Oats (dry) vs Granola

The short answer

Both start as oats, but granola is transformed. Plain dry oats are just the grain — high fibre, low sugar, calories you control with the pour. Granola bakes oats with oil and syrup, so it is far more calorie- and sugar-dense, and crunchier. Plain oats for a blank, filling base; granola for a sweet, ready-made topping in smaller amounts.

Oats (dry) and Granola, per 100 g and per portion. A gap means USDA has no value for it — not zero.

Oats (dry) · per 100 gGranola · per 100 g
Calories379489
Protein13.2 g13.7 g
Fat6.5 g24.3 g
Carbs67.7 g53.9 g
Fiber10.1 g8.9 g
Sugars1 g19.8 g
Sodium6 mg26 mg
Vitamins & minerals — where both carry data
Calcium52 mg76 mg
Folate32 µg84 µg
Iron4.3 mg4 mg
Magnesium138 mg168 mg
Niacin1.1 mg2.7 mg
Phosphorus410 mg431 mg
Potassium362 mg539 mg
Riboflavin0.2 mg0.4 mg
Thiamin0.5 mg0.5 mg
Vitamin A0 µg1 µg
Vitamin B120 µg0 µg
Vitamin B60.1 mg0.4 mg
Vitamin C0 mg1.2 mg
Vitamin D0 µg0 µg
Vitamin E0.4 mg11.1 mg
Vitamin K2 µg5.3 µg
Zinc3.6 mg4.2 mg
At equal calories (per 100 kcal)
ProteinOats (dry): 3.5 g, Granola: 2.8 g · FiberOats (dry): 2.7 g, Granola: 1.8 g · SodiumOats (dry): 1.6 mg, Granola: 5.3 mg

Both measured dry, per 100 g — but oats swell when cooked, so a bowl of cooked oats is far fewer calories than 100 g of granola.

Generic USDA foods (not brands), so both carry micronutrients. Numbers are per 100 g unless the portion toggle is on. USDA FoodData Central, as of 2026-08-12.

Common questions
Is Oats (dry) or Granola better?

Neither is “better” on its own — it depends what you want from it. The table shows where each is higher; the short answer says when each one fits. Compare on the same basis (per 100 g) and pick for your dish and your goal.

How were these numbers worked out?

Straight from USDA FoodData Central for the generic form of each food, per 100 g. We show the portion view too, but portion sizes differ between foods, so per 100 g is the fair comparison.

Why does one column say “no data”?

Because USDA has no value for that nutrient in that food — so we leave it blank rather than print a 0 that would read as “none”. A real zero from USDA still shows as 0.

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