No-bake oat bars without chicory root or sugar alcohols

Turn over a few snack bars sold as "gut-friendly" and you'll notice a pattern. Chicory root fiber near the top of the list. A sugar alcohol or two for sweetness with fewer grams of sugar. Maybe some soluble corn fiber to push the fiber number higher.

None of that is a problem for everyone. But if your afternoons already come with bloating, a bar built on fast-fermenting fiber and sugar alcohols can work against you. This version takes 15 minutes, needs no oven and uses ingredients you can read at a glance.

Why these two ingredients are left out

Chicory root fiber is mostly inulin. In a study of 26 healthy adults, 5 or 10 g of inulin or oligofructose at breakfast tended to increase digestive symptoms mildly, with gas the most common complaint, followed by bloating. The 10 g dose of oligofructose substantially increased symptoms compared with the control (Bonnema et al., 2010). Here's more on why inulin can backfire.

Sugar alcohols such as maltitol, sorbitol and xylitol are only partly absorbed. A systematic review found they cause dose-dependent gas, abdominal discomfort and laxative effects in healthy people and in people with IBS (Lenhart and Chey, 2017). Sugar-free chocolate is one place they show up. In one study, 59 healthy volunteers ate milk chocolate sweetened with maltitol, isomalt or lactitol, and symptoms rose with the dose for all three (Koutsou et al., 1996).

Ingredients (makes 10 bars)

• 2 cups (180 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (130 g) natural peanut butter or almond butter, ideally just nuts and salt
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (35 g) pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/4 cup (45 g) dark chocolate chips, optional
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water or milk of your choice, if needed

Steps

1. Prepare the pan. Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang so you can lift the bars out later.
2. Toast the oats, if you like. Spread them on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden. This step is optional but gives a nuttier flavor. Let them cool.
3. Warm the wet ingredients. In a small saucepan over low heat, stir the nut butter and maple syrup together for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
4. Combine. In a large bowl, mix the oats, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds. Pour in the warm mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated. If it looks crumbly, add water or milk one tablespoon at a time.
5. Add the chocolate. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes first so the chips don't melt, then fold them in.
6. Press firmly. Spread the mixture in the pan and press it down hard with the back of a measuring cup. Firm pressing is what keeps the bars from falling apart.
7. Chill and cut. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, lift out and cut into 10 bars.

Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or wrap them individually and freeze for longer storage.

Easy variations

• Swap the pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts.
• Use sunflower seed butter instead of nut butter for a nut-free version.
• Add 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut or a pinch of cardamom.
• For a less sweet bar, use 1/4 cup of maple syrup and an extra tablespoon of nut butter.

Label checks for your ingredients

• Chocolate chips: skip "sugar-free" versions unless you've checked for maltitol, erythritol or other "-itol" sweeteners.
• Nut butter: some "light" or "protein" versions add fibers or sweeteners. The shorter the list, the better for this recipe.
• Oats: if you need to avoid gluten, choose oats labeled gluten-free.
• Add-ins: a scoop of protein powder is a popular addition, but check it for inulin, chicory root and sugar alcohols first.

If you're not used to much fiber

Oats, chia and pumpkin seeds all bring fiber. If your usual diet is lower in fiber, start with half a bar and see how you feel, and drink water with it. A sudden jump in fiber of any kind can cause temporary gas while your gut adjusts.

When you buy a bar instead

1. Read the first three ingredients. They make up most of the bar.
2. Look for inulin, chicory root fiber, FOS and oligofructose.
3. Look for "-itol" names and isomalt.
4. Be wary of a very high fiber number paired with very little sugar. It can mean added fibers and sugar alcohols are doing the work.

Sources

1. Bonnema AL, Kolberg LW, Thomas W, Slavin JL. Gastrointestinal tolerance of chicory inulin products. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110(6):865-8. PMID 20497775
2. Lenhart A, Chey WD. A systematic review of the effects of polyols on gastrointestinal health and irritable bowel syndrome. Adv Nutr. 2017;8(4):587-596. PMID 28710145
3. Koutsou GA, Storey DM, Lee A, et al. Dose-related gastrointestinal response to the ingestion of either isomalt, lactitol or maltitol in milk chocolate. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1996;50(1):17-21. PMID 8617186

This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. If you have a food allergy, celiac disease or a digestive condition, check with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian about ingredients that suit you.