Typically, Granola is produced by mixing ingredients such as rolled oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and a sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, or sugar. These ingredients are then baked together till it is crunchy and toasted.
While Granola is considered a classic breakfast item, it also works well as a convenient snacking option given its nutrition, crunchiness, and versatility.
While both Muesli and Granola are made with similar ingredients such as rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, the key differences between Muesli and Granola is that Muesli is typically an unbaked raw mixture of ingredients and is not baked. On the other hand, Granola is baked along with a sweetener and/or oil. It’s worth noting that SnacQ Granola is baked without a drop of oil and that is one of the reasons, it is healthier than most other granola options available in the Indian market, retail stores, and bakeries. Despite the technical difference between Granola and Muesli, many brands in India use the terms interchangeably. So now you know why Muesli and Granola are not the same.
In summary: Granola is baked, while Muesli is a raw mixture of ingredients.
While granola is significantly better and healthier than refined sugary cereals, the healthiness of granola depends on the recipe and ingredients used by the brand. All granolas aren’t created equally! So, we recommend that you always read the ingredients and nutritional information to decide which granola is best for you.
These are the ingredients that make granola healthy!
I. Rolled Oats
Oats are whole grains and have a great amount of health and nutritional benefits and therefore are very commonly seen in breakfast bowls.
Why are oats healthy?
Nuts aren’t just tasty but can be super healthy too when consumed in moderation given the high content of protein, fibre, and unsaturated good fats in nuts. Moreover, nuts are also a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Given the nutrient-rich profile of nuts, they have several health benefits and can reduce the risk of heart diseases, lower cholesterol levels, and regulate blood glucose levels. However, it is important to consume nuts in moderation to help in aiding weight loss.
You should also watch out to make sure that the nuts in your granola or muesli aren’t roasted in oil as they add a lot of extra calories without adding incremental health benefits.
Nuts in SnacQ granola are roasted without any oil. Healthy nuts present in SnacQ Granola include almonds, peanuts, and pecans.
III. SeedsSeeds are nutrient-dense and are considered as superfoods given the wide-variety of healthy and nutritional benefits, some of which are highlighted below:
High Protein Content: Seeds have a high protein content and are a great source of plant-based natural protein, especially for those following a vegan or vegetarian diet. Did you know that SnacQ’s Roasted Seeds Mix has 29g of natural protein per every 100 grams.
Great Source of Fibre: In addition to protein, seeds are also a great source of both soluble and insoluble fibre and are great for those looking to improve their gut health and bowel movement. Seeds are also helpful in improving blood sugar levels and lowering cholesterol.
Rich in Vitamins and Minerals: Seeds act as a great source of different vitamins and minerals that are essential for your health – heart health, immune system, nervous system, muscles, bones and much more.
Healthy seeds present in SnacQ Granola include – chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
SnacQ Granola is made with high quality natural ingredients. SnacQ’s granola is slow baked without oil (not a drop!). SnacQ’s healthy granola options also have no preservatives or added sugar in them.
Moreover, all SnacQ Granola flavours are gluten-free – so whether you are looking to improve your gut health or have dietary restrictions, SnacQ Granola makes for a great breakfast and snacking option for you.
In addition, SnacQ granola has high-natural plant-based protein content! It is rich in fibre, heart healthy fats such as Omega-3 and also contains no transfat. Great, isn’t it?
Wondering what is the protein content is different SnacQ flavours? Here you go.
Protein content – per 100 grams. All-natural plant-based protein!
At SnacQ, we truly believe that there is no substitute for TASTE. We ensure that our products aren’t just healthy but also great tasting. Our goal is to create the largest and tastiest healthy snacking brand in India. We are a brand from consumers for consumers.
Why believe us? We are humbled and glad to have won 2 Great Taste Awards for our granola flavours. Great Taste is the largest and most trusted food and beverage award globally!
While traditionally Granola is consumed at breakfast with milk (regular, oat, almond) or yogurt, we’ve made our granola crunchy so that you can also consume it as it is anytime of the day. It is not only a great breakfast option but also a great snack that you can carry with you to office, workouts, while traveling or anywhere you go. We’ve created a pocket-sized packet that is perfect to take with you anywhere you go. It easily fits into your backpack, purse and literally even your pocket.
If you are one of those, that ones to make your meals creative and interesting, we also have a recipe blog that has many such exxciting recipes for you. Check out interesting ways of eating granola below:
For more recipes click here.
