Is Granola Cereal Healthy?
Find out if granola cereal is really healthy
Granola cereal is synonymous with the movement towards healthy and natural eating.
What health food store or natural food market doesn’t have boxes or bins of read-to-eat
granola cereal available? The general perception is that you’re doing something
good for your body when you snack on a bowl of granola; but is granola cereal really
healthy?
Is Granola Healthy: What Is It?
Granola cereal is usually a mixture of grains, seeds, whole oats, nuts, raisins,
and dried fruit pieces that are baked until brown and crispy. They’re marketed as
a snack that can be eaten by the handful or served as a quick, high energy breakfast
when topped with milk. Sometimes granola is made into soft, chewy granola bars that
can serve as a quick breakfast on the go.
Is Granola Healthy?: The Reality
Despite granola cereal’s popularity with the health food crowd, granola may not
be as healthy as the media has made it out to be, especially if calorie counting
is an issue. Granola cereals are surprisingly high in calories especially when compared
to other options such as old-fashioned oat cereal. This is because many granola
cereals have been sprayed with sweet syrups or honey to give them added sweetness
and make them more appealing to a larger audience. Some granola cereals also have
additional ingredients such as chocolate chips that add additional sugar and calories.
Many granola cereals are higher in calories and sugar than standard breakfast cereals
and are essentially nothing more than glorified cookies.
The Good Aspects of Granola
Despite the sugar and calories, granola cereal may have some health benefits. The
whole grains and nuts provide a good source of fiber for digestive health; and a
few granola cereals are low fat or fat-free. Some granola cereals contain nuts which
have health benefits for the heart, particularly walnuts with their high omega-3
content.
How to Choose a Healthy Granola Cereal
To choose a healthy granola cereal, look for one that has five or less grams of
sugar and that’s low fat or fat free. Watch out for brands that are high in calories.
With a little searching, you should be able to find a granola cereal with less than
150 calories per serving. To reduce the calorie load even further, use skim milk
instead of whole milk.
The Ultimate Healthy Granola Cereal
It’s not difficult to make a healthy granola cereal at home using nuts, oats, and
dried fruits from your local natural food market. There are a variety of recipes
available online for healthy granola cereals that can be made right in your own
oven. This is a great way customize the ingredients to suit your taste and health
requirements without exposing you or your family to the refined sugars and preservatives
found in so many cereals. When it come to healthy granola cereals, it’s best to
think out of the box and make your own.
Written by: Dr. Kristie
Posted: July 31, 2009