Is Purely Elizabeth Healthier Than Nature Valley Granola?

The labels split: Purely Elizabeth has less added sugar per serving but far more saturated fat, and the serving sizes differ. Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain Granola and Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey Crunchy Granola also differ on sweetener sources and oil type. Per the listed serving, Purely Elizabeth shows 6 g added sugar and 3.5 g saturated fat in 1/3 cup (30 g), while Nature Valley shows 7 g added sugar and 0.5 g saturated fat in 1/4 cup.

Key takeaways

• Per the listed serving sizes, Purely Elizabeth (1/3 cup, 30 g) shows 6 g added sugar and 3.5 g saturated fat, while Nature Valley (1/4 cup) shows 7 g added sugar and 0.5 g saturated fat.
• The Purely Elizabeth label counts its coconut sugar toward added sugars, listing 6 g per 1/3 cup (30 g), which is 12% DV.
• Purely Elizabeth lists organic coconut oil, while Nature Valley lists canola and/or sunflower oil.
• Gram weights for Nature Valley are not given here, so the two products cannot be normalized to the same weight.

Is Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain Granola healthy, by its label facts?

The label does not settle whether it is healthy; per 1/3 cup (30 g) it lists 6 g added sugars and 3.5 g saturated fat. The full set of listed values per serving is 130 calories, 5 g total fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 135 mg sodium, 6 g added sugars, 2 g fiber, and 3 g protein.

The Purely Elizabeth product page gives the ingredient list as Organic Certified Gluten-Free Oats, Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Puffed Amaranth, Organic Quinoa Flakes, Organic Chia Seeds, Organic Cinnamon, and Sea Salt, and the label notes that it contains coconut. The product page displays the badges USDA Organic, Gluten-free, Vegan, and Seed Oil Free. Whether a third party certifies the Seed Oil Free badge was not disclosed.

How much sugar is in Purely Elizabeth granola, compared with Nature Valley?

Purely Elizabeth has 6 g added sugars per 1/3 cup (30 g), and Nature Valley has 7 g per 1/4 cup. The Purely Elizabeth label shows 6 g total sugars and 6 g added sugars, and the Nature Valley label shows 7 g total sugars and 7 g added sugars. Added sugars are 12% DV (Purely Elizabeth) and 14% DV (Nature Valley).

The sweeteners are named differently. Purely Elizabeth lists one sweetener, organic coconut sugar. Nature Valley lists sugar, honey, and brown sugar syrup as separate ingredients. Under FDA's definition, added sweeteners such as these are counted within the added sugars figure, which is 7 g for Nature Valley.

Because the serving sizes differ, the 6 g and 7 g figures do not describe the same amount of granola. For Nature Valley's chewy bars against Quaker's, see Nature Valley vs Quaker Chewy.

Is coconut sugar an added sugar on the Purely Elizabeth label?

Yes. Coconut sugar is an added sugar, and the 6 g added sugars figure on the Purely Elizabeth label (12% DV per 1/3 cup, 30 g) counts it. FDA defines added sugars as sugars added during processing, along with syrups and honey.

Federal labeling gives coconut sugar no exemption. FDA requires added sugars to appear in grams and as a percent Daily Value, using a 50 g per day reference on a 2,000-calorie diet. Under FDA's definition, added sugars are sugars added during processing or packaging, and that definition covers coconut sugar as well. The full definition is on the added sugars page.

What the label does not show is any difference in how the body handles coconut sugar compared with other sweeteners. The label is not a health ranking.

How much saturated fat is in Purely Elizabeth granola vs Nature Valley?

Purely Elizabeth lists 3.5 g saturated fat per 1/3 cup (30 g), which is 18% DV, while Nature Valley lists 0.5 g per 1/4 cup, which is 3% DV. Both labels show 0 g trans fat and 0 mg cholesterol.

FDA uses a 20 g Daily Value for saturated fat. Under FDA's categories, 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high. The 18% figure falls between those two categories, and the 3% figure falls in the low category. FDA advises choosing foods lower in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

Total fat is close in the two products: 5 g in Purely Elizabeth (6% DV) and 4.5 g in Nature Valley (6% DV). The gap in saturated fat is therefore not explained by total fat amount alone, and the label does not say which fats make up the difference.

