Clean Eating Granola Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is granola considered clean eating? ›

It can be. "Standard granola often contains rolled oats, which provide fiber and complex carbohydrates, and nuts that contribute healthy fats, plant protein and vitamin E," says Gellman. On the flip side, it can also be a source of saturated fats and added sugars, which are harmful for your heart when eaten in excess.

Smoothie with Granola

Try adding it to your favorite smoothie to give it an extra boost of fiber from the whole grains, healthy fats and added flavor. It's also an easy way to increase calories in a smoothie. Personally, I think it would be a delicious addition to my Strawberry Peanut Butter Smoothie!

Whole grains: The first ingredient on the label of any granola you buy should be a whole grain. Normally, it will be rolled oats, but any type of whole grain is acceptable, including kamut, spelt, quinoa, millet, and buckwheat. This will help ensure that the cereal provides more fiber and protein.

For a healthy snack, Sass recommends pairing 1/3 cup or less of granola with almond milk, or eating it with fresh berries alongside a protein such as grass-fed organic Greek yogurt or eggs.

Granola may prompt weight gain if eaten in excess, as it can be high in calories from added fats and sugars. What's more, sugar is linked to chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

A clean-eating meal plan includes tons of fresh fruits and veggies, high-fiber whole grains and legumes, healthy fats and lean proteins (like fish and chicken). It skips added sugars and minimizes sodium and saturated fats that can damage our hearts when we eat too much of them.

Yes, granola can be eaten daily. As part of a balanced diet and if the portions are checked. Go for healthier options with less added sugars and saturated fats to get the most out of it.

Which One Is Better for Breakfast? Both oatmeal and granola make for a healthy, nutritious breakfast, but the winner for us is granola—the added nuts, seeds, and dried fruits give you a source of fiber and healthy fats that oatmeal can't quite compete with.

You can use any kind that you like, but my favorite low sugar vanilla yogurts are Two Good, Chobani Less Sugar, or Siggi's. If you prefer to sweeten your own, you can use plain Greek yogurt and use either honey or maple syrup.

YUM! More reasons to obsess over homemade granola: Healthier: it has less sugar and is lower Calorie than anything you'll find at the store. Freezer Friendly: It will keep for months in the freezer, stored in a freezer safe bag.

What is better than granola? ›

Without anything added to it, muesli is healthier than granola in the sense that it has less fat and sugar. However, if it's prepared with juice or contains a lot of dried fruit, muesli gains the sugar, calories, and carbohydrates that already exist in granola.

Swirl in chopped nuts and seeds for extra protein and extra crunch. We like our yogurt studded with plenty of pepitas, chia seeds, and chopped hazelnuts. Use yogurt to bulk up smoothies. Think of Greek yogurt like cream cheese—use it on bagels with lox or in scrambles and omelets.

Granola contains dried fruit, which is high in sugar, and high-fat tree nuts like almonds or walnuts. If too much is eaten, you could develop health problems or take in too many calories. Read the label before you buy and check the overall calories, total sugar, and fat content.

The healthiest breakfast foods include a protein, healthy fat and source of carbohydrates, according to Smolen. For a healthy breakfast, consider eating foods like oatmeal with nut butter, avocado toast with an egg, chia seed pudding or a greek yogurt parfait with nuts and berries.

Yogurt and granola are excellent sources of fiber. It contains a high fiber content that provides numerous benefits to the digestive system. Therefore, it is the ideal way to maintain fast digestion to avoid fat formation in the body.

Go Whole Grain

Think whole grains that look most like their just-harvested state—quinoa, wild rice and oats. While some people abstain from eating any processed grains, we think that whole-wheat pasta and whole-grain bread made with simple ingredients are also part of eating clean.

Plenty Of Monounsaturated Fats and Fiber

A granola bowl is the ultimate go-to muscle-building snack. It is full of beneficial fiber and monounsaturated fats. It helps you to bulk up on calories, create essential hormones and signals molecules to start the process of muscle growth.

Yes, as long as you choose a healthy cereal, make healthy additions like fruit and nuts, and stick to the serving size, the experts say.

UNREFINED GRAINS AND LEGUMES

Must be 100% whole wheat or whole grains. Examples of whole, unrefined grains include brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal, and popcorn. Always look for whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour is different than wheat flour, so make sure the word "whole" is listed.