Which granola or muesli is healthiest?
Check the sugar line before the protein claim. “High protein” only means at least a fifth of the calories are protein. It says nothing about sugar. One line on the back does.
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Which granola or muesli is healthiest?
The one with the least sugar per 100 g. The NHS calls 5 g or less low, and more than 22.5 g high.
Per 100 g works like the price per kilo on a shelf tag. It lets you compare boxes of any size, whatever portion the maker prints.
- 5 g or belowLow (green).
- Above 5 up to 22.5 gMedium (amber).
- Above 22.5 gHigh (red). Have it less often.
Source: NHS
Amber is fine most of the time, the NHS says. Any red means have it less often and in small amounts.
Note the sugar per 100 g on the box you have now. Next shop, pick one lower.
Is high protein granola healthy?
Not by that label alone. UK law lets a food say “high protein” if at least 20% of its calories come from protein.
A gram of protein counts as 4 kcal on a label. So the more calories a granola has, the more protein it needs.
| Calories per 100 g | “Source of protein” | “High protein” |
|---|---|---|
| 400 kcal | 12 g | 20 g |
| 450 kcal | 13.5 g | 22.5 g |
| 500 kcal | 15 g | 25 g |
Sources: UK nutrition claims law; UK food energy law
The claim says nothing about sugar, fat or salt. A box can be high protein and still red for sugar.
The line that tells you is “of which sugars”, under carbohydrate. The NHS says to look for that figure to compare boxes.
Want more protein at breakfast? Milk or plain yoghurt adds some, with no added sugar. See how much protein you need a day and high protein breakfast ideas.
Granola or muesli: which is healthier?
Both start with oats. Granola is baked with oil and usually a sweetener to make crunchy clusters. Muesli is left raw, mixed with dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
But the sugar line can’t tell you where the sugar came from. Sugar in whole dried fruit isn’t free sugar. Honey and syrups are, even though they’re natural.
Source: NHS
To tell them apart, read the ingredients. If sugar, honey or syrup is near the top, the food is likely to be high in free sugars.
Adults should have no more than 30 g of free sugars a day. More in how much sugar a day.
A box that says “with no added sugars” can’t contain any added sugar or any food used to sweeten it. That makes it the quickest pick.
How to read a granola or muesli label
| Line on the label | Low (green) | High (red) |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | 5 g or less | More than 22.5 g |
| Fat | 3 g or less | More than 17.5 g |
| Saturates | 1.5 g or less | More than 5 g |
| Salt | 0.3 g or less | More than 1.5 g |
Source: NHS
Look for fibre too. Foods with 6 g or more per 100 g are high fibre. Adults should aim for 30 g a day, and most eat about 20 g.
Oil in the first few ingredients? The NHS says the food is likely to be high in fat.
Check the portion as well. The NHS warns the maker’s portion may be different from yours. Weigh your usual bowl once and you’ll know.
For more fibre ideas, see how much fibre a day.
How to make a healthier bowl
Six swaps for a better bowl
- Pick a muesli marked “with no added sugars”, or a granola with no sugar, honey or syrup near the top of the ingredients.
- Choose the box with the least sugar per 100 g, aiming for green or amber, not red.
- Weigh your usual bowl once, so you know your real portion.
- Sweeten with fresh fruit, like sliced banana or berries, instead of sugar or honey.
- Add protein with milk or plain yoghurt rather than flavoured yoghurt.
- Use granola as a topping on plain oats or muesli, not as the whole bowl.
Sources: NHS: sugar; NHS: food labels
Oats contain a fibre called beta-glucan. In middle-aged people, 3.5 g a day from oat foods cut bad cholesterol by 4.2% over 3 to 12 weeks.
A 40 g bowl of porridge oats has about 2 g, so you’d need almost two bowls’ worth to reach 3.5 g. The BHF notes there’s no research linking oats to fewer heart attacks or strokes.
Rather make your own? Try overnight oats.
When to speak to a GP
Granola and muesli are everyday foods. Speak to a GP if:
- You often get diarrhoea, tummy pain or bloating after foods with wheat, barley or rye. These can be signs of coeliac disease. Keep eating gluten until you’re tested. See coeliac blood test.
- You have coeliac disease and want to eat oats. Talk it through first, and only choose oats labelled gluten-free.
- You feel very tired, pee more than usual, feel thirsty all the time or lose weight without trying. These are common signs of type 2 diabetes.
Many granolas contain nuts. Call 999 if your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly swell, or you struggle to breathe or swallow.
Also call 999 if you’re breathing very fast, your throat feels tight, or your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale. The same goes if someone suddenly gets very confused, drowsy or dizzy, faints and can’t be woken, or a child goes limp or floppy. These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction.