Are Kind Bars Really Healthy (From a Nutritionist)?

Common ingredients in Kind Bars include nuts like almonds and peanuts, dried fruits like cranberries or cherries, whole grains like brown rice, oats, and millet, and pseudograins like buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa.

Different flavors have variations in their ingredient lists and nutritional profiles. You should read the ingredient list of any version you purchase for the most up-to-date information and key ingredients.

The bars contain added sugars like cane sugar and glucose syrup; some variations have honey for added flavor.

For the Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt flavor, the ingredients list is as follows (always be sure to check the label for the most current ingredients and allergen warnings):

The ingredients for KIND’s Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt bar are:

• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Chicory root fiber
• Honey
• Palm kernel oil
• Cane sugar
• Glucose syrup
• Rice flour
• Unsweetened chocolate
• Alkalized cocoa
• Sea salt
• Soy lecithin
• Natural flavor
• Cocoa butter

Let’s take a closer look at some of these main ingredients in Kind Bars and what they mean for your health.

Chicory root fiber is a prebiotic fiber extracted from the chicory plant’s root. It is rich in a natural vegetable fiber called inulin, a fructan with some health benefits, especially for gut health and blood sugar regulation.

The human body can’t digest inulin, so it acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial gut bacteria and boosting gut health. A healthy gut can reduce inflammation and improve mineral absorption. 

Chicory root fiber is often used as a supplement, food additive, or coffee alternative because of its taste and color.

Consuming chicory root fiber is generally safe, but sensitive people may experience minor side effects in the gastrointestinal system, including bloating, gas, or belching.

Glucose syrup is a processed sweetener and thickener that is also added to manufactured food products to retain moisture.

It is an additive widely used in commercial food production, mainly for candy, canned goods, premade baked goods, snack foods, beer, and fondant. 

Glucose syrup is not generally considered a healthy food option since it’s a highly processed, concentrated source of sugar and calories.

If you consume glucose syrup regularly (or products made with it), it can cause health problems like an increased risk of heart problems, high blood sugar, obesity, high blood pressure, and dental issues. 

Amaranth is a pseudocereal, like buckwheat and quinoa. Although it is known as one of the ancient grains, it is not actually a grain.

You can use amaranth in whole form or ground up into flour. It’s an excellent product for people who follow a grain-free or gluten-free diet. In flour form, you can use it in baking, or you can make a porridge or soup with it.

Amaranth has many potential health benefits.

Kind Bars contain palm kernel and canola, a type of seed oil.

Research shows that seed oils can cause chronic inflammation, leading to various health problems, including obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and autoimmune diseases. They are highly processed and mostly hydrogenated to boost shelf life. 

Hydrogenation increases trans fats, which can raise bad cholesterol and cause further health problems.

Besides hydrogenation, some manufacturers use processes that involve toxic solvents and high temperatures to extract oils from seeds, and there is a risk that remnants of these toxins will be in the final product. 

Kind Bars are convenient snacks for people on gluten-free or plant-based diets. Most of the variations are non-GMO and don’t contain trans fats.

These bars are also a good source of fiber. Many of the ingredients are real food ingredients that are not overly processed. Kind Bars do not have high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners.

Read my related review, “Is Skinny Pop Good For You?“

Although Kind Bars are convenient, they are an expensive snack with added sugars and some potentially unhealthy ingredients including natural flavors and industrial seed oils.

If you’re avoiding added sugar, this snack won’t be suitable.

Another potential con is that many of the variations contain allergens like tree nuts, peanuts, or soy. 

Some variations contain palm kernel oil and canola oil, controversial ingredients that may not be sustainably sourced and have associated health risks.

Kind Bars are convenient and contain some healthy, real food ingredients. They are more nutritious than candy bars. However, these bars also contain some unhealthy, processed ingredients and added sugars. While many other commercial snacks contain more harmful ingredients than Kind Bars, these snacks are still not the healthiest choice.

Kind Bars are also expensive, which gives you an even better reason to make healthier homemade bars using real food ingredients. Or, choose fresh fruits and nuts instead. 

You may also want to check out my article, “Are Fig Bars Healthy?“