Is Granola Keto?
Unless you are experimenting with intermittent fasting while on your keto diet, you might have a hard time coming up with unique breakfast ideas. A keto-friendly yogurt and granola with some fresh berries sounds like a delight, but is granola keto?
The good news is that you may be able to find some keto-friendly granolas at the supermarket. However, this is usually a challenge as many are loaded with high-carb grains and sugar. Keep in mind that it may be easier to make your own granola from scratch.
If you are thinking about buying or making granola for a quick and easy breakfast or snack, here are the basics you should keep in mind to avoid getting kicked out of ketosis.
When Is Granola Keto?
Unfortunately, you may not find many options straight off the shelf for keto-friendly granola. The primary ingredient in granola is oats which are too grain-heavy to keep your body in ketosis. Oats mostly consist of carbohydrates, and have very little fiber to reduce your net carbs.
As a result, even a single serving of granola might be enough to kick you out of the ketosis sweet spot. Even if you find a bag that is not heavy on oats, it likely has too much sweetener to be considered diet-friendly. Granolas are often sweetened not just with granulated white sugar but also with brown sugar or honey–none of which are suitable as part of a keto diet.
However, more manufacturers are taking notice that keto isn’t just a fad diet but is here to stay. You may be able to find a granola that suits your needs if it is heavy on seeds and nuts instead of oats and sugar. Sugar-free sweeteners are still okay to help you curb that sweet tooth, and many companies are making use of them these days.
How to Make Your Own Granola
If you have trouble finding keto-friendly granola in the store or it doesn’t quite fit in your budget, then you might want to consider making your own. It takes just five minutes to prep an at-home keto-friendly granola, plus a half-hour to cook. The best part is that you know and can trust every ingredient in your recipe.
Our keto granola recipe will leave you feeling satisfied, whether you use it to top a sugar-free yogurt or just snack on it straight from the bowl. Instead of being grain-based, it is nut-based with sugar-free syrup, coconut oil, and shredded coconut for flavor. Mix the ingredients together, spread them out on a pan, and bake–that’s all there is to it!
When finished, you will have a crunchy snack sweetened to your liking that you can enjoy in moderation and still lose weight. Eat it with some unsweetened almond milk, a keto-friendly yogurt, or plain with a spoon!
Other Breakfast Options
Some people will find that granola may not be the best fit for them, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find tasty breakfast alternatives. Similar foods which are often off-limits on the keto diet can be made at home to meet your dietary needs. While storebought keto cereals and oatmeals are a bit pricey, making your own at home is simple and affordable.
First up, you can make your own ketogenic cereal with just a handful of ingredients. Heavy on the nuts and unsweetened coconut flakes, the only other ingredients you will need are eggs, chia seeds, and a touch of vanilla extract.
Bake the ingredient on a sheet pan and pour it into a bowl for a sweet and crunchy cereal that will have you wanting seconds.
Keep in mind that dairy milk is typically not keto because it is high in carbs, although full-fat dairy, like whole milk, half-and-half, and heavy cream are acceptable on keto. You can also enjoy your homemade cereal with a serving of unsweetened almond milk.
Oatmeal is another great alternative to granola, but what do you do about the carb count in the oats? To keep yourself in ketosis, try out our cinnamon keto porridge which has no oats at all! Instead, it uses chia seeds, flaxseed, and shredded coconut to give you the hearty feeling that you are used to getting from a steaming bowl of porridge. It takes just ten minutes to whip up a batch of this recipe.
Staying Keto and Enjoying Granola
While granola may be a tasty treat for breakfast, the only real way to be sure it doesn’t have any forbidden ingredients is to make your own. Fortunately, homemade granola takes just a few minutes to whip together and the result is definitely worth it!
Of course, there are substitutes you can make if you want to explore other cereal-type breakfast items that are lower in net carbs and are less likely to kick you out of ketosis. Think about what sorts of breakfast foods you’re missing the most and see if any of our breakfast recipes will fit the bill!
