There are certain foods that regularly appear on our breakfast table - cereals being the most common one. Corn flakes, muesli, oats and more, we have a range of breakfast cereals to choose from. In fact, visit any supermarket, and the aisle of cereals will leave you spoilt for choices. These cereals are uncomplicated, ready-to-eat and fulfilling to the core. All you need to do is, mix it with yogurt or milk, top it with your choice of fruits and indulge. One such popular breakfast cereal is granola. Over the years, granola has gained a fair share of popularity due to its taste and availability. It is a toasted mixture of rolled oats, nuts, dried fruits, and sweeteners like sugar or honey.
Is muesli the same as granola?
Looking into the ingredients, one might get confused between muesli and granola. Both are oats-based cereals that include nuts and dry fruits too. But the main difference lies in the process (of making the cereals). While granola is baked and usually contains added sweeteners, muesli remains raw and is sweetened with dried fruits only.
Traditionally, muesli is soaked in milk (like overnight oats) and served cold. You can also boil it with milk and prepare a porridge. On the other hand, granola is crunchy and can be enjoyed straight out of the packet. You can also use it as a crunchy topping for your bowl of smoothie.
Also Read: Breakfast Cereal Versus Eggs: Which One Makes For A Healthier Morning Meal?
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Is eating granola healthy?
Granola makes for a popular breakfast cereal due to the healthy ingredients like oats, nuts and seeds. Let's look into some major health benefits of granola.
High on fibre and protein:
Oats, nuts and seeds are enriched with dietary fibre ad protein. These factors help boost metabolism and keep you full for longer.
Improve gut health:
As mentioned earlier, granola is loaded with dietary fibre that promotes digestion and proper bowel movement. This prevents us from issues like indigestion, acid reflux etc that further promote overall gut health.
Loaded with antioxidants:
The ingredients used in granola are enriched with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. These factors help flush out toxins and prevent free radical damage in the body.
While we agree, granola makes for a healthy breakfast cereal, the calorie content (due to additional sweeteners) often makes it a topic of controversy, especially among fitness enthusiasts. What if we say, we found an easy solution to it?!
We found a recipe that will help you make granola at home, that too with no added sweetener or preservatives. And the best part is, you can store the homemade granola in your pantry any time you want.
Also Read: 5 Popular Breakfast Meals You Thought Were Healthy But Aren't
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How to make sugar-free granola at home:
Ingredients to make homemade granola:
To make healthy granola at home, you need rolled oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, orange juice, olive oil, dried berries and almonds.
Method to make homemade granola:
Start with preheating the oven. Meanwhile, mix the juice into the oats and add all the other ingredients to it. Mix well and spread on the baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes. Keep turning the mixture frequently for even baking. Let it stay until it cools down. Click here for the recipe.
How to store and serve granola:
To store it for a long time, first cool down the granola completely on the baking pan. Then take a clean, air-tight container and transfer the cereal. Do not refrigerate. Instead, store in a cool, dry place. This will help you keep it for up to a month.
You can have it as is like snacks or sprinkle on milk or yogurt and enjoy a wholesome meal. You can also use it as a garnishing element on smoothies, cakes and more.
What are you waiting for? Prepare the delicious cereal at home and make your breakfast an indulgent affair.