2: Is Granola Just a Fancy Name for Sugary Cereal?
Granola was one of those healthy bar staples of mine and no guilt in consuming it. It was on the top of the list when it came to being the best health food — natural, unprocessed, crispy, and a perfect companion to yogurt or a smoothie bowl. The indications explained everything in simple words like “from whole grain” or “oatmeal fortified the heart” and if it sounded good for the heart I was already convinced they were the right kind of food. But, as I was going through the product details, I got this idea coming to my mind that I was eating rather an indulgence in place of my meal.
Almost all granola brands, without any exceptions, and even including those that can be found in natural food stores, are filled with the additional sugars, oils, and syrups. What is really surprising is that even a small amount (the frequently available portion can be no more than putting a very little chuck of it into a dish) is as calorie and sugar-rich as a piece of cake. Do not trust words like honey, palm sugar, or rice syrup. They are sugars regardless of what they are called.
It seems the user can relate to this concern as when you think of the quantity presented in one serving (this may be equivalent to some more the measure that one is willing to take at a time) and is employed either by crumbling it over yogurt or baking it into cereals, it is effortless that you will end up having at least double if not thrice that serving. The next thing you know a breakfast that seemed lighter and healthier seems to have become a heavy meal that supplies calories in an overabundance that triggers a blood sugar rush and suddenly finds you exhausted after an hour.
Apart from that, granola might have low-quality fats that come from canola or soybean oil; which do not help much in terms of health and sometimes are only included to give the ingredients a better texture. Additionally, manufacturers tend to offer suitable ways of making the product appear healthy, such as through coated fruits and the use of chocolate pieces, which can carry a sugar content; however, they are only listed as dried/fruits of the kind or sugar content type of foods whereas they fail to deny those categories.
When I finally caught onto the tactics being used, I completely gave up buying ready-to-eat granola from stores. The new thing I did was to make a little amount of it in the house and the ingredients were just oat, maple syrup, and some nuts. To my surprise, I experienced more positive feelings and also I was able to successfully wave away any desire for sugary snacks while I was waiting for the next meal. It was not until I recognized that it was actually triggered by the granola that I stopped eating it, and this really solved my sugar craving problem. So, granola in general is not so bad however the one you consider to be the best might actually be the one that cheats you the most.
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