Does granola make you fat or lose weight? See how to consume

Granola can be an ally in weight loss diets, as it is rich in fiber and whole grains, which help to fill you up and improve metabolism. To lose weight, you should only consume about 2 tablespoons of granola per day, preferring light versions rich in nuts, walnuts or almonds, which bring good fats to the meal.

However, when consumed in excess, granola can also make you gain weight, as it is rich in calories and many versions of the product use a lot of sugar, honey and maltodextrin in its composition, ingredients that promote weight gain.

How to choose the best granola to lose weight

To choose the best granola to help you lose weight, you should look at the product’s list of ingredients on the label, and prefer those where sugar appears less frequently on the list.

Another tip is to prefer granolas that contain seeds such as chia, linseed, sesame and sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and those that also contain chestnuts, walnuts or almonds, as they are ingredients rich in good fats and provide greater satiety.

Furthermore, granola must be made up mainly of whole grains, the most commonly used being oats, barley, wheat fiber and germ, and rice and corn flakes. Whole grains provide fiber, vitamins and minerals for the meal, in addition to helping with weight control.

Recommended quantity

Because it is rich in carbohydrates, fats, dried fruits and sugars, granola ends up having a high caloric value. To avoid gaining weight, the recommendation is to consume around 2 to 3 tablespoons per day, preferably mixed with natural yogurt or milk.

This mixture of granola with milk or natural yogurt increases the amount of protein in the meal, which makes you feel fuller and helps with weight loss. However, it is important to remember that in case of diabetes, you should prefer granolas that use sweeteners instead of sugar.

granola recipe

You can make granola at home with ingredients of your choice, as shown in the following examples:

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of rice flakes;
• 1 tablespoon of oat flakes;
• 1 tablespoon of wheat bran;
• 1 tablespoon of raisins;
• 1 tablespoon of dehydrated apple in cubes;
• 1 tablespoon of sesame;
• 1 tablespoon of grated coconut;
• 3 walnuts;
• 2 Brazil nuts;
• 2 tablespoons of flaxseed;
• 1 teaspoon of honey.

Ingredients for granola light:

• 1 tablespoon of rice flakes;
• 1 tablespoon of oat flakes;
• 1 tablespoon of wheat bran;
• 1 tablespoon of sesame;
• 3 walnuts or 2 Brazil nuts;
• 2 tablespoons of flaxseed.

Preparation mode

Mix the ingredients from the first list, and to make granola light, mix the ingredients from the second list. You can add granola to yogurt, cow’s milk or vegetable milk for a good breakfast.

To have homemade granola for more days, you can increase the quantities of ingredients and store the mixture in a closed container with a lid, and the granola will have a shelf life of about a week. Check out other granola recipes.

Granola nutritional information

The following table provides nutritional information for 100 g of traditional granola.

Granola can also be used in diets to gain weight or increase muscle mass, and in these cases, it should be consumed in larger quantities.