Source:
1.https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/oats
2.https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/healthy-eating/the-health-benefits-of-nuts/%20.
3.https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/FSFCS95.pdf)
]]>A balanced and nutritious diet is key for living a healthy and better lifestyle. The ability of our bodies to work and function depends on the food we intake. Often our diet fails to incorporate essential nutrients that are important for bodily functions. Adding a spoonful of nuts and seeds mix to your diet can provide you with protein, fibre, essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are missing from your diet.
At SnacQ, our goal is to change the way we snack for a healthy, better lifestyle. Therefore, we launched our Roasted Seeds Mix that would help you take a step further to meet your nutrition goals. If you are looking for nuts and seeds mix – we’ve got you covered there too with SnacQ’s Masala Trail Mix. Back to our seeds mix – it includes 5 essential seeds: sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds and pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds which provide a wide variety of health benefits we cover later in this blog.
If you haven’t consumed seeds/seeds mix before directly, then it is good to know that seeds mix are usually quite tasty. You can add seeds/seeds mix to your diet in a variety of exciting ways. We have tried to include many of them in the list below.
Seeds are one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can grab your hands on. Seeds are considered as superfoods given the health benefits and nutrition value they provide to an individual’s health. In addition to nuts and seeds mix, seeds are also present in most of our granola and healthy snacks.
Seeds mix has significant nutritional benefits. Some of the key benefits are listed below:
SnacQ’s Roasted Seeds Mix is built with 5 essential seeds: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds. The Seeds Mix is keto friendly as it has 29 grams of protein in every 100 grams and less than 0 grams of Net Carbs! This is due to the high fibre content in SnacQ’s Roasted Seeds Mix. These essential seeds are also commonly consumed by many individually and therefore we’ve highlighted the benefits of each of the respective seeds in this blog.
Pumpkin seeds
Light green in colour, Pumpkin seeds are also known as pepita. Pumpkin seeds are nutrient-rich but are also rich in calories. Therefore, we recommend consuming them in moderation for the best results.
Key Healthy Benefits of Pumpkin seeds:
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are often referred to as a superfood and that’s because of the wide variety of functions it plays in our nutrition.
Key Health Benefits of Chia Seeds:
Sunflower Seeds
A fruit of the sunflower plant, sunflower seeds are nutritious and have many health benefits.
Key Health Benefits:
Like other seeds, sunflower seeds too are rich in calories and are recommended to consume in moderation for the best results.
Flax seeds
Flax has been cultivated for thousands of years and is believed to be an ancient folk remedy!
Key Health Benefits of Chia Seeds:
Watermelon seeds
Watermelon seeds are very nutrient rich and provide a wide variety of health benefits:
Key Health Benefits of Chia Seeds:
Don’t wait – order this yummy and nutritious seeds mix today! Choose SnacQ for a healthy, better lifestyle.
Source:
1. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/different-fats-nutrition/#:~:text=Monounsaturated%20fats%20help%20protect%20your,spreads%20made%20from%20these%20oils
2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details
3. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource
4. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-of-magnesium
5. https://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/chemistry/organic-chemistry/flaxseeds
6. https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/gfnd/gfhnrc/docs/news-2012/the-benefits-of-flaxseed/#:~:text=Flaxseed%20is%20rich%20in%20nutrients,an%20omega%2D3%20fatty%20acid
7. https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Seeds%2C_dried%2C_watermelon_seed_kernels_nutritional_value.html?size=100+g
8. https://www.pushdoctor.co.uk/nutrition-advice/why-you-need-copper-in-your-diet-and-how-to-get-it-a-doctors-guide
9. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-zinc/art-20366112
10. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325636#health-benefits
]]>Peanut butter is made by blending roasted peanuts into a thick paste and then continuing the blending process until peanuts’ release natural oils and form peanut butter. Many brands sweeten peanut butter by using sweeteners such as honey, jaggery, date, sugar, molasses, or corn syrup. Several peanut butters in the market also contain oil, salt, chocolate, nuts etc.
We recommend going for the healthy peanut butter that is unsweetened or is lightly sweetened with natural sources of sugar such as honey or dates and one which is prepared without palm oil, salt and preservatives. It is important to check the nutritional information and ingredient list of your peanut butter. Not all peanut butters offer the same nutritional benefits.
Before we go into the health benefits of peanut butter, we would like to highlight that peanut butter is healthy and best for you when consumed in moderation.
