HAPPY FOOD NOTES

Granola: Top Choice Snack for Blood Sugar Control

Snacks that are good for blood sugar control are key to maintaining health for people, and one of them can be  granola. For daily nutritional needs, the right granola can be a delicious and beneficial addition to help maintain blood sugar control.

Uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to over weight gain and various health complications, including heart problems, eye disorders, nerve damage, and kidney issues. 

Therefore, it's important for all of us, and especially individuals with diabetes, to understand the impact of food and snacks on their blood sugar levels. This discussion will focus on granola, which can be an appealing and healthy food option.

Granola, with its deliciousness, is not only suitable as a filling breakfast but also provides a healthy snack alternative for those monitoring their blood sugar levels. 

You can enjoy it for breakfast with milk or low-fat yogurt and fresh fruits, or by hand as a snack between main meals.

More Details About Granola

Granola is a food mixture made from wholegrain oats, nuts, other grains such as puffed rice and various sugars – which may be regular cane sugar as found in many cereals, or natural sweeteners like honey or palm sugar.

Granola is renowned for its high fiber content, which helps regulate sugar absorption in the body. Fiber helps maintain stable blood sugar levels and prevents unwanted spikes.

Besides fiber, granola is also rich in essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. These may include vitamin E, thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc, depending on the ingredients used.

As mentioned earlier, granola typically contains healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats sourced from additions like nuts.  Ideally, any added oils are not seed oils such as canola, sunflower or peanut oils, due to their high  

Granola also includes dried fruits and spices to provide diverse flavors.

With its various flavor options and nutritional content, consuming granola allows all of us, including individuals with diabetes, to choose options that align with their preferences.

Glycemic Index in Granola

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a concept used to measure how quickly the food we consume affects blood sugar levels after consumption.

Foods with a high GI tend to cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, while those with a low or moderate GI lead to a lower increase that is slower to rise and fall.

The Glycemic Index (GI) of granola varies depending on the brand and composition.  Many granolas use significant amounts of cane sugar (including brown sugar) and so aren’t low-glycemic.  Granolas that use only low-glycemic sugars such as palm sugar, coconut sugar or date sugar, which are low-GI sugars, will be low-gycemic granolas.

This means that when you consume granola containing only low-glycemic index sugars, you can be confident that your blood sugar will rise slowly and remains stable for a longer time compared to high GI foods. For individuals with diabetes, low GI foods can be a wise choice as they help maintain stable blood sugar levels.

By understanding the concept of the glycemic index, we all can make food choices that better support their blood sugar control.

Pay Attention to These When Choosing Granola

  • Many granola varieties contain added cane or other high-GI sugar. Therefore, it's important to check the nutrition label and look for granola with low added sugar, or only low-GI sugars, if you want to manage your sugar intake.
  • You need to be mindful of portion sizes because the amount of carbohydrates in each granola product varies and can affect blood sugar.
  • It is always advisable to consult with a medical professional or nutritionist to create a meal plan that suits individual needs and health conditions.
  • It's important to remember that even though granola has a low GI, it doesn't mean you can consume it excessively. You should still watch portion sizes and calorie content because granola also has a high energy value.

When used wisely and in balance, granola can be one of the snack choices that supports people, including people with diabetes, in leading a healthy lifestyle.

Just as found in YAVA Granola Bites! In addition to offering a wide range of flavors, Granola Bites include only Lontar Sugar, the Low GI sugar and also rich in nutrition sourced from natural ingredients. All of them include healthy wholegrain oats, red rice and wild-harvested cashews. Here are the delicious and nutritious snack variants of YAVA Granola Bites:

From today, you can enjoy tasty breakfast and snacks without worrying about their impact on your blood sugar!

Discover delicious and healthy food from YAVA at your favorite online store: