A lot of granola bars on the market are packed full of unnecessary refined sugars that can actually do more harm than good. The best part?

These healthy homemade granola bars are refined sugar-free. Refined sugar, on the other hand, is derived from sugar cane or sugar beets.

These are processed to extract the sugar that is then turned into the white and brown sugars that we typically use in baking. Natural sweeteners, like maple syrup, are processed better by the body. They break down more slowly, helping you to feel full faster and therefore consume less overall calories.

Oats are also at the heart of this recipe. This ancient grain boasts a lot of health benefits including weight loss, a lower risk of heart disease, and lower blood sugar levels.

This is because oats are full of antioxidants, fiber, and have more protein and healthy fats than most other grains. Your email address will not be published.

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by Lindsay Viker on Jun 6, 0 comments » Jump to Recipe. This post may include links to purchase items from our affiliates.

Refined Sugar-Free Free These healthy homemade granola bars are refined sugar-free. Health Benefits of Oats Oats are also at the heart of this recipe.

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe Tips Use dairy-free milk for a vegan version of this recipe. Add in the chocolate chips before baking for another way to use the chocolate. Customize the recipe by changing the nut butter and adding different ingredients such as dried fruit and nuts.

The possibilities are endless! Store in an airtight container in the fridge. For example, one study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that substituting healthy sweeteners in — including blackstrap molasses, maple syrup and honey — can increase your antioxidant intake and offer other benefits.

What is the healthiest sugar substitute to use? Benefits of sugar substitutes vary, but one thing they all have in common: They come from nature.

Natural sweeteners or non-nutritive sweeteners are those that may contain calories depending on the kind and also usually supply some nutrients. Honey, maple syrup and molasses, for example, all contain beneficial components, such as enzymes, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates, that the human body knows how to process.

Certain natural sweeteners like banana puree and date paste provide health benefits, such as encouraging healthy blood pressure and reducing cholesterol levels and heart disease risk, thanks to their fiber content.

How many calories do sugar substitutes have? Raw honey is a true superfood and one of the best natural sweeteners. Together, these essential nutrients help neutralize free radicals while promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract.

One tablespoon of raw honey or manuka honey has less impact on glycemic load than a single banana. Once pasteurized, honey loses many of its benefits, so look for raw ideally local honey at farmers markets and directly from local beekeepers. Drizzle it on breakfast cereals, over your sprouted grain toast, on yogurt and for salad dressings.

Many people only think of using honey in their tea, but honey is one of the best natural sweeteners for coffee too. One thing to note: If you enjoy honey in your tea or coffee, wait until the drink is just tepid enough to sip comfortably, and then add honey to taste.

Stevia is native to South America and has been used for hundreds of years in that region to support healthy blood sugar levels and prompt weight loss. Stevioside is the element in the leaves that makes it more than times as sweet as sugar.

It has zero calories, zero carbohydrates and none of the nasty side effects of artificial sweeteners. Stevia is related to the sunflower, and some people experience a slight metallic aftertaste. If that has been your experience with stevia in the past, try a brand that is higher in the steviosides.

Stevia and erythritol are typically the top sugar substitute recommendations for people following a ketogenic diet. Unlike raw honey, stevia is heat-stable, so feel free to use it in any way you desire. Dates provide potassium, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium and vitamin B6. From the date palm tree, they are easily digested and help metabolize proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Evidence shows that dates may help reduce LDL cholesterol in the blood and may reduce the risk of stroke. The first step is to make a paste.

Date paste can be used one-to-one in most recipes, unlike stevia, and it does add bulk for baking. Soak Medjool dates in hot water until soft. Add the soaked dates to your food processor, along with one tablespoon of the soaking liquid. You are looking for the consistency of peanut butter. Use in your favorite cookie or cake recipe to cut out refined sugar and boost the nutrients.

You can also use date paste to sweeten your favorite muffins and pies. For fruit pies, mix 1—1½ cups of puree with four cups of fruit, and bake as normal.

Most people have heard about the benefits of coconut water , coconut milk, coconut flour and, of course, fresh coconut.

Now, more and more people are using coconut sugar as their natural sweetener of choice because of its low glycemic load and rich mineral content. Packed with polyphenols, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, antioxidants, phosphorous and other phytonutrients, coconut sugar is versatile and now readily available.