Which oils do the two granolas use, and what do the labels show?

Purely Elizabeth lists organic coconut oil, while Nature Valley lists canola and/or sunflower oil. The label lists the oils and the saturated fat values separately, and it does not attribute the saturated fat to a specific oil. The Purely Elizabeth label gives 3.5 g saturated fat per 1/3 cup, and the Nature Valley label gives 0.5 g per 1/4 cup.

The 'canola and/or sunflower' wording means the label does not say which oil is used in a given pouch. Purely Elizabeth also displays the Seed Oil Free badge. That badge describes the product's oil choices, and whether a third party verified it was not disclosed. No regulator's health verdict comparing coconut oil with canola or sunflower oil is included here, so the oil difference is presented only as a label fact.

Why do the serving sizes make a direct granola comparison tricky?

The two labels use different serving sizes, 1/3 cup (30 g) for Purely Elizabeth and 1/4 cup for Nature Valley, so the per-serving numbers describe different amounts of granola. The table lists the figures as printed on each label.

Per listed serving	Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain (1/3 cup, 30 g)	Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey Crunchy (1/4 cup)
Calories	130	120
Total fat	5 g (6% DV)	4.5 g (6% DV)
Saturated fat	3.5 g (18% DV)	0.5 g (3% DV)
Added sugars	6 g (12% DV)	7 g (14% DV)
Sodium	135 mg (6% DV)	95 mg (4% DV)
Total carbohydrate	18 g (7% DV)	19 g (7% DV)
Dietary fiber	2 g (7% DV)	1 g (5% DV)
Protein	3 g	2 g
Oils listed	Organic coconut oil	Canola and/or sunflower oil
Servings per container	About 11	17

The table does not convert the figures to a shared weight, so per-gram or per-100 g figures are not calculated here. Label values can change, so check the current packages before comparing these figures.

Is Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey Crunchy Granola bad for you, per its label?

The label lists 7 g added sugars (14% DV) and 0.5 g saturated fat (3% DV) per 1/4 cup, and it does not by itself show whether the product is bad for you. Per 1/4 cup it also lists 120 calories, 95 mg sodium (4% DV), and 19 g total carbohydrate.

The Nature Valley product page lists the ingredients as Whole Grain Oats, followed by Sugar, Canola and/or Sunflower Oil, Rice Flour, Honey, Brown Sugar Syrup, Salt, Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin, and Natural Flavor. The label states that it contains soy ingredients, which matters for people with soy allergies or sensitivities.

Compared with the other label, the 7 g added sugar figure is higher than the 6 g listed for Purely Elizabeth, though the serving sizes differ. The 0.5 g saturated fat figure is lower than the 3.5 g listed for Purely Elizabeth. Neither comparison establishes whether either product suits a particular person, and that answer depends on the rest of the diet. For two high-protein cereals compared the same way, see Magic Spoon vs Catalina Crunch.

What does the FDA Daily Value for added sugars and saturated fat mean here?

The FDA Daily Value for added sugars is 50 g per day on a 2,000-calorie diet, so Purely Elizabeth's 6 g is 12% DV and Nature Valley's 7 g is 14% DV per listed serving. Daily Values are reference amounts for general guidance, not personal targets.

For saturated fat, the Daily Value is 20 g. Purely Elizabeth's 3.5 g is 18% DV and Nature Valley's 0.5 g is 3% DV. The FDA Daily Value guidance explains these categories.

How can shoppers spot added sugar, saturated fat, and oil type on a granola label?

Start with the Added Sugars line under Total Sugars, then the Saturated Fat line, then the ingredient list for sweeteners and oils. FDA's guide to the Nutrition Facts label explains how to read each section.

• Find the Added Sugars line, which shows grams and percent Daily Value per listed serving.
• Check the serving size first, since 1/3 cup (30 g) and 1/4 cup are different measures.
• Read the ingredient list for every sweetener, including honey, syrup, coconut sugar, and brown sugar.
• Look for specific oil names on the ingredient list.
• Compare saturated fat in grams and as percent DV, using 5% DV or less as low and 20% DV or more as high.
• Read badges as printed and check whether a third party verified them.