Benefits of granola is a mixture of seeds, cereal, grain and sometimes, dehydrated fruit, dry and even delicious chocolate (better if it is dark chocolate for its benefits). All this mixture is baked until it is in the form of a crispy ball. Well, it’s absolutely delicious and maybe the churros and croissants suddenly forget you.
This delicious invention was created by James Caleb Jacksonan American doctor who gave him as his initial name “granule”back in the mid 1800s.
What is the granola for?
The granola is ideal to combine it in a breakfast with, for example, coffee or yogurt. And although the mix is also made with sugar, fat and egg, it is much healthier than any other saturated fat item since the fats that compose it are healthy. Among other things, for its wonderful benefits.
Benefits
- Improves intestinal transit. Due to its high content of soluble and insoluble fiber and healthy fats, it is an ideal food to help you go to the bathroom. If you also make it with dehydrated fruit and mix it with fresh fries, the result is guaranteed.
- It gives you quick energy. Its high content of carbohydrates, that is, sugars, gives you a lot of energy. It is ideal for breakfast, as a snack before a workout and even to take while you practice a highly physically demanding sport, such as skiing or hiking.
- Care your skin. The fatty acids in nuts and granola seeds are the best «nutricosmetic» for your skin. They have an antioxidant effect and improve tissue elasticity.
- Protein source. If you prepare it with oatmeal and add milk or yogurt, granola can become a great vegetable source of protein, making it an ideal food for vegans and vegetarians, children, athletes and pregnant women.
- Extra minerals. Due to its iron content, granola is ideal for those with anemia. And its contribution of magnesium is ideal to take care of the muscles.
- Provides vitamins. Due to its ingredients, granola is also an interesting source of vitamins, including E and folic acid, essential for pregnant women.
- Fight cholesterol. Its content of healthy fatty acids, such as those of natural nuts, EVOO and seeds, in addition to fiber, make granola a good food to control cholesterol levels.
- Regulates glucose spikes. If it does not contain sugar and is made with oats (a slow digestion hydrate), it is an ideal food to control glucose spikes, so it could be suitable for people with diabetes. Of course, take it in moderate amounts
- It is very satiating. Oatmeal, nuts and seeds have a high satiating power, making it an ideal food to control hunger between meals or if you want to lose weight. Ideal for breakfast or mid-afternoon, for example with yogurt.
- Ally of your brain. The contribution of sugars, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in granola will help your cereus to perform its functions better, making it an ideal food if we have to make intellectual efforts.
- Helps the intestinal flora. If you combine it with yogurt, granola can become a great ally of your intestinal flora that will even help you control intestinal acidity. If you combine it with Greek yogurt you will increase the protein intake.
- The perfect snack. At mid-morning or mid-afternoon, even alone, it can be an ideal snack for you or your children, to take away the desire for sweets or boost your energy when you feel low.
Benefits of granola: The best ingredients to make granola
As Sánchez explains, the benefits of granola will depend on the ingredients with which it is made. These are the best ingredients to make it and the benefits they have:
- Oatmeal. It is one of the richest cereals in proteins, fats (most of them unsaturated), carbohydrates (it has a lot of fiber) and B vitamins. It also contains minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron.
- Quinoa. This pseudocereal is also an ideal ingredient to make granola due to its high fiber and protein content. In addition, quinoa has great satiating power and many health benefits.
- Nuts. They contain fiber, proteins, minerals (iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and calcium), vitamins B and E. We can use the ones we like best- walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios… always without salt.
- Seeds. You can add sesame, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, chia seeds… according to taste.
- Sweetener. The less sugar, the better. You can use honey, sweeteners such as agave or maple syrup, or date paste.
- Fat. Depending on the fat used, the lipid profile of the recipe will depend. The most recommended is to use extra virgin olive oil, which provides monounsaturated fatty acids, compared to other vegetable oils such as coconut oil in which saturated fatty acids predominate.
Benefits of granola: Make your own granola
You can buy it already made (make sure the sugar values are as low as possible) or prepare your own custom option. For this you will need:
- oatmeal (it is the main ingredient)
- chopped nuts
- chopped almonds
- flaxseed (not ground)
- Sesame seeds
- sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- your choice: cubes of pure cocoa, coconut cubes or dehydrated fruit and even raisins, it’s delicious!
- EVOO or coconut oil for the mixture
- honey or maple syrup
- Put all the ingredients in the quantities that you like the most in a bowl.
- Stir well.
- Heat the honey and oil for about 20 seconds in the microwave and stir until you see that the consistency is ready to integrate all of the above in the best possible way.
- Integrate the entire mixture and on a baking tray lined with aluminum or parchment paper, spread the mixture into small balls. Leave it for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, add the dried fruits and sesame seeds.
- Let cool and store in an airtight jar.