I just baked up a batch of my No Sugar Granola in the oven and can’t wait to dig in. This is one of my favorite recipes on my 7-Day Sugar Detox, which I’m doing this week to get back on track after the holidays!
This granola is quick to make and has no sugar or sweeteners in it at all. It has that delicious crunch along with naturally-sweet coconut that makes it a savory and delicious topping for yogurt.
I also love to just snack on this granola all by itself. The healthy fats are so satisfying and it takes away any of my sugar cravings! If you have been struggling with sugar cravings lately, you’ve got to make this granola STAT!And for even more help, get my 7-Day Sugar Detox while it’s open this week (more details about that below!)
I pretty much stopped buying granola from the store years ago. Most brands taste stale, processed, and overly sweet. After you make your own granola, it’s really hard to go back to the packaged stuff!
There is also so much refined sugar added to popular brands of granola like Nature Valley and Love Crunch. You’ll often find several different types of sugar listed on the ingredient list.
Look at all the different names for refined sugar you’ll find in granola:
- Sugar
- Cane Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Invert Cane Syrup
- Tapioca Syrup
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Brown Sugar (this is white sugar with molasses added to it)
- Oat Syrup Solids
Refined sugar is one of the worst ingredients to eat. Especially on the daily for breakfast!
I truly believe that one of the most insidious ways the food industry poisons us is by filling their products with refined sugar. The food industry knows that sugar is addicting and that sugar makes heavily processed foods taste good, so that’s why they have added it to practically everything! It may seem innocent, but what refined sugar does to the body is scandalous.
There is little to no nutritional value in these refined sugars. They have been chemically stripped of their minerals, so when you indulge in these sugars, you get no nutrition and your body becomes more acidic. As these sugars are devoid of minerals, they are acid-forming causing more inflammation. When your body stays in a state of inflammation, you are at a greater risk of developing various chronic diseases ranging from cancer, to heart disease, to digestive disorders.
Eating refined sugar is addictive, makes you fat, tired, depressed, age faster, makes your skin dull, weakens immunity and when consumed in excess causes all sorts of diseases… No thanks.
This is why I avoid refined sugar whenever possible. That means that when I go shopping I look for refined sugars on the ingredient label (see the list above for some main culprits). This also means that I don’t buy bags of cane sugar to stock in my kitchen pantry. I use natural nutrient-dense sweeteners at home instead such as maple syrup, honey, and coconut sugar.
Does your favorite granola contain refined sugar?
I’m sorry to break the news, but most brands of granola contain at least 2 teaspoons of sugar per serving, and sometimes even more. Even organic brands like Love Crunch and Nature’s Path contain refined cane sugar. Here’s how much sugar you’ll find in one serving (1/2 cup) of your favorite brands:
- Nature Valley Crunchy Granola, Cinnamon: 14 grams sugar
- Post Honey Bunches of Oats Honey Roasted Granola: 12 grams sugar
- Nature Valley Protein Granola, Oats and Honey: 12 grams sugar
- Walmart Great Value Oats & Honey Granola: 12 grams sugar
- Love Crunch Organic Granola, Dark Chocolate and Red Berries: 12 grams sugar
- Bear Naked Granola Cacao and Cashew Butter: 11 grams sugar
- KIND Oats & Honey Granola: 8 gram sugar
- Nature’s Path Organic Pumpkin Seed and Flax Granola: 7 grams sugar
It’s not just the sugar! Watch out for these processed ingredients:
Another reason I stopped buying packaged granola is because it’s usually made with inflammatory refined oils and added flavors. Does your granola contain these ingredients?
CANOLA OIL (found in Nature Valley, Post, Great Value, and Kind): Unhealthy refined oil linked to inflammation and heart health risks.
SOYBEAN OIL (found in Love Crunch and Nature’s Path): This unhealthy oil is too high in omega-6 fatty acids and increases the risk of obesity, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.
NATURAL FLAVORS (found in Love Crunch and Nature Valley Protein Granola): Proprietary mixtures that make food taste irresistible so that you keep coming back for more. The ingredients in flavors are not listed, so you are in the dark about what you are eating.
What to do instead?
I have a healthy granola recipe that I love to make during the holidays, and even though it doesn’t contain any refined sugar it still contains natural sugar from maple syrup and dried fruit. After the holidays are over and I want to get all sweets out of my diet, I love to make my No Sugar Granola from my 7-Day Sugar Detox instead.
I created this Sugar Detox Program because I used to be addicted to sugar, and this gives me an easy to follow meal plan with mouthwatering recipes to help me get back on track. Anytime I feel too much sugar creeping into my diet, I follow the plan and it makes me feel amazing. I use it to help myself and want it to help you too!
I opened up enrollment this week at a HUGE discount and I’d love to send this program to you:
CLICK HERE: Get the Food Babe 7-Day Sugar Detox at 68% OFF for a very limited time (Expires 1/15/2024)
I will show you that you CAN win the battle against sugar.
You CAN finally take control of your cravings.
And that you CAN enjoy more energy, fewer mood swings, and lose weight.
You don’t need to starve yourself. You don’t need to eat processed, pre-packaged “sugar-free” foods. All you need is this simple, step-by-step plan that’s worked for thousands of people.
To give you a little taste, I’m sharing this No Sugar Granola recipe from the Sugar Detox Recipe Guide that I’m sure you’ll love as much as I do.
Make this No Sugar Granola in 20 minutes flat!
To make this granola, you simply mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and spread it out onto a cookie sheet. Then you bake it at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes until it’s crunchy and nicely toasted. After it cools, you can store it in a glass jar for up to a week. It makes about 4 cups!
Food Babe's No Sugar Granola
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Food Babe
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup chopped mixed nuts (almond, pecan, walnut, etc)
- 1⁄2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1⁄4 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds or flaxseeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup coconut oil
- Optional: 2 tablespoons cacao nibs
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the granola on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool and store covered in a glass container.
Notes
Store the remaining granola in an airtight container to use as a snack during the week.
Use all organic ingredients if possible.
Do you know anyone who has been eating too much sugar lately? Perhaps it’s you?
Sign up for the 7-Day Sugar Detox before the price goes up on January 15th!
I only open up this program once a year, so now’s the time!
Share this with your friends and get them to do the detox with you. It’s always fun to do it together.
I can’t wait to see you in the program.
Click here to sign up.
Xo,
Vani
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