I am now eating steel cut oats, which I soak overnight in the fridge in either water (3/1, vol/vol) then cook in the microwave the next morning (hot breakfast when it's cold outside), or soy milk (2/1) and eat as is (a cool breakfast during warm weather) -- though I add some chopped walnuts and dried fruit to it first, along with some cinnamon and a bit of honey (may 1/2 t or less). Really good! Full of texture and flavor.
8
They did the same thing with yogurt! it used to be an utterly plain (but delicious) unflavored dairy product out of WHOLE milk.
And during the first "health craze" of the 70s, we were told it was a perfect and healthy food, so Americans started to try to eat it. But real yogurt is "tangy" and has calories. Americans hated that.
So makers like Dannon decided to "Americanize" yogurt, and turned it into the sugary, fruity "desert" it is today -- they made it "low fat" and that made it SOUR and bitter....so they added jam to the bottom or other sweet flavors. What we sell as yogurt is almost unrecognizable today.
The last time I was in the supermarket I noted "flavors" like key lime pie, strawberry cheesecake, caramel chocolate whip, black forest cake, red velvet cake and other sugary flavors.
It's as if people wanted yogurt, but hated it, so they turned it into ... pudding.
Anyhow, granola is the same. REAL granola is rich, but not sweet and full of chewy grains. I used to make my own. I don't know the calorie count, but I did not add sugar except for the raisins. It had chopped nuts, oats, raw coconut -- lots of good things. It was so dense, there was NO WAY to eat more than half a cup.
Americans don't like tough, chewy food full of fiber and no sweetness. They turned granola into a sweet with loads of sugar and dried fruits, and THEN they decided it could be a BAR -- like a brownie! -- added even more sugary glazes and chocolate chips (!) and marshmallows and caramel.
And during the first "health craze" of the 70s, we were told it was a perfect and healthy food, so Americans started to try to eat it. But real yogurt is "tangy" and has calories. Americans hated that.
So makers like Dannon decided to "Americanize" yogurt, and turned it into the sugary, fruity "desert" it is today -- they made it "low fat" and that made it SOUR and bitter....so they added jam to the bottom or other sweet flavors. What we sell as yogurt is almost unrecognizable today.
The last time I was in the supermarket I noted "flavors" like key lime pie, strawberry cheesecake, caramel chocolate whip, black forest cake, red velvet cake and other sugary flavors.
It's as if people wanted yogurt, but hated it, so they turned it into ... pudding.
Anyhow, granola is the same. REAL granola is rich, but not sweet and full of chewy grains. I used to make my own. I don't know the calorie count, but I did not add sugar except for the raisins. It had chopped nuts, oats, raw coconut -- lots of good things. It was so dense, there was NO WAY to eat more than half a cup.
Americans don't like tough, chewy food full of fiber and no sweetness. They turned granola into a sweet with loads of sugar and dried fruits, and THEN they decided it could be a BAR -- like a brownie! -- added even more sugary glazes and chocolate chips (!) and marshmallows and caramel.
26
By far, the best and healthiest granola recipes, w/ intriguing ingredient parings, only one has refined sugar (molasses), cooking tips, history anecdotes, mini interviews, and a profile of granola on the commune. https://www.amazon.com/Superb-Granola-Recipes-gluten-free-naturally-eboo...
Great article on soda and food stamps. One use of soda that is not well known is its conversion to cash by food stamp purchasers. When stores have a sale multiple shopping carts full of soda are bought then it is traded for cash, alcohol, tobacco, or drugs. That makes an already unhealthy product even more hamful
1
I live in a working class, inner-ring suburb that has lots of single moms on food stamps. At least once a week, I am approached in the supermarket or just around the yard, by a single mother (or their child) offering to sell me either unused SNAP benefits (on a card, like a debit card) or did I want something like steaks, soda pop, milk, cereal, etc. -- almost any foodstuff, really -- at a heavily discounted price -- like a gallon of milk for $2 or huge box of cereal for $2 -- so they could get cash.
This is so common, I am not sure how many people realize it goes on. A woman with 3 kids on food stamps is getting $600 a month -- that's really more than her family can eat. Small children get the same benefit as an adult, but eat half or less. Plus children in school get free lunch AND free breakfast -- 10 meals a week -- or half of their meals. That leaves a lot on the SNAP card, and those moms want CASH -- for cigarettes, beer, liquor, lotto tickets, manicures, gasoline or just spending money in general.
The problem is the taxpayers don't give food stamps so you can smoke! or play the lotto! or have 2" long fingernails! We want our tax dollars to feed your kids, so they don't grow up eating nothing but chips and cookies and candy and soda.
I've seen welfare moms who sold all their SNAP benefits, and there was still 2 weeks left in the month, and so their kids were eating popsicles for breakfast. This is not some "urban legend"; I saw this with my own eyes.
This is so common, I am not sure how many people realize it goes on. A woman with 3 kids on food stamps is getting $600 a month -- that's really more than her family can eat. Small children get the same benefit as an adult, but eat half or less. Plus children in school get free lunch AND free breakfast -- 10 meals a week -- or half of their meals. That leaves a lot on the SNAP card, and those moms want CASH -- for cigarettes, beer, liquor, lotto tickets, manicures, gasoline or just spending money in general.
The problem is the taxpayers don't give food stamps so you can smoke! or play the lotto! or have 2" long fingernails! We want our tax dollars to feed your kids, so they don't grow up eating nothing but chips and cookies and candy and soda.
I've seen welfare moms who sold all their SNAP benefits, and there was still 2 weeks left in the month, and so their kids were eating popsicles for breakfast. This is not some "urban legend"; I saw this with my own eyes.
10
This is distorted unless you quandruple the serving size! I eat Bare Naked and find 1/2 cup (2 servings) with milk and berries is quite enough and the sugar and calories count doesn't go off the charts either.
1
Someone must have sent out a press release about how sugary granola is because this is the second article I've seen about it in the national press this week. Has anyone ever tried to eat a full cup of granola, which is the serving this article suggests you need to consume 24 grams of sugar? Close to impossible. I find the half cup serving is plenty. Mix it with some unsweetened cereal like Grape Nuts and you're down to 7 grams per serving. Certainly not something that's comparable to ice cream.
7
Nice post.... Granola is really good and tasty to eat... I love it..
3
I tasted my first granola more than 40 years ago, and thought, Wow, what a delicious treat. I could not imagine how anyone with a thinking brain would consider it anything other than a dessert.
I never understood the appeal of plastic-wrapped water, either.
I never understood the appeal of plastic-wrapped water, either.
5
I personally prefer some protein to get started, but homemade granola can be really wonderful, with minimal sweetener. You need good ingredients including some nuts in it and spices like cinnamon.
A related complaint: Why is all boxed chai so horribly oversweetened that it bears no resemblance to fresh chai and is completely undrinkable? Why isn't someone making an unsweetened boxed chai that you can sweeten to your own taste (or leave as is)? Seems like a missed chance for profits.
A related complaint: Why is all boxed chai so horribly oversweetened that it bears no resemblance to fresh chai and is completely undrinkable? Why isn't someone making an unsweetened boxed chai that you can sweeten to your own taste (or leave as is)? Seems like a missed chance for profits.
