhealthy enough that you might as well have a candy bar. We don’t think about this because we see the word “granola” and we instinctively think that it is healthy.

Be sure to do some personal research to find a healthy granola bar that will fit your lifestyle.