Granola Strange But True Interesting Facts

Posted on October 12, 2012 by believecereals

Granola seems to be the new choice of breakfast, a tasty and scrumptious crunchy textured cereal that can be made at home too. Granola considered a breakfast as well as a snack food. It basically consists of rolled oats, honey, nuts. The general texture is pretty crispy and Granola is usually baked until crispy. While baking the mixture is stirred so that the pieces are loose and in a cereal like consistency. Dried fruits, such as dates, figs, apricots and raisins can also be added to create more sweetness.

The great thing about granola is that its tastes so great and this has made it the rage now. It is a healthier snack than other products that are over packaged and under nourishing, supermarkets are filled with non wholesome products likes these. In comparison granola is much more wholesome and provides much more goodness.

It’s a healthy breakfast cereal and tastes great in combination with yogurt as well as chopped fruits likes berries, bananas and cherries. You can also include some seeds like pumpkin, flax and hemp to make it even more nutritious. It’s a great snack for sports too as it high energy food and makes it the ideal food for hiking, trekking and for people who like backpacking. It’s lightweight, easy to store and lasts a while so it’s perfect to take while on the go.

Originally Called Granula
Granola can also be used for desserts and pastries as it tastes that good. Although you can eat granola as a cereal, the bars seem to be more popular. Granola was originally called Granula and this was first made in 1894 in New York by Dr James Caleb Jackson at the Jackson Sanatorium. This used to be a prominent health spa that operated into the early twentieth century and was perched on a hillside. It was here Granula was invented and it was made of Graham flour.

John Harvey Kellogg
Kellogg also developed a similar product but changed the name to Granola a similar cereal was developed by John Harvey Kellogg. It too was initially known as Granula, but the name was changed to Granola to avoid legal problems with Jackson.

Growing Popularity Of Cereals
Those were the early days and Granola has since come a long way. From being fashioned into granola bars. Other cereal bars that are also popular are muesli bars. These days it has come a long way, and is most popular in the USA, Brazil, South of Europe, Japan, South Africa and Canada. One of the varieties of this is the chewy bar, this is made when the oats are baked less or cut out altogether. This makes the bar chewier rather than crunchy. This can be compared to a flapjack on the UK.

The best breakfast cereal brands are now bringing in their own version of granola bars too. Many companies are also developing beauty and functional foods made with cereals and grains. Cereals and cereals bars have become one of the most popular breakfast foods in the market today.

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Nutritional Facts About Cereals

Posted on October 1, 2012 by believecereals

Some cereal brands are now improving the nutritional quality of their cereals but advertising can be misleading too.  With focus on the cereal market, consumers are becoming aware that many cereals contain less nutritional goodies than the advertising may lead one to believe. Often adverts as well as the packaging can be misleading and one can easily believe the cereal you eat is healthy enough for you and your family.

With now increased awareness and more focus on the sugar content of children’s cereals many brands realise that they must improve the nutritional content. However many of these brands have also increased advertising of their many less nutritious products according to reports by the Food Policy & Obesity. Many adverts are directly targetted to children and what many brands may improve their breakfast cereals, they might also target their other related products to children which might not be as healthy.

Roughly children are easily eating about 1 spoonful of sugar in every three spoonful of cereal; this is quite an alarming amount and slowly can cause weight gain if portions are not controlled over the long term. This certainly is not a nutritious option for children to eat every day. Many bigger brands have promised to improve the nutritional value of their children breakfast products and cereals, but the best way to stay vigilant is by always checking the nutritional information yourself. One can contact the brands and companies too if not all information has been clearly provided. For any breakfast cereal to taste tasty and appetising to children or even to adults, be sure there must be some sugar used. It is the sweetness that makes the cereal alluring and appetising no doubt and so to find something that is completely free from sugar might be quite the task in the cereal market. Children are seen as a huge market and the Cereal FACTS report found that the least healthy cereals were the most commonly marketed to children in quite an aggressive manner. Children as young as the age of two are targetted too.

The Cereal FACTS study of 2012 looked at the nutritional content of more than 100 brands and over 300 varieties. Some of the key findings from this study include that while cereal brands may have made small improvements to the nutrition of the children’s breakfast range, they still contain about 56% more sugar than cereals targetted to adults. They also contain much less fibre and almost 50% more sodium, so really your most likely might be eating a healthier cereal than your child perhaps.

The best places to buy healthy cereals for your family would ideally be health food stores and organic shops. You can even make many combinations yourself at home including the popular granola which can be much more nutritious and healthier for our child. You can use honey instead and no salt at all, already your cereal is off to a better start.

