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Choose Low Sugar Granola
By: admin On: 2 August 2023
Try Crunchie low sugar granola. You will come back for more. With low sugar granola you don't have to give up your favourite breakfast cereal. Find out more about natural sugars.
With low sugar granola you don't have to give up your favourite breakfast cereal. When you are reducing your carb intake, or keeping an eye on the sugar you consume, the advice for breakfast is usually along the lines of ditching your breakfast cereal for something more protein focused. Which tends towards the savoury. But what happens if you happen to like your breakfast routine? What if the crunch of cold milk and cereal is what propels you out of bed in the mornings? Nutritional benefits of cereal and milk aside, the thing that can be lacking from many a low carb diet is crunch. Or is it crisp. Maybe it is the two combined, but whatever it is it is different from the bite of apple or a stick of raw carrot. The more foods that you eliminate from your diet, the harder it can be to find food that satisfies on all levels. Granola is often the first to go, with its combination of grains, fat and sugar. No wonder we like it so much. But there is just something about granola, and as a foodstuff it is entirely unique. More than muesli, not quite flapjack, and defo not porridge; when you want granola nothing else will do.
What is low sugar granola?
There are gluten free options for granola, and even completely grain free granola, but today we are focusing on sugar. Overconsumption of sugar is a big issue, and most of underestimate the amount we eat or even the ill effects it can have in the long term. Sugar in breakfast cereals is a massive problem, with many cereals containing over 40% sugar. That's a big number, when you really stop and think about it. For cereal to be considered low sugar, ideally it should contain less than 10% sugar and above 3% fibre (the fibre content helps to offset the glycaemic load). Remember we mentioned the fat in granola? That's the stuff that makes it clump together and sets it apart from muesli. That also helps to lower the glycaemic load. The final thing you are looking for in a low sugar granola or cereal is that it contains no refined sugars.
The difference between refined and unrefined sugars
The first thing that you need to understand is that sugar is sugar. Keeping your intake to a minimum is always the goal. But when it comes down to it, natural unrefined sugars are always going to trump the refined white stuff. Not to mention all the weird commercial ingredients that are ultra refined, such as corn syrup. But unrefined sugars are closer to natural whole foods, and as such contain more of the nutritional good stuff in the plant.
Forms of natural sugar
Coconut sugar Coconut sugar is ideal when you need a crystallised sugar replacement. Sugar is used in so many products partly because it brings specific qualities that syrups do not. Coconut sugar does not taste of coconut, but has a light caramel sweetness like pale brown sugar. A natural source of vitamins and minerals, coconut sugar has a lower GI (35) than most sugars and syrups. Honey The original natural sweetener, honey is very very sweet and has a high GI of 50. A little, however, does go a very long way. Raw honey is of huge nutritional value. It has antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties, as well as a rich and varied vitamin and mineral profile. Honey also offers huge depth of flavour, that other sweeteners can lack. Coconut nectar Coconut nectar is the liquid version of coconut sugar. It is less sweet than honey. Maple syrup Rich in minerals, with a distinctive flavour, maple syrup has a high GI of 54. Again though, a little goes a very long way. Agave syrup Agave syrup is often used as a vegan alternative to honey. It has a fairly neutral taste, and a low GI of 17. Despite this, it is very sweet and, as with most of these natural liquid sugars, goes a long way. It is easier to use and control than honey as it is far runnier. Dried fruit Dried fruit may be a source of concentrated sugar, but is also full of fibre, as well as vitamins and minerals. Still intact, as a whole fruit, dried fruit is one the best natural sources of sweetness. When sweetening with dried fruit, you don't need to add as much of the other sources of natural sugar. Spices Often overlooked, there are several spices that can be used to bring sweetness to foods. Not inherently sweet, the sweet spices such as cinnamon and cardamom do help to enhance sweet flavours. Cinnamon is also know to help lower blood pressure. Vanilla is also excellent at increasing the sensation of sweetness in a dish.
What's in my low sugar granola?
Roasted almond crunch Our famous roasted almond crunch does contain very small quantities of sugar to allow for it's superior texture yet still comes in at under 10% sugar. The bulk of the sweetness comes from natural agave syrup and cinnamon. Maple nut crunch Our equally popular maple nut crunch granola is naturally sweetened with agave and maple syrups, with a touch of cinnamon. With 8.9% sugar it is our lowest sugar granola, and contains 0% refined sugar. Spelt and agave nut crunch Our spelt and agave nut crunch is also sweetened with agave and maple syrups, with a touch of cinnamon and cardamom. It also contains less than 10% sugar, and no refined sugar at all. Explore our range of low sugar cereals, available to buy online now with bulk buy discounts.