The 7 Healthiest Store-Bought Granolas You Can Buy

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Granola seems to be a healthier option compared to sickly sweet bowls of Cap'n Crunch and breakfast sandwiches dripping with grease. After all, its key ingredients are oats, nuts, and dried fruits, and homemade versions are considered the domain of hippies and hikers. But when we set aside those stereotypes and take a closer look the nutrition labels and ingredients of store-bought granola, the truth may take your breath away. Indeed, granola is the healthy-sounding breakfast staple hiding more sugar than you might expect.

As a certified nutrition coach, I decided to round up a handful of the healthiest store-bought granolas so that you can enjoy your breakfast without needing to worry about a blood sugar spike. Beyond the amount and type of added sugar, I examined factors like fiber content, protein content, and the amount of saturated fats versus heart-healthy fats. Granolas that contained natural or artificial sweeteners did not make the list, not because all such products are unhealthy, but because these are ambiguous terms that make analysis difficult. Finally, organic products were given a leg up, but this classification was certainly not required.

If you want to completely avoid added sugar, you might opt for muesli, granola's cousin, instead. Nevertheless, most of the granolas on this list contain only small amounts of unrefined sweeteners like maple syrup. And having loved many of these brands for years, I can vouch for the fact that these granolas are subtly sweet and overtly nourishing — exactly what granola should be.

Sustainability and nutrition join hands in Seven Sundays' Bright Side Granola, as evidenced by ingredients like sorghum flakes and upcycled oat protein. Sorghum is an ancient grain that's rich in protein and drought-tolerant, so you might be seeing a lot more of it in the near future. And if you're wondering what the heck is upcycled oat protein, the answer is not as grungy as the name suggests. Rather, it's dried oat pulp leftover from making oat milk, and its flavor doesn't assault the palate like some other forms of protein. In fact, Seven Sundays contributed one of the best-tasting high-protein cereals in a fellow writer's taste test.

The brand's Bright Side Gluten-Free Granola is likewise delicious, and it's packed with seeds, dried fruits, and nuts. In addition to pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, chia seeds and flaxseeds are present, both of which are less common in granolas. As for the dried fruits, we're not just talking about raisins; this granola contains dried strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, giving it unique flavors. And while the almonds are plentiful, so are the chunky pecans.

It's lightly sweetened with dates and maple syrup and has only 2 grams of added sugar per ½-cup serving. Each serving also provides 6 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and 10% of your daily iron needs.

You're probably not going to find Kroma Super Granola on the shelves of a budget grocery store like Food Lion. But you can easily find it online, and the higher price tag may be worth it if you're looking for bold ingredients that aren't typically found in store-bought granola.

Hemp seeds, goji berries, mulberries, black sesame seeds, and maca are all present in this product. Each of these ingredients has been dubbed superfoods. Some are lauded for their essential fatty acids or diverse antioxidant profile, while others are known to be high in iron or vitamin C. Beyond their health benefits, these ingredients provide distinct flavors and textures that make this granola especially memorable. Goji berries, for instance, are chewy, tart, and earthy. Meanwhile, maca, one of my favorite superfoods, is nutty, malty, and mildly sweet.

The nutrition label on this granola is admirable. Each ¼-cup serving has only 2 grams of added sugar — courtesy of both maple syrup and coconut sugar. There's quite a bit of iron, too, especially if you go back for seconds; just one serving provides 6% of your daily needs. With 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of dietary fiber in every serving, you're setting yourself up for a great day ahead. Note, however, that because this granola is made with coconut oil, its saturated fat content is slightly higher than some of its competitors.

This isn't the first time that the Cardamom Crunch Granola from Simple Trail has received high acclaim. It's celebrated for being lightly spiced and sweetened, while also sporting a spectacular range of textures. This product isn't going to taste like other store-bought granolas that have been sitting on the shelves for months; it doesn't even contain any preservatives to make long-term storage possible. It's made by hand with fully organic, gluten-free ingredients.

In addition to cardamom, vanilla and cinnamon provide natural sweetness in this granola. That means only a dash of maple syrup is required for texture and flavor. Each ⅓-cup serving only has 4 grams of added sugar. A variety of nutritional superstars complement the sweetness. There are four types of seeds: sunflower, pumpkin, chia, and flax. They lend themselves to a fantastic dietary fiber content of 3 grams per serving (11% of your recommended daily intake). Each serving also has 5 grams of protein and meets 8% of your recommended daily iron intake, boosted by ingredients like oats and buckwheat. Though baked with coconut oil, this granola's saturated fat content is only 2 grams per serving, which is less than many of its competitors.

A handful of this granola is delightful on its own, but there are many ways to upgrade a store-bought granola like this one to amplify its nutritional benefits. I suggest pairing it with apples or pears, each of which plays beautifully with spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Michele's Almond Butter Granola, when eaten alongside yogurt and fruit, can fill you up and help you power through your morning. This brand produces several highly rated granola flavors, like cinnamon raisin and the original granola with almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut, and vanilla. But it's the almond butter variety that I chose to feature because it's a great source of healthy fats, protein, and magnesium.