Many health food stores sell individual muesli cereal grains and wheat flakes. You can blend and make your own mix whether for energy or for beauty breakfast food by including the omega rich seeds and nuts. Be vigilant and read nutritional information always to be sure.

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How To Lose Weight Eating Cereals With Exercise

Posted on September 25, 2012 by believecereals

Although there are many sports foods and nutritional bars available in the market, cereals are also thought to have their own benefits for exercise.In the UK, the popular breakfast choice has always been cereal. Children, adults and the elderly will always include cereal in their diet and with so many different varieties and options for all markets, breakfast cereals are a large sector of the food industry.

One of the advantages of healthy cereals is that it can be eaten throughout the day and very easy to prepare. It’s really has become a quick snack option and not that expensive either. Many cereals are targeted for weight loss, for energy, for cholesterol, for digestion and certainly we are now seeing many positioned for sports and exercise.

Although there are many choices out there for sports food and nutrition, and cereal is not especially targetted for this, it still does offer some benefits. Many would argue it is not ideal for athletic activity and perhaps not all are suitable but there are some grains and cereals that will help enhance your exercise routine or at least provide you with energy.

Most cereal grains have their very own nutritional profile and values. Many cereal grains tens to be low in fat and protein while being high in carbohydrates. The content of carbohydrates varies greatly from different grains. Some are higher in fibre and low in sugar while some cereals have a significant portion of carbohydrates that come from sugar. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the body and therefore this is where there are benefits for exercise and slow release energy.

The healthier and best breakfast cereals are those that are low in sugar, high in soluble fibre and contain complex carbohydrates. For energy carbohydrates are essential and research indicates that consuming cereal and skimmed milk after exercise is quite effective and comparable to consuming a sports drink for promoting muscle recovery.

Certain high energy cereal bars such as granola and muesli cereal bars can also provide energy for cardio workouts. For workout that involve weights and resistance however cereals may not be ideal as they are low in protein. Also many breakfast cereals are high in sugar content and this is not conducive to optimum performance. A suggestion is to consume cereal with protein powder and this may be beneficial for post workouts and provide the ideal combination of protein and carbs both.

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Cereals 23000 Years Back – Its Origin In USA

Posted on September 22, 2012 by believecereals

Breakfast is a meal many of us look forward to. After at least 8 hours of no food intake, we anticipate it. So have you ever wondered how cereal came about and who invented it, well here are some fun facts on the most favoured choice at breakfast.

Origin Of Cereals In USA
Some of the origins of cereal include when colonial housewives created their own concoction of serving sugary popcorn for breakfast, almost like a homemade version of sugar puffs. Sounds tasty but this idea then was further developed in the USA. While the start of cornflakes began in the USA and Kellogg’s was one of the first cereal manufacturers, the origin of breakfast muesli was however born in Switzerland.

The very first cereal that was ready to eat, was invented in 1863 and it came in form of whole grain flour dough that was baked into dry leaves and broken into chunks, baked, ground and broken down again. This was the very first elaborate process by which cereal was invented.

Cereals As old as 23000 years of the Hunter Age
Although we may think that our bowl cereal for breakfast is a pretty modern invention, researchers say that there is very strong evidence that humankind was processing grains almost 23000 years ago, during the time of the hunter gatherer.

What Research Say
Breakfast cereal is the most popular choice of breakfast for USA and the UK. Almost 49% of Americans start their day with a bowl of cereal almost the same in the UK. The word cereal comes from Cerealia, which was the name of ancient Roman ceremonies that honoured Ceres, who was the goddess of grain. Another very interesting fact is that 85% of all protein consumed throughout the world is provided by grains. These include grains such as corn, rice, millet, wheat, rye, barley, and sorghum. Many of these nutrition s grains are found in cereal.

Cereal For Astronauts In Apollo 11
Cereal was also one of the food items that were taken into the Apollo 11, for the Astronauts. Apparently it boosted their brain power while in space. Although it was not possible to have milk with it due to the lack of gravity, the cereal was modified into chunks for easy eating. Now here’s the crazy one, almost 2.7 billion packages of cereal are sold every year and that makes enough boxes to wrap around the earth!

Future Of The Wonderful Breakfast Foods
Interesting facts indeed, so that brings us to the future of cereals. Well it looks like they are here to stay and now we have granola bars, muesli cereals and bars, functional beauty cereals foods and more. The best breakfast cereals don’t always have to come from well known brands and you might even be able to make some combinations yourself. For example you could even now make homemade granola to suit your very own taste. Muesli bars are pretty easy to make too at home. Plus now with so many great health food stores and raw ingredients easily available, you might find it a breezed to create your very own breakfast in bowl.

