Trail Mix vs Granola: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Trail mix contains 13.8 g of protein, while granola has 13.7 g. Granola has 489 calories, making it higher in calories compared to trail mix at 462 calories.

Trail mix and granola are both convenient snack options that offer a mix of nutrients. Understanding their nutritional differences can help you make informed choices based on your dietary needs.

What Is the Difference Between Trail Mix and Granola?

Trail mix is a blend of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and sometimes chocolate or grains, typically enjoyed as a snack. It is known for its high energy content and portability. Granola is a breakfast food or snack made from rolled oats, nuts, honey, and sometimes dried fruits, often baked until crisp. It is commonly eaten with milk or yogurt.

Trail Mix vs Granola: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of trail mix and granola, highlighting their nutritional values per 100 g.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Trail mix	Granola
Calories	462 kcal	489 kcal
Protein	13.8 g	13.7 g
Carbs	44.9 g	53.9 g
Sugar	25 g	19.8 g
Fat	29.4 g	24.3 g
Fiber	5 g	8.9 g
Sodium	10 mg	26 mg

Which Is Better, Trail Mix or Granola?

For weight loss: Trail mix has 462 calories, while granola has 489 calories, making trail mix a slightly better option for weight loss.

For muscle and protein: Trail mix contains 13.8 g of protein, which is slightly higher than granola's 13.7 g, making it marginally better for muscle building.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Granola has 53.9 g of carbs and 19.8 g of sugar, while trail mix has 44.9 g of carbs and 25 g of sugar, making trail mix lower in both categories.

How to Track Trail mix and Granola Accurately

It's easy to misjudge portion sizes and macros in snacks like trail mix and granola, which can lead to unintentional calorie intake. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for dietary guidance. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein, trail mix or granola?

Trail mix has 13.8 g of protein, while granola has 13.7 g of protein.

Which has fewer calories, trail mix or granola?

Trail mix has 462 calories, while granola has 489 calories.

How much sugar is in trail mix?

Trail mix contains 25 g of sugar per 100 g.

How much fiber is in granola?

Granola contains 8.9 g of fiber per 100 g.

What is the fat content in trail mix?

Trail mix has 29.4 g of fat per 100 g.

What are the carbohydrate levels in granola?

Granola contains 53.9 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Trail mix has 462 calories per 100 g.
• Granola has 489 calories per 100 g.
• Trail mix contains 13.8 g of protein.
• Granola contains 13.7 g of protein.
• Trail mix has 44.9 g of carbohydrates.
• Granola has 53.9 g of carbohydrates.