- How to choose the best granola for weight loss
- Recommended quantity
- Granola recipe
- Nutritional information for granola
Granola can be an ally in weight loss diets, as it is rich in fiber and whole grains, which help to give satiety and improve metabolism. To lose weight, you should consume only about 2 tablespoons of granola a day, preferring the light and rich versions of chestnuts, nuts or almonds, which bring good fats to the meal.
However, when consumed in excess, granola can also put on weight, as it is rich in calories and many versions of the product use a lot of sugar, honey and maltodextrin in its composition, ingredients that favor weight gain.
How to choose the best granola for weight loss
To choose the best granola to help you lose weight, you should look at the list of product ingredients on the label, and prefer those that sugar appears less often in the list. Another tip is to prefer granolas that have seeds such as chia, flaxseed, sesame and sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and those that also have nuts, nuts or almonds, as they are ingredients rich in good fats and that give greater satiety.
In addition, granola should consist mainly of whole grains, the most used being oats, barley, fiber and wheat germ, and rice and corn flakes. Whole grains provide fiber, vitamins and minerals for the meal, in addition to helping with weight control.
Recommended quantity
Because it is rich in carbohydrates, fats, dried fruits and sugars, granola ends up having a high caloric value. In order not to put on weight, the recommendation is to consume about 2 to 3 tablespoons per day, preferably mixed with a plain yogurt or milk.
This mixture of granola with milk or natural yogurt increases the amount of protein in the meal, which brings more satiety and helps with weight loss. However, it is important to remember that in case of diabetes, granolas that use sweeteners should be preferred over sugar.
Granola recipe
It is possible to make granola at home with ingredients of your choice, as shown in the following examples:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of rice flakes; 1 tablespoon of oat flakes; 1 tablespoon of wheat bran; 1 tablespoon of raisin; 1 tablespoon of diced dehydrated apple; 1 tablespoon of sesame; 1 tablespoon of grated coconut; 3 nuts; 2 Brazil nuts; 2 tablespoons of flaxseed; 1 teaspoon of honey.
Ingredients for light granola
- 1 tablespoon of rice flakes; 1 tablespoon of oat flakes; 1 tablespoon of wheat bran; 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds; 3 walnuts or 2 Brazil nuts; 2 tablespoons of linseed.
Method of preparation
Mix the ingredients on the first list, and to make light granola , mix the ingredients on the second list. You can add granola to yogurt, cow's milk or vegetable milk to have a good breakfast.
To have homemade granola for more days, you can increase the quantities of the ingredients and store the mixture in a closed container with a lid, and the granola will have a shelf life of about a week.
Nutritional information for granola
The following table provides the nutritional information for 100 g of traditional granola.
| Nutrients | 100 g of granola |
| Energy | 407 calories |
| Proteins | 11 g |
| Fat | 12.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62.5 g |
| Fibers | 12.5 g |
| Calcium | 150 mg |
| Magnesium | 125 mg |
| Sodium | 125 mg |
| Iron | 5.25 mg |
| Phosphor | 332.5 mg |
Granola can also be used in diets to gain weight or increase muscle mass, and in these cases it should be consumed in greater quantities. See all the benefits of granola.