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Start Your Day Healthy With Cereals High In Fiber

Posted on September 11, 2012 by believecereals

It is a pretty well known fact that we consider breakfast cereals as a healthy way to start the day. That may be the case with some cereals, but do be wary as not all as honestly wholesome as they may claim to be on the box.

Nutritionists tell is that fibre is very essential and serves a very important function in our diets. Fibre basically ensures the digestive system is working efficiently and does the job it’s supposed to do. Which is expel waste and maintain good health and wellbeing for the course our lives. The digestion is by far one of the most important processes of the body and it does need a helping hand now and then. So if you happen to be neglecting your diet or keep long hours and have a hectic lifestyle you might want to consider your breakfast habit. Start the day right, nutritionists say and your day will be better. Fibre should be incorporated into your breakfast through your breakfast cereal. This ensures your system gets the best possible kick start every single day. A bowlful of cereal can give you more fibre than the rest of your daily meals put together even. Oatmeal that has been eaten for thousands of years is also a high fibre cereal and would be a much healthier start to your day than pancakes or bacon. Not only does it provide fibre but is it a low GI food releasing energy slowly and keeping you feeling more energised for much longer too.

Health experts and nutritionists often recommend the benefits of high fibre cereals and there are many tasty options that many cereal brands offer. Cereals that are high in fibre don’t necessarily have to taste bad and in order to make it even healthier you can add chopped fruits, dates and other wholesome ingredients that will kick start your day on a healthy note. Certain low fat muesli cereals can also be high in fibre, it’s always advisable to check the nutritional information and aim for a serving to offer you at least 3-5 g of fibre. They do not always have to taste bad or dry, but now can be very appetising and appealing to people of all ages. You can find many different flavours as well as ranges to choose from. You might find more than one brand that does a tasty high fibre cereal and you can therefore add variety to your morning breakfasts. The health benefits are felt without you even noticing and you might find your bowel movements are functioning much better and your feel a lot more energised as the digestive function is working better.

High bran and oatmeal are perhaps more widely known for their high fibre content. Granola these days has become a very popular breakfast choice and while some versions can be high in fibre again it is always worth reading the nutritional information. So make your breakfast wholesome and make it your health and beauty food.

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Choosing Cereals That Help You To Lose Weight

Posted on August 24, 2012 by believecereals

Many of us embark on the cereal as a ruse to lose weight, but be careful as to what cereals you select.

When faced with the morning madness rush we reach out for that all familiar cereal box. To us it appears as the healthiest option and it’s an easy one too. However when it comes to actual nutrition, the choices in the cereal aisle don’t necessarily stack up as you think they might do. So be wary when you choose the breakfast cereals to complement your healthy eating and weight loss plan.

Choosing The Best Cereals For Breakfast
So that means you have got to steer clear from the brands that advertise the appetising chocolate chips, fruity fakes and the marshmallows. So don’t be enticed with these ingredients no matter how healthy they are made to sound by the brands. Chocolate is chocolate after and certainly not needed for a healthy breakfast. So picking the healthy muesli cereal might be a chore, but once you know what you don’t want in your healthy cereal it really is quite that easy.

The important thing to remember is to never judge the box by its cover. It’s quite easy for a brand to make the box look incredibly healthy, the right colours and imagery will do hat quite easily and the healthy grains piled with nuts or grape might look ever so healthy to you but that might not be quite the case when you read the actual nutritional content of the cereal. So make sue you don’t let the image deceive you, to get the real scoop you might have to thoroughly scan what the small writing says.

Look Out for Fibre Level In Cereals
What you want to see is that one serving should at least provide about 3 g of fibre. Anything that proclaims itself a high fibre should state that one serving should offer 5g of fibre. This is considered high fibre while your average cereal might offer you 3g. Don’t opt for anything less when you are trying to lose weight.

How Much Sugar A Healthy Cereal must Contain
So once the fibre issue is settled, you might want to read what the sneaky sugar sources are. One serving should not provide you with more than 10g of sugar if it has to be healthy for you. And also what one serving gives you in terms of sugars and saturated fats. Granola for example is quite rich and high sugar so definitely not the best breakfast cereal for weight loss, unless you come across as really low fat version otherwise it is a high energy food. So really you want high in fibre and low in sugar and this would be the best type of cereal to go with your new healthy eating plan. The last thing to remember is the dreaded salt. A regular serving should not provide you with more than 200 mg of salt so make sure of that.

Lastly opt for soy milk, low fat milk or rice milk when having our breakfast cereal when on a healthy eating plan.

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Eating Muesli For Healthy Lifestyle

Posted on August 22, 2012 by believecereals

Healthy eating has to be a lifestyle choice rather than just the experimental tryst. That way one can reap the benefits over the longer term.