Coconut sugar is extracted sap from the blooms of the coconut and then heated. Next, through evaporation, we get coconut sugar. Date sugar made from dried dates and coconut sugar are often used interchangeably in recipes because they provide similar flavor.

Both are great sugar substitutes for baking. Use coconut sugar in your favorite recipes, for it measures just like traditional sugar. Add the amount of sugar called for in a recipe to your food processor, and give it a whirl until you get the desired texture.

For every cup of coconut sugar, add one tablespoon of arrowroot powder, and blend until smooth in a clean coffee grinder or high-powered food processor.

Native to North America, maple syrup comes in both grades A and B. While time-consuming, maple syrup processing requires only four steps: drilling the hole in the tree, hanging a bucket to catch the sap, boiling to evaporate out the water and then filtering of any sediment.

Rich with antioxidants, this all-natural sweetener helps neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative damage. Select darker, grade B maple syrups, as they contain more beneficial antioxidants than the lighter syrups. Maple syrup is heat-stable, so you can use it in virtually any application.

Add it to marinades, glazes or sauces, and use for baking. For a glaze for cookies or cakes, heat until just barely simmering, and add the coconut-powdered sugar from above.

Stir until smooth, allow to cool to room temperature and then drizzle away. Organic blackstrap molasses is highly nutritious, rich in copper, calcium, iron, potassium, manganese, selenium and vitamin B6.

Sugarcane and beet molasses have been shown to have the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity when compared with refined sugar, beet sugar, rape honey, corn syrup and dates.

There are several types of molasses, depending on which level of processing it has gone through. Blackstrap molasses comes from the third boiling, concentrating its nutrients and providing for its deep rich flavor. Molasses has a unique, rich flavor. It may not be appealing for some to use for topping toast, porridges or other concentrated applications.

You can even make a brown sugar alternative by adding two tablespoons of molasses for each ½ cup coconut sugar a recipe calls for. Put the coconut sugar and the molasses in a food processor, and pulse until the consistency of commercial brown sugar is reached.

Balsamic vinegar is rich in antioxidants that destroy free radicals and the enzyme pepsin that helps promote healthy digestion and tastes great. Balsamic glazes are available in natural health food and gourmet stores, but you can also quickly make your own glaze at home.

Drizzle the glaze over grilled wild-caught salmon, raw cheese or even fresh berries to bring a natural sweetness and a bit of a tang. Bananas are rich in fiber and potassium and a good source of vitamins B6 and C.

They are also naturally sweet with a subtle flavor, making them a perfect natural sweetener. First, over-ripe bananas are the best to use when replacing refined sugar in recipes. They are sweeter and puree well. To make the puree, add bananas to a food processor with a tablespoon of water, and blend.

Add more water if necessary to reach the consistency of thick applesauce. As bananas brown when exposed to air, use as quickly as possible in recipes. If you are using banana puree in raw preparations, add one teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to the food processor to help slow the oxidation process.

Brown rice syrup starts with brown rice that is fermented with enzymes to break down the starch. The liquid is then heated until the syrup consistency is achieved.

The result? A thick, amber-colored, sweet syrup perfect for recipes calling for corn syrup and other unhealthy sweeteners. The fermented process helps break down the sugars into ones that are easily digestible.

The fermenting process is key. Some brown rice syrups are fermented with barley enzymes, meaning it contains gluten. As mentioned above, brown rice syrup is the perfect replacement in recipes that call for corn syrup.

Use a one-to-one ratio. To replace regularly processed white sugar, use one cup for each cup of sugar called for, and decrease liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup. Use brown rice syrup to make healthy granola bars and granola, nut clusters, and to sweeten nut and fruit pies.

I look out a window to the backyard, a cardinal lands in my direct view. Not off to the side, not high up in a tree — straight within my line of vision. Hey, maybe the cardinals have just been trying to sneak a peek at my latest recipe that resembles bird food — Homemade Chewy Granola Bars!

ready because these low sugar, nutrient dense, absolutely YUMMY granola bars are off the chain! Far from the sugary, store-bought granola bars that leave you satisfied for maybe 5 minutes, Homemade Chewy Granola Bars are gluten free, packed with healthy fats and protein, and naturally sweetened with a wee bit of honey.