6
Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner (1867-1939) of Zürich popularized his version of granola in Europe. The base is soaked oats, and grated apples are added along with some sweetened condensed milk to prevent the apples turning brown. He was seeking the nutritional equivalent of mother's milk. Bircher müsli, as it was called, is still offered in restaurants all over the world (it's long been on the menu of the Harvard Club of NY, but its health benefits are diminished by the Club's adding cream).
7
i use a very healthy recipe:
4 cups old fashioned oats, add you favorite nuts, ( i use sliced almonds, raw sunflower seeds ) melt 1/3 cup honey and 1/3 cup coconut oil and drizzle over mixture in baking pan, bake at 325 for about 35 to 40 min, until brown. Does not clump
I just sprinkle it over my greek yogurt and fruit so barely use even a 1/4 cup for breakfast.
4 cups old fashioned oats, add you favorite nuts, ( i use sliced almonds, raw sunflower seeds ) melt 1/3 cup honey and 1/3 cup coconut oil and drizzle over mixture in baking pan, bake at 325 for about 35 to 40 min, until brown. Does not clump
I just sprinkle it over my greek yogurt and fruit so barely use even a 1/4 cup for breakfast.
2
Is this really news to anyone with half a brain?
10
See how health and long lived the people in Loma Linda are.(Adventist)
All that added sugar is so unnecessary and so unfortunate. My wife makes large batches of granola for us. She mixes dry oatmeal, plenty of raw slivered almonds, sometimes raw cashew pieces, together with a drizzling of light amber maple syrup and a little cinnamon. Neither one of us is interested in the sugar clumping mentioned in this article. Then she spreads the mixture flat on a large baking sheet and bakes it lightly. Then she adds small amounts of diced dried apricots and/or raisins or craisins, and it's good to go with either yogurt or almond milk along with berries and/or bananas.
5
Hah! I've been grumbling this for years. I suggest Bob's Red Mill Meusli if you can tolerate the gluten. If you want it cold but softer, soak it in milk for an hour, or overnight. Not free of sugars, but no refined sugar in it.
2
Try Muesli. All the healthy ingredients and no sugar. Tastes good too.
5
Opt for muesli instead -- it's a mixture of raw grains, to which you can add nuts and fresh or dried fruit, and eat with cooked like a hot cereal, or cold with soy milk or another medium. It's a great way to get whole grains, daily fiber and a bit of fruit and nuts in your diet. It's essentially everything granola was SUPPOSED to be, just uncooked, without all the added sugar and in its purest form.
7
Homemade granola, or muesli, is super simple and quite a nice addition to a yogurt and fruit breakfast. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F, fill a tray with a narrow coating of regular oats, put in a handful of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and a sprinkling of almonds and pecans. Put in some sesame seeds and cinnamon. You can squirt in some sugar free sweetener if you like, I don't. Then bake it for 15 minutes. Mix it up and bake a bit more without burning the nuts and seeds. To make it more crunchy, soak the mixture in organic apple juice overnight and cook it longer. The granola soaked in apple juice will need to dry out in the oven for several hours after you've turned it off. As part of a healthy diet, this is perfectly fine.
Why not mention Post's Shredded Wheat as an unsweetened alternative cereal?
7
Make your own. Use the New York Times recipe for "Eleven Madison Park Granola" and leave out all the brown sugar. It's not especially low cal because of course it's all carbohydrates, but it's nutritious and delicious. And just have a small serving.
7
If you need the crunch (in your full-fat Greek yogurt), make a granola of nuts and seeds, toasted with a small amount of Stevia, add some toasted unsweetened coconut, and you've got a great addition to your breakfast. It's naturally sweet and delicious.
With or without added sugar, granola is just starch with little other nutrition.
4
Worst breakfast - granola bar and a glass of orange juice. The sugar content is through the roof. A better alternative is a 2-eggs, a slice of bacon, and coffee.
The sad thing is most think the former is much healthier than the latter.
The sad thing is most think the former is much healthier than the latter.
18
Really...my love thinks that granola bar and diet juice are better than eggs and coffee, can't get her to change her mind...am emailing this article
Just an observation, a cup of granola is a large portion when mixed with yogurt. A quarter cup would be more likely for me, also easy to make and add less sugar.
4
Not only is granola full of sugar and carbs but pay attention to the suggested serving size: usually 1/4 cup. People snacking on this or serving large bowls of it for breakfast will then complain about not being able to lose weight. Hmmmm...
3
Is it so hard to read the nutritional information? No, is the answer. In fact it's very easy.
2
While I appreciate O'Connor exposing how unhealthy granola is today compared to past standards, what I DON'T appreciate is the snide remark regarding Seventh Day Adventist advocating against sexual activity. That is so NOT TRUE! We SDAs advocate against sexual activity apart from the institution of marriage, adultery, & teenage sexual activity. The article insinuates that we're a bunch of prudes that don't believe in sex. We do, under the right circumstances.
So, get your facts straight before you smear Adventists again!
So, get your facts straight before you smear Adventists again!
7
Heaven forbid that anyone would have sex outside of marriage. That might just lead to the end of the world, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!
19
For anyone with high blood sugar grains might as well be sugar. So for me, granola is sugar. I am active with a BMI of 18.5. I can no longer eat anything I want, not because I'm fat, but because it raises my blood sugar.
6
I make my own; this way I control exactly what is in it. However, portion control is the key - usually 1/4 to 1/3 cup with milk or plain yogurt plus fresh fruit.
4
Seems people really like the idea of food that's good for them. Seems people also really like sugar. Supermarket granolas are a sugar delivery system. So are supermarket yogurts -- I mean the ones with all that gloppy sugary fruit pulp at the bottom. You want to cut down on the sugar in your diet or eliminate it completely? Really easy. Make oat meal. Buy yogurt without the glop in it -- or make your own yogurt. If the recipe tells you to add sugar or honey, don't. Also pay no attention when recipes tell you to add salt -- or to add "salt to taste." Educate your palate. An educated palate is our best defense.
11
I find it funny that the Seventh Day Adventists supposedly shunned certain foods. I once had neighbors who were 7thDA, the husband of whom was a pastor in 2 of the churches nearby. I can't say that the pastor cheated but his wife sure did. She would go through the drive-through at various fast food restaurants when she didn't have their three children with her, so she could have meat. At other times, the kids would come to my house to be babysat and I had to feed them grilled cheese sandwiches while my kids got grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. The look on those children's faces was so sad. Grilled cheese is delicious except when you smell cooked ham in the air. I'm pretty sure they also sugared their granola.
I'm not sure what the activities of one lady or family has to do with the foundational beliefs of a denomination. Perhaps Christians of other denominations perfectly adhere to the fundamentals of their faith??? Baptists used to believe in abstaining from alcohol but it certainly didn't stop some that I knew from having more than a few on a Friday night. Should we charge all Baptists with licentiousness?
2
Diana, you make it sound so pathetic that the pastor's poor children couldn't have ham. Also, if the mother was a carnivore, that's her business. Not eating meat is a personal choice not a 'written in stone commandment'. We choose not to eat meat because it is the healthiest choice and that vegatarianism is the original diet for humans, not killing & devouring animals.
