The best Granola: Shopping Guide and Recommendations (12/21)

• Cereals: oat flakes, corn flakes, rice flakes, puffed wheat, puffed quinoa or puffed rice.
• Nuts: walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts or pistachios.
• Dehydrated fruits: raisins, blueberries, plums, apricots, dates or strawberries.
• Seeds: sunflower, pumpkin, flax, chia, sesame or amaranth.
• Oils: sunflower, olive or coconut.
• Sweeteners: honey, rice syrup, coconut sugar, fruit puree, date syrup, birch sugar or stevia.
• Added flavors: grated coconut, cinnamon, grated or dried citrus, ginger, sea salt, dill or mustard.

• White or brown sugar
• Excessive quantities of honey
• Icing sugar
• Sugared cereals
• Dried fruits covered or flavored with caramel
• Nuts covered with chocolate
• Salted or fried nuts
• Milk chocolate or white chocolate chips or pieces
• Dehydrated fruit coated with honey or artificial glaze
• High quantities or refined oils

• Complex carbohydrates: between 50% and 60% of the daily recommended intake.
• Simple sugars: around 20-25%. This percentage is much lower in granolas low in sugar.
• Dietary fiber: around 6 % of the daily recommended intake. This level varies greatly depending on the ingredients chosen.
• Proteins: between 8 % and 10 % of the daily recommended intake.
• Fats: can vary between 9% and 25% depending on the number of nuts, seeds, and amount of oil present. Good quality fats are recommended in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
• Vitamins: B complex (B1, B2, B3 and folic acid) and vitamin E.
• Minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorus depending on the composition of the product.

• Cardiovascular diseases: granola with a good quantity of nuts, such as chia or linseed, provides a high level of omega 3. In addition, oats are an excellent source of soluble fiber and an ingredient that reduces cholesterol levels in the body by absorbing it from foods at the intestinal level. As a result, blood cholesterol levels decrease and do not build up in the arteries.
• Constipation: Granola is an excellent way to improve digestion and treat constipation because it provides both types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber captures water and softens the fecal matter in the intestines, while insoluble fiber stimulates intestinal movement and helps you go to the toilet.
• Prevents hemorrhoids and colon cancer: Constipation is a cause of both hemorrhoids and colon cancer. As granola helps to relieve constipation, this food helps to prevent these illnesses.
• Provides calcium, iron, and zinc: These nutrients are critical for overall good health and strong muscles, bones, and joints. Vegans also find these ingredients in granola particularly beneficial as they do not receive these from dairy or meat products.
• Excellent source of vegetable protein: The combination of amino acids (basic units of protein) from the nuts, seeds, quinoa, and oats in granola make this food a very good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans.
• Highly recommended food for athletes: Granola provides energy for intense physical training, protein for muscle development and minerals for muscle recuperation (potassium, calcium, and magnesium).
• Provides folic acid, a critical nutrient during the first trimester of pregnancy: Folic acid (vitamin B9) mediates the closure of the neural tube of the embryo. If a woman is folate-deficient during pregnancy, the baby may be born with spina bifida (the spine does not close properly at the bottom) or anencephaly (the brain and skull are not fully developed).
• Promotes the physical and intellectual development of children: Granola provides energy and nutrients (proteins, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus) for the physical growth of bones, muscles, and cartilage. Additionally, omega-3 fats and iron are essential for cognitive and brain development.
• Helps to prevent and treat anemia: Granola is an excellent source of iron. To increase the absorption of iron in granola it is recommended to consume this superfood with foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits (oranges or mandarines), strawberries, blueberries or kiwi fruit.
• Contributes to maintaining normal blood glucose in diabetics: The good carbohydrates in granola are digested and slowly absorbed by the body thanks to the presence of fiber. After granola consumption, blood glucose levels do not experience extreme spikes.

It is important to note that a prebiotic is not the same as a probiotic. A probiotic is a micro-organism that helps overall health and that is found in certain foods, for example, in yogurt. A prebiotic, as explained above, is an indigestible fiber that helps the beneficial bacteria to live in the intestinal tract and regulate its functioning.

• Place 2 cups of oats, 2 cups of another cereal mix (wheat, rice, quinoa or corn), 1 cup of coarsely chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts or cashews), ½ cup of seeds (sunflower or flax) and ½ cup of raisins in a large bowl.
• Mix ¾ cup honey with ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (mild flavor) together in a separate bowl. The honey should be heated up so that it spreads more easily through the dry ingredients.
• Mix the honey and oil combination through the dry ingredients. Stir and combine well with a spatula until all the dry foods are covered with the honey and oil.
• On a flat tray, bake the mix in the oven at medium temperature for 10 minutes. After this time, stir the mix around with a spatula and bake for 5 more minutes.
• Once the granola has a slightly golden color, remove from the oven and allow it to cool on the kitchen bench at room temperature.
• Store the granola in an airtight glass container with a lid and keep it in the pantry. This mix can be eaten for up to 7 days.
• Eat the granola mix alone or mix it with yogurt, milk or fruit.

The best time to consume granola is at breakfast or as a snack at least 3 hours before or after training. Provided granola is consumed correctly, this superfood is perfect for any type of athlete, but even more so for vegan athletes, as it is a great source of vegetable protein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium.

• Classic granola: made from oats, honey, nuts, raisins, and oil.
• Granola for vegans: honey is replaced by stevia and other ingredients such as birch sugar, rice syrup, coconut sugar, banana or apple puree or date syrup.
• Gluten-free granola: does not contain oats or is made from gluten-free oats. Even though oats do not contain gluten, they are usually processed in places where other cereals that contain gluten exist. As a result, they are easily contaminated with gluten. Granola can also be made from quinoa, corn, rice or buckwheat.
• Protein-enriched granola: this is a granola that is enriched with whey protein.
• Low-sugar granola: natural honey is replaced by other sugar-free or low-sugar sweeteners, e.g. stevia, birch sugar, fruit purée, date syrup or rice syrup.

• Those with an allergy to any of its common ingredients, e.g. nuts, sesame seeds or honey (bee venom).
• People suffering from digestive issues or active inflammatory bowel disease.
• Children under two years of age. Nuts can be dangerous at this age because they can result in choking.
• People who suffer from hypothyroidism or take levothyroxine should avoid granola at breakfast as the fiber content can inhibit the absorption of the thyroid hormone if consumed on an empty stomach. For the rest of the day, granola can be eaten without any problems.