So really, why is peanut butter healthy?
Healthy Peanut Butter can prove to be a great nutritional addition to your diet when consumed in moderation. However, we highly recommend keeping a check on the quantity of peanut butter consumed as it is rich in calories and avoid peanut butters that are prepared with hydrogenated oils, high amount of salt, artificial sugar, or preservatives. Always choose the naturally healthy peanut butters.
How does natural healthy peanut butter taste?
Peanut butter tastes like different things to different people, for some, it might be a guilty pleasure for some it might be a protein-packed spread. Once you start enjoying the taste of peanut butter you cannot get enough of it. Peanut butter is a rich and creamy spread that sticks to the top of your mouth. Peanut butter’s made with just peanuts and no sweeteners or other additives will have earthy and salty notes with a hint of sweetness to them.
Where can peanut butter be used? How to eat peanut butter?
A healthy peanut butter is versatile and can be consumed in a variety of different ways as a breakfast option or snack. Some ways to consume peanut butter:
Peanut Butter Granola?
Yes! Here at SnacQ, we’ve created a delicious recipe for a peanut butter granola. Our Peanut Butter granola is made only 5 natural ingredients - Oats, Rice Crispies, Honey, Flax Seeds and Peanut Butter! That’s it! This one is also a great protein granola as it contains 18 grams of protein in every 100 grams.
You would be glad to know that our peanut butter granola is prepared without oil, artificial sugar, or preservatives so you can eat it guilt free.
We’ve made it crunchy so you can eat it as is as a snack or for your breakfast! You could consume SnacQ’s Peanut Butter Granola with milk (regular, almond or oat milk) or add it to your smoothie/smoothie bowl. SnacQ’s Peanut Butter Granola contains 18% protein, it is rich in fiber and a good source of Omega-3. Moreover, it has got no transfat or cholesterol. This healthy peanut butter granola works as a great breakfast option and office snack. This high protein granola makes it an excellent choice for a pre/post-workout meal too! It’s available in pocket-sized packs too - that you can easily carry anywhere you go.
Check out more about our peanut butter granola here
We’ve also curated some creative options for you to consume our healthy peanut butter granola! These are great healthy, exciting, and easy options for adults and kids
Toast up a slice a whole grain bread, spread on some healthy peanut butter and top with your SnacQ Peanut Butter Granola.
Chia seed pudding is a super-tasty and extremely easy way to sneak healthy fats into your diet. Chia seeds are filled with omega-3 fatty acids. Add that crunchy and healthy peanut butter granola to it and voila! Your healthy delicious snack is ready. This one works as a great healthy dessert/healthy sweet option too.
Smoothie bowls are a perfect breakfast option to start your day with. Here’s a quick and easy recipe with very few ingredients which can be prepared in just 2 minutes. This recipe also doubles up as a great healthy dessert/healthy sweet option.
Not a fan of peanuts? Like almonds?
If that’s you – you can also check out our almond granola flavours! They are healthy and tasty protein granolas too. We’ve got 3 exciting almond granola flavours – Almond Butter and Pecans Granola, Dark Chocolate Granola with Almonds and Mocha Almond Granola (which is a coffee + chocolate granola flavour).
If you’ve enjoyed reading a blog – please do comment and share! Feel free to leave any questions/clarifications that you may have.
Source:
1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. https://www.health.com/nutrition/is-peanut-butter-healthy
3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/ask-the-doctor-why-is-peanut-butter-healthy-if-it-has-saturated-fat
]]>The origins of Trail mix can be traced backed to 1910 when it was first mentioned by Horace Kephart in his camping guide. Trail mix is considered as the go-to snack for hikers and trekkers as it is super easy and convenient to carry and acts as an energy booster!
Typically, a trail mix consists of different types of nuts, seeds, and dry fruits. But along the way, people added their own elements to it and improvised this special snack-mix. Now, there are several versions of it, each with a unique twist to it. SnacQ’s Masala Trail Mix consists of peanuts, cranberries, dark raisins, almonds, and pumpkin seeds along with a tangy twist of lemon and seasoning. An all-in-one snack which works as a great option for savoury snackers as a nutritionally balanced snack.
When you come home after a long walk or after an intensive work out session, you need a perfect nutrition booster which provides you energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. That's when Trail mix comes in handy. An ideal blend of flavourful ingredients like nuts, seeds, and dry fruits.