2
@Pauly:
Humans have been omnivores since before we were even human, for ~2 million years of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
Humans have been omnivores since before we were even human, for ~2 million years of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
4
Could someone please tell me why after eating sugar for 200 years it is all of a sudden bad but no one ever mentions HFCS. It was the invention of HFCS that started all the health problems. HFCS and artificial sweeteners are much worse than sugar but no one will ever talk about these issues. They are untouchable.
Please tell it like it is.
ps yes sugar is still bad just not bad enough for all the hype.
Please tell it like it is.
ps yes sugar is still bad just not bad enough for all the hype.
2
Eating large quantities of sugar has been unhealthful since the beginning. Whenever a population goes off its local/native/traditional diet, and starts eating lots of sugar, white flour, and other highly processed foods, chronic disease follows. This has been happening for over a hundred years.
4
200, and even 60, years ago most people's jobs didn't consist of sitting in a office behind a desk. Most people's jobs consisted of physical labor of one sort or another. Whether the calories come from sugar, fat, or protein...the fact remains that most people in the US eat more calories then they burn in a given day. Hence why most in the us are fat.
6
Because 40 years ago, Coke came in 7-ounce bottles, not 64-ounce bottles. And adjusted for inflation, the cost of the 64-ounce bottle is a small faction of what the 7-ounce bottle cost.
Also, we didn't have all this packaged garbage that is loaded with sugar. Mom made steak and some veggies (yuck, they were canned, but no sugar). I might have had one yodel of desert.
That's the difference.
Also, we didn't have all this packaged garbage that is loaded with sugar. Mom made steak and some veggies (yuck, they were canned, but no sugar). I might have had one yodel of desert.
That's the difference.
5
Regarding the elusive "unsweetened Granola", it's called Muesli. It's great sprinkled on berries and unsweetened yogurt or buttermilk.
3
I wonder if I will live long enough to see people
learn that people are healthy and foods are
healthful. I am not holding my breath.
learn that people are healthy and foods are
healthful. I am not holding my breath.
7
I make my own--and there's a lot less sugar in it than the commercial versions. Oats, nuts, cider syrup, spices, some dried fruit, I don't have a problem with any of that. At least I know what's in there. And there's no way I'm eating a whole cup at once, it's just too dense for eating large quantities.
2
Actually, there is a long-standing (possibly earlier) Swiss variant called muesli which is made from several grains and probably actually healthier if you eat it with yoghurt and limit the sugar added.
You can mix it up yourself and make it healthy or not depending on what you add.
You can mix it up yourself and make it healthy or not depending on what you add.
1
As a diabetic, I have to be careful about ingesting sugar. Recently in a Whole Foods store I was told by a WF employee that a new brand of bread I was inquiring about would be safe for me to eat because "It doesn't have any sugar in it; it's sweetened with honey". I've been encountering this particular example of profound nutritional ignorance in "natural" food stores since the early 70s. I would really like to know why it still doggedly persists in the so-called Information Age. As for granola, do the people who think it "healthy" not read labels of ingredients, or can they simply not comprehend them?
8
The ignorance is mind-boggling.
And try finding a loaf of whole-grain bread - even in the toniest "natural" grocers - without added sweetener.
And try finding a loaf of whole-grain bread - even in the toniest "natural" grocers - without added sweetener.
2
Crunchy granola: prestige food like ‘smoothies’, loaded with sugar, for the elite for whom ‘eating healthy’ contributes to social status. Wine-snobbery is soooo yesterday, microbrew-snobbery is losing social cache, and poetry/music/art appreciation takes too much work. So chug your green smoothies, chomp your granola, and carry your bottled water at all times for constant hydration.
Apart from the snob appeal…you want breakfast? Eat eggs. Carbs? Try oatmeal or grits. Fruits and veg? Eat fruits and veg, i.e. bite into and chew the actual things, if you have teeth, instead of drinking them as pureed, overpriced, calorific baby food.
Why is this so hard? Or expensive? And please spare me the whining about ‘Big Food’ and ‘Food Desserts’: peaches, when I went to the supermarket this morning, were 99¢/pound, and eggs—the most expensive organic free-range I buy because I care about chickens—are less than 2 for a dollar. Hrrumph.
Apart from the snob appeal…you want breakfast? Eat eggs. Carbs? Try oatmeal or grits. Fruits and veg? Eat fruits and veg, i.e. bite into and chew the actual things, if you have teeth, instead of drinking them as pureed, overpriced, calorific baby food.
Why is this so hard? Or expensive? And please spare me the whining about ‘Big Food’ and ‘Food Desserts’: peaches, when I went to the supermarket this morning, were 99¢/pound, and eggs—the most expensive organic free-range I buy because I care about chickens—are less than 2 for a dollar. Hrrumph.
8
Not only that...but aside from the sugars the rest is usually just or mostly rolled oats. You can buy rolled oats for 79 cent a a pound--and the nutrition is limited.
3
Sugar or not, granola can be a perfectly healthy part of a balanced diet. Articles that label certain foods as healthy or unhealthy are just feeding the health food fad frenzy that companies use to over charge customers for ordinary foodstuffs.
3
I think most people know that granola is basically candy. What is more insidious is the yoghurt they eat it with - which is often full of sugar. What happened to muesli and plain yoghurt?
3
Made granola last night in following proportions: 2 T honey, 1/4 c sliced almonds, 1/4 c black walnuts, 1/4 c sunflower seeds, 1/4 c pumpkin seeds, 1/4 c dried flaked unsweetened coconut, 1/4 c sesame seeds 1/4 c olive oil, 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce, 7 c Costco oatmeal. Baked at 300 for an hour, stirred midway to even out the browning. Store in freezer, eat with powdered skim milk +ice water and 4 slices of FROZEN super-ripe bananas which equals about 1/4 of a banana. Slices are broken up inthe bowl,provide plenty of sweetness. Recipe still evolving, will skip applesauce next time and use reader-recommended egg white. No spices needed, as toasted almonds and sesame
seeds provide great flavor. 1/2 cup keeps me going all morning.
Buy overripe bananas, slice and freeze on parchment paper which can later be rolled up and stored in a plastic bag for ease of un-rolling when a few slices are needed for cereal bowl.
seeds provide great flavor. 1/2 cup keeps me going all morning.
Buy overripe bananas, slice and freeze on parchment paper which can later be rolled up and stored in a plastic bag for ease of un-rolling when a few slices are needed for cereal bowl.
5
Try adding A good amount of cinnamon, which provides a sweetness without the sugar.
1
There's only one way to counteract the deceptive advertising of foods with obscene amounts of sugar: Education. Do public schools have nutrition classes as part of science and chemistry courses? If not, then it's high time they do.
2
I hate to see friends buy granola and yogurt parfaits. Two foods loaded with bad carbs that are going to send your body chemistry off course for hours.
2
I no longer have to worry about the sugar content of the food that I eat. My diet is now 100% sugar!
But, seriously, why do they have to put sugar in just about everything?
