Last Updated on January 18, 2022
Today, we’re going to be answering the question: is there gluten in granola? Granola is an extremely popular cereal, and even works well as a snack – but is it safe to consume when following a gluten-free lifestyle? Let’s take a look at the ingredients and some gluten-free options.
What Is Granola?
Granola is a breakfast and a snack food. It’s actually considered a healthy alternative! However, ingredients such as sugar and honey can make it a little less healthy. Granola is full of fiber, which means it’s great at making you feel full for a longer period of time. It’s very similar to muesli and is chunky and crunchy. It’s absolutely delicious!
Ingredients In Granola
Granola is predominantly made with oats, nuts, fruits, and seeds. However, oats and whatever else is in the granola need to be bound together to create that sticky, crunchy granola taste. This is when a sugary substance will come into play – such as sugar, maple syrup, or honey. As for the fruits, nuts, and seeds – that’s entirely up to you! Pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, you can go wild with what goes into your granola!
Is Granola Gluten-Free?
Naturally, oats are gluten-free – and everything else that usually goes into granola is also gluten-free. This should mean granola is always gluten-free, right? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Although pure oats are gluten-free, manufacturing methods often mean that oats are processed in the same factory as other grains such as rye, barley, and wheat. These grains are not gluten-free. So unless the oats themselves have been certified gluten-free, it’s likely they will not be safe for gluten-free consumption.
As long as you’re reading the labels and there are no “may contain” ingredients, or gluten ingredients, or it has a clear “gluten-free” label, the granola will be gluten-free.
It’s important to note that some gluten intolerant individuals/celiacs have a separate intolerance to oats – even gluten-free ones! I am one of those people and it’s very frustrating!
Find more information about Gluten Free Granola Bar Brands
Is Oatmeal Gluten-Free?
Oatmeal is very similar to granola, and a breakfast dish you’ll likely be familiar with. The only difference between the two is that oatmeal has a range of different oats. These include, round, crushed, and rolled oats. Whereas granola is just rolled nuts.
Much like granola, oatmeal is naturally gluten-free. However, unless it clearly states that the oats are gluten-free, it’s likely to have come into contact with gluten-containing grains during manufacturing methods, storage, or during transportation. This means that the finished product will not be gluten-free, and you should always opt for the gluten-free options – but don’t worry, there are a few!
Gluten-Free Granola Cereal
Whether you’re looking for a shop-bought gluten-free granola. or you want to try making your own at home – we’ve got you covered! There’s a huge range to choose from to satisfy any granola cravings you may have.
Bear Naked Granola
It’s important to note that not all of the Bear Naked range is gluten-free. There are two gluten-free options available. The Grain-Free Paleo Maple and Cinnamon Granola. It’s gluten-free and grain-free.
The second option is the Cacao and Cashew Butter Granola. Gluten-free oats, seeds, cashew butter, and rich chocolate chunks – what more could you ask for?
The ingredients in the GF Cacao and Cashew Butter Granola are as follows:
“whole grain oats, semi-sweet chocolate, invert cane syrup, rice crisps, cashew butter, expeller pressed sunflower oil, cashews, pepitas, whole oat flour, brown rice syrup, cane sugar, sea salt, ginger, rosemary”
You can buy this from grocery stores such as Walmart for around $3.50 a bag. You can find more about Bear Naked here.
KIND Granola
Whether you’re looking for a bag of granola or a snack like granola bars – KIND is an incredible choice, that has a huge selection of products available. They contain no artificial flavors, coloring, or preservatives. But best of all, they’re gluten-free, GF, a good source of protein, and high in fiber.
The granola flavors on offer are as follows:
- Cinnamon Oat Granola with Flax Seeds
- Oats and Honey Granola with Toasted Coconut
- Vanilla Blueberry Granola with Flax Seeds
- Dark Chocolate Clusters
- Raspberry Granola with Chia Seeds
- Maple Quinoa Granola with Chia Seeds
- Almond Butter Clusters
- Vanilla Almond Probiotic Clusters
- Strawberry Probiotic Clusters
- Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters
All of their products are gluten-free and made with gluten-free grains, such as oats, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. You can find them in your local grocery store for around $4.50 per bag.
Make Your Own
As long as you have gluten-free oats, making your own granola is actually a lot easier than you may think! The ingredients you’ll need for this Healthy Granola Recipe from Cookie and Kate are:
- Gluten-Free Oats
- Raw Nuts/Seeds
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Oil
- Honey/Maple Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
- Chopped Fruit
- Chocolate Chips/Coconut Flakes (optional)
The prep time is just 5 minutes and the cooking time is 25 – it really is that easy! If you have most of the ingredients in your pantry, it may be worth making your own at home. It’s utterly delicious, and you can choose your favorite nuts, seeds, and fruit to include.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped to answer the question: is there gluten in granola? It’s incredibly easy to find gluten-free granola, so if it’s something you enjoyed pre-diagnosis, it’s not something you have to live without! Just be sure to check labels, even if it’s a product you’re used to buying. This is because ingredients are subject to change at any time.
Do you have any gluten-free granola suggestions that didn’t make the list? Or have your own recipe that you think is worth sharing? If so, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. I would love to see them!
Read more about: Is Crispix Cereal Gluten Free?
Hi, my name’s Zoë. I’m 28 years old and live in London, UK. I work full time as a freelance writer and critic for West End theatre. Writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I spend most of my free time at the theatre, or at conventions. I’m married to the love of my life, and live in a small apartment with my fur baby, Lillie. I run two of my own blogs: No Safer Place and Stage to Page: both of which have won awards. I also have a YouTube channel where I talk about all things stagey.
