Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is eating homemade granola healthy? ›

On the downside, granola can be high in added sugars, hidden calories, and saturated fat, making some options less healthy. Choosing the right type of granola, controlling serving sizes, and homemade options can make granola a part of a healthy diet.

Once you try homemade granola, you won't go back to store-bought granola. It's so much better! This granola recipe is also a far more healthy granola option, since it's made with whole grains, unrefined oil and naturally sweetened.

Some brands offer unique varieties such as quinoa and spelt. Granola without some sort of sugar would taste like cardboard. But the best bet is to choose a granola with minimally processed sweeteners such as maple syrup, honey and agave. Dried fruit will also add fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

"If it's not high in sugar, one daily serving of granola paired with milk or yogurt can be a great way to start the day," says Abbie Gellman, M.S., RD, a culinary and nutrition expert. Less than 7 grams of sugar per serving is a good goal. Saturated fat. A little coconut oil never hurt anyone.

Weight Loss

High-fiber foods, like the oats and whole grains found in granola, fill you up and keep you feeling fuller longer. Dietary studies have found eating a high-fiber diet can help you lose weight.

Because granola contains carbohydrates, it can spike blood sugar levels in some people with diabetes. However, whether or not granola spikes your blood sugar levels, and how quickly it may cause a blood sugar spike, will vary depending on what type of granola you eat and what you pair it with.

I aim to let it hit room temperature, whatever that may be; the real point is to give it ample time to shed excess heat and steam. This should take about 45 minutes; if left out indefinitely, the granola can turn sticky or soft, so do try to put it away as soon after cooling as you can.

Less added sugar: Many store-bought granolas contain a lot of added sugars (think: white refined sugar, brown sugar syrup, tapioca syrup, high-fructose corn syrup), which can impact your health and weight loss goals if eaten in excess. By making your own granola, you have the power to sweeten it the way you like.

Which One Is Better for Breakfast? Both oatmeal and granola make for a healthy, nutritious breakfast, but the winner for us is granola—the added nuts, seeds, and dried fruits give you a source of fiber and healthy fats that oatmeal can't quite compete with.

Without anything added to it, muesli is healthier than granola in the sense that it has less fat and sugar. However, if it's prepared with juice or contains a lot of dried fruit, muesli gains the sugar, calories, and carbohydrates that already exist in granola.

What are the healthiest nuts to add to yogurt? ›

Any kind of nut will work for yogurt—cashews, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, are all great contenders. But one nut in particular that nutritionists love to use is almonds. However, almonds—as well as many other nuts—are highly caloric.

Now, that's a breakfast bowl worth waking up for! While both granola and cereal may seem similar, there are significant differences between the two. Granola is a healthier, more nutrient-dense, and joyfully versatile option that will not only make your taste buds dance but also keep your body happy and healthy.

Yogurt and granola are excellent sources of fiber. It contains a high fiber content that provides numerous benefits to the digestive system. Therefore, it is the ideal way to maintain fast digestion to avoid fat formation in the body.

Whole grains, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds may help reduce and control blood sugar levels, particularly in people with obesity or prediabetes ( 12 , 13 , 14 ). Improve gut health. Granola has been found to increase levels of healthy gut bacteria, compared with refined breakfast cereals ( 11 ).

Smoothie with Granola

Try adding it to your favorite smoothie to give it an extra boost of fiber from the whole grains, healthy fats and added flavor. It's also an easy way to increase calories in a smoothie. Personally, I think it would be a delicious addition to my Strawberry Peanut Butter Smoothie!

Items made from whole foods — such as granola made with oats, dried fruit, and no added sugar, or polenta made with whole cornmeal — are also considered minimally processed and therefore “healthy.”

There's no wrong way to enjoy granola. It's just as good when sprinkled on as a crunchy topping, baked into healthy bars and bites, or eaten on its own like cereal. Adventurous cooks could even try sneaking it into baked goods or using it as a nutritious whole-grain breading for fried foods.

Advantage homemade. Both granolas have whole oats as their main ingredient, but the Kellogg's is high in refined sugar and contains palm oil. The homemade version contains protein-rich pecans and uses only a small amount of honey, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. It took me an hour to make granola from scratch.