If you are looking to include granola in your breakfast, you must have come across the Bear naked granola.
Bear naked granola has been a popular breakfast bowl and snack time for people. With its irresistible crunch and mouth-watering flavors, it’s easy to see why so many people love it.
However, one common question that almost everyone has is whether Bear naked granola is healthy.
Short answer: Bear naked granola can be considered a healthy option as it is made from whole grain oats, contains moderate protein and fiber, and is generally low in sodium. However, it also has 7 to 13g of sugar based on flavor, making it important to consume in moderation.
Let’s deep dive into more about Bear naked granola, including ingredients, nutritional value, and various commonly asked questions.
Also read: Is Total Cereal Healthy? The Truth About This Breakfast
What are the ingredients in Bear naked granola?
The exact ingredients in bear naked granola vary depending on the flavor.
However, some of the common ingredients that you might find across all Bear Naked Granola flavors include:
Whole grain oats: Bear naked granola has whole grain oats as the main ingredient. These oats are minimally processed and contain all three parts of the grain – the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.
Cane sugar: It is a type of sugar made from sugar cane juice and less processed than table sugar.
Brown sugar syrup: It is a sugar syrup made with brown sugar. It is darker in color and has rich flavor than white sugar syrup.
Sea salt: It is a type of salt produced from evaporating seawater. It is less processed and contains more minerals than table salt.
Sunflower oil: It is a vegetable oil extracted from sunflower seeds. It is a good source of mono-unsaturated fatty acid, which is known to be heart-healthy.
Oat bran: Besides whole grain oats, Bear naked granola also contains oat bran, made from the inner layer of the oats. It is a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Natural flavor: Bear naked granola uses natural flavor across some of its flavors. However, what those flavors are is not disclosed.
Ground flax seeds: Flaxseeds are the seeds of the flax plant that are used as a source of fiber and nutrition.
How much sugar is in Bear naked granola?
The Bear naked granola has moderate to high sugar content ranging from 7g to 13g per serving, depending on the flavor. Vnilla almond is the flavor with the least sugar(7g), while fruit & nut is the flavor with the most sugar(13g).
The sugar in Bear Naked Granola comes from both added and natural sources, with the majority being added sugar from cane sugar and sweeteners such as brown rice syrup or maple syrup.
The American Heart Association recommended a daily limit of 36g of sugar for men and 24g for women.
Consuming just one serving of Bear Naked Granola can exhaust anywhere from 19% to 36% of the daily sugar limit for men and 29% to 54% for women.
Although the sugars in Bear Naked Granola are less processed than regular sugar, they can still have the same negative effects if consumed in excess.
Here is the sugar content of all the flavors.
| Bear naked granola flavor | Added sugar(g) | Total sugar(g) |
|---|---|---|
| Banana nut | 8 | 9 |
| Cacao and cashew butter | 11 | 12 |
| Fruit & nut | 10 | 13 |
| Maple pecan | 12 | 12 |
| Peanut butter | 11 | 11 |
| Fit v’nilla almond | 6 | 7 |
| Fit triple berry | 9 | 11 |
| 0g added sugar peanut butter | 0 | 3 |
| Protein original cinnamon | 10 | 12 |
| Protein honey almond | 10 | 11 |
How much sodium is in Bear naked granola?
The Bear naked granola has low to moderate sodium content ranging from 80 to 180mg per serving, depending on the flavor. However, some flavors are completely sodium-free.
While sodium is essential in your diet, consuming too much can harm your health.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting daily sodium intake to 1500mg to maintain a healthy diet.
Even if you choose the flavor with the highest sodium content(180mg), it will only provide you with around 12% of the daily sodium limit.
So, Bear naked granola is not bad when it comes to sodium.
Here is the sodium content of all the flavors.
| Bear naked granola flavor | Sodium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Banana nut | 0 |
| Cacao and cashew butter | 115 |
| Fruit & nut | 0 |
| Maple pecan | 0 |
| Peanut butter | 80 |
| Fit v’nilla almond | 0 |
| Fit triple berry | 180 |
| 0g added sugar peanut butter | 180 |
| Protein original cinnamon | 100 |
| Protein honey almond | 80 |
How much Fiber is in Bear naked granola?