But, seriously, why do they have to put sugar in just about everything?
4
The devil is in the details. Read list of ingredients carefully. If sugar is among the top 3 or 4 ingredients, it's junk food masquerading as a healthy breakfast. A reasonably healthy granola should have about 300-400 calories per 100 gram (3.5 oz.), A reasonable serving is about 30-40 gram (1.5-2 oz) not including milk or yoghurt. Even a healthy granola, with no or minimal added sugar will have a fair amount of calories, as it includes, in addition to grains, nuts and dried fruit. Another way to turn granola into desert is to add artificially flavored milk or yoghurt, which is full of sugar and other rubbish.
1
Granola Bars. They're basically just candy bars in Birkenstocks.
34
Of course nobody who is health conscious would think of eating granola which contains a lot of sugar. I eat 18 Rabbits granola which contains minimal amounts of maple sugar.
1
All those nuts give me indigestion. Muesli or home-made granola is not for everyone. And the "reduced" sugar some people here suggest, such as adding a little maple syrup, is still too much. Eggs, bacon or sausage, maybe cheese too, a single slice of whole wheat toast, no more than two ounces of juice, cup of tea or water, and I'm good for six hours of busy work before needing lunch.
2
Forget granola.. into low fat plain yoghurt, mash half a banana, and add the rest mashed up and blended in with a spoon. Add fine chopped walnuts...simple delicious, crunchy. In winter, replace yoghurt with porridge (cream of wheat in US?). No sugar, but still sweet from banana...relatively healthy.
5
There is no added sugar but there is natural sugar in the banana and the yogurt, Cream of wheat is carbs....still not that healthy. that's what the point of the article is, hidden sugar.
3
I think the point of the article is ADDED sugar in the products being marketed as healthy. Not natural sugar coming from fruit and grains.
2
Sorry, but you're all wet: sugar is sugar is sugar. The sugar that one buys is refined from sugar cane or sugar beets, both totally natural plants.
2
Yes, overly sweetened granola is not as healthy as some people might think it is, and there are many better breakfasts to be had. But there's some unecessary sensationalism going on in this article. Why quote someone who says that granola is simply to be avoided, regardless of its contents? Lightly baked whole grains with nuts, seeds and maybe just a tad bit of sweetener, especially eaten with plain yogurt and whole fruit, is a great breakfast. Most store-bought granola is way too sweet, but that's not the case with all of it (I suppose it depends on the offerings in your area), and it's easy to make it yourself. I've struggled to find breakfasts that I enjoy and make me feel good (despite the cheerleading they receive, fats don't sit well with my morning digestion), and plain yogurt with muesli or a low-sugar granola has been the best thing I've found. (Milk upsets my stomach, but not yogurt). Also, comparing granola and, say, a doughnut, just based on sugar content is rather disingenuous. The sugar content in some granolas might be too high, but even too-sweet granolas would still make a better choice than cake or doughnuts in the morning (they still have more fiber and protein, for example). So, yes, most commercial granolas are too high in sugar. But we don't need to get overly sensational about it. At its essence, it's a healthy food. Just like fruit is healthy, but not when cut up into tiny bits and packed into a tiny plastic container with high fructose corn syrup.
24
Considering the level of obesity, diabetes, cancer, auto-immune diseases, and Alzheimers disease in this country -- all directly, or indirectly, related to metabolic syndrome, I don't think we can get overly sensational. People are not getting the message that the food they are eating is making them fat and sick. It's probably true that a large percentage of the population should never eat any grains, starches, or sugars -- ever. Seems like hyperbole and sensationalism, but we've got an entire population to heal. And we need to directly address the Standard Western Diet that is killing us slowly but surely.
Granola may be a dessert, but at least according to Neil Diamond it might be something of a miracle food too - this from his song, 'Crunchy Granola Suite' --
"Let me hear that get me near that
Crunchy Granola Suite
Drop your shrinkin' and stop your drinkin'
Crunchy granola's neat"
And then Diamond goes on to sing --
"I know a man was outta touch
And he'd hide in a house
And he didn't say much
And like a man
With a tiger outside his gate
He not only couldn't relax
But he couldn't relate
Now he can, family man
Tried my brand"
Ah yes, a miracle in a bowl!
"Let me hear that get me near that
Crunchy Granola Suite
Drop your shrinkin' and stop your drinkin'
Crunchy granola's neat"
And then Diamond goes on to sing --
"I know a man was outta touch
And he'd hide in a house
And he didn't say much
And like a man
With a tiger outside his gate
He not only couldn't relax
But he couldn't relate
Now he can, family man
Tried my brand"
Ah yes, a miracle in a bowl!
1
Does no one remember/ still eat Familia? The original.
familia Swiss Müesli
familia Swiss Müesli "no added sugar" and "original" are a wonderful start into your day. They are ALL Natural and a good source of fiber - Swiss wholesomeness from the picturesque village of Sachseln, by the lake...surrounded by the Alps... try it for yourself!
familia Swiss Müesli
familia Swiss Müesli "no added sugar" and "original" are a wonderful start into your day. They are ALL Natural and a good source of fiber - Swiss wholesomeness from the picturesque village of Sachseln, by the lake...surrounded by the Alps... try it for yourself!
3
Sugar is more addictive than crack cocaine, which is why the food industry adds it to all their products. If you don't put sugar in your product, noone will buy it. In order to wean everyone off sugar, it would have to be removed from all foods, so everyone would go off it cold turkey. Since I stopped eating sugar, an apple or peach to me now tastes like the sugar bomb that it is, whereas "ordinary" sweet foods with added sugar (like a soda pop) have so much sugar in them they make me feel almost ill. You can see this in Michael Moore's latest film when he gives a Coca-Cola to a French kid who sips it and restrains himself from issuing a huge "yuck."
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/23/is-sugar-m...
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/23/is-sugar-m...
3
Fruits have been bred to be so sweet that I often have to salt them.
Corn on the cob, even salted, makes a fine dessert.
Corn on the cob, even salted, makes a fine dessert.
2
Granola is the easiest thing in the world to make yourself.
But no one cooks anything any more, and nutrition and cooking are no longer taught in the schools.
We are now easily into 4 generations that think take and bake pizza is a home cooked meal.
But no one cooks anything any more, and nutrition and cooking are no longer taught in the schools.
We are now easily into 4 generations that think take and bake pizza is a home cooked meal.
So, as a Type 1 diabetic, I have to pay lots of attention to sugar, carbs, and glycemic index. The last mentioned item is not treated in this article, but should be. Part of the health appeal of granola is that it’s perceived to be minimally processed. Not true. Cereal that does not require cooking is, by definition, already processed. And even cereals that do need cooking often are. For example, rolled oats will spike a diabetics blood glucose almost as much as Fruit Loops. Whole oats, on the other hand, although a carb meal, is digested more slowly and doesn’t make blood glucose spike. (Moms call a spike in BG a 'sugar rush".)
Unprocessed whole grains, like oats, barley and farro take a while to cook--40-50 min. But you can cook a week worth at a time, and just nuke a bowlful for breakfast. With some milk or half n half, they quite tasty, and have much more interesting texture than rolled oats.
