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Several readers have emailed me recently inquiring about how to best go about making homemade granola.
One person carefully soaked oats for 24 hours in water with an acidic medium and then dehydrated before mixing with the other ingredients and toasting in the oven.
Another used sprouted, organic rolled oats and baked in a 200F oven with various other ingredients to make her favorite version of homemade granola.
While both of these approaches to making granola are certainly a huge improvement over any of the granolas to be had at the store, the fact is that even organic granola made with rolled oats that have been sprouted or soaked is not an easily digestible food.
The proteins in grains are extremely difficult to digest. They have the potential to cause health problems over the long term, which is why traditional societies took such great pains to soak, sprout, or sour leaven them before consuming.
Not only did traditional peoples soak, sprout, or sour leaven their grains, they also thoroughly cooked them as the final preparation step before eating.
Why Granola is SO Difficult to DigestÂ
The dry heat of an oven at the proper toasting temperature is simply not hot enough to complete the breakdown of anti-nutrients in oats or other grains. Thus, even homemade granola is extremely difficult to digest. Eaten often, it can damage the gut over time.
Perhaps if a person has an iron gut, then homemade granola that is soaked or sprouted might work on occasion. The reality is that most people have sensitive guts anymore due to several generations of children raised on antibiotics and processed foods. Most people have some sort of digestive sensitivity to grains even if there are no grain allergy symptoms present.
I know for me, I bloat terribly if I eat homemade granola that has been soaked or sprouted and then toasted. I have no grain allergies and my digestion is in pretty decent shape. Interestingly, thoroughly cooked unsoaked oatmeal digests far better. The lesson at least to me is that the final cooking step is very important!
I have only made granola for my family once or twice. However, I stopped after observing the undigestibility of consuming this non-traditional food even when seemingly prepared in a traditional fashion.
Do your digestion a favor and opt out of any grain based granola entirely. Even homemade, organic, and soaked and/or sprouted versions aren’t good for your long term gut health.
Healthy Alternatives to Granola
Don’t hesitate to use soaked or sprouted grains that are fully cooked for all your other dishes and baked goods!  This article plus video tutorial for a healthy cold breakfast cereal recipe is a very digestible alternative to granola.
Another alternative is to make grain free Paleo granola using the linked recipe.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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Sources and More Information
Nourishing Traditions, p. 454
Soaked Oatmeal Benefits Without the Soaking?
Sarah – I was looking for a soaked/healthy granola recipe with the intention of using it for a hot cereal while backpacking – instead of buying store bought granola. To be cooked in hot water out on the trail. In this case in your opinion would soaking then dehydrating oats and the like, if then cooked a few minutes in hot water to reconstitute it be enough cooking for digestibility? I am sensitive to improperly prepared grains.
Thanks!
If I eat granola, I look like I’m 3 months pregnant in about an hour as my stomach blows up from the indigestibility of this food even if it is soaked for 24 hours prior.
You will be amazed how much your tummy will thank you when you experience the difference!
No, but I will 🙂 thank you!
@Ashley this is not very digestible unfortunately. Have you seen my short video class on how to properly cook oatmeal?
My granola – crispy nuts, chia seeds, coconut, seeds, dried cherries, dried apple bits and mini chocolate chips. Melt in coconut oil and refrigerate for bars or eat dry in yogurt.
Sorry, mix in melted coconut oil.
Question – if i soak my rolled oats overnight then use them in my recipes (i make an oatmeal breakfast casserole and use them in meatballs) do i have to reduce the amount of liquid that goes into the recipe to account for the fact that they soaked in water overnight?
Question- for my oatmeal, I buy bobs red mill rolled oats. I do not soak or cook. I basically just mix with hot water & let sit for a few minutes (I personally like eating that way)… Is that bad? Lol what’s the best way to eat oatmeal?
Oh yay!