Nature’s Bakery fig bars are a moderately healthy snack, better than most packaged cookies or granola bars but not as nutritious as whole fruit or nuts. They’re made with whole wheat flour and real fig paste, contain no artificial colors or flavors, and are plant-based. The trade-off is that they contain multiple added sweeteners, which puts them squarely in the “better-for-you treat” category rather than a genuinely health-forward food.
What’s Actually in a Fig Bar
The first ingredient in Nature’s Bakery’s original fig bar is stone ground whole wheat flour, which is a good sign. Whole grain flour retains the bran and germ, giving you more fiber and nutrients than refined white flour. The bar also contains rolled oats, oat fiber, and a second type of whole wheat flour, so the grain base is solid.
The sweetener picture is more complex. Three separate sweetening ingredients appear on the label: dried cane sugar, brown rice syrup, and glycerin. Fig paste also contributes natural sugars. Using multiple sweeteners is a common industry technique that keeps any single one from appearing too high on the ingredient list, but the combined effect is the same: a bar with a noticeable sugar load. Canola oil rounds out the major ingredients, along with sea salt, baking soda, and natural flavor.
There are no artificial colors or artificial flavors. The bars do contain ammonia-free caramel color, which is considered a lower-concern additive. The products are Non-GMO Project Verified, plant-based, nut-free, and dairy-free.
How the Nutrition Stacks Up
A single twin-pack fig bar (the standard serving you’d grab from a box) delivers roughly 200 calories. That’s reasonable for a snack, comparable to a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter. The fiber content benefits from the whole grain base, and you get a small amount of protein, though not enough to keep you full on its own.
The sugar content is where these bars lose points. A serving contains both naturally occurring sugars from the fig paste and added sugars from cane sugar and brown rice syrup. For context, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day for women and 36 grams for men. A single serving of these bars takes a meaningful bite out of that daily budget. If you’re watching sugar intake for blood sugar management or weight loss, this matters.
The fat content is modest and comes primarily from canola oil, with no trans fats. There’s very little saturated fat. Sodium is low. Overall, the macronutrient profile is carbohydrate-heavy, which is typical for fruit-and-grain bars.
The Gluten-Free Line Is Different
Nature’s Bakery also makes a certified gluten-free version of their fig bars, and the ingredients are significantly different from the original. Instead of whole wheat flour, the gluten-free bars use a blend called “Smart flour” made from tapioca flour, teff flour, sorghum flour, and amaranth flour. These carry GFCO (Gluten-Free Certification Organization) certification, which requires independent testing to verify gluten levels below 10 parts per million, stricter than the FDA’s 20 ppm threshold.
Teff and amaranth are nutrient-dense ancient grains with good mineral profiles, so the gluten-free version isn’t nutritionally empty. However, tapioca flour is essentially a refined starch, so the overall fiber and protein content may differ from the whole wheat version. If you’re choosing gluten-free for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, these are a well-certified option. If you don’t need to avoid gluten, the original whole wheat version likely offers a slight nutritional edge.
How They Compare to Other Snack Bars
Nature’s Bakery fig bars sit in a middle tier among packaged snack bars. They’re clearly better than something like a Pop-Tart or a candy-coated granola bar. They have fewer ingredients, use whole grains, and skip artificial additives. But they don’t compete with bars built around nuts, seeds, and minimal sweeteners, which tend to offer more protein, healthy fats, and fiber with less sugar.
Compared to Nutri-Grain bars, Nature’s Bakery uses whole wheat flour instead of enriched flour, which is a meaningful upgrade. Compared to a Larabar (which typically contains just dates and nuts), Nature’s Bakery has more processed ingredients and added sweeteners but is nut-free, which matters for people with allergies or for school lunchboxes.
Who Benefits Most From These Bars
Nature’s Bakery fig bars work well as a convenient, portable snack for kids’ lunches, pre-workout fuel, or a road trip option when the alternative is fast food or a candy bar. They’re a practical choice for households managing nut allergies, since they’re produced without tree nuts or peanuts. The plant-based, dairy-free formulation also makes them accessible for people with common food sensitivities.
They’re less ideal if your goal is high-protein snacking, blood sugar stability, or keeping added sugar low. Pairing a fig bar with a handful of nuts or a cheese stick adds protein and fat that slow digestion and keep you satisfied longer. On their own, the carbohydrate-heavy profile can leave you hungry again within an hour or two.
The bottom line: Nature’s Bakery bars are a genuinely better packaged snack, not a health food. They make smart use of whole grains and real fruit, but the multiple added sweeteners keep them in the treat category. Eating one as an occasional snack is perfectly fine. Relying on them as a daily staple is where the sugar adds up.