DON'T BE FOOLED BY GRANOLA

I often hear people say how healthy granola is.  This is another marketing ploy that can fool you into eating something advertised as healthy when you should be avoiding it.  Yes, granola is made up of healthy whole grains, nuts, and fruits, etc.  But check out your granola to see what you are really getting.  This is especially important if you are diabetic or watching your sugar and/or carb intake.  Granola can be healthy, especially if you make your own, but it can also be a sugar trap.  Eating whole grains loses a lot of its value when it is loaded down with sugar and dried fruits.  Be cautious of dried fruits, they are high in sugar content.  If you eat granola with milk for breakfast, that is not necessarily a good breakfast.  Take this equation as an example:

1 cup of lowfat granola with raisins (98g carbs) with 1/2 cup of fat-free milk (6g carbs)
= 104g carbs

Most of us, especially diabetics, do not need 104 carbs for breakfast!

This is not to say all granola is bad.  On my diabetic blog (link can be found on this blog) one of my most viewed recipes is one for a healthy granola.  Just be aware of the granola you are eating and know that just because you are eating granola does not mean you are necessarily eating healthy!
The same goes for granola bars. Read the nutritional label to be sure you aren't getting too much sugar in your bars. They are low-sugar ones out there.

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