This granola is chunky, which will please Purely Elizabeth fans. Each ¼-cup serving contains 5 grams of added sugar, making this one of the sweeter products on the list. However, compared to other brands' products, you won't need as large of a bowl to stop your belly from rumbling. Along with almond butter and almonds, unsweetened coconut, ground flax, and sunflower seeds add fat to this granola. For the most part, these fats are healthy, though coconut does have a notably high saturated fat content. Still, this granola is baked in expeller-pressed canola oil, not coconut oil, which keeps the saturated fat content relatively low.

Michele's Almond Butter Granola is gluten-free, and most of the ingredients are organic. I love this one atop smoothie bowls or eaten by the handful.

Ever had granola made with olive oil? This heart-healthy and antioxidant-rich ingredient is somewhat rare in the granola world, but that doesn't mean it's not a welcome addition! Early Bird Farmhand's Choice Granola stands out for its subtly savory, herbaceous, and fruity flavors from the olive oil, but it's still a sweet product, thanks to the addition of maple syrup and light brown sugar. But don't worry; it's not too sweet, with only 4 grams of added sugar per ¼-cup serving.

This granola is somewhat lower in calories than many of its competitors, but it's still packed with nutrients from gluten-free rolled oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, and coconut chips. Many of these same ingredients are present in this homemade crunchy granola recipe, so if this product floats your boat, try saving a few bucks and making it yourself.

A ¼-cup serving provides 4% of your recommended daily iron intake, 1 gram of dietary fiber, and 2 grams of protein per portion. Unsurprisingly, this granola is known for being crispy and crunchy, as well as a bit salty, so you might like it atop a slice of toast with nut butter.

It's true that Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Seed + Flax Granola is one of the only products on this list with cane sugar in the ingredients list, but there's still only 5 grams of added sugar per ⅓-cup serving. Plus, it and all the other ingredients are fully organic. Brown rice syrup and molasses join cane sugar as supplementary sweeteners, while the former ingredient also lends a smoky, toffee-like flavor to the granola.

Other ingredients include whole grain rolled oats, brown rice flour, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, sea salt, rice starch, and cinnamon. The oil of choice is soy, meaning this granola has a relatively low saturated fat content compared to its competitors (1 gram per serving, compared to 2 to 3 grams per serving for other brands). Meanwhile, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — which are essential for aspects of health like cardiovascular well-being and muscle function — are present in good amounts. And in case you were wondering, this granola is a good source of fiber and iron.

If you're looking for a sweeter dessert granola, I'm a fan of Nature's Path Organic Love Crunch line, which is arguably one of the best granolas on the market. The Dark Chocolate and Red Berries flavor is heavenly. Or, if you're shopping at Costco, you can get the Ancient Grains Granola in bulk as part of a collaboration between Kirkland Signature and Nature's Path Organic.

What's better than organic oats? Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) oats. That's what Grandy Organics uses in its Ancient Grain Granola, alongside other fully organic ingredients like buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth (which are technically pseudocereals, but tend to be grouped into the ancient grains category). Another unusual ingredient in this granola is cassava root, which is celebrated for its high vitamin C content and complex carbohydrates that provide steady energy. All these additions not only give this granola a nutritional boost but they also ensure that each mouthful is packed with different flavors and textures. I especially love how tiny granules of quinoa lend the granola a crunchier texture.

Alongside these very intentionally selected ingredients are a few more familiar ones. For starters, this granola is baked with sunflower oil. That means it doesn't contain much saturated fat, and because it's high-oleic sunflower oil, the product has a higher percentage of monounsaturated fats. Finally, while cane sugar and oat syrup solids are used to sweeten this granola, there are only 3 grams of added sugar per ¼-cup serving.

Though they might not directly impact your health, Grandy Organics' environmental initiatives are worth noting, too. The brand doesn't stop at using ROC oats; it also produces its granolas at a bakery that has been solar-powered since 2015. That makes this granola a great choice both for your health and the health of the planet.

For this article, I included both boutique granolas that are primarily sold at specialty stores or online as well as products that are widely available in grocery stores across the country. As long as a granola was low in added sugar (ideally, but not necessarily, from unrefined sweeteners), it was fair game. However, other factors, like how much fiber, protein, and saturated fat a granola had were also considered. When referring to recommended daily intake, I used the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) guidance. Individual needs vary, especially between age groups and biological sexes. None of these granolas contained artificial sweeteners, artificial or natural flavors, or artificial colors. I gave priority to granolas with organic ingredients, though that was not a must-have.

I only featured one product per brand, though some brands offer multiple healthful products worth trying. Finally, I ensured that, beyond nutrition, the quality of each of these granolas was backed up by glowing customer reviews that attest to their wonderful flavors. I've also tried many of them myself.