In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Is Granola?Nutrition FactsHealth BenefitsPotential DownsidesHow to ChooseFAQs
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Is Granola?
Nutrition Facts
Health Benefits
Potential Downsides
How to Choose
FAQs
Granola has lots of good things going for it. It’s convenient, crunchy and delicious. Plus, it’s incredibly versatile. After all, how many foods can you eat for breakfast, snacksanddessert?
But how healthy is granola, really? “Historically, granola tends to wear a ‘health halo’ and has a reputation as a ‘diet food,'” saysLauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., RDN, author ofThe Protein-Packed Breakfast Club.Sure, it’s usually made with whole grains, nuts and seeds, but it can also pack loads of fat, sugar and calories.
EatingWell
Pictured Recipe:Grandpa’s Homemade Granola
If you’re wondering if it’s OK to eat granola every day (or if it’s best reserved as a special treat), here’s what you need to know.
Granola is a simple, crunchy mix of several ingredients. “To make granola, rolled oats are mixed with a sweetener like honey or maple syrup, oil and accents like nuts, spices or dried coconut,” saysKelly LeBlanc, RD, Vice President of nutrition programming at Oldways. Then, the mixture is baked until crunchy. The result is a hearty, whole-grain, flavor-filled cereal.
Granola Nutrition Facts
One-half cup of typical granola (brands vary) contains
Health Benefits of Granola
Better Heart Health
Many varieties of granola are heart-healthy. “Granola’s oats are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that can help lower cholesterol,” says Harris-Pincus. So eat up. Adding oats to your diet improves total and “bad” LDL cholesterol, as well as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.
Body mass index(BMI) is a measure that’s often used in healthcare to determine a person’s body weight category such as overweight or obese, and therefore, chronic disease risk. However, it has limitations and does not account for individual factors that influence one’s health status, such as body composition, ethnicity, race, sex and age. This is why it shouldn’t be used as a comprehensive measure of someone’s health andcan be a source of body size stigma and bias.
Among various pieces of data, the meta-analysis cited earlier research that found that people at risk for heart disease who consumed roughly 1½ ounces of granola daily slashed their total and LDL cholesterol in 6 weeks. Oats are also rich in blood-pressure-lowering antioxidants called avenanthramides.
Less Hunger
Healthier Gut Bacteria
In one study, when volunteers ate 3½ ounces of high-fiber granola daily for just 3 days, their numbers of blood-sugar-controlling gut bacteria grew.As encouraging as this is, the study’s granola packed a hefty 16 to 22 grams of fiber per serving, roughly double the amount in typical store-bought granola, per the USDA.
A Nutrition Boost
Granola often travels with other nutritious foods, whether it’s a bowl of granola with milk and a banana for breakfast or ayogurt-berry parfaitas a snack. No wonder research shows that ready-to-eat cereal eaters contribute to better diet quality and increased nutrient intake.
Added Sugars
To know for sure, scan the ingredient list for sugars like honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup or molasses. Then head to the Nutrition Facts label to scout out added sugars. What about the naturally occurring sugars in dried fruit? No need to obsess about these guys. They’re wrapped in a package of digestion-slowing fiber along with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Hidden Calories
You might be surprised at the calories in each serving. “Granola is a dense food, so its calories can add up more quickly than a comparable amount of puffed cereal,” says LeBlanc. To complicate matters, serving sizes are based on weight, so they can be all over the place. For instance, a serving might be as tiny as ¼ cup, with only 120 calories, or it could be as large as ¾ cup, delivering 260.
If your favorite brand contains added nuts, peanut butter, chocolate chips or coconut flakes, calories can inch even higher. If calories are a concern, keep an eye on portion sizes. To eliminate the guesswork, LeBlanc recommends keeping a 1/4- or 1/3-cup measuring cup in your granola box or jar and portioning it out before pouring it into your bowl.
Saturated Fat
Unsaturated fats from nuts and seeds or canola, olive or sunflower oils are no problem. However, some granola brands may contain several grams ofsaturated fatfrom ingredients like dried coconut or coconut oil, especially if they’re paleo, keto or grain-free. That can undo a lot of granola’s otherwise heart-supporting benefits.
