Why granola is so popular, what processes does this dish activate in the body and how to cook an American breakfast yourself
Granola for breakfast has become a real culinary trend lately. It is suggested to start the day with it in fitness clubs, trendy restaurants and even in fast food establishments. Many people mistakenly consider granola to be a dietary dish, but it is not. A granola breakfast is quite high in calories, especially if you buy a ready-made mixture, which you just need to pour at home with milk. In order to monitor the quality of products, to preserve the maximum benefit in this dish and not spoil it figure breakfast, nutritionists advise not to get carried away with "purchased" granola, but to cook it yourself.
Cereal breakfasts can compete with protein ones in their popularity. Correctly selected cereals in the morning saturate the body with complex carbohydrates and fiber, promote good bowel function and give an energy boost for the whole day. But it's not tasty and fast enough for everyone. There are few gourmets who will cook buckwheat, rice or even oatmeal for themselves in the morning. In the USA, they found a simple and tasty way out of the situation: they took a mix of cereal flakes, baked them in the oven with the addition of honey or syrup and mixed with nuts and other edible seeds. This dish is called granola, and for several years now it has been gaining popularity all over the planet.
The benefits of granola for the body
Usually granola is poured with cold milk, kefir or yogurt / istockphoto.com
The benefits of granola are directly related to its composition. Cereals (most often oat, barley, millet, buckwheat, rice, sometimes corn flakes are taken to prepare the mixture) for the body are an irreplaceable source of minerals and trace elements such as fiber, potassium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, Omega-3, vitamins A, E and FROM. Therefore, the "correct" granola contributes to the following processes in the body:
Stimulates digestion. Granola contains a lot of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, which play an important role in the absorption of food. For example, fiber binds food in the esophagus, facilitates its passage through the digestive tract, and stimulates intestinal motility. Pectins improve blood circulation, prevent flatulence, heartburn and indigestion.
Lowers cholesterol levels. Soluble dietary fiber (glucans, pectins, gum, inulin) tend to normalize blood cholesterol levels. Thanks to this, regular granola-based breakfasts prevent the deposition of excess cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Fills the body with the "correct" energy. Granola is a source of complex carbohydrates, which, unlike their simple counterparts, take a long time to break down and release energy resources over a long time. In addition, granola contains a lot of manganese, which is very important for proper metabolism. It corrects the release of insulin, thereby stimulating the body's lipolysis (breakdown of fat) process.
Granola will saturate the body with fiber and complex carbohydrates / istockphoto.com
Gives a long-lasting feeling of satiety. Returning to the content fiber in granola, one cannot fail to mention that it gives the body a feeling of satiety. Combined with vegetable protein and complex carbohydrates, this breakfast will saturate the body for a long time without feeling overeating. Therefore, after breakfast with granola, you will calmly hold out until lunchtime without experiencing sudden bouts of hunger.
Promotes smooth weight loss. This is perhaps the only controversial argument in favor of consuming granola regularly. It's all about the way this dish is prepared. To achieve an indescribable crunchy taste, granola cereals must be baked in the oven with the addition of honey or freshly squeezed fruit juice. However, this is not done on an industrial scale: as a rule, manufacturers fry cereals with the addition of a large amount of butter and sugar syrup. And this, whatever one may say, is a calorie bomb. Therefore, nutritionists, without denying all the benefits of this dish, strongly advise lovers of granola to cook it at home on their own.
How to make granola at home
Homemade granola is much lower in calories than ready-made mixtures / istockphoto.com
Homemade granola has many benefits. First, you can completely adjust the entire composition for yourself. Barley or buckwheat can be added to oatmeal. Someone likes to add puffed rice to granola. Mix of nuts can be supplemented with flax seeds or chia. Replace dried berries with dried apricots or prune pieces. Secondly, you know exactly how much sugar and butter will be in this dish, and you can also adjust the amount of these ingredients. The oil in homemade granola is not needed for frying, but so that the flakes do not stick together when baking. Therefore, its volume can be safely reduced to a minimum. In a closed jar, such granola is safely stored for two to three weeks. And every morning, preparing yourself a healthy breakfast, you will know for sure that it contains neither chemicals nor carcinogens.
Ingredients
- oatmeal - 4 cups
- honey - 4 tbsp. l.
- vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.
- maple syrup (natural juice) - 2 tbsp l.
- mix of nuts and seeds - 1 glass
- dried berries mix - 1 glass
- vanilla - 2 tsp l.
- cinnamon - 1 tsp l.
Granola is stored in a tightly closed glass jar for 2-3 weeks / istockphoto.com
Cooking method: Combine cereals, nuts and seeds in a deep bowl. If you take oatmeal for granola, then you need to choose flakes that have undergone minimal heat treatment (not instant cooking). In a separate scoop, combine honey, butter, syrup or juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Heat the mixture until the honey dissolves and all the ingredients are mixed into a homogeneous mass. You do not need to boil the mixture. Pour it over the nuts and flakes and mix the granola billet thoroughly. Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in the oven at 160 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. During the cooking process, the mass must be stirred periodically so that the flakes are baked evenly. After the allotted time, remove the granola from the oven and let it cool completely. Add dried berries or fruits to the mixture and mix thoroughly again. Homemade granola is ready to eat.
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