Granola is often touted as a ‘healthy’ breakfast option. And with it’s oat base, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and dried fruit, it definitely looks like a fantastic option. However, there’s a downside. Look on the packet of shop bought granolas and you’ll see they’re high in ingredients you might well want to avoid. Many include an ‘interesting’ array of added sugars. And highly refined oils, which is not good if you are eating a whole-food plant-based diet to manage a health condition.
I’ve checked products at both ends of the price spectrum. The cheaper options like Tesco’s fruit and nut granola contains no less than three separate types of sugar (sugar, honey and sugar syrup powder) plus ‘flavourings’. It’s unclear what they are! Plus it contains rapeseed oil. Lidl’s granola has the same type and amounts of added sugar and refined oil.
There’s less refined sugar and oil at the more expensive end of the market but you’ll still find them high up on the ingredient list. Dorset granola uses golden syrup and a mix of rapeseed and ‘vegetable’ oil (one of the worst types of refined oils). Rude Health Ultimate granola meanwhile contains slightly less refined sugars by using honey and date syrup but still contains sunflower oil. And by using honey, it’s also not suitable for vegans.
If you want to minimise the amount of refined sugar and oil, homemade is best. However, a quick google search reveals the most popular recipes use coconut oil. Whilst touted as healthy by some, coconut oil is highly saturated, contains no anti-inflammatory Omega 3 and, as a rule, is just as refined as other oils. And definitely not an option on a low saturated fat program like Overcoming MS.
Why does it matter about added sugars and oils? There’s a number of answers to that question.
- Refined sugar is readily absorbed into the blood stream with little digestion needed. This can lead to rapid peaks and troughs in blood sugar levels that can lead to over-eating. It takes longer to break down whole foods; the sugar is released more slowly resulting in stable blood sugars. They also contain lots of fibre that keeps you satiated for longer – and keeps the mirobiome happy too.
- Oils extracted from plant sources like seeds and ‘vegetables’ are highly refined. The complex process includes using high heats, chemicals to de-odourise and bleaching. All healthful nutrients like fat soluble vitamins, minerals and fibre are removed.All that’s left is the fat content.
- Nutrient deficient ingredients count as ‘negative calories’ as the body needs to use more precious compounds to help reduce the inflammatory effect they have on the body. Adding these inflammatory ingredients to whole foods like nuts, seeds and oats takes away some of their benefit.
- Refined sugars and fats are a major feature of ultra-processed foods that are being connected to increasing chronic health conditions and obesity.
- A whole-food plant-based diet avoids most forms of added sugar and oils. That’s not to say that sugar and fat is not readily available in this way of eating. They’re just all bound up in the whole ingredients.
The benefits found in the whole ingredients in granola are not to be under-estimated. Nuts and seeds contain all sorts of amazing nutrients. As well as healthy poly-unsaturated fats (PUFA) they contain vitamin E, protein and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. They also contain complex fibre and a group of phytonutrients called polyphenols. These awesome little compounds have a range of benefits in the body; friendly gut bacteria love to dine on them as well which helps support a healthy microbiome. Oats are also a fantastic source of body-loving ingredients including fibre and are known to help reduce and manage blood cholesterol levels (amongst other things).
My granola recipes uses aquafaba instead of oil to help bind the ingredients together and provide some extra crunch. If you’re not sure what that is, check out this article. If you don’t have any to hand or avoid using it as you are follow a low FODMAPs plan, then plain old water will work, it just won’t get quite as crunchy.
I do use a little added sugar to help with the flavour in the form of maple syrup. Whilst it is still a source of simple sugar, it’s the least refined one as it comes out of the tree in syrup form. It is quite expensive though, so there’s only a little. You can leave it out if you prefer – add in some more dried fruit if you do.
Fats in nuts and seeds should not be exposed to high heats. Whilst this granola needs to be heated, I use a lower heat of 150-160C to stop them being harmed. If you over-toast the granola, then you’ve overdone the delicate fatty acids. So it’s important to keep your eye on the oven and keep turning the granola for an even toasting. I use the oven buzzer to remind me to go back; I’ve been know to forget about it on more than one occasion. Once I can smell toasting granola, it’s overdone.
This granola can be stored in an air-tight container or jar for around a month. If there’s only one or two of you eating it, make in smaller batches. Or if needed, double the quantity if you have lots of hungry mouths to fill.
Whilst I always think of granola as a breakfast item, it can be used in desserts too like this lovely baked peach recipe or as a topping for stewed fruit. I’ll be adding some more ideas to the website soon, but if there’s a recipe you’d really like that uses this granola, do feel free to let me know.
Tasty oil-free granola
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Line the large baking sheet with non-stick paper
- Pre-heat the oven to 150-160℃ depending on make and type of oven
- Chop the nuts into small pieces.
- Place the oats, seeds and grains, chopped nuts and dried fruit in a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
- In a small bowl, mix together the aquafaba or water, maple syrup and cinnamon.
- Pour the mix into the oat mix and stir well to combine. You might want to get your hands in to make sure everything is well coated.
- Carefully tip the mix onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread out equally to cover the whole sheet, trying to keep a single layer of ingredients.
- Place in the middle of the oven. Bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully turn over all the ingredients with a large spoon and respread out across the sheet. This is to make sure everything gets an equal chance to toast.
- Replace the sheet back in the oven for another 8 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and check with your fingers if the mix is toast - it should feel firm and dry. If not, mix everything together and respread out over the sheet again and return to the oven for another 2-4 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Check for crunchiness again - if you are satisfied leave the baking sheet to cool. If not, then return to the oven once more but be very careful not to over toast.
- Once the granola is completely cooled, transfer to a glass storage jar. Use within one month.
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