Nature Valley Protein Bars are a popular choice for a convenient snack. Our expert dietitian reviews the nutrition facts and ingredients to help you decide if they’re right for you.
About Nature Valley Protein Bar
Nature Valley Protein Bars are nut-based protein bars with whey and soy protein powder. They are available in two flavours: Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate and Peanut Almond Dark Chocolate.
Nature Valley Protein Bar Ingredients
Note: always check the product label for up-to-date nutrition, ingredient, and allergen information.
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate | Roasted peanuts, Soy protein isolate, Sugars (sugar, corn syrup, fructose), Inulin, Semisweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural flavour), Palm and palm kernel oil, Whey protein concentrate, Peanut butter (peanuts, salt), Cocoa powder, Glycerin, Rice starch, Canola oil, Soy lecithin, Salt, Peanut oil, Corn starch, Natural flavour. |
| Peanut Almond Dark Chocolate | Roasted peanuts, Sugars (glucose-fructose, sugar, fructose, maltodextrin), Soy protein isolate, Almonds, Palm and palm kernel oil, Whey protein concentrate, Rice starch, Glycerin, Cocoa powder, Soy lecithin, Canola oil, Salt, Natural flavour, Baking soda. |
- Roasted peanuts: the main ingredient in Nature Valley Protein bars
- Soy protein isolate: protein powder used to increase protein content.
- Sugars:
- Sugar: refined white sugar
- Corn syrup: made from the sugar found in corn kernels.
- Fructose: a source of sugar naturally occurring in fruit.
- Inulin: a flavourless source of fibre. Read everything you need to know about Inulin here.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Sugar: refined white sugar.
- Chocolate liquor: made from the nibs of cocoa beans.
- Cocoa butter: the fat that is removed from cocoa beans during processing.
- Soy lecithin: see below.
- Natural flavour: see below.
- Palm and palm kernel oil: a source of saturated fat. Read our full review of Palm oil here.
- Whey protein concentrate: milk-based protein powder used to increase protein content.
- Peanut butter: made by grinding peanuts, and salt.
- Cocoa powder: unsweetened form of chocolate. The leftover part of the cocoa bean after the cocoa butter has been removed.
- Glycerin: a sugar alcohol produced by hydrolysis of fats and oils. Glycerin has many uses as a food ingredient, including sweetener, bulking agent or filler, hydrating agent, and solvent.
- Rice starch: used as a binding and thickening agent.
- Canola oil: a source of monounsaturated fats. Read our full canola oil review here.
- Soy lecithin: an emulsifier. Read our full Lecithin review here.
- Salt: added for flavour.
- Peanut oil: an oil high in polyunsaturated fats (omega-6) and monounsaturated fats (omega-9).
- Corn starch: used as a binding, thickening agent.
- Natural flavour: this is a blanket term for any combination of extracts from plant or animal products. Read everything you need to know about natural flavours here.
Priority Allergens
Contains peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and milk.
Nature Valley Protein Bar Nutrition Facts
| Per 1 bar (37g) | Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate | Peanut Almond Dark Chocolate |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 180 | 190 |
| Fat (g) | 11 | 11 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 3 | 3 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 14 | 12 |
| Fibre (g) | 5 | 2 |
| Sugar (g) | 6 | 8 |
| Protein (g) | 9 | 11 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 5 | 5 |
| Sodium (mg) | 150 | 150 |
| Potassium (mg) | 125 | 125 |
| Calcium (mg) | 30 | 40 |
| Iron (mg) | 1.25 | 1.75 |
Note: the nutrition facts below represent the Nature Valley Protein Bar Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate flavour.
Calories: 180
Fat: 11g, from peanuts, cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, canola oil,
Saturated fat: 3g, from peanuts, cocoa butter and palm kernel oil.
Carbohydrate: 14g, from sugar, inulin, rice starch, and corn starch.
Fibre: 5g, from inulin.
Sugar: 6g, from table sugar, corn syrup, and fructose.
Protein: 9g, from soy protein isolate and whey protein isolate.
Cholesterol: 5mg.
Sodium: 150mg, from added salt.
Other nutrients: potassium 125mg, calcium 30mg, iron 1.25mg.
Nature Valley Protein Bar Nutrition Score
We gave Nature Valley Protein bars a nutrition score of 50% and suggest you consider an alternate option. There are several reasons why these protein bars have a low nutrition score. First, sugar is the primary source of carbohydrates in Nature Valley Protein Bars rather than whole grains or seeds. In addition, they are moderately high in sugar, with 6-8g per bar. Note: despite meeting our threshold for ‘moderately high’ sugar content, they are lower in sugar than other protein bars on the market. Lastly, these bars are high in saturated fat and are moderately high in sodium.
On the positive side, Nature Valley Protein bars are a source of unsaturated fats, and the main source of fat in these bars comes from peanuts which are a minimally processed ingredient. These bars are also a source of protein and fibre, so they’re likely to keep you full for longer.
Overall, Nature Valley Protein bars are certainly not the worst option out there, but there are some better options you can select as alternatives that offer a better ingredient and nutrition profile. Check out my favourite protein bars here.
Other protein bar reviews:
Sources:
Glycerin, Technical Evaluation Report, USDA (2013).
Natural Health Product Ingredient Database, Health Canada, Corn Starch (accessed June 21, 2023)