Nutrition Benefits of trail mix:
It’s all about the nutrition in the ingredients. We’ve covered the benefits of the respective ingredients below:
Nuts form the base of any trail mix. They are tasty and super healthy given high content of protein, fibre, and unsaturated fats. In addition, nuts are also a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Given the nutrient rich profile of nuts, they are known to reduce the risk of heart diseases, lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood glucose levels. Nuts when consumed in moderation may help in aiding weight loss. You should also watch out to make sure that the nuts in your trail mix aren’t roasted in oil as it adds extra calories without any incremental health benefits.
SnacQ’s Masala Trail Mix includes healthy nuts such as Peanuts and Almonds. Also, it’s worth noting that SnacQ’s Masala Trail Mix is roasted without a drop of oil!
Seeds are an important addition to your trail mix. Seeds contain high amount of fibre, high protein from vegetarian sources, heart healthy fats and essential vitamins and minerals that are great for you. SnacQ’s Masala Trail Mix contains pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, that is full of valuable nutrients.
Consuming seeds helps you feel full for longer given the high amounts of fibre in the seeds. This may help you manage/reduce your weight. In addition, seeds are also known for helping reduce the risk of heart diseases and diabetes.
Consuming trail mix as your go to healthy snack for your mid-meal cravings is an excellent way to include seeds as part of your regular diet.
SnacQ’s trail mix contain cranberries that are a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Manganese. Also, rich in antioxidants, cranberries are good for your heart, gut health and even your teeth.
It’s an all-in-one snack that provides you with carbs for energy, protein for muscle building and recovery, heart healthy essential fats, antioxidants and key vitamins, minerals.
Moreover, it is tasty, healthy, and convenient. You can take it anywhere with you – for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling, for travel (work or vacation) and even to your office or college to consume as a mid-meal snack with your tea/coffee breaks. At SnacQ, we also produce trail mix in pocket-sized packs that you can literally put in your pocket! Trail mix is also a super convenient snack to eat as you don't need to put in any extra effort to prepare it. You can enjoy this healthy snack as it comes. Just open the packet and dig in!
While choosing the correct trail mix for yourself, there are a couple of things that you should keep in mind. Trail mix is healthy and convenient, but you also need to be mindful about the type of trail mix you choose, and the ingredients used.
Make sure to check the nutrition label and other important information (such as the ingredient list) mentioned. For better health benefits, you should go for a trail mix that contains healthy and high-quality ingredients such as seeds and nuts. You should also avoid trail mixes that contain too much of chocolate, candies or trail mixes that contain a high level of added sugar or sodium.
It is also good to ensure that your trail mix is not roasted in oil as it adds unnecessary calories without providing any supplemental health benefits. Keep an eye out while buying your trail mix for candied dried fruits/berries that are loaded with artificial sugar, which not only adds extra calories but also lacks any health benefits.
It is also important to consider the portion size. Nuts and seeds provide maximum health benefits when consumed in moderation.
At SnacQ, we make our trail mix with no oil, no artificial sugar, and no preservatives! Learn more about our SnacQ Masala Trail Mix .
In summary, trail mix is considered as a healthy snack as the nuts, seeds and dried fruits make up a nutritionally balanced snack. Trail mix provides you with energy through carbs, and aids muscle building and recovery through high content of vegetarian protein. In addition, trail mix provides you with healthy fats such as Omega-3 that are good for the heart, antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals that benefit your heart, eyes, skin, and other body parts.
However, choosing a healthy trail mix is very important. You should be careful about nuts and seeds that are roasted in oil, candied berries/dry fruits and ensure that trail mix doesn’t have too much of chocolates or other unhealthy ingredients. Also, nuts and seeds are best recommended to be consumed in moderation so watch out for the portion sizes.
Like this blog? Share it with your friends and do let us know what you think so that we can share more content you like.
Read our previous blog
Source:
1. https://eu.heraldmailmedia.com/story/lifestyle/food/2019/08/28/celebrate-national-trail-mix-day/44262805/
2. https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/healthy-eating/the-health-benefits-of-nuts/
3. https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/FSFCS95.pdf
4. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/nuts-and-seeds%22
5. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-cranberries/
]]>We believe that there is a key to snacking healthier and better. Here is our take. Do let us know what you think!
]]>We believe that there is a key to snacking healthier and better. Here is our take. Do let us know what you think!
Why drinking water first is a great way to help you eat better?
