Health Valley Granola

By: Caroline Yoder | Aug 23, 2007

For some unknown reason, Granola has been associated with being good for dieters. Perhaps it's the connection with hippies and health nuts, so this breakfast cereal has to be good for you, right? Not always. Traditionally, it's made with plenty of oil and nuts, granola contains a lot of calorie dense ingredients. As a result, many of the varieties available in today's supermarkets are high-fat and high-calorie, with upwards of 200 calories for a mere 1/2 cup.

But there's hope. Health Valley Granola offers up a better alternative. Their granola is slightly lower in calories, but it's also made with organic and natural ingredients, so you don't get any partially hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup that are often included in supermarket granolas. There are three varieties, ranging from the traditional to the more exotic: Raisin Cinnamon, Tropical Fruit, and my favorite, Date Almond. As expected, the chief ingredient is oats, but there are also some small crispy bits, similar in texture to Rice Krispies. I eat this as cereal, but to slash calories even more, I prefer to sprinkle it into yogurt or on top of smoothies to make a delicious low fat and low cal treat.

Each 2/3 cup serving of Health Valley Granola contains 180-190 calories (depending on variety), 2 grams of fat and 10 grams of sugar. There is also 6 grams of fiber (24% of the recommended daily amount) and 5 grams of protein. The granola is also fortified with a variety of vitamins and minerals, however none in significant amounts (none over 10% of RDA). All their granolas are sweetened with a variety of syrups and juices, including brown rice syrup and pear-pineapple juice.

I have purchased this in my local supermarket as well as at Whole Foods for around $3.75 for a 12.5 ounce box. You can also find Health Valley Granola on Amazon.com at $15.00 for a pack of 6 - which is actually a pretty amazing deal.

The fruit is kept in a separate "stay fresh pouch" from the cereal, which I do find a tad inconvenient, especially when I'm trying to mix it with the granola in a cereal bowl. But overall, this is one of my preferred brands of Granola - especially because of the organic ingredients.

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