Granola has always been the fitness junkie of the cerealverse while sort of being the evil twin of muesli at the same time. It is more of a snack than a meal, and most people eat granola bars or by the handful as opposed to eating by the bowl. So, what are the best granola cereals?
Granola is notorious for being a healthy snack while at the same time typically relying upon added sugar. In its purest form, it’s basic. Simply dried fruit, whole grains, nuts, and oftentimes seeds, such as sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. But does that mean granola is inherently gluten-free, vegan, or even Keto-friendly?
Those answers may surprise you. And with that in mind, we know what we consider to be the best granola cereals on the market, but what are yours?
Sections
Nature’s Path – Organic Love Crunch Premium Granola, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter
You had us at dark chocolate and peanut butter.
There are a few words to describe this granola bag. Certified organic, non-GMO, Italian chocolate, and super delicious cereal. With 18 grams of carbs, it could be Keto-friendly, as well as vegan and gluten-free granola. It does contain cane sugar with potential cross-contamination of milk and wheat.
STEVE’S PALEO GOODS – Cinnamon PaleoKrunch
Do not fear, though; among granola brands, Steve’s specializes in Keto & Paleo-friendly gluten-free granola. In addition to that, you have coconut, pumpkin seeds, nuts, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and honey. Sorry vegans.
Mccabe’s Granola – Caveman Crunch Granola
This is oat-free, Paleo-friendly, vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free snack food. And among the granola brands, it’s the only one to use olive oil; however, it also uses coconut oil. The sweetness comes from coconut sugar and maple syrup.
GRANDYOATS – Original Coconola Grain-Free Granola
Whereas most granola is based on whole-grain oats or some other grain, this is coconut-based and entirely grain-free. Certified gluten-free, organic, non-GMO, Paleo, and kosher. As far as being vegan is concerned, organic honey is the sweetener.
GR8NOLA – Superfood Granola, The Original
Made with coconut oil, this is a superfood in a bag. No dairy, soy, or refined sugars. Vegan, non-GMO, and Keto-friendly (17 grams of carbs). Whole grain oats with an array of spices such as cardamom, ginger powder, all-spice, and cloves may seem a bit unnatural for granola, but they work. Gr8nola relies on monk fruit extract as its sweetener.
KIND – Healthy Grains Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds
KIND is a big name in healthy granola brands. KIND Vanilla Blueberry Clusters is making one of their biggest splashes. It’s 5-grain granola but non-GMO and gluten-free. Sorry, Keto, this isn’t for you. Vegans? Well, it’s cane sugar granola along with molasses and brown rice syrup.
The Granola Bakery – Low-Carb Cinnamon Pecan with Almond & Coconut Granola
Here’s low-carb granola that’s Keto-friendly (1 gram of carbs), as well as gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO. It’s a seed, coconut, and nut granola that relies on extracts of monk fruit and chicory root for sweetness. It offers a not too sweet flavor, as it’s nearly half nuts and coconut.
Bear Naked – Fit V’Nilla Almond Granola
And, we’re back to the whole-grain granola. In this case, oats and brown rice. This is considered one of the brand’s vegan options, but not Keto-friendly. The sweeteners? It’s another cane sugar granola along with brown rice syrup.
Purely Elizabeth – Ancient Grain Granola, Pumpkin Cinnamon
Purely Elizabeth is proud to be a vegan-friendly brand. Of all the granola brands, every product Purely Elizabeth makes is vegan. This is coconut sugar granola with gluten-free oats, along with chia seeds and amaranth. Is it Keto-friendly? With 17 grams of carbs, it’s up to you.
ALDI – Simply Nature Organic Pumpkin & Flax Granola
The great thing about having an option from Aldi is you know you can afford this all organic granola. It’s whole rolled oats granola sweetened with sugar cane, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, and molasses. It is not low-carb granola and may not be vegan-friendly either.