We all look forward to breakfast as quite literally we break our fast, as in not having eater for amount 12 hours or more breakfast is the first meal we take. And rightly so, we technically break our fast. When starting the day, nutritionists advise we start with a healthy and wholesome breakfast option. So although on occasion the pancakes are fine, a healthy breakfast meal is most vital for our body as well as to kick start our day on the right note. Muesli cereals seem to be one of the popular choices especially for women.

Healthy muesli is generally made with uncooked rolled oats, fruits and nuts. These days there are so very many varieties. Many are blended with nuts, seeds, and fruits and fortified with nutrients such as calcium and vitamins. The very first muesli was developed by Swiss physician who made is for his patients. That was in the earlier part of the century, however now this cereal has become almost a global food and recognised in most parts of the world. For the global traveller every hotel in any part of the world will have cereal laden breakfast bars.

Muesli for many is considered the best breakfast cereal because of its health benefits and its nutritious ingredients. Although theoretically this might be the case, not all muesli will be as healthy as they may look, as many can be quite high in sugar and salt. It’s a good idea to read through the nutritional information and opt for a low fat and high fibre option. The good thing is you can now buy muesli bars too and these make for a healthier snack than calorie snacks that offer no health benefits. Many brands offer different varieties of muesli blends, from organic and super healthy to slightly more decadent varieties that may come with chocolate chips or dried fruits that do add up the sugar count.

For a healthy choice visit the health food store where there will be a much wider selection of breakfast cereals and foods. Here you are sure to find organic options with organic oats and omega rich seeds which are also great beauty foods. In fact many health food stores offer dispensers that contain the single grains such bran, oats, sorghum and other healthy grains. You could then even create your very own blend choosing the wholesome and whole grain options. This will ensure that your very own blend is free from, sugar and salt and will be a very healthy breakfast option for you. With a organic and pure cereal you can then always add freshly chopped fruits or raisins for more flavour and enjoyment. Granola is another very popular cereal for breakfast although healthy eaten in large quantities it can be high in fat.

So make your breakfast healthy and along with the cereal of your choice use either low fat and skimmed milk or go for a non dairy milk such as Soya, Rice or Almond milk.

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Health Benefits Of Granola

Posted on August 20, 2012 by believecereals

The crunchy granola is back and increasing in popularity, from cereals to snack bars it’s making a big comeback. If you’ve been seeing many Granola breakfast cereals out there, it’s because suddenly granola has become hugely popular. There are many different option of having it whether with a bowl of milk or piling it into a strawberry yogurt, that great thing about granola is it’s a versatile cereal

Most healthy granola will be packed with whole grains such as oats, wheat and whole wheat flour. Whole grains are known to help lower cholesterol and are a good source of soluble and insoluble fibre. These help boost the digestive function and help run everything smoothly. Fibre is essential for the body to remove waste and it’s important that you include whole grains in your diet for this. Wholesome ingredients such as whole grains and whole wheat flour keep you feeling fuller for longer.

A lot of breakfast cereals recipes are made with granola and many of these granola clusters contain nuts. Nuts as we know can be a healthy source of the essential EFA’s and many other nutritious properties and vitamins. So although all in all the granola cereal might technically this healthy cereals can be high in sugar and may contain quite a substantial amount of calories. It has to be sweetened and many times this is done using honey, sugar or maple syrup and some brands even use chocolate chips and other high in sugar caramel or candies. Although this does not mean you should avoid it but you can enjoy small amount of and scan the ingredients thoroughly so you know how many grams of serving offer you the required calories. In fact the good thing about this is its versatility and you can add fresh fruit or blend with a low fat yogurt for the probiotics and use with skimmed milk to make it healthier. As the slimming and beauty foods market is huge, you are very likely to find a low fat granola breakfast cereal or muesli snack bars.

The difference with muesli cereals is that there is more variety and blends while with the granola the cooking style always remains the same and is a consistently crunchy cereal. Perhaps the snack bars are the most popular especially for sport and for trekking, hiking, climbing and high activity sports. Snack bars are easy to carry and Granola bars are perfect to slip into your handbag and have enjoy as a healthy snack rather than being tempted by the naughty high calories snacks. You can get the chewy variety as well the crunchy one along with different flavours and ingredients. Just like the cereals, granola bars are high in sugar and high in calories. There are also the low fat bars available and these will contain seeds and be sweetened naturally by honey.

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Grains For Good Health

Posted on August 17, 2012 by believecereals

Grains have been eaten for thousands of years so what makes them so special even today.

