Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. For people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten can cause serious health issues. This means reading ingredient labels carefully to avoid gluten is extremely important.
Nature Valley is a popular brand of granola bars and trail mix snacks. With so many varieties and flavors available, many people wonder – do Nature Valley granola bars have gluten? Let’s take a detailed look at the ingredients in different Nature Valley products to find out.
Gluten and Health
Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley. The two main proteins are:
– Gliadin
– Glutenin
When flour is mixed with water, these proteins form elastic strands that give bread dough it’s chewy texture.
For most people, gluten poses no health concerns. But for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten triggers an autoimmune response that damages the small intestine. This can lead to symptoms like:
– Diarrhea
– Abdominal pain
– Bloating
– Fatigue
– Headaches
– Depression
– Joint pain
– Rashes or skin inflammation
The only treatment for celiac disease is strictly adhering to a 100% gluten-free diet. This means reading labels very carefully and avoiding cross-contamination with gluten-containing foods. Even tiny amounts of gluten can cause issues.
About 1 in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease. Many more are estimated to have non-celiac gluten sensitivity and see improvement in symptoms when removing gluten from their diets.
This growing demand for gluten-free foods has led many companies, including Nature Valley, to offer gluten-free options.
Gluten in Oats
Oats are a common ingredient in Nature Valley products like chewy granola bars and crunchy granola. So an important question is – do oats have gluten?
Oats do not naturally contain gluten. However, they are often processed in facilities that also handle wheat, barley, and rye. This means oats can become cross-contaminated with gluten-containing grains.
Many experts consider oats to be safe for most people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, as long as they are labeled “gluten-free.”
In order for oats to receive the gluten-free label in the United States, they must contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. This very low level is generally considered safe for those sensitive to gluten.
Some individuals still react to these small amounts of gluten and need to avoid oats altogether. Working with a registered dietitian knowledgeable about celiac disease can help determine your individual tolerance.
Nature Valley states their gluten-free oats are processed in a facility free from wheat, rye, barley, and their derivatives. They are tested to verify gluten levels of less than 20 ppm.
Gluten-Containing Ingredients
When assessing packaged foods for gluten, it’s important to look beyond the main ingredients. Small amounts of gluten can be added via flavorings, sweeteners, thickeners and other additives.
Below are some common food additives that indicate a product contains gluten:
Wheat Ingredients
– Wheat
– Whole wheat
– Wheat bran
– Wheat germ
– Wheat starch
– Wheat flour
– Bread crumbs
– Couscous
– Cracker meal
– Durum
– Einkorn
– Emmer
– Farina
– Graham flour
– Kamut
– Matzo/matzoh
– Seitan
– Semolina
– Spelt
Barley Ingredients
– Barley
– Barley malt
– Barley extract
– Malt extract
– Malt flavoring
Rye Ingredients
– Rye
– Rye bran
– Rye flakes
– Rye flour
– Rye malt
Other Problematic Ingredients
– Maltodextrin (sometimes made from barley)
– Brewer’s yeast (contains barley and wheat)
– Wheat starch (unless labeled gluten-free)
– Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce (contains wheat)
– Natural flavor (can contain barley or wheat)
Carefully checking the ingredient list for any of these gluten sources is key when determining if a product is gluten-free.
Are Nature Valley Granola Bars Gluten-Free?
With thousands of different products on grocery store shelves, figuring out if Nature Valley granola bars are gluten-free can be confusing.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the most popular Nature Valley bar varieties and their gluten status:
Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars
The original crunchy granola bars come in a wide range of flavors like Oats ‘n Honey, Peanut Butter, and Fruit & Nut.
The main ingredients are whole grain oats, sugar, canola oil, rice flour, honey, salt, and dried fruit. None of these contain gluten.
However, some flavors include “natural flavor” in the ingredients which may contain barley or wheat-derived ingredients. The peanut butter flavor also contains wheat starch.