Unprocessed whole grains, like oats, barley and farro take a while to cook--40-50 min. But you can cook a week worth at a time, and just nuke a bowlful for breakfast. With some milk or half n half, they quite tasty, and have much more interesting texture than rolled oats.
1
You are probably better off skipping the granola altogether and having a couple boiled eggs (or however else you like to prepare them) and some sort of meat. I like plain greek yogurt with some fruit and granola but I think the protein starts my day off better. I feel fuller longer and I don't have that mid-morning I-have-to-have-something-or-I'm-going-fall-asleep feeling.
I like soft boiled eggs so on the weekend I buy a dozen, soft boil them and put them in the fridge so they are handy all week. Since they come in their own little covered bowl that makes them very handy to carry then chop the top off with a spoon and eat from the shell when ready to consume. A piece of cheese or some leftover chicken and you're good to go.
I like granola. But I like pancakes too. And French toast. I wouldn't eat any of it on a regular basis.
Not as sugary and will definitely see you through until lunch.
I like soft boiled eggs so on the weekend I buy a dozen, soft boil them and put them in the fridge so they are handy all week. Since they come in their own little covered bowl that makes them very handy to carry then chop the top off with a spoon and eat from the shell when ready to consume. A piece of cheese or some leftover chicken and you're good to go.
I like granola. But I like pancakes too. And French toast. I wouldn't eat any of it on a regular basis.
Not as sugary and will definitely see you through until lunch.
2
My homemade granola has less than 10 grams of sugar per serving (from honey), and it uses peanut butter and banana instead of oil. I'm not seeing the problem.
2
Just eat Muesli. Problem solved.
1
I make my own granola, without sugar. It's healthier, tastes far better, and costs 1/10th as much as stale, store-bought granola.
3
Make your own muesli: mix together raw rolled oats, raw unsalted sliced almonds, raw unsalted pumpkin seeds, raw unsalted sunflower seeds, raisins, and optionally, dried cranberries (which do have some added sugar to keep them from being impossibly tart). Sprinkle on some flax seeds and eat it with whatever variety of milk you use. If you need a little extra sweetening, add a touch of honey or maple syrup, or top with fresh fruit. Delicious, satisfying, and cheaper than any mix you'll buy because you pay the correct per-pound price for each individual ingredient.
It also has the advantage of not being finger-snackable. You'd be amazed how much granola you can eat when you pick those handy little clusters out of the container and pop them in your mouth while you're reading the paper...
It also has the advantage of not being finger-snackable. You'd be amazed how much granola you can eat when you pick those handy little clusters out of the container and pop them in your mouth while you're reading the paper...
33
For what it's worth, I think that Ezekiel granola (foodforlife.com) sounds like an upgraded version of “granula”. I prefer it to sweetened granolas. It has a good crunch, and I always eat it with fruit anyway, so no sweetening is necessary. I say “upgraded” because they use a mix of a number of whole grains, not just wheat or oats.
11
The main thing about Ezekiel is that only sprouted grains are used, not flour. Ezekiel English muffins, granola and bread. My self-styled nutritionist father only ate Ezekiel bread and no flour, especially no white four, ever. He liveed past 100.
4
My homemade granola has evolved into "Nutola". I began making it years ago per recipes calling for dried fruit, oil and brown sugar or honey, and lessening those ingredients more and more until it dawned on me that it's great without any oil, sweetener or even the grains! The part I love is the roasted nuts. Now I just grind roasted hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds and coconut. Try that on your yogurt! With a little fruit, its perfect. It's also great when you take a lump of goat cheese and roll it in Nutola.
1
I make oatmeal with cinnamon powder or cloves and saccharin tablets. When I eat the oatmeal for a late night snack, my blood sugar is lower in the morning.
For readers who fear the destructiveness of that saccharin, keep in mind that nearly every toothpaste uses saccharin.
For readers who fear the destructiveness of that saccharin, keep in mind that nearly every toothpaste uses saccharin.
1
Do you eat toothpaste?
1
Why don't you just use fruit for sweetening?
2
Have you seen those IHOP pancake commercials? Somehow they've managed to turn a couple of pancakes (already way too sweet with the carbs and syrup) into a massive pastry-sandwich full of fruit, whipped cream, strawberry syrup and anything else an eight-year-old could imagine. And the whole family is beaming, the parents thinking they're doing everybody a big favor. Have they gone out of their minds? Who orders that stuff besides fatties from Harlan County?
14
Yet another reason why learning to prepare your own food and learning to read a nutrition label are so important. It's easy to make your own granola to your own specifications, with all the delicious grains you want, and with minimal added sugar. Especially in our information age and with our fabulous American grocery stores, this really isn't rocket science!
4
Sure, it's great to cook. But when I put out that kind of time and energy, I want to get paella out of it and maybe invite friends over. Something like breakfast cereal is perfect for retail -- it's up to us to demand a decent product. I know they can do it.
3
It takes all of an hour on a Saturday to make a huge batch of homemade granola that lasts weeks to a month. Most of that hour is spent with a pan in the oven.
I find it so weird that people think of cooking as an all or nothing proposition-- "party paella or bust". Regular cooking is easy and a small, but significant part of adult life.
I find it so weird that people think of cooking as an all or nothing proposition-- "party paella or bust". Regular cooking is easy and a small, but significant part of adult life.
3
I figured out years ago that cereal has about the same nutritional value as Chips Ahoy. I'm older and more abstemious now, but back then this translated to Chips Ahoy and a glass of milk for breakfast!
15
My recipe for breakfast cereal is: Uncooked oatmeal, bran (I'd prefer Grape Nuts but can't get it here in Sweden), almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, dried apricots, coconut flakes. Stir it up and put favorite liquid on it (milk, almond milk, OJ, etc.) and you have a great start to the day.
12
This is exactly how my uncle, diagnosed with colon cancer, eked out twenty more years, playing tennis, and died at 89.
2
Really hard to believe this is news to anyone.
26
This isn't exactly news - just look at the label (or put granola in your mouth) and you'll realize that's it's basically just sugar.
Organic junk food - easiest way to make a buck!
Organic junk food - easiest way to make a buck!
9
Hahaha! Adelle Davis, now that's going back to my 60s era SUNY Buffalo-granola/hashish breakfasts! That woman was such a charlatan, with her bogus studies about Vitamin E and cancers cured with "massive doses of Vitamin A". The worst of it was her fetish for dairy products—gobs of them, "1 quart of milk a day", yoghurt and whole milk cheeses by the barrel, which like an idiot I followed to the letter and wound up with an enormous swollen salivary gland (later found out I was 100% lactose intolerant!), which had to be removed surgically.
Although at 67, all the faddist things I did wrong back then helped me learn to do things in moderation now.
Although at 67, all the faddist things I did wrong back then helped me learn to do things in moderation now.
8
If it's so easy to make a low-sugar granola and a smallish but rising number of people want to buy it, why doesn't anybody sell one? The few low-sugar granolas are packaged and marketed like precious boutique items in tiny bags, at a price that's often more than three times higher.
