Many healthy granola brands are excellent food choices for weight loss. But one is the best choice for weight loss, as it’s low in calories, sugar, and fat, while it’s high in protein and fiber! Also, it’s keto-friendly and gluten-free!
What’s granola?
Granola is usually considered a mixture of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and a sweetener like honey or brown sugar.
There are many different granola recipes, though. Granola can be made with a wide variety of whole grains and even puffed rice for crunchiness.
Tips for making the healthiest homemade granola
Spices are also important for adding flavor to granola. Vanilla extract and cinnamon are two of the most used spices in many granola recipes.
Granola may also be lightly seasoned with a touch of salt on top. Salt absorbs moisture, making granola more crunchy as well.
You could also prepare granola with cow’s butter or any other nut butter.
Sugar or honey are essential for traditional granola recipes. They help other ingredients stick together.
But modern alternative granola recipes may contain other sweeteners, such as stevia, agave, or maple syrup.
Is granola keto-friendly?
Traditional granola isn’t keto-friendly, as it’s high in sugar.
However, there is keto-friendly granola containing no grains, dried fruits, refined sugar or honey. Keto sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, or monk fruit extract are used instead.
Keto granola is usually packed with nuts and seeds, as well as vegetable oils and butter.
Is granola vegan?
Most granola products are vegan. But certain granola products contain milk or egg white powder. Only vegetarians could consume them.
Hence, vegans should check the ingredient list of each product just to be safe.
Is granola gluten-free?
Oats, seeds, nuts, sugar, and fruits are naturally gluten-free. But, as oats can be contaminated with gluten during the processing method, people with celiac disease should only eat granola which is mentioned as gluten-free.
Granola made with other grains like barley is high in gluten, though.
Nutritional value of common granola products
Most granola products are high in calories. So, we should eat them in moderation if we follow a hypocaloric diet for weight loss.
However, reasonable amounts of granola with skim milk, a low-calorie vegan milk, or plain Greek yogurt are great for weight loss.
Granola can be an excellent dietary source of protein, fiber, healthy fats, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin E, and electrolytes. like calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Also, there is fortified granola with vitamin B12 and many other vitamins of the B complex!
Here are 4 of the most popular granola brands, according to the popular e-commerce platform iHerb.com.
| Nature’s Path, Love Crunch, Premium Organic Granola, Double Chocolate Chunk | Bob’s Red Mill, Honey Oat Granola, Gluten Free | Julian Bakery, Pro Granola, Peanut Butter Cluster, keto-friendly | Livlo, Granolo, Keto Granola, Chocolate Hazelnut | |
| calories | 233 | 200 | 146 | 257 |
| protein (g) | 3.3 | 5 | 16 | 7.1 |
| carbs (g) | 35 | 38 | 21 | 14 |
| fiber (g) | 3.3 | 4 | 18.6 | 5.7 |
| sugar (g) | 13 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| added sugar (g) | 12 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| fat (g) | 7.5 | 3.5 | 8 | 24.3 |
| saturated fat (g) | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 8.6 |
| calcium (mg) | 23 | 25 | 140 | 43 |
| iron (mg) | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| potassium (mg) | 147 | 168 | 280 | 286 |
What’s the best granola for weight loss?
One of the best granola brands for weight loss is “Julian Bakery, Pro Granola, Peanut Butter Cluster”.
Low in calories
Above all, it’s beneficial for weight loss because it has the lowest calorie content. It has only 146 calories per 50g serving.
It has 27-43% fewer calories than the other favorite granola brands.
We lose weight only when we consume fewer calories than we burn.
High in protein
Moreover, Julian Bakery granola is a great snack for a hypocaloric diet for weight loss because it’s particularly high in protein.
A serving provides up to 16 grams of protein! This is 125% more protein than the second-richest granola in protein.
People on a diet should be very mindful of consuming high amounts of protein.
Protein has many benefits in weight loss. It:
- has the highest thermic effect. About 30% of calories of protein are burned during digestion.
- protects the muscle mass while dieting.
- promotes the feeling of fullness. Especially when combined with fiber!
Julian Bakery granola is packed with protein because it contains egg white powder!
High in fiber
Furthermore, Julian Bakery granola supports weight loss because it’s the richest granola in fiber. A serving provides 18.6 grams of fiber, which is 66% of the Daily Value in a 2,000-calorie diet.
