Quaker Simply vs Nature Valley Protein Granola: Which Wins?
A classic granola against a "protein" granola — and a clean illustration of what that protein label actually costs. Nature Valley doubles the protein, but it buys it with added soy isolate and the heaviest added-sugar load in our granola set. Quaker Simply counters with more fiber, far less sodium, and a lighter sugar load. Both are calorie-dense; the serving-size caveat applies to each. Every number below is pulled live from each product's graded fact sheet.
The short answer
Quaker Simply Granola is the cleaner pick and the higher grade. Its edge is a standout 7 g of fiber per serving, near-zero sodium (34.7 mg), and a lighter added-sugar load (8.98 g). It's a sweetened cereal — sugar is still the third ingredient — but it's the more balanced bowl.
Nature Valley Protein Granola is the pick only if a high protein number is the single thing you're optimizing for. It delivers a genuine 13 g of protein per serving — nearly double Quaker's — but from soy protein isolate, and it pairs that with 15 g of added sugar (the heaviest in our set) and 170 mg of sodium.
On the v3 Labelgrade scale, Quaker Simply scores B+ (80/100) and Nature Valley scores B- (71/100). Nature Valley wins protein; Quaker wins almost everything else.
Side-by-side
| Quaker Simply | Nature Valley Protein | |
|---|---|---|
| Labelgrade | B+ 80 / 100 | B- 71 / 100 |
| Serving size | 68 g | 65 g |
| Protein per serving | 7 g | 13 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 10.3 g | 20 g |
| Calories per serving | 270 | 270 |
| Calories per g protein | 38.6 | 20.8 |
| Total sugar | 16 g | 16 g |
| Added sugar | 8.98 g | 15 g |
| Fiber per serving | 7 g | 4.03 g |
| Fiber per 100 g | 10.3 g | 6.2 g |
| Saturated fat per serving | 1 g | 1 g |
| Sodium per serving | 34.7 mg | 170 mg |
| Protein source | Whole grains + almonds | Soy protein isolate |
| Protein density grade | C+ | B+ |
| Ingredient quality grade | B | C+ |
| Sugar grade | C | D |
| Saturated fat grade | A | A |
| Sodium grade | A+ | B- |
| Fiber grade | A+ | B- |
Where Quaker Simply wins
- Far more fiber. 7 g per serving vs Nature Valley's 4.03 g — about 25% of a day's fiber in one bowl, and a perfect A+ on the fiber dimension vs B-. The fiber comes from whole-grain oats and wheat doing real work, and it's the single best reason granola earns any health credit.
- Much less sodium. 34.7 mg per serving vs Nature Valley's 170 mg — effectively a rounding error against Nature Valley's moderate load. That's the difference between an A+ and a B- on the sodium dimension.
- Lighter added sugar. 8.98 g of added sugar vs Nature Valley's 15 g. Same total sugar on the label, but more of Quaker's comes naturally from raisins — enough to grade C on sugar vs Nature Valley's D.
- Cleaner protein source. Its protein comes from whole grains and almonds rather than an isolate, which earns a better ingredient-quality grade (B vs C+).
Where Nature Valley wins
- Nearly double the protein. 13 g per serving (20 g per 100 g) vs Quaker's 7 g (10.3 g) — a genuine B+ on protein density and enough to clear the FDA "high in protein" bar. If your complaint about granola is that it's all carbs and no staying power, this fixes it.
- Better protein efficiency. Because of that protein, it's 20.8 calories per gram of protein vs Quaker's 38.6 — the more protein-efficient bowl, calorie for calorie.
- Complete, well-absorbed protein. Soy protein isolate is a knock on label cleanliness, not on function — it's a complete protein that digests well. The macro it adds is real.
- Same low saturated fat. 1 g per serving, matching Quaker — both grade in the A band on saturated fat.
Where it's a tie
- Total sugar on the label. Both list 16 g per serving — the difference is how much is added (8.98 g vs 15 g), not the headline total.
