The short, simple answer to this question - Yes.
The longer answer - When eaten in moderation and depending on the ingredients, granola is good for you.
But, (there's always a but!) there are some things you need to consider and fine comb in your favorite morning breakfast.
So let's dig deeper to find out if granola is good for you!
GRANOLA INGREDIENT GUIDELINE
Unfortunately, like many kinds of cereal, granola can be sugar-laden. Brands often add extra sugar, such as honey, syrups, fruit syrups, dried fruit, and chocolate, to make it extra sweet and tastier.
Although honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar sound healthier and are less processed than corn syrup or cane sugar, it still counts towards your daily sugar intake. So be careful!
Added sugars should not exceed 10 percent of your total calories daily. That's 50 grams of sugar for someone eating 2 000 calories per day.
Some natural sugars are ok but as a rule of thumb, try to stick to six to eight grams or less per serving.
Baked granola often contains oils, such as palm oil or hydrogenated oil, which are saturated fats and won't favor your heart or the planet.
When baked with heart-healthy and sustainable oils like sunflower, flaxseed, olive, macadamia, or coconut oil, your granola becomes healthier!
The fat content will likely be higher if the mixture contains nuts and seeds. Still, most of it will come from healthy unsaturated fats that satisfy hunger and are a vital energy source.
The body needs these good fats to function optimally. It helps to protect our organs, regulates body temperature, and absorbs essential vitamins and minerals.
Oats are the basis of any healthy granola and should be the first item on the ingredient list. This is, after all, what makes granola, granola...
Oats are a good source of beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that offers many health benefits. 70 g of oats can provide about 3 g of beta-glucan.
But, the type of oats used will make a significant difference.
Whole-grain oats, like rolled or steel-cut oats, are always better than instant oats, as they are less processed and contain more fiber.
Healthy granola should always contain few, but highly nutritious ingredients, that will benefit your health.
Aside from whole oats, healthy granola should contain many nuts, seeds, and dried fruits that increase the nutritional content.
These wholesome ingredients contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, and heart-healthy fats. All offer unique benefits, such as filling you up, fighting inflammation and chronic diseases, and increasing your daily nutrient intake.
Dietary fiber is crucial for your health; ideally, your granola should contribute to your daily fiber intake.
Fiber helps promote a healthy digestive system and regulate digestion. It balances cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and can keep weight gain down!
A meal rich in fiber will also keep you fuller for longer.
Healthy granola must contain at least 3 grams of fiber from naturally fiber-rich foods like whole grains, nuts, and fruits.
Although super tasty and satisfying, your beloved morning granola is quite calorie-dense.
With its many ingredients (especially nuts and seeds), granola has more calories than other breakfast cereals.
Case in point, too much of a good thing is not that good. Anything in excess usually becomes unhealthy. Dieticians agree that a good portion of granola is about 30-50g, equivalent to ¼ - ½ a cup.
If you are on a diet to lose weight and are restricting (or counting) calories, beware, granola can quickly increase your daily calorie count.
