Nature Valley vs Quaker Chewy: Which Has More Added Sugar?

TL;DR: Nature Valley Crunchy Oats 'n Honey lists 11 g of added sugars in a 42 g two-bar serving, and Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip lists 7 g in a 24 g bar. Per gram, the Quaker bar carries slightly more added sugar (about 0.29 g vs 0.26 g).

Key takeaways

• Per serving, Nature Valley lists 11 g added sugar in a 42 g two-bar serving (about 26% by weight), while Quaker lists 7 g in a 24 g single bar (about 29% by weight). The per-gram comparison runs opposite to the per-serving one.
• Nature Valley names three sweeteners: sugar, honey and brown sugar syrup. Quaker names five: sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar and corn syrup solids. Neither list names high fructose corn syrup.
• Quaker's current label lists tocopherols to preserve freshness and does not list BHT; an older 2020 Open Food Facts record for the bar listed BHT.
• The allergen statements differ. Nature Valley lists soy, with possible peanut, almond and pecan. Quaker lists coconut, milk, soy and wheat, with possible peanut and tree nut traces.
• The serving sizes are not the same: Nature Valley's two-bar pouch is 42 g, while Quaker's single bar is 24 g, so per-serving figures should always be read next to the gram weight.

Why does the per-gram added sugar number reverse the per-serving comparison?

Per serving, the Nature Valley bar shows more added sugar, but its serving is also nearly twice the weight of the Quaker bar. Dividing added sugar by serving weight gives the per-gram figure: 11 g divided by 42 g is about 0.26 g per gram, and 7 g divided by 24 g is about 0.29 g per gram.

Serving sizes are set on each package, so a bar that looks higher per serving can look lower per gram. Readers who eat by the bar should use the per-serving figure, while readers who want to compare sugar density should use the per-gram figure.

How much sugar is in a Nature Valley Crunchy Oats 'n Honey bar?

A 42 g two-bar serving of Nature Valley Crunchy Oats 'n Honey lists 11 g of added sugars, which is 23% of the Daily Value. Total sugars are also 11 g, so all of the listed sugar is added sugar. The box is 17.88 oz and holds 12 two-bar pouches.

How much sugar is in a Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip bar?

A 24 g single bar lists 7 g of added sugars, which is 14% of the Daily Value. Total sugars are also 7 g. The 24 g serving weight comes from Open Food Facts rather than the retailer listing, and the 8-count box is 6.7 oz.

Because the serving sizes differ, the two per-serving figures cannot be compared directly, and neither figure says how sweet a bar tastes. FDA's definition of added sugars covers sugars added during processing as well as syrups and honey, and the Daily Value is 50 g per day based on a 2,000-calorie diet. For a different product category that also compares sugar on the label, see Chobani vs Fage Greek Yogurt: Protein, Sugar and Cultures.

How many sweeteners does each ingredient list name, and where do they sit?

Nature Valley's ingredient list names three sweeteners: sugar, honey and brown sugar syrup. The full list, in order, is whole grain oats, sugar, canola and/or sunflower oil, rice flour, honey, salt, brown sugar syrup, baking soda, soy lecithin and natural flavor, as shown on the Nature Valley product page.

Quaker's ingredient list names five sweetener terms: sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar and corn syrup solids. These sugar terms are spread across the granola, the chocolate chips and the brown rice crisp, so they do not all sit in one component. Counting names is a label-reading tool. It does not measure how sweet a bar tastes or how much sugar it contains.

Does Quaker Chewy have high fructose corn syrup?

Neither ingredient list names high fructose corn syrup. Quaker lists corn syrup and corn syrup solids, and Nature Valley's brand materials state that its bar contains no high fructose corn syrup. The labels do not disclose the fructose content of any of these sweeteners.

What preservatives and antioxidants appear on each label?

The Nature Valley ingredient list includes baking soda, soy lecithin and natural flavor. The Nature Valley list simply does not include tocopherols or BHT.

