The Quaker Oats line of chewy granola bars provides a quick snack that's a healthier alternative to a candy bar in that they contain fewer calories and fat than most candy bars. The main ingredient in the peanut butter flavor granola bar is granola, which contains whole grain rolled oats, sugar and crisp rice. The peanut butter flavor bar lists peanut butter as the 13th ingredient. The nutritional information provided by Quaker Oats is based on an average 2,000 calorie a day diet.
Calories
The Quaker Granola bar with peanut butter is low in calories, containing only 90 calories per bar, according to the Quaker website, putting it in the snack category rather than a meal replacement. Based on an average daily calorie intake, the bar supplies less than 5 percent of your daily calorie intake, good for a snack.
Protein
Despite the designation "peanut butter" in the name, the bar contains very little protein. Quaker lists 2 g of protein per serving. Since a gram of protein supplies four calories, the bar contains eight protein calories. The average daily protein requirement is around 60g, according to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, making the protein contained in the bar negligible in satisfying daily protein requirements. Since peanut butter is normally considered a good source of protein, people looking for a protein boost from this bar will be disappointed.
Carbohydrates
Most of the calories in this bar come from carbohydrates. One bar supplies 18 g of carbohydrate which means 72 of out the 90 calories in the bar come from carbohydrate. Though the website touts the fact that the bars contain no high fructose corn syrup, one bar contains 7g of sugar from other sugar sources such as sugar and corn syrup. Between 50 and 55 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates.
Fats
One bar contains only 2g of fat, or 3 percent of your daily fat requirements. The bar has no saturated fat and no trans fats, the Quaker website states, although an asterisk clarifies the point by saying the bar contains a dietarily insignificant amount of trans fats.
Sodium
Excess sodium can cause problems with water retention and high blood pressure. One bar contains 115 milligrams of sodium, or about 5 percent of the maximum daily recommended allowance of sodium, which is 2,400mg, according to the package label.
Member Comments