Nature’s Bakery fig bars are a popular snack food marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional cookies and snack bars. With ingredients like whole grains, real figs, and ancient grains like chia and quinoa, Nature’s Bakery fig bars are positioned as a nutritious on-the-go snack. However, even though they contain some healthy ingredients, Nature’s Bakery fig bars do contain added sugars, which has led some consumers to question just how much sugar is in each serving. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the nutrition facts for Nature’s Bakery fig bars and specifically focus on analyzing the sugar content.
Nutrition Facts Overview
Before diving into the sugar content, let’s first look at the overall nutrition facts for a serving of Nature’s Bakery fig bars:
| Serving Size | 1 bar (35g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 140 |
| Total Fat | 2g |
| Sodium | 125mg |
| Potassium | 100mg |
| Total Carbs | 24g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Sugars | 14g |
| Protein | 2g |
As you can see, a single 35g bar contains 140 calories, 24g of total carbohydrates, and 2g of protein. Now let’s take a closer look at the sugar content.
Sugar Content per Serving
According to the nutrition label, there are 14g of total sugars in a 35g Nature’s Bakery fig bar. Added sugars are not explicitly broken out on the nutrition label, but since figs themselves contain naturally occurring sugars, we can assume that a good portion of that 14g total sugars count is from added sugars.
To put 14g of sugar into perspective, here is how it compares to the recommended daily limit for added sugars according to the American Heart Association:
– The AHA recommends that adult men consume no more than 36g of added sugars per day
– The AHA recommends that adult women consume no more than 25g of added sugars per day
– 14g of sugar is nearly 40% of the daily added sugar limit for women
– 14g of sugar is nearly 40% of the daily added sugar limit for men
So in one 35g serving, Nature’s Bakery fig bars contain over a third of the recommended daily added sugar limits for both men and women. This is a relatively high amount from a single snack bar.
Sugar Sources
Since the nutrition label does not specify where the 14g of sugar comes from exactly, we need to analyze the ingredient list to get more details on potential sources of added sugars:
Ingredients: Figs, Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Sugar, Water, Ancient Grain Blend (Quinoa, Amaranth, Teff, Sorghum, Chia), Rice Flour, Molasses, Natural Flavors, Baking Soda, Salt.
Based on the order of the ingredients, the main sources of added sugars are likely:
– Sugar
– Molasses
Both plain sugar and molasses would contribute to added sugars since they are sugar sources not naturally found in figs. Other potential sources could include the natural sugars from the figs themselves.
So in summary, added sugars from regular sugar, molasses, and potentially figs make up the 14g of total sugars in a Nature’s Bakery fig bar.
Sugar Type
In terms of the types of sugars found in Nature’s Bakery fig bars, we can infer:
– Sucrose – Regular table sugar is sucrose, so the ingredient ‘Sugar’ likely indicates sucrose.
– Glucose & Fructose – Molasses contains both glucose and fructose.
– Fructose – Figs naturally contain the sugar fructose.
So Nature’s Bakery fig bars contain a combination of sucrose, glucose, fructose, and potentially other naturally occurring sugars from the figs themselves.
How the Sugar Content Compares to Similar Snacks
To better evaluate the sugar content of Nature’s Bakery fig bars, let’s compare it to a few other popular snack bars:
| Snack Bar | Serving Size | Total Sugars |
|---|---|---|
| Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar | 1 bar (35g) | 14g |
| Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey Bar | 1 bar (30g) | 10g |
| Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Bar | 1 bar (25g) | 9g |
| KIND Fruit & Nut Bar | 1 bar (40g) | 12g |
As you can see, most snack bars contain between 9-14 grams of sugar per serving. So while Nature’s Bakery fig bars are on the higher end with 14g, they are not drastically higher than some other popular snack bars. However, there are options like Quaker Chewy bars that deliver a similar snacking experience with slightly less sugar.
Ways to Reduce Sugar Intake from Fig Bars
If you want to reduce your sugar intake from Nature’s Bakery fig bars, here are a few suggestions:
– Eat only half a bar as one serving. This would provide about 7g of sugar.
– Drink water instead of sugary beverages like juice or soda when snacking on fig bars.
– Choose the fig bars with jam filling instead of chocolate chips, as these have 2g less sugar per serving.
– Limit yourself to only 1-2 fig bar snacks per day at maximum.
– Select other snacks during the day that are low in sugar like fresh fruit, nuts, yogurt, or hard boiled eggs.
Making a few simple substitutions like these can help keep your daily added sugar intake within the recommended limits.
Should You Be Concerned About the Sugar Content?
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 25g per day for women and 36g per day for men. With 14g of sugar in one serving, Nature’s Bakery fig bars provide over a third of the maximum daily amount. However, most health experts agree that when enjoyed in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet, an occasional sugary snack like a fig bar is unlikely to be harmful. The key is balance and limiting portion sizes of these treats rather than eliminating them completely. So enjoying the occasional Nature’s Bakery fig bar is fine, but it should not become a daily dietary habit. If you tend to eat fig bars frequently or in large portions, then reducing your intake would be beneficial for reducing added sugar consumption.
Conclusion
Nature’s Bakery fig bars contain 14g of sugar per 35g bar, which equates to over a third of the maximum daily added sugar recommendations. While the sugar content is on the higher side compared to some other snack bars, it is not drastically higher. When eaten in moderation, an occasional Nature’s Bakery fig bar can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. But it is important to pay attention to portion sizes and limit yourself to no more than one serving at a time. And always combine sugary snacks like fig bars with otherwise nutritious choices for meals and other snacks throughout your day.