Dietitians reveal the 10 cereal bars with the lowest sugar and calories

When in a rush and looking for a healthy option for breakfast, many people reach for cereal snack bars. 

But though all of these pre-packaged portions are equally convenient, they're not equal when it comes to what's on the inside. 

Some bars are high in sugars, processed ingredients and unnatural flavors, that dieters or health conscious folks might want to avoid.

Some of these products, also known as breakfast or protein bars, are less nutritious and more like 'candy bars in disguise', Julie Upton a California based registered dietitian, wrote for Eat This, Not That!

So in order to set you straight, Ms Upton compiled a list of the best options for your pantry staples. 

Aloha Chocolate Fudge Brownie Organic Protein Bar

Aloha bars are made with brown rice protein, pumpkin seed protein and dark chocolate, Ms Upton said.

'ALOHA creates great-tasting vegan and gluten-free protein bars made with wholesome ingredients,' Ms Upton said.  One Aloha chocolate fudge brownie bar has 220 calories, four grams of added sugar (or one teaspoon) and 14 g of protein (the equivalent of three eggs), which will keep you full.

A Special K brownie batter protein bar contains double the amount of added sugar- with eight grams per 180 calorie bar. 

A person weighing 170 pounds should eat about 61 grams of protein daily. In this scenario, eating one Aloha bar would fulfill about 23 percent of your daily intake, giving you a filling boost.

KIND Protein Crunchy Peanut Butter

Kind makes protein bars and snack bars. 

This 250 calories, six grams of added sugar and 12 grams of protein.

The American Heart Association recommends that adult women consume no more than 36 grams of sugar and men consume no more than 24 grams of sugar daily. That's roughly nine and six teaspoons, respectively. 

Eating in excess of that is linked to heart disease, diabetes and obesity, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

Other nutty options, like Nature Valley's peanut butter crunchy granola bars, contain 200 calories, 11 grams of added sugar and only four grams of protein. That's almost double the amount found in the Kind bar. 

Zing Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Plant-based Bar

Zing protein bars are plant based, making them an option for vegans and vegetarians.

 Zing oatmeal chocolate chip bars have 210 calories, three grams added sugar and 10 grams of protein per serving. 

By comparison, a chocolate chip Clif bar has 250 calories and includes 16 grams of added sugar- more than four times the amount added to a Zing. 

'Zing bars are created by registered dietitians, so it's no surprise that they are made with nutrient-rich ingredients and have a stellar nutritional profile,' Ms Upton wrote. 

Quest Cookies and Cream Protein Bar

Quest protein bars include other options modelled after popular desserts like birthday cake, donuts and cookie dough.

This option contains 190 calories, zero grams of added sugar and 21 grams of protein. Plus, it packs an added benefit- fiber.

'Quest protein bars are among the highest in our recommended bars for both protein and fiber, which will likely make them a satisfying between-meal snack,' Ms Upton said. 

Fiber is a key dietary nutrient that plays an important role in digestion - some science has shown that it effects how long you stay full, which can help you lose weight. 

Other cookies and cream options, like Power Crunch's cookies and creme, contain 220 calories, six grams of sugar and 13 grams of protein per bar. 

Go Macro Coconut, almond butter and chocolate chips 

A portion of the proceeds from GoMacro's revenue get donated to homeless charities. 

This option contains 280 calories, 11 gram added sugar and 11 grams of protein.

Since this option is the upper limit for the amount of sugar you'd want to consume, Ms Upton suggests that it would work best for physically active people, either before or after a workout. 

A coconut cream pie flavored Larabar, by comparison, contains 210 calories, 20 grams of added sugar and three grams of protein. 

88 Acres 

88 acres also makes nut butters.

Despite being designed to taste like a dessert, this bar contains 260 calories, four grams of added sugar and 12 grams of protein. That's roughly equivalent to one teaspoon of sugar, Ms Upton wrote.

By comparison a banana bread flavored Larabar contains 200 calories, 17 grams of sugar and only five grams of protein. 

Misfits chocolate caramel protein bar

Misfits was founded in 2020 and said it's products are for 'chocolate lovers who want to increase their protein intake, cut dairy and reduce their sugar consumption'. 

'This bar is a decadent sweet treat that will keep you full, thanks to its nine grams of fiber' Ms Upton wrote.  Despite its decadent taste, there's only 180 calories in this bar which also includes 15 grams of protein and about one gram of sugar. 

Sarah Alsing, a California-based registered dietitian, said that the Misfit bars 'are one of the best vegan protein bars, with 15 grams of protein and less than one gram of sugar.' 

The bar measures up well against other vegan options. For example, Hammer Nutrition's almond cacao vegan protein bar contains 240 calories, six grams of sugar and 13 grams of protein. 

Atlas Almond

Atlas was started by Iron-man athlete James Oliver, who said he was looking for 'good, clean fuel on the go'. 

This option contains 210 calories, zero grams of added sugar and 20 grams of protein. This chewy bar is made with nut butter, coconut oil, monk fruit and tapioca fiber, which makes it gluten-free and vegan. 

'Many low-sugar protein bars usually contain sugar alcohols, which can cause gut upset for some people,' Ms Alsing said. 

These products include mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltitol and are used in place of traditional sugar as a sweetener. They're lower calorie than regular sugar, but when you eat them frequently, you might experience diarrhea, bloating or weight gain, according to Yale New Haven Hospital. 

Other gluten-free chocolate chip options, like PureProtein's chewy chocolate chip bar, contain 200 calories, two grams of added sugars and 20 grams of protein. They also contain five grams of sugar alcohols, like Ms Alsing highlighted. 

 Ratio Food Keto Friendly Vanilla Almond Crunchy Bar 

A keto friendly diet includes eating little to no carbohydrates. The Ratio bar is in line with those recommendations. 

Though this bar is advertised for those specifically on a keto diet, Ms Upton said that this is 'great for anyone who wants to limit the carbs in their diet and enjoy a satisfying snack bar.'

It contains 240 calories, zero grams of added sugar and 12 grams of protein. 

 Other vanilla-flavored options, like Power Crunch's French Vanilla creme bar, contain 330 calories, five grams of added sugar and 20 grams of protein. 

Jambar Musical Mango  

50 percent of Jambar's profits get donated to music and longevity charities. 

This option is made entirely from plants, making it an option for vegan and vegetarian dieters. It includes mango, oat bran and cashew butter, Sarah Garone, an Arizona-based licensed nutritionist and science writer said. 

It contains 230 calories, six grams of added sugar and 10 grams of protein. 

Other brands of this flavor, like Royal Protein Mango and Yoghurt- contain as much as 418 calories, 22 grams of sugar and 25 grams of protein.