- Calories. 270 per serving each — both are calorie-dense granola, and both are easy to over-pour.
- Saturated fat. 1 g each, both low and both grading in the A band.
- The serving-size trap. Both list small servings (68 g and 65 g) that most people double in a real bowl — doubling everything in the panel along with it.
Which should you buy
Buy Quaker Simply if you want the more balanced, cleaner bowl — the fiber and near-zero sodium are best-in-class for the category, and the added sugar is the lighter of the two. It's the higher grade and the better everyday default, especially if you treat granola as a topping rather than the whole meal. Just remember it's still a sweetened cereal, not a diet food.
Buy Nature Valley Protein if a high protein number is the one thing you care about and you're willing to take the added sugar that comes with it. It's a legitimate way to get 13 g at breakfast in a convenient form. But go in clear-eyed: you're buying protein and 15 g of added sugar together, with more sodium and less fiber than Quaker.
If protein is really the goal, the cleaner path is usually to add your own — a scoop of protein powder into plain oats, or Greek yogurt with a lower-sugar granola on top — rather than paying for the sugar baked into a pre-sweetened "protein" formula. And whichever you choose, the portion is the thing that decides the calories: granola is dense, and the bowl is almost always bigger than the box says. We dig into that in your granola is dessert, and rank the whole category in the cereal report card.
How they were graded
Both products use the v3 6-dimension Labelgrade formula (see /methodology): protein density 23% + ingredient quality 21% + saturated fat 18% + sodium 15% + sugar 15% + fiber 8%. Quaker data from USDA FDC 2595406; Nature Valley data from USDA FDC 2745146. Every figure on this page is read live from each product's record at build time, so the numbers can't drift out of sync with the individual fact sheets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which granola has more protein — Quaker Simply or Nature Valley Protein?
Nature Valley, by a lot — that's its whole pitch. It lists 13 g per 65 g serving (20 g per 100 g), nearly double Quaker Simply's 7 g per 68 g (10.3 g per 100 g). But it doesn't grow that protein from nuts and seeds — soy protein isolate is the third ingredient. So the protein is real and well-absorbed, just added rather than whole-food.
Which has more sugar?
They list the same 16 g of total sugar per serving, but the added-sugar split is the real story. Nature Valley carries 15 g of added sugar — sugar is its second ingredient — while Quaker Simply has 8.98 g added, with the rest naturally-occurring from raisins. That gap is the difference between a D and a C on the sugar dimension. If you're watching added sugar, Quaker is clearly the lighter load.
Why does Quaker Simply score higher if Nature Valley has more protein?
Because the extra protein is partly canceled by extra sugar, more sodium, and less fiber. Nature Valley wins the protein dimension (B+ vs C+), but Quaker Simply wins fiber (7 g vs 4.03 g, a perfect A+ vs B-), sodium (34.7 mg vs 170 mg), added sugar, and ingredient quality. Net it across all six dimensions and Quaker Simply lands a B+ (80/100) to Nature Valley's B- (71/100).
Is "protein granola" worth it?
Sometimes — but read the trade. Nature Valley buys its 13 g with soy protein isolate and pairs it with 15 g of added sugar (30% of a day's value) and 170 mg of sodium. You're getting protein and sugar in the same bite. If protein at breakfast is the goal, you often come out ahead adding your own — a scoop of powder, Greek yogurt, or eggs on the side — to a lower-sugar granola, instead of paying for sugar baked into a pre-sweetened "protein" formula.
How big is a real serving, and does it change the verdict?
It changes the stakes for both. The listed servings are small — 68 g for Quaker, 65 g for Nature Valley — and granola is dense and easy to over-pour, so a real bowl is often close to double. Double Quaker Simply and you get ~540 calories with ~14 g fiber and ~32 g sugar; double Nature Valley and you get ~540 calories with a strong ~26 g protein but ~30 g added sugar — over half a day's worth. Both are calorie-dense; weigh a serving once to calibrate.