Quaker's current label lists tocopherols and states that they are used to preserve freshness. An older Open Food Facts record from 2020 listed BHT, along with caramel color and citric acid, which the current listing no longer shows. The timing and reason for that change are not disclosed. For more on additive names that are easy to miss on a label, see Sodium Beyond Salt: 6 Scanned Labels With Sodium Additives.

Does Quaker Chewy have BHT?

No. The current Quaker label names tocopherols and does not list BHT. The Stop & Shop listing for the Quaker bar shows the current ingredient list with tocopherols, while an older 2020 Open Food Facts record listed BHT. Listings can lag behind packaging, so the package in hand is the most reliable source.

How do the allergen statements differ between the two bars?

Nature Valley's label says it contains soy, according to the Nature Valley product page. Its may-contain statement covers peanut, almond and pecan ingredients. The listed ingredients do not name wheat or milk.

Quaker's ingredients contain coconut, milk, soy and wheat. Its may-contain statement covers possible peanut and tree nut traces. How often shared equipment is used is not disclosed, so a may-contain note cannot show how likely traces are in any single package.

How do the two bars compare on calories, fat, sodium, fiber and protein per serving?

The table below puts the two labels side by side. Serving sizes differ, so read each row with the serving weight in mind.

Factor	Nature Valley Crunchy Oats 'n Honey	Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip
Serving listed	42 g (2 bars)	24 g (1 bar, weight per Open Food Facts)
Calories	190	100
Total fat	7 g (9% DV)	3.5 g
Saturated fat	1 g	1.5 g (6% DV)
Sodium	140 mg (6% DV)	70 mg (3% DV)
Total carbohydrate	29 g	17 g
Fiber	2 g	1 g
Total sugars	11 g	7 g
Added sugars	11 g (23% DV)	7 g (14% DV)
Added sugar per gram	about 0.26 g	about 0.29 g
Protein	3 g	1 g
Sweeteners named in ingredients	sugar, honey, brown sugar syrup	sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar, corn syrup solids
Antioxidant named	none in listed ingredients	tocopherols
Whole grain	whole grain oats listed first; gram amount not disclosed	50%+ whole grain claim, 9 g or more per serving

Cholesterol is 0 mg for Nature Valley, and the Quaker source data does not list cholesterol. Per serving, Nature Valley shows more calories, fat, sodium, fiber and protein, which reflects its larger serving, while Quaker shows more saturated fat per serving at 1.5 g compared with 1 g.

Are Quaker Chewy bars whole grain?

Quaker's package claims 50% or more whole grain, which the listing puts at 9 g or more per serving. Nature Valley's brand states that whole grain oats are its first ingredient, but the gram amount of whole grain per serving is not disclosed. For a look at how front-of-pack claims compare with nutrition data across many foods, see Front-of-pack claims vs nutrition: 145,609 foods tested.

How can you spot added sugar, sweeteners and preservatives on a granola bar label?

Reading the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient list together gives the clearest picture. A short checklist:

• Find the line 'Includes X g Added Sugars' under Total Sugars, then check its % Daily Value.
• Divide added sugars by the serving weight in grams to compare bars of different sizes.
• Check the serving size first, since a single bar and a two-bar pouch are not the same amount.
• Scan the ingredient list for sweetener names such as sugar, brown sugar, honey, syrup, invert sugar, molasses and corn syrup solids.
• Look for antioxidant names such as tocopherols, BHT and BHA, and note whether they appear in the listed ingredients.
• Read the 'Contains' and 'May contain' statements separately.
• Compare the package with online listings, since listings may not match the current box.

These label facts show what each bar lists, not how any particular person responds to added sugar, sweeteners or BHT. The evidence here does not address individual responses, children or people with specific medical conditions. Labels and listings also change, so the package in hand is the source to trust.

Aurascan is a food-label scanner app for iPhone that explains each ingredient one by one with cited evidence instead of a single score. To check the labels in your own pantry, scan the product yourself.