Granola is an all-star food for breakfast and afternoon snack time. It can be added to yogurt, used as a topping for smoothies or combined with nut milk. It can even be sprinkled on top of your baked goods to give them a delightful texture and boost of flavor.
However, it’s important to be selective about granola when you’re purchasing it from the grocery store. Certain granolas can be packed with tons of hidden sugar. When combined with sugary yogurt, you might be setting yourself up for a sugar crash.
Luckily, at Bob’s Red Mill, we are avid granola eaters and granola producers. We use it for just about anything you can imagine, and we love letting our customers know about the many health benefits of granola.
Whether you’re making granola homemade with handfuls of almonds or buying a version that’s made with superfood ingredients, granola nutrition facts can differ greatly based on each unique batch.
Let’s take a closer look at granola benefits and all that goes into that crunchy, slightly sweet food we just can’t seem to get enough of.
Granola Ingredients
Granola tends to be made up of a few key ingredients. There are hundreds of variations out there, but they tend to have oats, a sweetener and oil or butter to bind it all together. As granola gets more creative, you’ll find nuts, seeds, added grains and dried fruits. Let’s take a closer look into the delicious ingredients you’ll find in the wide world of granola.
Oats & Grains
From classic oats to unique ingredients like barley, here are some oats and grains you’ll find in granola!
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats are one of the most popular ingredients for a healthy, homemade granola. Whatever sort of rolled oats you’re using—organic, gluten free or old fashioned—oats add fiber and goodness to your granolas. We suggest our Old Fashioned Rolled Oats for your homemade granola to give it a great taste and texture!
Buckwheat
Buckwheat adds a delicious twist to granola nutrition and taste. Our Buckwheat Groats have a mild, grassy flavor and make for the perfect addition to your morning granola. If you’re curious about incorporating buckwheat into your granola, try this recipe for The Best Ever Buckwheat Granola. It’s chock full of a whole bunch of incredible ingredients and is sure to fuel you for the day ahead!
Quinoa
Quinoa is another ingredient that’s making its way into homemade granolas more often, and for good reason! With its nutty flavor, quinoa is an excellent source of fiber and a good source of iron. We absolutely love this recipe for 7-Ingredient Quinoa Granola from Minimalist Baker. With this recipe, quinoa enhances any possible health benefits of granola. It’s crispy, crunchy, nutty, satisfying and easy to toss together! With just quinoa, Bob’s Red Mill Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats and raw almonds, the base of this granola is packed with nutrition. Add the coconut sugar, coconut oil, maple syrup and a pinch of sea salt, and you’ll be set for the ideal snacking granola.
Barley
Barley is a hearty whole grain that’s perfect choice for homemade granolas. This recipe for Crunchy Granola with Almonds and Dark Chocolate from Whole Food Republic incorporates both barley flakes and uncooked buckwheat groats. Along with almonds, cane sugar and dark chocolate, this is the type of treat that can be enjoyed for breakfast or dessert. Add some sliced bananas on top and your favorite nut milk and you’ll be ready to bask in granola bliss.
Millet
Millet has a pleasantly mild and slightly sweet flavor, which makes it a welcome addition to granola. If you’re ready to explore millet in your granola, try this recipe for Maple Tahini Millet Granola from Yup It’s Vegan. It’s made oil-free and free of refined sugars and is packed with healthy fats. Cardamom, coriander and golden raisins add a fantastic flavor and tie it all together.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are another common staple in granola which packs more nutrition into each bite and adds to the array of granola benefits. Below you’ll find some tasty nuts and seeds to incorporate.
Almonds
Almonds are packed with healthy fats and are an excellent choice for granola. This Honey Almond Granola from Cookie + Kate combines old-fashioned rolled oats with slivered raw almonds and a ton of other tasty ingredients. We love the texture the almonds add to this granola, especially once combined with chopped apricots and dried cherries (or cranberries, raisins or currants).
Walnuts
Walnuts are another super nut source of omega-3s and are a delightful ingredient to add to your homemade granola. This Homemade Maple Walnut Granola from Fork in the Road takes just 20 minutes to throw together and is perfectly crunchy and sweet!
Cashews
If you’ve been thinking of tossing some cashews in your granola, this Date, Cashew and Honey Granola is a good place to start. It’s both gluten free and refined sugar free and features Medjool dates and crunchy cashews. Sprinkle it over yogurt or your smoothie for a boost of flavor and nutrients!
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are fresh, crunchy and will add a hint of extra protein to your homemade granola. This Vanilla Seed High Protein Granola is easy to make and perfect for on-the-go snacking. It’s a vegan and gluten free granola option that features Vanilla Protein Powder to give it a boost of added plant-based protein. This list of granola benefits in this recipe are many, and we’re lucky it just so happens to be delicious!
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E. They’re also a reason that the list of health benefits of granola just keeps growing once you’re willing to get creative with your seeds and nuts! Give this incredible Grain Free Granola a try, which packs flaxseed meal, sunflower seeds, hulled hemp seeds and a whole lot of other healthy ingredients into it! You’ll start your day with a wholesome punch when you have a big batch of this yummy granola on hand.
Sweeteners
Unless you’re going to forego any sort of sweetener (which is fine by us!) many granolas incorporate a bit of sugar for extra oomph and deliciousness.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is a common granola sweetener and it’s one we love at Bob’s Red Mill. This Healthy Honey Maple Gluten Free Granola is the Grand Prize winner of our Gluten Free Oat Recipe Contest submitted by customer Erin Beck. The maple syrup ties together all the other fantastic ingredients, like oats, flaxseed meal, almonds and raisins, to make this homemade granola a true winner in our book!
Honey
Call us a team of honey bees, but we sure do love our honey! Honey makes for an ideal granola sweetener when you’re looking to get those beautiful clusters of sweetened granola. Our Honey Almond Granola is delicious layered with yogurt or eaten by the handful as a tasty snack. You can also experiment with this Honey Nut Granola from Delicious Everyday which is simple and perfectly sweet. We love the use of olive oil and pistachios to bring the flavors together and add something unique.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is another popular sweetener to add to homemade granola. On the blog Cupcakes & Kale Chips, Brianne proves that moderation in our sweets intake can lead to glorious things, like these Maple Brown Sugar Granola Clusters. We’d like to suggest eating them with yogurt, but they taste so good just eaten by the handful!
Fruit
Remember, you can always use fruit as a natural sweetener in your granola! This recipe for Sugar-Free Granola from Super Healthy Kids uses egg white to bind it together and gets rid of any extra sweeteners. Once you’ve whipped up a batch of this granola, add some chopped apple or the berries of your choice, and you’re sure to be satisfied (even without the sugar).
Whether you’re eating granola on its own as an afternoon snacking, or adding it to yogurt or smoothies, the health benefits of granola are plentiful, as are the ways to make it!
At Bob’s Red Mill, we carry a variety of wholesome and nutritious granolas that taste homemade. We have a line of homstyle granolas that are bursting with flavor as well as our more classic gluten free granola options. Explore our granolas and try a few to see what sort of granola is your favorite.
Have any granola recipes you like to whip up when the craving strikes? Feel free to share them with us in the comments below. At Bob’s Red Mill, we’re nearly positive nothing hits the spot like a bowl of granola with our favorite yogurt or nut milk.
Thanks for reading! Wishing you the happiest and healthiest day ahead. We hope it’s filled with all sorts of wonderful flavors and tastes to make you shine from the inside out.