How to Choose the Best Granola
What to Look For
The Nutrition Facts panel and the ingredient list can be a treasure trove of info. Look for:
What to Limit
How to Make Healthy Granola, According to Our Test Kitchen
The Bottom Line
Granola is healthy in small amounts, especially because oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit in granola provide some fiber that’s good for heart and gut health. However, granola can also be a rich source of calories, saturated fat and sugar, depending on the brand you buy.
Nutrition-wise, some brands are better choices than others, so don’t just toss any box into your shopping cart. Scan the nutrition label for one that’s high in fiber yet low in saturated fat and sugar. Then check out the ingredient list to make sure it’s made with the same healthy ingredients you’d find in your kitchen.
Are Granola Bars Healthy? Here’s What a Dietitian Has to Say
Frequently Asked QuestionsIt can be. “Standard granola often contains rolled oats, which provide fiber and complex carbohydrates, and nuts that contribute healthy fats, plant protein and vitamin E,” says Gellman. On the flip side, it can also be a source of saturated fats and added sugars, which are harmful for your heart when eaten in excess.Though both can be included in your diet, oatmeal is probably a healthier pick over granola. “A bowl of oatmeal prepared with milk or milk alternative and topped with fresh berries and nuts will likely contain more protein, fiber and important nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium compared to granola, and it will have less added sugar,” says Harris-Pincus.Yes. “Granola does contain important nutrients, and if you enjoy it, eating some every day is probably fine as part of a balanced diet,” says Harris-Pincus. There are some distinct perks, too, she says: “For busy people and athletes who need carbs to fuel workouts, granola is a nutritious option that’s portable and nonperishable.“You’ll have to look at the nutrition label and ingredients list on the brands you enjoy or recipe you like to make at home. “Granola is a broad category, so ingredients vary depending on whether it’s store-bought or homemade, and the recipe itself,” says Gellman. A granola that’s high in fiber, low in added sugars and saturated fats and made with simple ingredients will be the healthiest choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be. “Standard granola often contains rolled oats, which provide fiber and complex carbohydrates, and nuts that contribute healthy fats, plant protein and vitamin E,” says Gellman. On the flip side, it can also be a source of saturated fats and added sugars, which are harmful for your heart when eaten in excess.
Though both can be included in your diet, oatmeal is probably a healthier pick over granola. “A bowl of oatmeal prepared with milk or milk alternative and topped with fresh berries and nuts will likely contain more protein, fiber and important nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium compared to granola, and it will have less added sugar,” says Harris-Pincus.
Yes. “Granola does contain important nutrients, and if you enjoy it, eating some every day is probably fine as part of a balanced diet,” says Harris-Pincus. There are some distinct perks, too, she says: “For busy people and athletes who need carbs to fuel workouts, granola is a nutritious option that’s portable and nonperishable.”
You’ll have to look at the nutrition label and ingredients list on the brands you enjoy or recipe you like to make at home. “Granola is a broad category, so ingredients vary depending on whether it’s store-bought or homemade, and the recipe itself,” says Gellman. A granola that’s high in fiber, low in added sugars and saturated fats and made with simple ingredients will be the healthiest choice.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cereals, ready to eat, granola, homemade.Llanaj E, Dejanovic GM, Valido E, et al.Effect of oat supplementation interventions on cardiovascular disease risk markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Eur J Nutr. 2022;61(4):1749-1778. doi:10.1007/s00394-021-02763-1Spencer J, Soycan G, Corona G, et al.Chronic vascular effects of oat phenolic acids and avenanthramides in pre- or stage 1 hypertensive adults.Curr Dev Nutr. 2020;4(Suppl 2):478. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzaa045_111Shehzad A, Rabail R, Munir S, Jan H, Fernández-Lázaro D, Aadil RM.Impact of oats on appetite hormones and body weight management: A review.Curr Nutr Rep. 2023;12(1):66-82. doi:10.1007/s13668-023-00454-3Telle-Hansen VH, Gaundal L, Høgvard B, et al.A three-day intervention with granola containing cereal beta-glucan improves glycemic response and changes the gut microbiota in healthy individuals: A crossover study.Front Nutr. 2022;9:796362. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.796362Zhu Y, Jain N, Normington J, Holschuh N, Sanders LM.Ready-to-eat cereal is an affordable breakfast option associated with better nutrient intake and diet quality in the US population.Front Nutr. 2023;9:1088080. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1088080
