The Best Low FODMAP Granola Bars for Happy Guts

The low-FODMAP diet is a popular diet for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) that helps manage uncomfortable digestive symptoms such as bloating and gas. Unfortunately, it is a restrictive diet and limits many foods including wheat, milk, garlic, onion, processed sugars, beans, and many fruits, vegetables and nuts. These extensive restrictions can make shopping for food and choosing what to eat very difficult! It can make selecting pre-made snacks and foods with multiple ingredients especially challenging. In particular, finding low FODMAP granola bars can be difficult since many of them contain processed sugars (honey, agave or high fructose corn syrup), wheat, dried fruit and nuts. Bars with added fiber often contain chicory root or inulin, which are high FODMAP ingredients.

The goods news is that due to the popularity of the low FODMAP diet (and the prevalence of IBS) more and more food manufacturers are catering to a low FODMAP audience, and there are now some low FODMAP granola bars available for purchase.

Low FODMAP Granola Bars

If you want to skip the hassle of reading ingredients, you can order from certified low FODMAP brands FODY or Rachel Pauls Food. FODY carries 4 different low FODMAP granola bar options (blueberry almond, peanut butter chocolate quinoa, dark chocolate nuts and sea salt, and almond coconut). FODY products are available on their website, well.ca or amazon. Rachel Paul’s Happy Bars come in 6 certified low FODMAP flavours (banana chocolate glee, chocolate chip delight, oatmeal raisin bliss, orange chocolate ecstasy, peanut chocolate euphoria and peanut maple pleasure). You can order Happy Bars directly from the Rachel Paul’s Foods website.

Other, non low FODMAP-certified brands, also carry low FODMAP bars which may be more readily available, have preferred ingredients or flavours, or may be less expensive. Examples include GoMacro and Nature Valley, both of which carry granola bars that are low FODMAP in certain flavours.

Here are a list of the specific GoMacro and Nature Valley granola bar flavours that are low FODMAP:

Low FODMAP GoMacro bar flavours:

• Note: these bars have been certified low FODMAP by FODMAP friendly
• Note 2: all MacroBar mini flavours are also certified low FODMAP (not listed)
  • Banana and almond butter
  • Almond butter and carob
  • Peanut butter
  • Mocha chocolate chip
  • Sunflower butter and chocolate
  • Coconut almond butter and chocolate chip
  • Dark chocolate and almonds
  • Granola and coconut

Low FODMAP Nature Valley Crunch Granola bars:

• Peanut Butter Crunchy
• Cinnamon Crunchy
• Pecan Crunchy (low-to-moderate FODMAP)
• Roasted Almond Crunchy (low-to-moderate FODMAP)

GoMacro bars are seed and nut butter-based granola bars. GoMacro bars are made from sustainably-sourced ingredients, and they are certified organic, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, soy-free and non-GMO, making them a great option for many people with food intolerances or dietary restrictions. Personally, I love the taste of GoMacro bars and feel that they contain high quality ingredients and are generally one of the best options for pre-made bars on the market.

From a convenience perspective, you can’t beat Nature Valley bars! They are readily available at most grocery stores and even convenience stores. Nutritionally, I would give GoMacro and FODY bars a slight edge, however the Nature Valley bars are tasty and a fraction of the price.

Homemade is always an option too! Try searching for ‘low fodmap granola bar recipe’. This recipe and this recipe (scroll to the bottom of page) are both good options created by Canadian dietitians! Most of the recipes use peanut butter, maple syrup, oats and dark chocolate. For more variety you could try adding some low FODMAP add-in ingredients like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, puffed rice cereal, and dried cranberries.

The low FODMAP diet is undoubtedly challenging, and can make eating-on-the-go particularly difficult. On a positive note, with the increased prevalence of IBS and awareness of the low FODMAP diet, low FODMAP products are more and more common. There are some good options for premade granola bars that are not only low FODMAP, but tasty and have pretty good quality ingredients!