Is Fruit & Grain Soft Baked Bar Gluten Free?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I always look past the marketing on the front of the box and go straight to the ingredient deck. For the Fruit & Grain Soft Baked Bar, the verdict is clear: it contains gluten. The primary culprit is the flour blend used to create the soft, cake-like texture of the bar.

First, the label lists enriched bleached flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid). This is the standard industrial term for white flour, which is derived entirely from wheat. It is the primary structural ingredient in the bar. To make matters worse, the label also explicitly lists wheat gluten in the leavening section. Manufacturers often add vital wheat gluten to baked goods to improve the chewiness and elasticity of the texture.

Furthermore, the presence of whole rolled oats introduces a secondary risk. While oats are naturally gluten-free, they are frequently processed in facilities that also handle wheat, barley, and rye. This leads to cross-contamination. Unless the oats are certified gluten-free (which is not claimed here), they are often considered unsafe for those with high sensitivity.

Finally, the ingredient soy lecithin is present. While lecithin is usually derived from soybeans, it can occasionally be sourced from sunflower or wheat. Given that wheat is already a primary ingredient, the presence of lecithin is just another flag to be aware of, though the wheat flour is the undeniable dealbreaker.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, the Fruit & Grain Soft Baked Bar is designed as an energy-dense snack rather than a nutrient-dense meal replacement. The primary macronutrient is carbohydrates, largely derived from sugar, fructose, and invert sugar. This triple threat of sweeteners provides a quick spike in blood glucose, which can be useful for a quick energy burst but less ideal for sustained satiety.

The bar does contain some fortification, listing a variety of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A palmitate, calcium carbonate, and zinc oxide. However, these synthetic additions do not outweigh the high sugar content. The fat content is relatively low, coming mostly from canola oil and soy lecithin, but the lack of significant fiber or protein means you may feel hungry again shortly after eating one.