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.

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.

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.

"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.

Granola may prompt weight gain if eaten in excess, as it can be high in calories from added fats and sugars. What's more, sugar is linked to chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Is homemade granola healthier than shop bought? ›

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.

When stored properly at room temperature, fresh homemade granola can last for up to four weeks. Preserve its quality by letting it cool completely before storing. Packing it while it's warm leads to condensation and, consequently, unnecessary moisture.

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.

Studies show that consuming whole grain cereals, including granola with oats, can improve gastrointestinal health by having prebiotic effects that feed healthy microbes in the gut.

“For active people, granola is best known for being a source of carbohydrate to fuel the muscles and provide energy for a busy day,” Clark says.

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.”

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.

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.

The serving size for granola can differ by brand, but a typical portion of granola is 1/3 cup, says Sass, “about the size of one-third of a tennis ball.” That means sitting down to a big bowl of granola for breakfast is excessive.