Studies show that people (37% of them) mistake thirst for hunger. Are you one of them? Maybe. So, the next time you feel hungry, drink water first. Well, if you are still hungry, follow the rest of the steps.
Why is planning your snack important?
In my view, this is the most important step. Imagine that you are in the middle of a busy day, you’ve had a quick lunch while working or doing something urgent. It’s 5pm, dinner is still far away, and you are super hungry. You didn’t plan ahead. You think you want to eat healthy but when you go to your home/office pantry – you see biscuits/cookies and some fruit. You stop thinking more! You go for the biscuit, not for the fruit. It’s human tendency to go for instant gratification, yes sorry but for you too. Therefore, the most important step for snacking healthy is to plan ahead!
At SnacQ, we have created a range of on-the-go pocket-sized snacks that you can literally (yes, literally) carry everywhere with you. So now that you know this – keep your snack ready. If you plan ahead, you are likely to follow your plan. On the positive side, humans also have a tendency to follow a plan once they make it.
Go for taste! Really?
Now you are a great planner, you’ve kept a super healthy snack with you, but you don’t like it. Guess what, after a few times, you won’t eat it ☹. Unfortunately, this is called bad planning. Keep a snack or SnacQ that is healthy and that you love. This way you’ll actually stick to eating healthy! Classic example is going to the gym vs. playing a sport you love. If you aren’t a gym lover, you are likely to stop going vs. if you play a sport you love, no one is going to be able to stop you. At SnacQ, it is ingrained in our product development philosophy to only release products we love. We are a brand from consumers for consumers. So now you know where to plan your healthy snacks from 😉 (In all fairness, our marketing team made me insert the slide in promotion). Let’s get back though.
Portion Control is another importance facet of eating healthy.
Now that you’ve got your great tasting snack with you, this is an important thing to follow. Portion control! healthy snacks will only remain healthy if you eat them in the right proportion. Don’t go crazy. We know its tasty! So how can you achieve this? What has worked well for me is to either carry single serving packs (check out our pocket-sized packs, which are designed to help you with portion control) or if that is not an option, use a small bowl/plate. Using a small bowl is actually helpful. Why? The brain feels that you are eating more than you are actually eating! So you are content with eating lesser than you think. Eating right is a lot about the brain than it is about your stomach. Hopefully, the next tip drills this in.
Eat Slowly
Complicated stuff but your brain is linked to your stomach. So, while I am sure you are super smart, it does take the brain a little bit of time to process you are full. So, if you eat slowly, you would have eaten lesser by the time your brain tells you that you are full. Eating slowly may actually help you lose weight. Simple, isn’t it? Looks simpler than it is. This one has been the hardest for me to follow. Tell me if you can do it successfully! However, if you eat fast – you have most likely eaten too much before your brain tells you that you are done. Too full – yes, to be honest, this is a feeling I can remember more often. But the new year is coming, why not add this to our (both yours and mine), new year resolution!
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Read our previous blog
Read further to get a summary of the nutrition and health benefits of Quinoa.
]]>Why is Quinoa Healthy?
Quinoa (pronounced as “keen-wah”) is an edible seed that is categorized as a whole grain. Best SnacQ helps you get twentyfive 0ff.
Considered as a ‘superfood’, research shows that Quinoa is highly nutritious as it contains high protein, minerals, fibres, antioxidants and vitamins.
Protein Content: Research shows that Quinoa seeds usually contain between 11% to 19% of protein. In addition, they are also a more complete source of protein than several other plant-based protein sources. This is because they contain 9 essential amino acids that are not produced by the human body and therefore must come from food. The 9 essential amino acids are extremely important for bodily functions such as tissue repair and muscle building and recovery.
Fibre: Quinoa contains about 10% dietary fibre. Dietary fibre helps you feel fuller longer and can reduce cholesterol absorption. Moreover, studies show that Fibre appears reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and constipation.
Gluten Free: Since Quinoa is gluten free it can be a great grain source for those who are intolerant/allergic to gluten.
Other nutrition value: Quinoa has several other benefits including being a good source of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants including Manganese, Phosphorous, Magnesium and Vitamin B1
We think Quinoa is a great addition to your diet for healthy eating especially for healthy snacks.
So if you do like Quinoa, you can checkout SnacQ's quinoa based products here. We've create new and exciting recipe for a quinoa based healthy dessert/healthy snack.
Source:
1.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7074363/#B19-foods-09-00216
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4957693/#R91
3.https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/
4. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/quinoa/
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