Erin Baker’s – Homestyle Granola with Ancient Grains, Vanilla Almond Quinoa
Another nut granola, but this includes whole grain rolled oats that are older than granola brands themselves. No, not really, but it says ancient grains. This is a simple but delicious mix of pure vanilla extract with quinoa and sliced almonds that actually tastes better on top of plain greek yogurt for a healthy breakfast than it does as a snack food.
One Degree Organic Foods – Sprouted Quinoa Cacao Granola
Yum yum, sprouted quinoa. Makes your mouth water, doesn’t it? Don’t worry; the chocolate and unrefined coconut sugar totally save these granola clusters. Not low sugar or low carb diet-friendly, but with almond milk, this is a good bowl of cereal.
PALEONOLA – Grain-Free Granola, Original
Here we go. Back to the granola that is free of GMOs and gluten as well as has low sugar content. What about vegans and Keto? Well, it’s low-carb granola with 7 grams of carbs per quarter-cup serving, but it does use honey as a sweetener.
NuTrail – Keto Nut Granola Blueberry Cinnamon
I’m going to guess that this is a Keto granola. This is sort of a Keto-friendly version of Kind Vanilla Blueberry Clusters. It’s both a vegan and a keto nut granola, and it has a low sugar content that makes it diabetic-friendly as well. Though, this is not the best granola for a low-calorie diet.
Quaker – Simply Granola, Oats Honey & Almonds
Finally, a cerealverse OG (Original Giant) to save the day. It just makes sense that Quaker would be among the best granola options in the cerealverse. Unfortunately, this is not gluten-free, not Keto-friendly, and due to the brown sugar and honey, it may not be vegan.
Livlo – Keto Nut Granola Cereal
It’s nice when the food’s name helps out a bit, right? This is exactly what it says. A Keto mix nut granola that has 1 gram of net carbs per third of a cup serving. It’s also a vegan option, thanks to the Keto sweeteners.
Nature Valley – Oats & Honey Big & Crunchy Granola Breakfast Cereal
Here’s a granola brand that granola lovers will know well. The good news is that it’s free of high fructose corn syrup. The bad news, is that it may not be considered either Keto or vegan friendly due to the honey and the fact that it’s 32 grams of sugar per cup.
Wildway – Vegan Granola
Again, thanks for the name! Ok, so it’s vegan, but what else. It’s free of grains, gluten, sweeteners, and GMOs. With 32 grams of sugar per cup, sorry, Keto, but enjoy Paleo.
Kellogg’s – Super Berry Granola
I know what you’re thinking. Is there any superpower that Kellogg’s doesn’t have! The answer is NO! They are the Superman of the cerealverse. With that said, this is definitely up there among the best granola options, but sorry guys, it has gluten, sugar, wheat, and 28+ carbs per serving.
FAQs
Is granola cereals good for weight loss?
Generally speaking, granola is a good choice of food to assist with weight loss. But you need to be mindful of added sugars and additional ingredients. You want granola that is high in fiber, as that is the significant factor in play. Fiber helps to keep you feeling full longer so that you eat less.
What is the difference between granola and muesli?
The main differences between granola and muesli are how they are made. As far as ingredients go, they are very much pretty similar. Granola is sweetened with ingredients such as syrup or honey, and muesli simply relies on dried fruits to add sweetness. Also, granola is baked, and muesli is eaten in its raw state.
Is granola good for your digestive system?
Granola is one of the best digestive aids you can eat. It is not only typically, high in fiber (both soluble and insoluble), but in many ways, the fiber is also a good source of probiotics and prebiotics.
Is granola better than oatmeal?
Which one is better, either granola or oatmeal, is genuinely a personal choice. They are both nutritious and healthy options. Oatmeal is typically eaten hot, while granola is most commonly a cold snack. So, if that matters, then there is your answer.
Final Thoughts
Ok, so there you have it. The granola dimension of the cerealverse. What do you think? Is granola a legitimate cereal, or does it belong in the snack food universe? If you think it’s a cereal, is it better hot, or cold? In a bowl with milk or straight from the bag?
Don’t be afraid to admit that you enjoy granola. Talk to us. We won’t reply in a judgemental tone. That’s what social media is for.