They are SO dang delicious and my kids and I gobble them up. That said, the secret ingredient, along with all the other ingredients in this recipe, are kitchen staples so we can whip these granola bars up anytime.

Start by adding almonds , pecan halves, and gluten free old fashioned oats to the bowl of a food processor, then process until all the ingredients are finely chopped. Pour the mixture into a large bowl then add more oats, almonds, and pecans, plus dried cranberries or dried cherries, chia seeds and cinnamon.

Over on the stovetop, add honey, coconut oil, and salt to a small saucepan then bring to a foamy bubble over medium heat.

Let the mixture foam and cook for 1 minute then remove it from the heat and stir in almond and vanilla extracts. The almond extract is the secret ingredient in this recipe, by the way.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients then mix well to combine. Scoop the mixture into a foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed 8×8 baking pan then spray the bottom of a glass measuring cup with more nonstick spray and press press press!!

The harder you press the better these bars will stick together. These bars will soften at room temperature so keep them in the fridge, or wrap in parchment paper or saran wrap and freeze individually.

However you eat them them, I hope you love these homemade chewy granola bars! Gluten free and kid friendly, they're a great, low-sugar option for snack time. sign me up for free recipes delivered straight to my inbox! Your email address will never be sold or published. Penny Thank you either way, and keep up the great work!!!!????????

Linda To add to my previous comment: Is it common knowledge that quickly blanching your dried fruits, such as raisins, cranberries and dates, plumps them up, restores a bit of moisture, and really improves the texture of your baked goods and bars like these?

High in fiber, promoting digestive health and aiding in weight management. Packed with minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium, essential for bone health and energy production.

Sunflower Seeds: Abundant in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that protects cells from damage and supports immune function. Provide healthy fats, including linoleic acid, which is crucial for brain health and reducing inflammation.

Contain phytosterols that may help lower cholesterol levels. Good source of selenium, supporting thyroid function and promoting DNA repair. Pumpkin Seeds: Rich in magnesium, promoting proper muscle and nerve function, as well as supporting bone health. High in antioxidants, including vitamin E and carotenoids, which help reduce inflammation and protect against chronic diseases.

Contain tryptophan, which aids in the production of serotonin, promoting relaxation and better sleep.

Provide zinc, crucial for immune function, hormone regulation, and skin health Almonds: Yes, Almonds are a seed! Healthy benefits in Coconut oil.

What Sweeteners to use. Using honey and maple syrup as sweeteners can offer a few benefits compared to refined sugar: Honey: Nutritional content: Honey contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can vary depending on the type of honey.

These include vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and various beneficial plant compounds. Natural energy boost: Honey is primarily composed of carbohydrates, including glucose and fructose, making it a source of quick energy. Potential health benefits: Some studies suggest that honey may have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

It has been used for centuries in traditional medicine for various purposes. Flavor and versatility: Honey adds a distinct sweet taste to dishes and can enhance flavors in both sweet and savory recipes. It is available in different varieties with unique flavors and characteristics.

Maple Syrup: Natural and unprocessed: Maple syrup is derived from the sap of maple trees, making it a minimally processed and natural sweetener option. Unique flavor profile: Maple syrup has a rich, distinctive taste that adds depth and complexity to recipes. Contains beneficial compounds: While maple syrup is still a sweetener, it contains small amounts of minerals like manganese, zinc, and calcium.

It also contains antioxidants, particularly in darker grades of syrup. Sustainable and local sourcing: Maple syrup production is often associated with sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

It can be sourced locally in areas where maple trees grow. Benefits of dried fruit. Here are some benefits of including dried fruit in your granola bar recipe: Natural Sweetness: Dried fruits, such as raisins, dates, cranberries, or apricots, add natural sweetness to your granola bars without the need for excessive amounts of added sugars.

These healthy Granola bars are packed with nutrition and delicious flavour! Made with seeds, dried fruit, honey and maple syrup. They hold together nicely and do not require freezing! Print Recipe Pin Recipe.

Course Snack. Cinnamon 1 tsp. Preheat oven to degrees. Line x11 baking trays with sides with parchment paper. Keyword healthy granola. Side effects of of consuming too much sugars include diabetes, tooth decay , obesity, heart disease, certain types of cancer and even poor cognitive functioning.

So what is a good natural sweetener and the best alternative to sugar then? Fortunately, there are many sugar substitutes that are healthy and tasty alternatives to refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.