Grains for many will be the chosen meal to start the day with, as our breakfast cereals contains grains of course. In fact health experts and nutritionists will tell us that grains and especially whole grains are an essential part of a healthy diet. Grains are also called cereals and are technically the seeds of the grasses. Grains and whole grains come in all shapes and sizes from Quinoa, wheat to large kernels of corn.

What Research Say:
There are so many types of grains and they are known as good sources of complex carbohydrates and some key vitamins and minerals. In fact extensive research on grains tells us that grains are also naturally low in fat and in fact are linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and other health problems.

Chances are that you might be consuming a lot of grains, but are they all healthy, or wholegrain? Well experts say it’s the whole grains that we really want to eat and that actually provide the health benefits for us. So what you really want is to include whole grains in your diet. So what exactly are whole grains, well for one they are unrefined grains haven’t had their bran and germ removed by milling so that makes them better sources of fibre as well. They are also rich in minerals and important nutrients such as selenium, potassium and magnesium. These make them good beauty foods too as selenium is beneficial for the skin.

You can find whole grains as single foods such as brown rice, or many times they are ingredients in products such as whole grains in bread. The best breakfast cereals would include whole grains as these offer much more nutritional value and are high in fibre. The grains to avoid are refined grains, these are milled and this process strips out the bran and the germ to give them a finer texture and extend shelf life. So anything made of white flour is considered low in nutritional value. White breads, cakes, white rice and many cereals and pastries are made with refined grains.

Many muesli cereal bars are high in fibre and many breakfast cereals contains enriched grains, which means that grains that have lost vitamin B vitamins added back in but not the lost fibre. This is called fortification which means the nutrients are added back in that do not naturally occur in the food. Many refined grains are enriched with folic acid and iron.

Other healthy grains are Quinoa and Millet that are becoming quite popular these days. Quinoa is a seed actually but cooks like rice and is often known as the “mother grain” due to its high nutritive value. It is also often known as the super grain and it’s very high in protein. Millet as well is seen as a very nutritious grain that is also gluten free. Also known as Sorghum, millet has been used a staple food on China and India for a very long time. Barley used to be the staple food for Europe, and this was before the advent of potatoes and corn. So whatever cereal or granola you choose, make sure it contains wholesome and nutritious grains that are whole.

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Feeding Tips For Children – Healthy Breakfast Cereals

Posted on June 27, 2012 by believecereals

Babies and toddlers need breakfast too and with so many options it can get confusing, but experts stay stick to the basics and always choose whole grains. Babies grow up so fast. One minutes they feed only on milk and the next moment they are ready for solids and getting hungrier by the day.

It’s not just about nutrition, changing food and diet means that the child will learn how to feed itself soon and will experience the differences between foods and taste. The food that is most popular in this transition from baby to toddler is breakfast cereals. What are the best breakfast cereals for babies is a question many do ask. While there are numerous brands available in the market, many mothers are even making homemade cereal as well. It’s important to gauge when it is the correct time for babies to be fed with solids. Your baby will exhibit physical signs that he or she is ready to be fed solids. Once they are ready and aware of how to push the food towards the throat to swallow, this is the time you can successfully feed them with solids.

Infants make the transition to solids at 4-6 months but its always better to consult your doctor before. For babies soft and more liquid breakfast cereals are better advised. Muesli cereals also might be too heavy for young children. Milky and easy to swallow consistency like Wheat biscuits for example as well as brown rice which is a very nutritious choice for a first-cereal recipe to feed your infant. Its important to make sure the rice is whole grain, do not use “instant” and “quick cook” grains as these types of grains are processed and preserved. Whole grains should be stored in air tight container whether oats, barley or rice. Always store in a cool and dry location to make sure this stays fresh.

As the baby grows older and up to 1 year you can introduce other more complex foods and cereals. You could also add small chopped fruits into the cereal or puree fresh fruit with honey. Rice is a popular grain that is fed to young babies and toddlers the world over. You can cook rice to quite a mushy consistency and it’s easy to favour with a little salt or pepper or even some greens such as spinach can be cooked with it.

Many children do suffer from allergies and so could be intolerant to gluten. There are quite a few gluten free cereal options out there, like millet, quinoa, rice and others. If you prefer you can even make you own cereals at home, there are plenty of recipes on the internet and there are books for this too. As whole grains can be bought at health food stores many people are creating their own bespoke breakfast cereal and beauty food at home. One of the most popular one is granola and can be a healthy snack too for children. Avoid using sugar in home made recipes and opt for healthier options such as honey. The good thing with making your own breakfast foods is that you have more control over what goes in and can make it healthier, low in fat and as sugar free as possible.

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