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Granola has recently become a trend in enjoying a healthy breakfast. Why is it called a healthy breakfast? The high fiber content in granola makes it one of the healthy breakfast alternatives that are loved by many people. Yes, now many people are aware of healthy lifestyles, from food trends to exercise.
What is granola?
Granola is a food consisting of oats, nuts, dried fruit, and can also be added with oil, honey or other sweeteners. Each granola can contain different ingredients, which also makes it different in nutritional value. Some may contain more sugar, fat, calories, or protein, depending on the ingredients.
What is clear, the main content of granola is oats and nuts, thus making granola high in fiber. The high fiber in granola makes granola useful for digestion, prevents constipation, helps control blood sugar levels, helps lower cholesterol levels, and keeps you full longer.
The nuts in granola also make granola contain healthy fats. One serving of granola can provide you with 4 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids and 4 grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids. These two types of fatty acids can help you lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammation. So, you can avoid heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The omega 3 fatty acids in granola are also important for brain health.
Granola also contains essential vitamins and minerals for the body. Several types of important vitamins and minerals contained in granola are vitamin E, thiamine, folic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. It all depends on the ingredients that make up the composition of the granola itself.
Is granola good for health?
Granola has become a popular breakfast food today, not only for breakfast, granola can also be eaten as a snack. Not surprisingly, many granola products are shaped snack bar popping up with the lure can help fill your stomach quickly and can also be a food for weight loss.
The solid calories contained in granola will keep you full longer. However, be careful not to be fooled by the nutritional content in granola. One-on-one can actually make your calorie intake higher than expected. Therefore, it is important for you to check the nutritional content and composition of each granola product before you buy it.
In choosing granola products that you will consume, you should choose those that do not contain a lot of sugar and fat (especially saturated fat). Choose one that is high in fiber, at least 20% of the recommended daily value of fiber. The sugar content in granola can come from dried fruit, honey, artificial sweeteners, or syrup that is in the composition of granola. In addition, pay attention to the fat and calorie content contained in these granola products. Don't forget to compare the calorie content with the amount per serving. Also, it's best not to choose granola products that are fat-free or sugar-free, as there are usually important nutrients removed from these products.
Granola can be one of the healthiest menus in your diet because it contains high fiber. However, you should still watch out for the additives and high calories in commercial granola products, if you want to consume them regularly. Don't go wrong with granola products or make them high in sugar and fat (if you make them yourself). Granola with the most natural composition is the healthiest and most beneficial for you.
How to serve granola?
To get the benefits of granola, it's better for you to serve it yourself at home than having to buy ready-made granola without knowing its composition and content. You can adjust the granola composition according to your taste and needs. Moreover, commercial granola products usually have added fat and sugar, so they are higher in calories.
Granola can be served in a variety of ways, ranging from being served as a cereal with milk mixed, or included in cakes, such as muffins or other cake recipes. You can also make your own granola with a composition of oats, nuts, and add dry fruit and a little honey to sweeten it. Combine all the ingredients and bake until golden brown. You can store the refrigerated granola in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
You can enjoy it every morning with the addition of nonfat milk or yogurt. You can also add fresh fruit (such as mangoes, strawberries, bananas, or others), so that the nutritional content is even more complete. Consume at least ¼ glass per day so that not too many calories enter your body.