Bear naked granola is a good source of fiber, ranging from 3g to 5g per serving, depending on the flavor. Thanks to whole grain oats and other ingredients such as nuts and seeds.
Here is a table showing the fiber content of all flavors.
| Bear naked granola flavor | Fiber(g) |
|---|---|
| Banana nut | 4 |
| Cacao and cashew butter | 3 |
| Fruit & nut | 5 |
| Maple pecan | 5 |
| Peanut butter | 4 |
| Fit v’nilla almond | 5 |
| Fit triple berry | 4 |
| 0g added sugar peanut butter | 5 |
| Protein original cinnamon | 5 |
| Protein honey almond | 5 |
Is Bear naked granola high in protein?
Bear naked granola has a moderate amount of protein content, ranging from 5g to 11g per serving, depending on the flavors.
However, if you are not vegan, you can increase it’s protein content even more by consuming it with your choice of milk.
Additionally, if you are on a goal to build muscles or bulking up, Bear naked granola can be a good breakfast option in both conditions.
Here is the table showing the protein content of all flavors.
| Bear naked granola flavor | Protein(g) |
|---|---|
| Banana nut | 5 |
| Cacao and cashew butter | 6 |
| Fruit & nut | 6 |
| Maple pecan | 6 |
| Peanut butter | 7 |
| Fit v’nilla almond | 6 |
| Fit triple berry | 5 |
| 0g added sugar peanut butter | 8 |
| Protein original cinnamon | 11 |
| Protein honey almond | 11 |
Is Bear naked granola good for weight loss?
Bear naked granola is not the ideal option for weight loss due to its moderate to high levels of added sugar. However, you can still consume it in moderation because it contains a moderate amount of protein and fiber.
If you are trying to lose weight, opt for peanut butter flavor with 0g of added sugar.
However, it is still important to consume it in moderation as it contains moderate calories and has an average sodium content of 180mg.
Remember that your weight loss or weight gain does not depend on just one food but on your overall diet and level of physical activity.
Is Bear naked granola processed?
Bear naked granola is a processed food as it contains ingredients like cane sugar, brown rice syrup, and sunflower or canola oil. However, it is not as bad as other breakfast options such as refined cereals, pancakes, wafers, muffins or pastries.
This is because Bear naked granola contains less processed ingredients, such as:
- Cane sugar is a less processed alternative to table sugar.
- Sea salt is a less processed alternative to table salt.
- Sunflower or canola oil are good sources of mono-saturated fatty acids and are a better alternative to palm or soybean oil.
- Most flavors of Bear naked granola have other healthy ingredients like almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, cashews, strawberries, oat bran, whole oat flour etc.
Overall, Bear Naked granola is a minimally processed food that can be used as a breakfast or snacking option.
Is Bear naked granola gluten-free?
Bear Naked granola is made from whole oat grains, which are naturally gluten-free. However, as Bear naked granola is prepared in multiple facilities, most flavors are not labelled as gluten-free.
However, some of the flavors, like Cacao and Cashew Butter, grain-free dark chocolate almond and grain-free maple cinnamon, are gluten-free.
Is Bear naked granola vegan?
Some flavors of Bear Naked granola contain honey and are not suitable for vegans. However, there are also several vegan-friendly flavors of Bear Naked granola.
These flavors include:
- Cacao & Cashew Butter Granola
- Dark Chocolate Almond Grain Free Granola
- Triple Berry Fit Granola
- V’nilla Almond Fit Granola
- Maple Cinnamon Grain Free Granola
Although, if you look at the ingredients list, you may come across cane sugar, which may raise doubts about it’s vegan status. But the cane sugar used in Bear naked granola is organic.
Final words
Despite containing moderate to high sugar content, Bear Naked Granola can be considered a healthy option. This is because it is made from whole grain oats, contains moderate protein and fiber, is generally low in sodium, and uses minimally processed ingredients.
Additionally, it is a good source of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc and potassium.
If sugar is an issue for you, you should consume it in moderation or better go for the low sugar option or the 0g added sugar flavor.
To conclude, if you are looking for a healthy breakfast option, you should consider trying Bear naked granola in your diet.
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