Overnight Oats and Granola are the two best options for breakfast as it completely balances a person’s diet. These can be helpful as well as beneficial to add up to an individual’s diet as they are termed to be healthy.
Generally, both meals are consumed with milk and some other topping options like fruits such as bananas or berries and also dry fruit such as almonds, walnuts, raisins, etc.
Key Takeaways
- Overnight oats are soaked in liquid, milk or yogurt, whereas granola is baked with a sweetener and oil.
- Overnight oats contain more soluble fiber due to the intact oats, while granola has a crunchier texture from baking.
- Granola is more versatile as it can be consumed as a snack, topping, or breakfast, while overnight oats are primarily a breakfast option.
Overnight Oats vs Granola
Overnight oats are made by soaking rolled oats in liquid (like milk, yoghurt, etc.) overnight in the refrigerator. Granola is made from a mixture of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. The mixture is baked in the oven until crispy and then served with milk or yoghurt.
Overnight Oats are prepared by adding liquids such as hot milk or water, and further, it is set overnight. Therefore, this process helps the Oats to be eaten directly the next day.
Overnight Oats are not sweet, and therefore it requires extra sugar or jaggery to be sweetened as per an individual’s taste if needed. It involves comparatively fewer calories than Granola.
On the other hand, Granola is prepared instantly. It can be consumed directly or by adding some liquid to it. Granola is initially sweetened with some sugary ingredients like honey or some dry fruits, making it sweet.
Granola involves more calories as compared to Overnight Oats.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Overnight Oats | Granola |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Overnight Oats are the overnight soaked version of the normal oats that have a lot of fiber in them. | Granola is a healthy form of oats that is made up of whole oats. |
| Taste | Overnight oats taste exactly like normal oats and not sweet like Granola. If required we can add sweetness to it. | Granola tastes sweeter as it contains honey, nuts, or dried fruits. |
| Meal Type | Overnight oats are consumed in the form of a breakfast meal. | Granola can be consumed in the two forms such as for breakfast as well as for snacking. |
| Preparation Process | Overnight Oats is prepared by adding liquids such as hot milk or water and further it is set overnight. Therefore, the next day this process helps the Oats to be eaten directly. | Granola is simply prepared instantly. It can be consumed directly or by adding some liquid to it. |
| Calories | Overnight Oats involves comparatively fewer calories. | Granola involves more calories as compared to Overnight Oats. |
| Price | Overnight Oats are comparatively cheaper. | Granola is a bit expensive. |
| Advantages | Advantages of Overnight Oats include things such as it is rich in fiber, full-filling meal, controls the levels of Blood Pressure and Diabetes, weight loss, improves gut problems, etc. | Advantages of Granola include things such as it is rich in protein, iron, vitamin D, boosts gut health, prevents anemia, weight loss, etc. |
| Disadvantages | Disadvantages of Overnight Oats are such as it rich in carbohydrates and hence it can imbalance the sleep cycle, portion control is also required as it can gain weight, also Overnight Oats can not be kept for too long and hence it is bound to consume it the next day, etc. | Disadvantages of Granola include excessive intake might increase weight, proteins high calories, etc. |
What are Overnight Oats?
Everyone eagerly wants to be fit and wants a good diet to maintain it. It is really hard to leave behind those yummy food items, but if you have to choose between fitness over yummy food, you need to follow certain healthy food items.
And here, Overnight Oats is one of them. We already know how beneficial it is to oats in their diet as it is considered one of the healthiest breakfast meals.
The simplest way to prepare Overnight Oats is by adding some liquids such as hot milk or water; further, it is set overnight.
In simple terms, if we need to describe overnight oats, we can say that they are the soaked version of oats that are soaked in liquid the previous night and can be consumed the next day. The texture of Overnight oats is creamy and ready to eat.
Usually, it is not sweet, so if one prefers a bit of sweetness, you have to add some stevia or jaggery, as sugar can not be the correct option if you are on a diet.
