This week, a batch of widely available granolas was tasted and rated for flavour, ingredient quality and provenance. Granola, baked with a sugar syrup, is by definition sweet, but the best ones come in golden clusters with a touch of salt and a range of whole grains, dried fruit, nuts and seeds. The quality across the test group was high, with nutty bargains, indulgent treats, and some surprisingly healthy low-sugar options.
Top-rated was Lizi's Low Sugar Granola, featuring clusters of medium-roast oats with toasted coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds and pumpkin seeds, flavoured with buckwheat and just 4.4% sugar. For a classic option, Waitrose Essential Honey & Nut Granola offered generous clusters of dark roasted oats, spelt and barley with 15% nuts at 12% sugar, representing brilliant value.
For indulgence, Rude Health Honey & Maple Nut Granola impressed with large clusters of dark-roast oats sweetened with honey and maple syrup, full of nuts, seeds and dried fruit, though very sweet at 31.6% sugar. On the healthy side, Bio&Me Apple & Cinnamon Granola provided small, dark-roasted clusters of oats, puffed brown rice, buckwheat and quinoa with no added sugars, containing dates, dried carrots and chicory root.
Other notable entries included Biona Organic Cacao & Hazelnut Granola, a small-batch UK-made option with upcycled apple pulp and 11% sugar, and M&S Nutty Granola Clusters, which had almost 20% nuts and seeds but contained uncertified palm oil. At the lower end, Tesco Granola had small clusters with no nuts, seeds or dried fruit and 17% sugar, while Kellogg's Granola was criticised for its odd taste from wheat protein and high sugar content despite health messaging.