A high-fiber diet supports weight loss because fiber delays digestions, prevent spikes of blood sugar, and promotes the feeling of fullness for many hours. Hence, fiber may protect from overeating!
Whole grains, seeds, nuts, and fruits are the main dietary sources of fiber. Granola contains all these foods!
Keto-friendly
Additionally, Julian Bakery, Pro Granola has only 1 gram of sugar per serving! It’s keto-friendly. Even people with diabetes can consume it daily as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Saturated fat
Julian Bakery granola is also one of the most popular brands with a low content of saturated fat. It has only 1.3 grams per serving. This dose is 10% of the maximum safe dosage.
According to the American Heart Association, we should consume up to 13 grams of saturated fat per day. Otherwise, we have an increased risk of high LDL cholesterol blood levels, which are dangerous for the heart.[2]
Furthermore, people with a high dietary intake of saturated fat are more likely to be obese. Especially in the belly.[3]
The cow’s butter, palm oil, and coconut oil are the main dietary sources of saturated fat in granola. Seeds and nuts contain some saturated fat as well.
Other benefits for weight loss
Moreover, Julian Bakery granola is high in calcium. A serving provides 14% of the Daily Value. If you consume granola with Greek yogurt or milk, you can get more than 30% of the DV per serving!
High calcium intake has been linked to a lower risk of obesity. It’s involved in belly fat burning! Calcium plays a key role in fat metabolism and regulating satiating hormones.[4]
In addition, a serving of granola provides about 8% of the recommended daily intake of potassium.
Potassium deficiency is pretty common among people who follow the standard Western diet, though. Low potassium levels have been associated with increased body mass index (BMI)!
Potassium and calcium are essential electrolytes. We have to replenish them daily through food.
Cons
Firstly, Julian Bakery granola isn’t vegan. It has egg white protein.
Moreover, as it’s low in net carbs, it can’t quickly replenish muscle glycogen stores. This process is key for athletes. Muscles after strenuous exercise require sugar. Sugar enhances muscle recovery.
Hence, hard-training athletes may prefer a traditional granola with grains and dried fruits as a post-workout snack.
Do sugar-rich granola products make you fat?
Actually, you can enjoy every granola product as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
However, as a rule of thumb, you should avoid consuming granola products with too many calories or containing too much sugar or saturated fat.
The maximum safe intake of added sugar is 25 grams per day on a 2,000-calorie diet. A serving of many commercial granola products contains about 12 grams of added sugar. This dose is almost 50% of the Daily Value.[5]
“Nature’s Path, Love Crunch, Premium Organic Granola” and “Bob’s Red Mill, Honey Oat Granola” have high amounts of added sugar.
On the other hand, they have low amounts of saturated fat. So, people who want to lose weight could eat both granola products as part of a healthy, low-calorie diet.
What’s the best time to eat granola for weight loss?
The best time to eat granola with high amounts of sugar for a lean body is right after exercise.
Another great time to consume them is at breakfast. The body has increased insulin sensitivity in the morning. It stores more sugar as muscle glycogen, which is used during the day as an instant source of energy.
What’s the worst granola brand for weight loss?
In general, avoid consuming granola products with high amounts of saturated fat. Especially if you eat many animal-derived foods. Meat, poultry, and full-fat dairy products are packed with saturated fat.
Keto-friendly granola products may be rich in coconut or palm oil, which are the richest vegan sources of saturated fat.
A diet high in saturated fat may raise LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Check the nutrition facts label of your favorite granola. As a rule of thumb, it should have less than 3.5 grams of saturated fat per 100g.
Should I cook or buy commercial granola?
Certainly, preparing your own granola at home is great for good health and weight loss. Especially if you can add pure, healthy ingredients.
But commercial granola can also be a super healthy food option. You could add extra spices, dried fruits, seeds, or nuts if you like.
How much granola can I eat a day for weight loss?
If you want to lose weight, you should eat no more than a serving of granola per day. In general, a serving is 50 grams.
You can enjoy granola with skim milk or low-fat Greek yogurt. Eating oats with yogurt has many benefits for weight loss. It’s one of the healthiest meals you can have.
Only athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and active people with increased energy needs could consume substantially higher portion sizes without gaining weight.