It can also be presented with some extra toppings like bananas, berries, or dried fruits like almonds, raisins, etc. Overnight oats are only consumed in the form of a breakfast meal.
It can not be stored for a longer period because it was previously soaked in water.
Overnight Oats involve comparatively fewer calories. And hence, it is the best choice for breakfast that keeps you full as well as light.
Advantages of Overnight Oats include things such as it is rich in fibre, a full-filling meal, controlling the levels of Blood Pressure and Diabetes, weight loss, improving gut problems, etc.
And on the other hand, the disadvantages of Overnight Oats are that it is rich in carbohydrates and hence can imbalance the sleep cycle, portion control is also required as it can cause weight gain, also Overnight Oats can not be kept for too long, and hence it is bound to consume it the next day, etc.
What is Granola?
When people are bored of eating the same diet again and again and want a healthy and tasty meal, Granola is the best choice for them. It is manufactured from whole-grain oats.
Granola is initially sweet and tasty as it is coated with sugary items such as honey and topping like dried fruits. And hence, it can be consumed with or without milk. Also, it is not only the best choice for breakfast but also for snacking.
It is an instant cereal that can be consumed anywhere and anytime, keeping your stomach full.
Granola is a bit expensive cereal. Also, it provides a lot of calories as it not only provides calories from the oats but from the dried fruits as well. Therefore, one should be careful and look after portion control while eating.
Too much consumption of Granola can also drastically affect the body.
Granola’s advantages include being rich in protein, iron, and vitamin D, boosting gut health, preventing anaemia, weight loss, etc. It has advantages and disadvantages that can have opposite effects on the body as not expected.
Granola’s disadvantages include excessive intake, which might increase weight, high calories, proteins, etc.
Main Differences Between Overnight Oats and Granola
- Overnight Oats are the overnight-soaked version of normal oats with a lot of fibre. On the other hand, Granola is a healthy form of oats that is made up of whole oats.
- Overnight oats taste exactly like normal oats and not sweet like Granola. If required, we can add sweetness to it. On the other hand, Granola tastes sweeter as it contains honey, nuts, or dried fruits.
- Overnight oats are consumed in the form of a breakfast meal. On the other hand, Granola can be consumed in the two forms such as for breakfast as well as for snacking.
- Oats are prepared by adding liquids such as hot milk or water; further, it is set overnight. Therefore, this process helps the Oats to be eaten directly the next day. On the other hand, Granola is prepared instantly. It can be consumed directly or by adding some liquid to it.
- Overnight Oats involve comparatively fewer calories. On the other hand, Granola involves more calories as compared to Overnight Oats.
- Overnight Oats are comparatively cheaper. On the other hand, Granola is a bit expensive.
- Advantages of Overnight Oats include things such as it is rich in fibre, a full-filling meal, controlling the levels of Blood Pressure and Diabetes, weight loss, improving gut problems, etc. On the other hand, Granola’s advantages include being rich in protein, iron, and vitamin D, boosting gut health, preventing anaemia, weight loss, etc.
- Disadvantages of Overnight Oats are that it is rich in carbohydrates and hence can imbalance the sleep cycle, portion control is also required as it can cause weight gain, also Overnight Oats can not be kept for too long, and hence are bound to consume it the next day, etc. On the other hand, the disadvantages of Granola include excessive intake might increase weight, proteins high calories, etc.
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01675/full
- https://academic.oup.com/jn/article-abstract/117/11/1898/4780353
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
The comparison table provides a comprehensive overview of the differences between overnight oats and granola. Great work!
Granola is a delicious and convenient choice for a quick snack or breakfast, but the calorie content should be taken seriously.
I prefer the simplicity and lightness of overnight oats over the sweetness of granola.
Granola is such a tasty and filling breakfast option! I absolutely love it with milk and a bit of honey.
I don’t think the disadvantages of overnight oats outweigh the benefits. It’s still a very healthy option for breakfast.
Overnight oats are perfect for individuals looking to manage their weight and improve their gut health. There’s no need for added sugars when you can top it with delicious fruits!