Granola made with raisins is a sweet delicious cereal that can be eaten with milk, yogurt or right out of the packaging with your fingers. Granola is made with oats, which, as a whole grain, can be beneficial to your health by providing your body with vitamins and minerals and helping you ward off unsafe medical conditions. Unfortunately, many commercially prepared granolas are loaded with fat and sugar, and therefore calories. However, by making smart choices and taking the right steps, you can include granola with raisins in your meal plan without much guilt.
Step 1
Read product labels; if you are buying commercially manufactured granola, inspect the nutrition and ingredients list to make healthier choices. Joy Bauer of The Today Show reports that some pre-manufactured granolas can have as many as 17 grams of sugar per 2/3 cup serving. Look for granola with raisins that is either naturally sweetened or does not contain a large amount of added sugars.
Step 2
Monitor your serving size. A typical serving of granola with raisins is 2/3 cup; however, when eyeballing amounts, it is easy to accidentally eat two to three times that, resulting in you consuming two to three times the calories. Measure out your portions to keep calories in check.
Step 3
Eat granola that contains raisins with other foods to decrease your portion size while still allowing you to enjoy your favorite cereal. For example, you can sprinkle 2 to 4 tbsp. granola over yogurt rather than eating it in a bowl with milk.
Step 4
Avoid granola that contains trans fats. These fats are used in some commercially prepared foods as a flavoring and preservative; however, they can be damaging to your health and contribute to weight gain, heart disease, high cholesterol levels and type 2 diabetes.
Tips and Warnings
- If desired, you can make homemade granola from your own ingredients. Simple combine oats, honey, raisins, sliced almonds, cinnamon and diced dried apples in a bowl and mix together. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake it in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes.
Things You'll Need
- Yogurt
- Oats
- Honey
- Raisins
- Sliced almonds
- Cinnamon
- Dried apples
- Baking sheet
- Bowl
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