Granola is a staple for many active people, and for those who make it themselves, it makes for a great start to the day. And in general, it is a great, healthy food: it gives you energy and contains good fiber.
The Problem With Granola
The problem, especially when on a low-calorie diet, is that in one cup of homemade granola, there are a whopping 600 Calories!!
That’s the daily recommended limit for your total calorie intake during the fasting days of the 5:2 diet. In one cup! Even the low-calorie versions are still fairly high: one cup of Kashi low-calorie granola is still 190 calories.
Just think this way: One cup of granola is the calorie equivalent of 12 slices of bacon (fat content is a different story).
During the regular eating days, especially if you’re active, then enjoy some granola (homemade is especially good). We recommend using this as a topper to yogurt, and not as a base to meals (ie: instead of cereal).
Even on non-fasting days, this is a high amount of calories unless you’re running a marathon.
