Granola is healthier than most other cereals

[Aliceisagooddog]

Ongoing argument with dh. He thinks granola is bad because its high sugar. I think it's not as bad as cornflakes etc because it's much less processed, you can actually see what it's made of.
Who's being unreasonable?

Always have jam with porridge!

often wonder how some of the 'old' people (in their 90's now) survived.

They walked or cycled, and there were fewer labour saving devices both in the home and at work.
So they'd have been able to used up sugar and carbs as fuel.

Our homemade stuff is just jumbo oats, dried coconut flakes, sunflower oil, honey, vanilla extract and an egg white to make it clump together when it’s baked. Seeds, nuts and fruit are added to your bowl when you’re ready to eat. I started making it a few years ago because I didn’t like the amount of sugar in the shop bought stuff.

I’m not averse to sugar - I avoid most things with artificial sweeteners - I just don’t get why anyone thinks you need that level of sweetness in your breakfast cereal. The sugar tax has done nothing to reduce the nation’s sweet tooth.

I think what @Movinghouseatlast meant was not how did they not get fat on their diet of bread and jam, but how did they survive at all, given there probably wasn't that much provided and it wasn't so poor in nutritional terms - minimal vitamins, minerals, fibre, not much protein, not enough fat (so not enough essential fatty acids). I am not a scientist or an HCP but I assume the answer to that is that humans are extremely good at surviving on abysmal diets. They might not survive in good health, but they will survive. If you look at the range of diets humans live on across the globe, we're very adaptable. I always felt the Inuit drew the short straw. Not just living in that cold. cold climate with no daylight at all in the winter months and no darkness in the summer months, but next to nothing in the way of fruit or vegetables, and lots and lots of seal meat and blubber. Would not appeal to me.

It’s all processed garbage and made for profit not your health. Eat eggs for breakfast, they are natures multivitamin.

My favourite is Dorset Cereals nutty granola, which has low sugar content and no dried fruit

I don't eat it daily but I look at my diet over a week

I have 400g of milk chocolate over a week too!

I agree but could never eat the same breakfast each morning. So we alternative between some kind of eggs and a low sugar nutty/seeded granola with yoghurt and fresh fruit or porridge.

Sugar trumps processing.

Your H is correct.

Eggs are great and I eat them a lot for breakfast but sometimes I want a change. Sometimes I fancy granola and fruit even if it might be less filling and more processed.

Just like sometimes I fancy a chocolate bar even though it has absolutely no benefit to me what so ever so at least granola and fruit is better than a mars bar for breakfast.

I don't think a giant bowl of granola is that good, too much sugar and usually high in calories.
It is tasty though! I use it as a topping for fruit and yoghurt.

Which granola and which cereal?

Bran flakes are probably healthier than commercial sugary granola. Also fortified with vitamins. Granola which is just oats, coconut and oil is pretty healthy, certainly better than a bowl of Frosties, but not necessarily better than a bowl of porridge.

You know you can make granola yourself pretty easily? Nicer, too (just like home-made porridge is nicer than Readybrek). You don’t need to put a load of sugar in it.

Just use a normal bread recipe , flour, yeast and salt, but use the whey instead of water. Just warm it a tad in the microwave to room temp. You can use it in pancakes and scones as well. TBH I dont like using it cos I dont like "thick liquid" but when I can get past that, the results are really good

( I aslo cant cope with liquid egg whites or sour milk )

I now know that if I want to start an argument then I should bring up the subject of stewed apples! All I remember of granola is when I didn’t have any chocolate in the house and wanted something sweet it’s the only time I touched it, standing in the kitchen shoveling it into my mouth.

I always get the very low sugar versions and mix it 50% with rolled oats. Then microwave with milk for a nice porridge.

Saw this in Sainsbury's yesterday..
not even trying to hide the fact that cereals are basically chocolate for breakfast any more!

Oh come on Belvita have been convincing people to have biscuits for breakfast for years.

And it works, people have them! Actual Chocolate biscuits sold as "healthy" and look at all the imagery they use to convince you... The wheat, use of the word cocoa instead of chocolate as the main flavour

@llamajohn
Oh yes I'd forgotten about those!

and currently on offer for 20p per pack of 4. Nothing extra required, can be eaten on the bus in the morning.

My weetabix that needs milk and a handful of fruit (no cooking thankfully) to make it palatable costs 28p for the 2 biscuits alone.

Sometimes "unhealthy" is an easier choice... Time wise and financially.

Granola AND traditional cereals are all loaded with sugar. You may as well have a mars bar for breakfast!

Come on. What about all the other nutrients you'd get from granola and not from a Mars Bar? You can't just focus on sugar to the exclusion of everything else.

I make my own. Sounds a bit laborious, but it’s just mixing the ingredients and then in the oven - it lasts the family a few weeks. You can also add more of what you want (extra seeds and nuts, etc) and keep an eye on the sugar. The kids have ‘breakfast sundaes’ with it (fruit, Greek yogurt and granola in layers).

It depends on which granola. The one I like contains honey and a small amount of refined sugar which is not ideal, but other than that, it’s entirely made-up of seeds and various nuts which is 💪

Granted. But banana or apple is cheaper still and better than biscuits for breakfast.

It's not a good thing that people feel the need to rush through mornings and eat junk food on the bus for breakfast.

Time maybe, money bollocks. Oats are incredibly cheap.