**Verdict:** Some flavors gluten-free, but check labels since ingredients vary.
Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars
These soft and chewy bars also come in many flavor combinations like Dark Chocolate & Nut, Cherry, Almond, and Peanut Butter.
Main ingredients are whole grain rolled oats, sugar, vegetable oils, rice flour, dried fruit, nuts, cocoa, and natural flavors. Again, the natural flavors may be a source of hidden gluten.
The dark chocolate and nut flavors specifically state “gluten-free” on the label, while other flavors currently do not.
**Verdict:** Dark Chocolate & Nut bars labeled gluten-free, other flavors likely GF but check label.
Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars
This line has six flavor options like Cashew, Almond, and Roasted Peanut.
Ingredients include whole grain oats, sugar, vegetable oil, rice flour, roasted nuts, salt, honey, and natural flavors. The nuts vary based on flavor.
None of the main ingredients contain gluten. However, the natural flavors may be a source of gluten without an explicitly “gluten-free” label.
**Verdict:** Potentially gluten-free but check labels for “gluten-free” wording.
Nature Valley Protein Granola Bars
These bars contain extra protein from soy crisps or peanut butter. Flavors include Peanut Butter, Roasted Peanut Butter, and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter.
Main ingredients are whole grain rolled oats, rice flour, soy protein isolate, sugar, peanut butter, chocolate flavor, etc. No obvious gluten sources in the main ingredients.
However, without a “gluten-free” label on the packaging, these bars may contain hidden gluten in the chocolate flavoring or soy ingredients. Check labels carefully.
**Verdict:** Potentially gluten-free, but chocolate flavoring could add gluten.
Nature Valley Nut Butter Granola Bars
This line features various nut butters like almond butter, peanut butter, and mixed nut butter.
Ingredients are whole grain oats, sugar, nut butter, rice flour, honey, salt, and natural flavor.
The almond butter and mixed nut butter flavors specifically state “gluten-free” on the label. Other flavors do not, so may contain hidden gluten.
**Verdict:** Almond butter and mixed nut butter bars labeled gluten-free, other flavors unclear.
Nature Valley Baked Oat Bites
These crunchy little baked oat rounds come in apple cinnamon, blueberry, and honey flavors.
Main ingredients are whole grain rolled oats, sugar, vegetable oil, rice flour, honey, cinnamon, salt. The blueberry flavor also contains actual blueberries.
No obviously glutenous ingredients, but the baked oat bites are not labeled gluten-free. Potential for cross-contamination still exists.
**Verdict:** Unclear due to lack of gluten-free labeling.
Nature Valley Biscuits
These include several varieties like Oats ‘n Honey, Maple Brown Sugar, and Chocolate Chip.
Ingredients are whole grain oats, sugar, vegetable oil, whole wheat flour, honey, salt, leavening, soy lecithin.
The whole wheat flour clearly contains gluten, so these biscuits are not gluten-free.
**Verdict:** Contain gluten due to whole wheat flour.
Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits
Flavors like Honey, Blueberry, and Lemon Poppyseed.
Ingredients include whole wheat flour, sugar, milk, eggs, yeast, salt, baking powder.
Again, the whole wheat flour makes these biscuits not gluten-free.
**Verdict:** Contain gluten due to whole wheat flour.
Nature Valley Crispy Granola Bars
These granola bars feature a crunchy texture and come in Apple, Cherry, and Blueberry flavors.
Ingredients are whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, rice flour, vegetable oil, dried fruit, honey, salt, natural flavor.
No clearly gluten-containing ingredients, but lack of gluten-free labeling means potential for cross-contamination.
**Verdict:** Unclear due to lack of gluten-free statement.
Nature Valley Granola Cups
These mini snacks come in Apple Cinnamon, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Salted Caramel, and Almond Butter flavors.