Natural sweeteners can actually provide nutrients and therefore boost health. For example, one study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that substituting healthy sweeteners in — including blackstrap molasses, maple syrup and honey — can increase your antioxidant intake and offer other benefits.

What is the healthiest sugar substitute to use? Benefits of sugar substitutes vary, but one thing they all have in common: They come from nature. Natural sweeteners or non-nutritive sweeteners are those that may contain calories depending on the kind and also usually supply some nutrients.

Honey, maple syrup and molasses, for example, all contain beneficial components, such as enzymes, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates, that the human body knows how to process. Certain natural sweeteners like banana puree and date paste provide health benefits, such as encouraging healthy blood pressure and reducing cholesterol levels and heart disease risk, thanks to their fiber content.

How many calories do sugar substitutes have? Raw honey is a true superfood and one of the best natural sweeteners. Together, these essential nutrients help neutralize free radicals while promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract.

One tablespoon of raw honey or manuka honey has less impact on glycemic load than a single banana. Once pasteurized, honey loses many of its benefits, so look for raw ideally local honey at farmers markets and directly from local beekeepers.

Drizzle it on breakfast cereals, over your sprouted grain toast, on yogurt and for salad dressings. Many people only think of using honey in their tea, but honey is one of the best natural sweeteners for coffee too. One thing to note: If you enjoy honey in your tea or coffee, wait until the drink is just tepid enough to sip comfortably, and then add honey to taste.

Stevia is native to South America and has been used for hundreds of years in that region to support healthy blood sugar levels and prompt weight loss. Stevioside is the element in the leaves that makes it more than times as sweet as sugar.

It has zero calories, zero carbohydrates and none of the nasty side effects of artificial sweeteners. Stevia is related to the sunflower, and some people experience a slight metallic aftertaste. If that has been your experience with stevia in the past, try a brand that is higher in the steviosides.

Stevia and erythritol are typically the top sugar substitute recommendations for people following a ketogenic diet. Unlike raw honey, stevia is heat-stable, so feel free to use it in any way you desire. Dates provide potassium, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium and vitamin B6. From the date palm tree, they are easily digested and help metabolize proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Evidence shows that dates may help reduce LDL cholesterol in the blood and may reduce the risk of stroke. The first step is to make a paste. Date paste can be used one-to-one in most recipes, unlike stevia, and it does add bulk for baking.

Soak Medjool dates in hot water until soft. Add the soaked dates to your food processor, along with one tablespoon of the soaking liquid. You are looking for the consistency of peanut butter.

Use in your favorite cookie or cake recipe to cut out refined sugar and boost the nutrients. You can also use date paste to sweeten your favorite muffins and pies. For fruit pies, mix 1—1½ cups of puree with four cups of fruit, and bake as normal.

Most people have heard about the benefits of coconut water , coconut milk, coconut flour and, of course, fresh coconut. Now, more and more people are using coconut sugar as their natural sweetener of choice because of its low glycemic load and rich mineral content.

Packed with polyphenols, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, antioxidants, phosphorous and other phytonutrients, coconut sugar is versatile and now readily available. Coconut sugar is extracted sap from the blooms of the coconut and then heated. Next, through evaporation, we get coconut sugar.

Date sugar made from dried dates and coconut sugar are often used interchangeably in recipes because they provide similar flavor. Both are great sugar substitutes for baking.

Use coconut sugar in your favorite recipes, for it measures just like traditional sugar. Add the amount of sugar called for in a recipe to your food processor, and give it a whirl until you get the desired texture. For every cup of coconut sugar, add one tablespoon of arrowroot powder, and blend until smooth in a clean coffee grinder or high-powered food processor.

Native to North America, maple syrup comes in both grades A and B. While time-consuming, maple syrup processing requires only four steps: drilling the hole in the tree, hanging a bucket to catch the sap, boiling to evaporate out the water and then filtering of any sediment.

Rich with antioxidants, this all-natural sweetener helps neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative damage. Select darker, grade B maple syrups, as they contain more beneficial antioxidants than the lighter syrups. Maple syrup is heat-stable, so you can use it in virtually any application.

Add it to marinades, glazes or sauces, and use for baking. For a glaze for cookies or cakes, heat until just barely simmering, and add the coconut-powdered sugar from above.