Is Granola Good For You? Health Benefits & Side Effects In 2024

Granola is well known as a healthy breakfast and snack food. But you may have heard it is high in sugar and fat. So, what’s the truth? Is granola good for you?

Granola has a good reputation because it usually consists of highly nutritious ingredients linked to numerous health benefits.

However, the ingredients used in granola can vary greatly. As a result, the overall nutritional content can be staggeringly different from one recipe to the next. Some granola products and recipes are anything but healthy. It can take a savvy consumer to spot the difference.

This article will walk you through granola benefits (some may surprise you!). You’ll also learn how to avoid the not-so-good-for-you stuff. Ultimately, you’ll get the answer to the question “Is granola healthy?” and also know how to choose the best granola mixes to include in your diet.

Is Granola Good For You?

It depends on the type of granola you choose.

A typical granola recipe combines rolled oats, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and dried fruit with oil and a sweetener like honey or maple syrup. Granola’s ingredients have been linked to health benefits ranging from weight loss to the reduced risk of chronic diseases due to its fiber and antioxidants.

However, many new granola products and recipes have appeared containing additives, refined oils, and excessive sugar, resulting in granolas that are low in fiber and high in sugar and saturated fat.

Therefore, whether or not granola is healthy depends entirely on the type of granola you choose. It’s not difficult for you to learn how to spot the differences between healthy and unhealthy choices and take advantage of the many benefits granola can provide to your health.

Amazing Health Benefits Of Granola

Why is granola good for you? Granola is a powerhouse of nutrient-dense ingredients that can help you:

Lose Weight

Is granola good for weight loss? Healthy ingredients commonly used in granola – like oats, whole grains, seeds, and nuts – are packed with fiber and protein. These nutrients help control your appetite,^[1] which makes it good for weight loss.

Both fiber and protein travel through your digestive tract slowly.^[2] When you increase your intake of these nutrients, you feel fuller longer and eat less throughout the day. Plus, a high-protein diet^[3] may help increase the calories you burn throughout the day.

Including granola in a reduced-calorie diet and an active lifestyle may help you reach your weight goals.

Improve Blood Pressure

Certain viscous soluble fibers have been shown^[4] to help reduce high blood pressure. Viscous fibers are only found in plant foods, many commonly used in granola recipes. 

A 2018 review^[4] of multiple studies showed that psyllium fiber, a viscous soluble fiber found in oats and seeds, helped modestly reduce blood pressure in study participants within weeks. 

Lower Cholesterol

Oats, a primary ingredient in granola, contain a particular type of fiber called beta-glucan. Multiple studies^[5] have shown that eating 3.5 grams of beta-glucan daily can significantly lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. LDL is a type of bad cholesterol that is associated with heart disease.

Additionally, nuts and seeds commonly included contain fiber, healthy fats, and phytosterols. Diets that include these foods are linked^[6] to reductions in heart disease risk factors like high cholesterol. 

Reduce Blood Sugar

Blood sugar spikes and crashes can lead to fatigue and hunger throughout the day. Plus, eating foods that cause extreme blood sugar fluctuations, like sugar and refined grains, may increase your risk for diabetes. 

The complex carbohydrates in granola’s whole grains, dried fruits, and nuts provide a steady energy source. They can help normalize blood sugar^[7] levels, especially in people with prediabetes or diabetes. 

Beat Inflammation

Healthy granola options contain ingredients that are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the cells in your body from damage. The damage to a cell can occur from internal and external factors, and the body responds by triggering an inflammatory response to repair the cells.

Chronic inflammation is thought to be the root cause of many chronic diseases. By helping avoid cell damage, a diet rich in antioxidants^[8] can reduce systemic inflammation. 

While many high-antioxidant supplements are on the market, only antioxidants in whole foods, like those found in granola, have been linked^[9] with a reduction in chronic diseases.  

Improve Gut Health

Fiber is excellent for producing regular, healthy bowel movements. However, your gut is also host to trillions of microbes, known collectively as your gut microbiome. Your gut microbiome plays a role in digestive, immune, bone, and cognitive health. 

Oat fibers, like those found in granola, have been shown^[10] to increase the presence of healthy gut bacteria, leading to better overall health.

Increase The Intake Of Important Vitamins And Minerals

The ingredients in granola provide a healthy boost of essential vitamins and minerals. These include iron, selenium, magnesium, zinc, copper, B vitamins, and vitamin E. 

Most Americans^[11] are not meeting their fruit and vegetable intake, and up to 30% are deficient in at least one vitamin. Including foods like granola in your diet can help fill important nutrient gaps. 

Potential Risks

While eating granola can provide undeniable health benefits, it’s important to be aware of its drawbacks. 

For one, granola is typically higher in calories than other breakfast options. Regularly consuming excess calories can lead to unintentional weight gain, even when calories come from healthy foods like nuts, seeds, and grains. 

Sugar is also a concern. All granola will have some sugar, a sweetener is needed for granola to be palatable, and sugar is naturally present in fruits. However, some products simply add too much. Excess added sugar intake could lead to weight gain and increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Lastly, granola is not a great option for people with specific dietary needs. Those following low carbohydrate diets should opt for other cereal choices. Also, those with particular allergies or gastrointestinal conditions may need to steer clear of the grains, nuts, and seeds in granola. 

Ways To Eat Granola

Granola is highly versatile and can add a satisfying nutritional punch to your meals and snacks in various ways. Try one of these ideas:

• Add milk to granola for a delicious alternative to cereal. You can enjoy this healthy breakfast served cold or warm.
• Top yogurts, smoothies, fresh fruit, or acai bowls with granola.
• Portion granola into single serving bags for an on-the-go snack.

Granola bars are another convenient way to enjoy granola, but are they good for you? Just like regular granola, some granola bars have great nutritional value, while others are glorified candy bars. It’s important to know how to determine which is which.

How To Choose The Best Granola

Here’s how you can ensure you choose the healthiest granola options:

• Look for whole grain. A whole grain, like oats and seeds, should be listed within the first ingredients. The best choices will have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
• Check serving size: When comparing products, check the serving size on the nutrition labels. One option may have 100 calories per one-half cup and another 100 calories per one-fourth cup. If you’re only looking at the calorie amount, you’ll miss that the second option contains twice the amount of calories for the same amount of granola.
• Check sugar content. Aim to choose granola with 8 grams of sugar or less per serving. Look for non-refined sweeteners like honey and molasses vs. corn syrups or sugar. Avoid options with added sugar from candy pieces.
• Stick with healthy oils. Avoid products that contain palm or coconut oil, as these are high in saturated fats.

Once you’ve found a healthy granola, you may ask yourself how much or how much you should eat a day. Remember, granola can be part of an overall healthy diet, but variety is important to get all the nutrients you need. Aim to eat it during one meal or snack daily, and choose other nutrient-dense foods for your remaining meals.

How To Make Your Granola

Making your granola means you get to control the nutrition content. Plus, it’s super simple.

Combine oats, nuts, and seeds with salt and cinnamon. Stir in oil and maple syrup or honey until everything is lightly coated. Pour into a lined and rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Adjust the amounts and add healthy ingredients like dried fruit, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almonds according to your preferences, calorie goals, and overall health goals.

The Bottom Line

Granola is full of nutrients that can be amazing for your health. However, not all granola options are created equal. Steer clear of options with refined sugar, saturated oils, and simple starches. Instead, choose granola products with ingredients like oats, grains, seeds, dried fruit, and nuts to maximize this delicious food’s health potential.

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