As someone who was raised on bran flakes for breakfast – and who still enjoys them – the last thing I’d do is reach for anything chocolate flavoured first thing in the morning, especially if health is top of mind. I’m happy with plain breakfast foods like muesli and porridge, and have never really eaten sugary cereal. It’s just never appealed to me.
However, I recently decided to up my protein quota based on some recommendations from nutritional experts, so I’ve been looking for ways to get more protein into my diet. I’ll usually start my day with overnight oats made with yogurt, and the portion I eat offers about four grams of protein per serving. This is my favourite way to start the day and, for me, breakfast is incredibly important for energy and focus, especially before a workout. However, four grams isn’t a huge hit of protein and in an attempt to find a more protein-heavy meal to start the day with, I discovered Myprotein’s granola.
This cereal confused me, I have to say. Because on the one hand it offered more than double the protein per serving that my overnight oats offered thanks to soy and milk protein, oats and pecans. However, it also contained things I would never usually eat for breakfast, like chocolate cookie pieces, brown sugar, palm oil and canola oil.
The cereal also came in a 750g tub, rather than a cereal box which was a little different from what I’m used to. But I decided to try it to see if hitting my daily protein goals might be easier with a little extra help.
Myprotein protein granola
My first impression after opening the tub was, “this smells and looks like coco pops”. How, I wondered, could it be possible that this chocolately smell belonged to something that offered twice the protein content of my beloved overnight oats?
But the granola is a low-key winner loaded with not just protein but carbs and fibre, too. The flavour was deeper than I expected and offered up a nutty aftertaste that was still very sweet. Unsurprisingly, the taste was very close to coco pops.
My issue was that while this breakfast alternative offered up everything I needed to fuel my morning and didn’t leave me feeling hungry afterwards, I didn’t really need it to contain chocolate or sugar. So for those on a sugar-free kick it might not be the best option. However, it did taste good and I can confirm that it turned the milk chocolately too.
Per 100 grams you’ll pack in 37g of protein and 39g of carbs along with plenty of fibre for gut health. But you can calculate your intake based on however many grams you’re serving up for breakfast versus your usual morning meal.
If you’re the sort of person who already eats sugary cereal with no added nutritional benefits, this option would certainly be a step up as it will keep you fuller for longer and help you pack in more protein for a good start to the day.
Buy now £10.65, Myprotein.com
The verdict: Myprotein protein granola
Although it felt like a bit of a treat eating chocolate cereal for breakfast and the granola did offer more protein than my usual morning fare, after I’d tested it for a few days I missed my overnight oats, so I swapped back. Yes, this breakfast option did make it easier for me to hit my daily protein goals, however, the added sugar and palm oil meant that it wasn’t my favourite high-protein alternative. Personally, eating chocolate for breakfast made me feel a little like it was Christmas Day, which was a strange experience.
However, if a sweet breakfast sounds like your idea of heaven and you’re looking for a swap that will provide a well-rounded dose of fibre, carbs and protein, you can’t really go wrong with this granola. Especially for £10.65 for a huge 750g tub.
Looking for more recommendations? Here’s why eating peanut butter for breakfast could help your heart health