26
While working for a packaging company, several of us were given a tour of the huge Kellogg factory in Battle Creek MI. The tour guide told us how many box car loads of cereal they produced a day. Should have asked how many box car loads of sugar they used per day.
Later when working for The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, the rail cars loaded with sugar were just below my office window. When the price of sugar went up - they had workers with large hammers to get all of the sugar out of the cars.
The power of the sugar lobby was amazing but that all changed when high fructose corn syrup became cheaper than cane sugar. Then a really powerful lobby took over - the corn lobby. Today 10% of our corn crop goes into HFCS and 40% of our corn crop goes into ethanol.
All of this is determined by lobbyists buying our pols.
Later when working for The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, the rail cars loaded with sugar were just below my office window. When the price of sugar went up - they had workers with large hammers to get all of the sugar out of the cars.
The power of the sugar lobby was amazing but that all changed when high fructose corn syrup became cheaper than cane sugar. Then a really powerful lobby took over - the corn lobby. Today 10% of our corn crop goes into HFCS and 40% of our corn crop goes into ethanol.
All of this is determined by lobbyists buying our pols.
72
Bacon and eggs with whole wheat toast (lowest sugar content you can find) is really not a bad breakfast. But keep the orange juice to about two ounces, in my opinion. You don't eat five oranges, so you don't need the juice of five oranges.
15
Your suggestion doesn't account for carbs, which turns into sugars. People think by avoiding sugar they have eliminated it from their diets, this is not the case. It creeps up in many different forms, some intentional and some not. You have to look at several things.
8
Better yet, skip the juice and have an actual orange, or any other fruit. More vitamins & minerals, more fiber, and less of a sugar jolt for your metabolism.
9
I hardly think a single piece of whole wheat toast is excessive carbs. If I have white bread and juice I can feel the nasty sugar spike. Eggs, cheese, sausage or bacon, one slice whole wheat, I'm good for six hours without any sugar crash. Sure, high fat content, but at my age and family history I know what to avoid and what not to worry about too much. Also, all those nuts give me indigestion.
4
The overriding message of the past two decades has been to deride fat and celebrate whole grains. To eliminate fat from products manufacturers add sugar and/or salt to give flavor to a food, so we have a lot of pre-made foods out there with zero fat and a load of sugar and salt in them. Alternatively you have some sort of fat substitute like o'lean that has horrid side effects if eaten in quantity. Products loaded with sugar, salt and carbs and zero fat don't sate ones appetite like those with fat and the carbs and sugar in these products get absorbed quickly since, despite the stated inclusion of whole grains, most have very little soluble fiber, which is the other thing that mitigates carb digestion and glucose uptake in the gut.
In addition to those problems pre-packaged and fast foods are calorie dense foods in most instances. The other thing to note is that beverages that contain sugar are universally bad for you.
Since carbs and sugar have become so ubiquitous the armchair dietitians have come out of the woodwork with fad diets that either completely eliminate carbs or decrease them to minimal amounts. In general bread is vilified by this circle of dieters. This sort of diet is completely impractical for the average person to maintain long term and also completely unnecessary. The answer is to moderate your intake of sugar and maintain something close to a Mediterranean diet while using exercise to build overall lean muscle mass.
In addition to those problems pre-packaged and fast foods are calorie dense foods in most instances. The other thing to note is that beverages that contain sugar are universally bad for you.
Since carbs and sugar have become so ubiquitous the armchair dietitians have come out of the woodwork with fad diets that either completely eliminate carbs or decrease them to minimal amounts. In general bread is vilified by this circle of dieters. This sort of diet is completely impractical for the average person to maintain long term and also completely unnecessary. The answer is to moderate your intake of sugar and maintain something close to a Mediterranean diet while using exercise to build overall lean muscle mass.
5
Grape-Nuts (very similar to the original "granula") still exists and contains no sugar. You can add nuts and seeds to it and suddenly it's unsweetened granola.
5
still has 47 grams carbs in 1/2 cup albeit 7 grams of it are fiber
3
All carbs are not actually identical.
2
Thanks to everyone for all these ideas of how to make my own! Appreciate everyone's comments.
5
Granola is only the latest food to be co-opted by Big Sugar as a delivery mechanism for the fruits of Federal subsidies which in turn support of 100 or so electoral votes and 12 senate seats.
29
Yogurt, fruit juice (especially), most commercial granola: sugar. Poisons all. If this doesn't bother you: enjoy!
4
I have known, well at least suspected that the granola type cereal which I eat now is more desserty than health foody. But what about the granola which we ate back in 1970? At that time, I did not take to it so quickly, it wasn't sweet, but I did like that it was chewy and crunchy if not too much milk was added so I kept on eating it. I really miss that stuff. I think it was big pieces of diamond cut oates and one other ingredient. I sure wish I could find that in the stores today, but from reading comments here maybe it's possible to make my own.
So no one else but me got the message that I should just go back to eating donuts for breakfast then? ;-) Seriously though - sure, the sugar content in granola is high and it is not nearly as healthy as people think it is. But the nutrients and fiber in granola still make it a better choice than chocolate cake I would imagine. When you focus on just one thing like sugar, you end up with things like the fat-free craze of the late 80s, when people ended up eating highly processed low-fat snacks and other foods that were even more terrible for you than having a little fat.
47
You do realize, don't you, that the choice for a healthy breakfast or snack is not only between granola and chocolate cake?
3
It's sad to me that the NYT publishes this, and as the headline indicates, it's meant to be a surprise. Making a habit of reading ingredient labels and knowing a bit about nutrition should be commonplace, common sense. Why are people so willing to trust manufacturers who have milked a trend so far sideways its basic premise is moot? How do people in this country get to be adults without a grasp on how their bodies store and use energy from what they eat?
I think I got over the fact that packaged granola is terrible for you over 15 years ago- when I was a teenager and a competitive swimmer, and I just happened to read a label. It's candy. Could be useful if you're going to burn tonnes of calories, but even then, my go-to would be the same volume of dried fruit and nuts. I find it far more delicious.
I think I got over the fact that packaged granola is terrible for you over 15 years ago- when I was a teenager and a competitive swimmer, and I just happened to read a label. It's candy. Could be useful if you're going to burn tonnes of calories, but even then, my go-to would be the same volume of dried fruit and nuts. I find it far more delicious.
20
I examine cereal boxes in search of products that provide <8 grams of sugar per serving. That's 2 teaspoons or under, and enough for me, because there's enough fructose in the fresh fruit topping to ensure that the dish is enjoyable.
MEA CULPA! A squirt of whipped cream on top is a really nice touch. So pretty.
MEA CULPA! A squirt of whipped cream on top is a really nice touch. So pretty.
4
My body is practically made of (homemade) granola. I use a Molly Wizenberg recipe, using max 1/2 cup maple syrup for 6 cups oats + 1 cup nuts, etc. That works out to less than 15g sugar/cup, which is actually too sweet sometimes. (Her original recipe calls for a whole cup of syrup, which would make it ridiculously sweet.)
Sure, I could forgo that 15g for a dry piece of toast, but what's the point? My diet is balanced otherwise, and besides, it's delicious. Definitely worth it.