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cereals, ready to eat, granola, homemade.Llanaj E, Dejanovic GM, Valido E, et al.Effect of oat supplementation interventions on cardiovascular disease risk markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Eur J Nutr. 2022;61(4):1749-1778. doi:10.1007/s00394-021-02763-1Spencer J, Soycan G, Corona G, et al.Chronic vascular effects of oat phenolic acids and avenanthramides in pre- or stage 1 hypertensive adults.Curr Dev Nutr. 2020;4(Suppl 2):478. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzaa045_111Shehzad A, Rabail R, Munir S, Jan H, Fernández-Lázaro D, Aadil RM.Impact of oats on appetite hormones and body weight management: A review.Curr Nutr Rep. 2023;12(1):66-82. doi:10.1007/s13668-023-00454-3Telle-Hansen VH, Gaundal L, Høgvard B, et al.A three-day intervention with granola containing cereal beta-glucan improves glycemic response and changes the gut microbiota in healthy individuals: A crossover study.Front Nutr. 2022;9:796362. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.796362Zhu Y, Jain N, Normington J, Holschuh N, Sanders LM.Ready-to-eat cereal is an affordable breakfast option associated with better nutrient intake and diet quality in the US population.Front Nutr. 2023;9:1088080. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1088080
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cereals, ready to eat, granola, homemade.Llanaj E, Dejanovic GM, Valido E, et al.Effect of oat supplementation interventions on cardiovascular disease risk markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Eur J Nutr. 2022;61(4):1749-1778. doi:10.1007/s00394-021-02763-1Spencer J, Soycan G, Corona G, et al.Chronic vascular effects of oat phenolic acids and avenanthramides in pre- or stage 1 hypertensive adults.Curr Dev Nutr. 2020;4(Suppl 2):478. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzaa045_111Shehzad A, Rabail R, Munir S, Jan H, Fernández-Lázaro D, Aadil RM.Impact of oats on appetite hormones and body weight management: A review.Curr Nutr Rep. 2023;12(1):66-82. doi:10.1007/s13668-023-00454-3Telle-Hansen VH, Gaundal L, Høgvard B, et al.A three-day intervention with granola containing cereal beta-glucan improves glycemic response and changes the gut microbiota in healthy individuals: A crossover study.Front Nutr. 2022;9:796362. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.796362Zhu Y, Jain N, Normington J, Holschuh N, Sanders LM.Ready-to-eat cereal is an affordable breakfast option associated with better nutrient intake and diet quality in the US population.Front Nutr. 2023;9:1088080. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1088080
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cereals, ready to eat, granola, homemade.
Llanaj E, Dejanovic GM, Valido E, et al.Effect of oat supplementation interventions on cardiovascular disease risk markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Eur J Nutr. 2022;61(4):1749-1778. doi:10.1007/s00394-021-02763-1
Spencer J, Soycan G, Corona G, et al.Chronic vascular effects of oat phenolic acids and avenanthramides in pre- or stage 1 hypertensive adults.Curr Dev Nutr. 2020;4(Suppl 2):478. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzaa045_111
Shehzad A, Rabail R, Munir S, Jan H, Fernández-Lázaro D, Aadil RM.Impact of oats on appetite hormones and body weight management: A review.Curr Nutr Rep. 2023;12(1):66-82. doi:10.1007/s13668-023-00454-3
Telle-Hansen VH, Gaundal L, Høgvard B, et al.A three-day intervention with granola containing cereal beta-glucan improves glycemic response and changes the gut microbiota in healthy individuals: A crossover study.Front Nutr. 2022;9:796362. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.796362
Zhu Y, Jain N, Normington J, Holschuh N, Sanders LM.Ready-to-eat cereal is an affordable breakfast option associated with better nutrient intake and diet quality in the US population.Front Nutr. 2023;9:1088080. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1088080
