Many of us think of granola as being similar to muesli and a healthy choice for breakfast or snacking, but there is so much more to it than that.
Yes, it can have the same base ingredients as muesli of oats, nuts, dried fruit and seeds, but that is where the similarity ends. To become granola, the ingredients are roasted with something sweet to give them a distinctively crunchy, clustered texture. In many mass-produced versions of granola, that sweetness comes from refined sugar which leads to the belief in some quarters that granola is not as healthy as muesli. However, at Rollagranola we don’t use any refined sugar in our handcrafted products, with the sweetness provided by fruits or, in some cases, natural maple syrup. Our top-selling Zesty Caveman Granola is a perfect example of this as it is gluten and sugar-free yet packs a tangy taste sensation. Supermarket granolas can also disappoint on their nut content, but that certainly cannot be said about our granolas. We love nuts and our granolas are designed to be the nuttiest on the market.
Granola is packed full of carbs, which makes it perfect for aiding recovery after a strenuous workout by providing a flavoursome energy boost. You don’t have to be an athlete, though, to enjoy the benefits of granola. It can be rich in protein, fibre, nutrients and antioxidants that are potentially good for cholesterol levels, reducing blood sugar and promoting a healthy gut.
Originally, granola was a breakfast cereal with a certain Mr Kellogg selling sacks full of it in the second half of the 19th century. Then it disappeared until the 1960s when granola, as we know it today, became more and more popular.
Granola is now a convenient and healthy snack that can be eaten straight out of our eco-friendly packaging at any time of the day as well as providing a delicious breakfast.