Muesli, More than a Cereal

Over the years, it is true that it has undergone variations, and today we can say that it is a nutritious mixture of cereals, such as oats, with dried fruits and nuts that, if combined with yogurt or milk, makes for a breakfast complete and balanced.

Lots of fiber, sugars, potassium, and unsaturated fats

The nutritional composition of muesli can vary greatly depending on its components. Cereals, which are the main component, contain around 10% protein, 2-3% fat, with the exception of oats which contains 5.5-6%, and 45% to 70% of carbohydrates, of which sugars can represent around 10%.

Polished grains contain around 2% fiber, whole grains will have much higher values. Among the minerals, the phosphates and sulfates of potassium, magnesium and calcium are worth mentioning. However, a good part of the phosphorus is in the form of phytic acid, which cannot be assimilated and which makes it difficult to absorb other nutrients. Regarding vitamins we can highlight those of group B, in addition to tocopherols, with vitamin E activity.

How to take it

Although it is usually eaten for breakfast, muesli can also be used between meals to make an energetic and healthy snack or even at a dinner for athletes. It can be accompanied by fruit juice, milk, normal or drinkable yogurt, chocolate or cocoa or fruit smoothies, kefir, etc. And if we want to give it a sweeter flavor, we can use honey, cinnamon, sugar, etc.

Interesting combined

The different cereals that can and / or usually make up muesli are wheat, oats, rye, barley, millet, quinoa, corn and rice. In addition to cereals, it usually also includes dried fruits such as raisins, dried apricots, currants, etc. Or dehydrated fruits like banana, coconut, apple, mango or papaya. On many occasions, dried fruits such as hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds are also added, and sometimes even seeds such as flax, pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seeds. Finally, the sweet options contain ingredients such as cocoa, honey or sugar.

Who is it good for and who is not?

They are recommended for:

• Constipation: due to its content in cereals, preferably whole grain or integral flakes, dried fruits and nuts, its fiber content is very important, which will contribute to a regulation in intestinal transit.
• Potassium deficiency: due to problems such as diarrhea and vomiting, or by the continued taking of diuretics, potassium levels can be compromised. The content of muesli in this mineral can help to replenish these levels.
• Pregnant women: it is a dry food that is usually well tolerated even in phases of nausea. In addition, it helps combat constipation often experienced by pregnant women and has an important energy content, which is beneficial if they have a poor appetite.
• Young: especially the sweetest varieties are very well accepted by older children and adolescents. The energy content of muesli based on sugar, mainly fructose, and unsaturated fats from nuts, are a convenient contribution in people with high nutritional needs such as children.
• Athletes: as in the case of adolescents, athletes also have high energy needs and muesli is a good example to meet these requirements. In this case, those that contain cocoa or honey will be good products to take after sports activity.

They are not suitable in case of:

• Renal insufficiency: muesli with a large quantity of dried fruit is very rich in potassium, so in situations in which the intake of this mineral must be controlled, we must take into account its consumption and limit it.
• Diabetes and weight loss diets: the sugar content of muesli is not negligible, and if it also contains nuts, the fats it provides will also increase. For this reason, neither in diabetics nor in weight loss diets it is usually the best food. However, varieties that only contain cereal flakes can be perfectly suitable in both cases.

Buying and conservation advice

When choosing it, we must look at the expiration date and the integrity of the container. We will keep it closed as long as we are not using it to prevent it from getting wet and its texture being affected, a solution is to close the plastic container that usually contains the muesli, although we can also transfer the content to a suitable container, glass or suitable plastic , that closes well. The product must be preserved mainly from humidity and heat sources.

The recipe

Muesli cake with kefir and raspberries
100 grams of muesli (cereals and nuts)
40 grams of butter
12 sheets of neutral gelatin
1 liter of kefir
2-3 tablespoons of sugar
Grated lemon zest
50 grams of raspberries

Preparation:

The kefir is crushed together with the melted butter until it forms a compact mass, if necessary, a pinch of water or milk will be added. Introduce into molds to form cake.

The gelatin sheets are soaked in water, then almost all the water is extracted and put on the fire to undo them, without boiling. It is removed from the heat and the zest of a lemon and the tablespoons of sugar are added and mixed well. Then, with the mixture already warm, add the kefir and mix well. It is served over the muesli in the mold, and it is placed in the fridge to set. When removing it we can decorate directly with the raspberries or we can crush them to cover the cake.

As there are many varieties of muesli, we must pay close attention to the list of ingredients and the nutritional composition. Depending on the different cereals that make up the muesli and their proportions, its nutritional content will vary. The other ingredients that are added to cereals such as dried fruits and nuts will also modify the vitamin, mineral and macronutrient content.

• Composed of: different types of cereals, dried fruits and nuts.
• Benefits: energetic, concentrated, with an appetizing texture and very easy to combine.
• Ideal for: children, athletes, pregnant women, people with constipation, etc.