Granola or muesli with fresh fruit and yogurt are healthy breakfast foods.
Granola and muesli have more similarities than differences, including why and where they were created. Both cereals are made with grains, fruits and nuts. Granola is coated with oil and a sweetener and baked until it's crispy and crunchy. Muesli is made from uncooked, whole grains and is usually soaked in milk solids, making it less sweet and chewier. Dr. James Caleb Jackson of New York created "granula" in 1863 for patients in a sanitarium, a hospital or retreat for people with chronic diseases. Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner created muesli in 1894 for patients in a Zurich sanitarium. Both doctors believed diet and nutrition were essential for optimal health and healing.
Granola
Whole, toasted grains are the main ingredient in granola.
Crumbled and baked in an oven until crispy, whole grain "granula" was the world's first dry, manufactured breakfast cereal. Granola's primary ingredient is whole oats, blended with other grains, bran, wheat germ, fruits and nuts. Toasted with oil and honey, syrup or brown sugar, granola is typically higher in sugars, fats and calories compared to muesli. Loaded with fiber from whole grains, antioxidants from dried fruits and from nuts, granola breaks down slowly in the digestive system, making for a long-term energy boost. Many consumers prefer eating granola with milk or yogurt, or as a nutritious snack food.
Dr. Jackson created "granula" as a health food for patients at New York's Jackson Sanitarium. One of America's first health gurus, Dr. John Kellogg, created a modified version of "granula" in 1881 for patients at Michigan's former Battle Creek Sanitarium. Dr. Kellogg's brother, William, was the founder of Kellogg's cereal company. Sued by Dr. Jackson, Dr. Kellogg changed the name of his cereal from "granula" to granola. In the 1960s, hippies and the vegetarian movement popularized granola as health food.
Muesli
Muesli is comprised mainly of raw, rolled oats and other grains, mixed with finely chopped fruits and nuts.
Muesli often has the same ingredients as granola, although the texture is finer. Made with raw rolled oats, barley, rye, wheat, fruits, nuts and seeds, muesli is not baked or toasted. Usually, there are no added sugars. Chopped berries or bananas are often mixed into muesli, which can be eaten with milk or yogurt. Like granola, fiber, antioxidants and healthy fats in muesli are nutritious and digest slowly, which creates sustained energy. Muesli was originally named Birchermuesli for Dr. Bircher-Benner's original recipe, which was somewhat mushy.
Store Bought or Homemade?
Granola and muesli are simple to make at home.
Granola and muesli are available in many flavors and varieties at grocery and health food stores. Making the cereal at home is simple and many recipes can be found online. If you choose to make your own recipe, select ingredients you prefer and leave out the others. Mixing and toasting your own granola allows you to control the amount of sugar and fats added. Muesli is simpler to make at home because you only need to mix the ingredients together. Not only are granola and muesli simple to make; they have a long shelf life when stored in airtight containers.
Tags: fruits nuts, Granola muesli, health food, created granula, healthy fats