Ingredients include whole grain oats, sugar, vegetable oils, rice flour, salt, honey, chocolate, peanut butter, etc. Varies by flavor.
Those labeled with the gluten-free certification contain no obvious sources of gluten. Other flavors may contain hidden gluten without this designation.
**Verdict:** Those certified gluten-free are safe, others questionable.
Nature Valley Muffin Tops
These are the top halves of muffins in Blueberry and Lemon Poppy Seed flavors.
Ingredients are whole wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, leavening, salt, corn starch, honey, blueberries.
The whole wheat flour makes these muffin tops not gluten-free.
**Verdict:** Contain gluten due to whole wheat flour.
Nature Valley Oatmeal Squares
These come in Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Golden Syrup flavors.
Ingredients are whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, sugar, rice flour, vegetable oil, molasses, honey, cinnamon, salt.
No obvious gluten ingredients, but not labeled gluten-free. Potential for cross-contamination.
**Verdict:** Unclear due to lack of gluten-free statement.
Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey Granola Bars
The original Oats ‘n Honey crunchy granola bars come in regular and Thins varieties.
Ingredients include whole grain rolled oats, sugar, vegetable oil, rice flour, honey, brown sugar syrup, salt, baking soda, soy lecithin.
No clearly glutenous ingredients, but lack of gluten-free labeling means potential for cross-contamination.
**Verdict:** Unclear due to lack of gluten-free statement.
Best Practices When Going Gluten-Free
If you need to avoid gluten for health reasons, here are some tips to keep in mind:
– Carefully read ALL ingredient labels, even on foods that seem naturally gluten-free.
– Look for the gluten-free certification seal from organizations like GFCO, NSF, and GIG. This ensures gluten safety.
– Avoid products with vague ingredients like “natural flavors” or “spices” that could hide gluten.
– Watch out for cross-contamination where gluten is transferred from other products at the factory.
– Call manufacturers if ingredient information is unclear or not available online.
– Cook more fresh foods at home and limit processed foods to reduce risk of gluten exposure.
– If dining out, tell your server you have celiac disease and need 100% gluten-free meal prep.
– Join online support groups to exchange tips on gluten-free living. It does get easier!
The Bottom Line
While Nature Valley has some gluten-free products, many varieties either contain obvious glutenous ingredients or have a risk of cross-contamination.
Carefully checking labels of each individual product is crucial, as ingredients vary significantly across their product line. Flavors specifically labeled “gluten-free” are the safest bet.
For those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity who need to strictly avoid all gluten, sticking to certified gluten-free brands may be easier than navigating the uncertainty of mainstream brands like Nature Valley.
But with proper precautions, some people who are sensitive to gluten are able to incorporate oats and Enjoy Nature Valley bars in moderation as part of a gluten-free diet. Working with a knowledgeable dietitian can help make the right decision for your individual needs.
Overall, exercise caution and evaluate each product closely if consuming Nature Valley snacks while living gluten-free. Always put your health first and avoid any products with questionable ingredients. With care and planning, maintaining a gluten-free lifestyle with minimal risks is absolutely possible.
| Nature Valley Product Line | Gluten-Free Status |
|---|---|
| Crunchy Granola Bars | Some flavors GF, check labels |
| Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars | Dark Chocolate & Nut bars GF, other flavors unclear |
| Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars | Potentially GF, but confirm GF label |
| Protein Granola Bars | Likely GF, but chocolate may add gluten |
| Nut Butter Granola Bars | Almond & mixed nut butter GF certified |
| Baked Oat Bites | Unsure – lacks GF label |
| Biscuits | Contain gluten |
| Breakfast Biscuits | Contain gluten |
| Crispy Granola Bars | Unsure – lacks GF label |
| Granola Cups | GF certified ones are safe |
| Muffin Tops | Contain gluten |
| Oatmeal Squares | Unsure – lacks GF label |
| Oats ‘n Honey Granola Bars | Unsure – lacks GF label |
