A heart healthy muesli recipe, it means less sugar, more nutrition than most store-bought cereals.
Pick up just about any package of pre-made cereal on the shelf at your local grocery store and you’ll find it’s loaded with added sugar. Check the ingredients and you will often find that there is more than one sugar added, there may be four or five different sugars. To make matters worse, most people add a little sugar before trying the cereal to see if it is sweet. Some people feel that adding artificial sugar is better for them than adding table sugar. A person’s body does not know the difference between artificial and table sugar. You will get the same insulin reaction regardless of how much sugar you eat.
When reviewing the ingredients of a national cereal brand, Raisin Bran, he listed the third item as “sugar”, the fifth item as “corn syrup” and the sixth item as “Brown Sugar Syrup.” We know that raisins contain their own sugar, so adding more sugar to a bowl of store-bought pre-made cereal before eating may not be advisable.
What is a healthy alternative?
Make your own Muesli, filled with wheat, rye, oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Muesli will give your body the vitamins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates for the sustained energy your body needs to start your day.
Muesli Recipe – Ingredients:
8 oz. Whole wheat,
8 oz. Whole rye
8 oz. Whole oats
8 oz whole barley
2 oz Flex seeds
3 oz sunflower seeds
3 oz dried dates, chopped
3 oz. Dried Plums, Chopped
3 oz. Grapes
3 oz almonds or walnuts, chopped
3 oz apricots, chopped
Mix all the ingredients together and store in one or two airtight containers.
This cereal can be eaten hot or cold. If you want to eat it as a hot cereal, put half a cup of Muesli in half a cup of water or milk (light soy milk works too). Bring to a boil and then simmer for three to five minutes. This will make 2 servings.
To serve cold, place a quarter cup of Muesli in a bowl with half a cup of milk, soy milk, yogurt, or fruit juice for 5-10 minutes before eating. Another option is to wrap the mixture in saran wrap and leave it in the refrigerator overnight, which is the Swiss method. You also have the option of adding some sliced fruit like strawberries or a banana to the cereal. Now you have a great cereal to start your day, without all the extra sugar added to it.
Your Heart will thank you for making such a wise choice.
Authors’ Note: Buy these items at a health food store, where you can get them by the ounce. Avoid buying them packaged at the local grocery store, as some of these already have added sugar.