Why is granola so fattening?
Granola in its purest form–that made by the health-conscious using honey, grains, nut and dried fruit–is not very fattening. The commercially manufactured and sold brands of granola are the ones with the fat problem.Granola FeaturesOne source of fat in granola is the trans fat and oils used to make the granola more crisp outside and crunchy inside. These fats include butter, coconut and palm oils.Main IngredientsCommercial granola usually contains high amounts of hydrogenated oils used for granola texture. These oils are listed as the fist ingredients on granola’s packaging. Hydrogenated oils are responsible for high cholesterol and fat content.MisconceptionsSome granola will claim to have zero trans fat, but the presence of hydrogenated oils means that the granola does contain trans fat and is fattening.ConsiderationsGranola can be made without the fats and oils by toasting the oats and nuts for crunch.