Sure, I could forgo that 15g for a dry piece of toast, but what's the point? My diet is balanced otherwise, and besides, it's delicious. Definitely worth it.
35
My adage is if it tastes good don't eat it. Following my own advice, I also gave up having sex.
57
And maybe the next story will be "why cherries, raisin bran, etc " are also not "food" but more like desert
1
If you don't know the difference between the sugars in cherries and the sugar in granola and the relative quantities of those sugars that you are likely to eat in one sitting, than you really need to educate yourself rather than making trolling comments on the Internet.
1
In excess they are. Sugar is sugar, even though sugar from fruits enters the blood stream more slowly.
1
Ooops My autocorrect put "cherries" where I meant "Cheerios" your are right.
Great article. But comparing a volume measurement (cups) with a weight measurement (grams) is a little confusing. For example, the Bear Naked Honey Almond you link to has 5g sugar in a 30g serving. The recommended Mamma Chia Vanilla Almond has 10 g sugar in a 55g serving. That's more sugar in the Mamma Chia. Cup measurements for dry cereals, especially in a cluster shape, seem to have varying standards.
25
ok gang lets not get all goofy about this-I make my own granola from the NYT recipe(11 Madison Park) you can put in whatever level of sugar you want, I use alot of cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, cut back on the honey/syrup, no dried fruits and you can craft yourself a very tasty healthy breakfast fare full of oats and nuts and jammed with flavor. Buy big box of Quaker Oats at Costco, cost you next to nothing!!
9
You know, that's all well and good but you know and I know that most Americans will not make their own, no matter how easy it is. That's just the way it is, so we actually DO have to get "all goofy" about this. This is a real health issue.
4
Make toasted muesli instead with just whole grains (oat, wheat, rye, barley flakes). Add some fruit and nuts and sweetener at the table if you want.
6
Or buy mueli (or however it is spelled). Granola without most of the sugar.
2
Making your own granola is so simple, even for busy people. It takes about an hour from start to finish, you can keep the sugar content really low and I make a batch that lasts two weeks eating it for breakfast every morning. Recipes are all over the internet.
3
Don't a lot of people just get steel cut oats, boil/simmer in water, add raisins?
No (added except raisins) sugar there, right?
What percentage of granola consumption is pre-packaged/processed and sugared as article describes, and what percentage is plain? Seems many of the healthy eaters noted as "unaware" would be getting the plain stuff?
No (added except raisins) sugar there, right?
What percentage of granola consumption is pre-packaged/processed and sugared as article describes, and what percentage is plain? Seems many of the healthy eaters noted as "unaware" would be getting the plain stuff?
1
This is an extremely important article. So many people don't understand that granola, breakfast biscuits and bars, and yogurt are usually unhealthy foods (due to excessive sugar, not due to intrinsic reasons necessarily) masquerading as healthy foods.
Yesterday I saw a friend eating Noose brand yogurt. When I pointed out that Noosa is particularly high in sugar (30g) (which is only 3g less than a can of Coke!) she said she needs her probiotics. There are certainly other more healthy ways to get probiotics.
Current scientific research points to sugar as a bigger threat to public health than fat. But a lot of consumers haven't made the shift yet to understanding the detrimental effects on heath of excessive sugar consumption. Consumers need to be smarter about what they consume and not be misled by food industry marketing that positions certain high sugar content foods as healthy choices.
Thank you to the author of this article for being part of the effort to educate consumers.
Yesterday I saw a friend eating Noose brand yogurt. When I pointed out that Noosa is particularly high in sugar (30g) (which is only 3g less than a can of Coke!) she said she needs her probiotics. There are certainly other more healthy ways to get probiotics.
Current scientific research points to sugar as a bigger threat to public health than fat. But a lot of consumers haven't made the shift yet to understanding the detrimental effects on heath of excessive sugar consumption. Consumers need to be smarter about what they consume and not be misled by food industry marketing that positions certain high sugar content foods as healthy choices.
Thank you to the author of this article for being part of the effort to educate consumers.
48
Best use for granola for me is a couple of tablespoons on top of half a cup of ice cream
3
Makes sense. For me, it's with an apple chopped up and a bit of vanilla yogurt (also the only way I can eat yogurt without the texture grossing me out).
Unless the fruit is something like avocado, adding fresh fruit is still adding sugar.
4
But also fiber, vitamins and minerals.
4
I buy plain, unsweetened granola and put less than an ounce into a cup of greek yogurt with berries in the morning. That's it. More than a pinch is just sugar and more calories.
1
Granola long ago went the way Greek yogurt is going now. Take a product with an arguable health claim. Wait just long enough that the health claim seeps into popular consciousness. And then trash it. Granola with oil and sugar. Greek yogurt no longer strained (cheaper that way, and keeps more of the milk sugar), reduced fat (higher glycemic index), and now, finally, candy-sweet with the usual array of yogurt "flavors." Joining the other junk foods at the health food store. Kellogg started an unfortunate trend - we stopped following our appetites and started reading ads; we've entirely lost our taste for simple foods.
10
Soy milk is another food product that is problematic. I was dismayed when Silk first started marketing multiple flavors of soy milk, most of them with considerable amounts of added sugar, they were training consumers to expect soy milk to be a sweet product. Silk and other mfrs offer a no sugar added version, but for consumers who weren't familiar with that type of traditional soy milk (or the even more traditional Asian type that is fresh and without any other added ingredients), they were attracted to the flavored varieties, then immediately associated soy milk with a sweet taste, and never gave themselves a chance to appreciate and develop a taste for unsweetened soy milk. Just think of the mountains of sugar that are being consumed because consumers were trained to want their soy milk sweet.
19
Nothing with that much sugar, "natural" or not, is a health food; it's dessert. In the illustration replace the granola with a mostly-unsweetened cereal such as Heritage Flakes or Cheerios and it would be fine.
2
An unsweetened muesli with a few nuts and dried fruit is a better option.
8
Once I read the ingredients for the supposedly healthier granola I was buying in bulk, and saw how much sugars they contained, I quit buying commercially made granola. I make my own, with organic oats, three kinds of organic nuts, unsweetened coconut, a few raisins, cinnamon, a little salt, and sweetened with just a little maple syrup. It's easy, makes the house smell nice, and I would never call my granola "a food to skip." Also way less expensive than the fancy granolas out there. If you take a little time to prepare the food that is right for you, you can get exactly what you want, with no sugar.
15
I came to the same conclusion about granola about two years or so ago, even though I usually made my own at home. I even reduced the honey content and added nuts and seeds to up the protein (and fat). But it all came down to a lot of sugar. I would eat it with milk or almond milk.
And while I am at it: I have cut out almond milk, too. Read the ingredients label on the package. You're getting a whole lot more than just almonds! And you can make your own which is so tasty; actually tastes like almonds.
Battling a sweet tooth and want to eat real.
And while I am at it: I have cut out almond milk, too. Read the ingredients label on the package. You're getting a whole lot more than just almonds! And you can make your own which is so tasty; actually tastes like almonds.
Battling a sweet tooth and want to eat real.
2
It's all really simple. Read the label - works for anything!
