For a quick breakfast or snack on the go, many people reach for a granola bar or add granola to their favorite yogurt, believing that it’s a healthy alternative to sugary, processed cereals and bakery treats like muffins or donuts. However, many popular granolas are full of unhealthy amounts of sugar that will give you a quick rush, and a subsequent crash by the time you get to the office.
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Just how much sugar is in your favorite granola? Using nutrition data from ESHA, the experts at HealthGrove, a health data site powered by Graphiq, ranked 40 different granolas based on how many grams of sugar they contain. Ties were broken by calories per serving, followed by fat and sodium content.
Some of these granolas contain nearly as much sugar as a Snickers bar. So the next time you’re thinking about a quick, healthy breakfast, remember that some granolas are sweeter than they look.
40. Back to Nature Cranberry Pecan Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 9 grams
- Calories: 180
- Fat: 5 grams
- Sodium: 10 milligrams
39. Back to Nature Vanilla Almond Agave Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 9 grams
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 0 milligrams
38. Kind Vanilla Blueberry Clusters Granola
- Serving size: 1 bowl (50 grams)
- Sugar: 9 grams
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 5 grams
- Sodium: 60 milligrams
37. Arrowhead Mills Blueberry & Cream Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 9 grams
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 0 milligrams
36. Kind Oats & Honey Clusters Granola
- Serving size: 1 bowl (50 grams)
- Sugar: 9 grams
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 40 milligrams
35. Sunbelt Bakery Simple Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 9 grams
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 130 milligrams
34. Kind Maple Quinoa Clusters Granola
- Serving size: 1 bowl (50 grams)
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Calories: 190
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Sodium: 75 milligrams
33. Back to Nature Classic Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 2.5 grams
- Sodium: 0 milligrams
32. Trader Joe’s Granola & the 3 Berries
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 30 milligrams
31. Kind Cinnamon Oat Clusters Granola
- Serving size: 1 bowl (50 grams)
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 60 milligrams
30. Back to Nature Gluten-Free Apple Blueberry Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 11 grams
- Calories: 190
- Fat: 2.5 grams
29. Back to Nature Apple Cinnamon Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 11 grams
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Sodium: 80 milligrams
28. Back to Nature Gluten-Free Chocolate Delight Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 11 grams
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 5 grams
- Sodium: 0 grams
27. Trader Joe’s Coconut Cranberry Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 11 grams
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 9 grams
- Sodium: 80 milligrams
26. Arrowhead Mills Sprouted Apple & Ginger Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 11 grams
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 20 milligrams
25. Trader Joe’s Loaded Fruit & Nut Granola
- Serving size: 0.8 cup
- Sugar: 11 grams
- Calories: 270
- Fat: 13 grams
- Sodium: 45 milligrams
24. Heartland Harvest Spice Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 5 grams
- Sodium: 90 milligrams
23. Heartland Fruit & Nut Harvest Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 85 milligrams
22. Post Honey Roasted Honey Bunches of Oats Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 5 milligrams
21. Trader Joe’s Chocolate Almond Just the Clusters Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 8 grams
- Sodium: 60 milligrams
20. Sunbelt Bakery Banana Nut Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Calories: 230
- Fat: 8 grams
- Sodium: 50 milligrams
19. Cascadian Farm Dark Chocolate Almond Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Calories: 260
- Fat: 8 grams
- Sodium: 70 milligrams
18. Trader Joe’s Country Pumpkin Spice Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 13 grams
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 15 milligrams
17. Post Dark Chocolate Honey Bunches of Oats Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 13 grams
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 95 milligrams
16. Cascadian Farm Maple Brown Sugar Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 13 grams
- Calories: 230
- Fat: 5 grams
- Sodium: 60 milligrams
15. Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Raisin Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 13 grams
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 65 milligrams
14. Heartland Original Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 13 grams
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 130 milligrams
13. Cascadian Farm French Vanilla Almond Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 13 grams
- Calories: 250
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 55 milligrams
12. Fieldstone Bakery Original Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 13 grams
- Calories: 250
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 180 milligrams
11. Cascadian Farm Oats & Honey Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 14 grams
- Calories: 260
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 55 milligrams
10. Cascadian Farm Fruit & Nut Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 14 grams
- Calories: 270
- Fat: 9 grams
- Sodium: 65 milligrams
9. Ryan’s Grill Cinnamon Granola
- Serving size: 0.8 cup
- Sugar: 15 grams
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Sodium: 30 milligrams
8. Heartland Raisin Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 15 grams
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 120 milligrams
7. Trader Joe’s Maple Pecan Just the Clusters Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 15 grams
- Calories: 250
- Fat: 10 grams
- Sodium: 70 milligrams
6. Arrowhead Mills Cinnamon Raisin Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 16 grams
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 65 milligrams
5. Sunbelt Bakery Fruit & Nut Granola
- Serving size: 0.7 cup
- Sugar: 16 grams
- Calories: 230
- Fat: 7 grams
- Sodium: 40 milligrams
4. Vita-Spelt Maple Almond Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 17 grams
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 6 grams
- Sodium: 5 milligrams
3. Sunbelt Bakery Low Fat Granola
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Sugar: 17 grams
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 3 grams
- Sodium: 60 milligrams
2. Go Raw Apple Cinnamon Granola
- Serving size: 0.3 cup
- Sugar: 18 grams
- Calories: 230
- Fat: 8 grams
- Sodium: 10 milligrams
1. Go Raw Coco Crunch Granola
- Serving size: 0.3 cup
- Sugar: 18 grams
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 9 grams
- Sodium: 10 milligrams