We all want to be healthier, right? Last year, I decided to start making granola so that my family would get a nutritious breakfast. We all know that breakfast sets the tone to the rest of your day, right? I’m all about taking small steps to health by incorporating one new thing at a time, getting that down, and then moving on. I know that deciding to change everything about my life and becoming all-organic, all-natural, all-health at once isn’t going to happen. But I can take baby steps.
Back to the granola.
Rolled oats, the base of granola, provide lots of fiber, both soluable and insoluable. Insoluble fibre helps speed waste matter through the digestive system by bulking up stools, and fibre is a good remedy for digestive problems such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The fiber is also good for your heart; the soluble fibre in the oats reduces 'bad' LDL cholesterol without affecting 'good' HDL cholesterol, lessening the risk of atherosclerosis and other heart problems. Diabetic? The soluble fibre in granola slows down the digestion of starch, which means there is no sharp rise in blood sugar levels after eating granola. Barley and oats also contain antioxidants, which can help strengthen your body in a myriad of ways and prevent disease.
Add nuts to your granola to add a host of nutrients, such as folate, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, and selenium. They also provide your body with Omega 3 fatty acids, an essential for heart health. A study published in the June 2004 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that pecans, hazelnuts, and walnuts contained the highest antioxidant levels of all nuts tested. Almonds can help lower cholesterol, and are a rich source of vitamin E, calcium, phosphorous, iron and magnesium. They also contains zinc, selenium, copper and niacin. The health benefits of almonds include getting relief from constipation, respiratory disorders, cough, hearth disorders, anemia, impotency, and diabetes. They also helps in hair care, skin care (psoriasis), and dental care. Walnuts contain omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, which are needed for maintaining healthy joints and brain function. Cashews have a high iron content which is needed to make haemoglobin - the red pigment in the blood. Cashews and pecans are a rich source of oleic acid, the same type of fatty acid found in olive oil. If you check online, you can add to this list of benefits, but I’ll stop because I think I’ve covered the highlights.
I’ve been a huge fan of nuts since reading “Blue Zones: Live Longer, Better” by Dan Buettner of National Geographic fame. One of the common threads folks who live past 100 share is a propensity to eat lots of nuts. And so, I’ve been trying to add nuts into our snacks and meals. (By the way, if you want to get good tips on being healthy, I recommend you pick up this book. Or visit, bluezones.com).
I like to make granola myself because then I can control the contents (how much sugar there is, how many nuts, etc.). Here’s a recipe I found online and tweaked. Even my non-healthy husband will eat this stuff — probably because of the maple syrup!
Oh, yeah, and the best thing is that this is truly the easiest thing to make EVER.
BEST GRANOLA
6 c. rolled oats
2 c. chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, cashews, etc. I vary it depending on what I have and what we ate last time)
28 oz. flaked coconut
1/2 c. wheat germ
Dash cinnamon (there are tons of health benefits to spices, too!
1 c. Pure maple syrup
1 c. packed brown cane sugar
1/2 c. olive or canola oil
4 T. warm water
Mix your first five ingredients in one bowl and the rest in another. Toss them together to coat, and divide equally onto 2 cookie sheets (ungreased). Bake at 250ยบ, stirring every 15-30 minutes until crunchy. It will take about 2 hours.
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