14
I am not a cook, but I make my own granola by putting oatmeal and some seeds and coconut oil on pan and baking on low heat for about 20 minutes. No sugar at all. I might add some dried cranberries and almonds after it's done. I don't know how this is any less healthy than making a bowl of oatmeal. The problem is buying granola rather than making it yourself, so that you can control what is in it.
7
Substitute sugar and maple syrup with 1/2 cup local honey and 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses. Throw out the sugary stuff.
2
Sugar is sugar, no less so in honey, ripe fruit, or other so-called natural sources.
25
You are substituting one type of sugar for another.
1
@Yvonne
This isn't really true. Depending on what you consume with the sugar, your insulin response varies - and that's the part that matters here. The sugar naturally found in an apple, for instance, has a much lower glycemic load than eating an equivalent amount of refined sugar by itself.
This isn't really true. Depending on what you consume with the sugar, your insulin response varies - and that's the part that matters here. The sugar naturally found in an apple, for instance, has a much lower glycemic load than eating an equivalent amount of refined sugar by itself.
1
If I have time for breakfast, I usually eat a portion of uncooked natural oatmeal with a handful of sliced banana or other fruit, with fresh milk. A teaspoon of sugar is optional,
Both your cholesterol and weight will drop fast if used with a the rest of a healthy diet.
Both your cholesterol and weight will drop fast if used with a the rest of a healthy diet.
2
I only eat granola when I'm backpacking (with dried, whole milk) and need about 5,000 calories a day. It's great for that purpose!
5
I agree completely.... but am somewhat appalled that the NYTimes takes advice from a 'nutrition blogger', who's first of the Five Foods to Skip is Bread. Because bread contains Toxins y'all.. In what is otherwise a well researched piece, that kind of reasoning just doesn't belong.
76
I agree. The website of the "nutrition blogger" that this article links to is a scientific embarrassment. Bread has "toxins" (in italics)? Give me a break.
10
Most breads are a blood sugar- and insulin-spiking processed mess. The glycemic index of whole wheat bread is higher than that of a snickers bar.
3
Agreed, but don't forget that bread in the US is unlike bread in most European countries. Bread in the US is not how it's supposed to be. Like the blogger says, It's sweetened with corn syrup and therefore absolutely revolting.
5
My dentist says she fixes a lot of teeth broken on unsoaked granola.
2
Informative and enlightening, but a bit misleading. ..once you factor in the oats and other grains, plus added dried fruit, you are further increasing the carbohydrate load which the body will process like sugar in terms of an insulin response. Just one more reason why a breakfast based on protein and fats is the healthiest choice. ..
34
I am not sure measuring insulin response alone is a good way to judge the quality of foods. I have come to believe that glycemic index (GI) might be the best single measure of food quality, but cannot find that anyone has published GI measurements for granola cereals.
This article says nothing about fiber and fat. All it does is jump on the bandwagon of sugar hysteria -- a lunacy of puritanical impulse. In the 70s it was five-carbon versus six carbon, fructose over glucose. Now that is reversed. What's next, a granola tax?
3
Granola also has a lot of fat! A typical commercial granola can have 12 grams of fat cup.
1
Both have the same empirical formula: C6 H12 O6; six carbons. But, as you imply, they are structurally different.
What about muesli as an alternative? And what's the definition of muesli, anyway?
1
Typically a mixture of rolled oats, nuts, coconut, and dried fruit and/or chopped or mashed apple. Soak in water or juice overnight, and add unsweetened yoghurt. Check out Borchers muesli on the Internet for original formulations. Commercial products today often resemble sweetened American granola, so beware.
Most of the commercial brands of muesli have loads of added sugar as well. For example, the original and probably best-selling muesli is Familia, which has a whopping 28 grams of sugar per cup!! They have a no-added sugar version which has "only" 14 grams of sugar per cup, but note that that's still more sugar than a Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut. I buy muesli in the bulk section of my local health food store - no sugar except what is in the raisins and nuts.
3
That's Bircher muesli, of course! Very easy to make your own with no sugar.
2
While I appreciate the warnings about sugar content in commercial granola, I get very irritated about broad-stroke headlines such as this. I and many others make our own, and I bring the sugar content way down, a tablespoon or less of brown sugar (or the equivalent in maple syrup) for a 5 cup recipe, or less than 5 grams per serving. And the article is wrong, at least in my experience, about sugar provided the "clumping". The egg white idea is key - some recipes call for one or two, but I've been ramping that up to 4 or 5 for great clumping and extra protein at a very low cost. I too use a bit of cinnamon, and vanilla or other extracts are a great low-call extra. Oats, nuts and seeds are the key, and with a fresh banana or other fruit, it makes for a very nutritious breakfast or snack. Very easy to make, and much cheaper and healthier than the commercial variety.
11
Call out to Michael!...Any chance of obtaining your 'clumping' via egg-white protein recipe-wonder?! Pretty puh-lease with absolutely no (..ok...a smidgen) on top?!!
I would be so incredibly grateful...as I miss my crucial 'crunch' factor in morning offerings!!
I would be so incredibly grateful...as I miss my crucial 'crunch' factor in morning offerings!!
1
I have seen my waistline grow exponentially since I relocated to the USA without changing my eating or exercise routine. Later I found that the food sold here has significant added sugar, Almond milk is really sugar water with almond flavor, granola is pure sugar. I have searched for alternatives and there are none, all food manufacturers add a high level of sugar disguised as "Cane Juice" or other marketing name, but they are affecting the population. Can we do something?
20
Gabriel, I am so sorry for your problems since coming to the US and consuming BIG FOOD's tasty packaged stuff. Fat, sugar and salt have been carefully, thoroughly investigated and formulated to determine "the Bliss Point," the percentage compositions of those three that cause an eater to go into a state of unawareness of satiety and to eat, and eat, and eat. I've had to become something of a Calvinist, limiting prepared foods to ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, bread. The Greek yogurt is plain fat free, the canned veggies are no added sodium. Even chicken, turkey and "fresh" pork are salt solution injected for "tender and tasty" resulting in 350 mg sodium per serving, rather than 65-85 mg naturally.
1
YOU can do something. Almond milk is only "sugar water" if you buy it with sugar added. Just buy the unsweetened. Itʻs that simple.
5
The food labels tell how much sugar there is, if you come from a region where food labels are not required. If everything fails, clothing size here is very generous -- a medium here can be similar to an extra-large in Korea (Korea requires food labels, though).
1
Yogurt is the other dessert-for-breakfast. And most smoothies, too. Plus coffee enhanced with all manner of crap.
5
That's why you make my own. Takes 10 min to mix and 1.5 hrs in the oven largely unattended.
3
Oh, nuts. So my granola is basically just a crumbled up cookie.
Knowing stuff is no fun at all. It just makes it harder to enjoy myself without responsibility or guilt.
Please, Donald, tell me that a Trump administration will get rid of all this buzz-kill "knowledge" stuff that the government keeps pushing on me.
Knowing stuff is no fun at all. It just makes it harder to enjoy myself without responsibility or guilt.
Please, Donald, tell me that a Trump administration will get rid of all this buzz-kill "knowledge" stuff that the government keeps pushing on me.
9