Muesli (pronounced muse-lee) is a breakfast cereal that has been popular in Europe — especially Switzerland — for over 100 years. It’s made from raw, rolled whole grains like oats, barley, rye, triticale, and wheat and typically contains nuts and dried or fresh fruit.
Muesli was developed by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner around 1900 to serve to patients in his hospital in Zurich. The diet that Bircher-Benner prescribed to his patients was heavy on whole-grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, and Bircher-Benner came up with idea of Muesli after being served a similar dish during a hike in the Swiss Alps.
While popular in Switzerland and parts of Europe for decades, it wasn’t until the health food movement of the 1960s that this tasty and uber-nutritious cereal started to gain fans in the United States. Since then, Muesli has become much more widely available not only in health food stores, but also in mainstream markets and grocery stores.
Muesli is an ideal health and fitness food.
Why?
It’s a great source of sustainable energy from slow-burning, complex carbohydrates; has plenty of trace vitamins and minerals; and meets the criteria of a “whole food” because it’s minimally processed. Depending on the recipe, the health benefits of Muesli include:
Fiber: Depending on the mixture of whole grains and fruits used, Muesli is an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. When prepared with oats and barley flakes, Meusli is very high in viscious soluble fiber (also known as “sticky fiber”) which research has shown can help control blood sugar, reduce serum cholesterol levels and aid in digestion. The soluble fiber in Muesli can also be increased through the addition of fresh or dried fruits like dates, raisins or fresh apples.
Whole Grains: The USDA recommends that Americans should eat 6-11 servings of grains each day, preferably whole-grains that contain the entire grain kernel: endosperm, germ and endosperm. Whole grains are not only a great source of fiber, but they also contain trace amounts of vitamins and minerals, as well as hundreds of different phytochemicals that scientists and nutritionists believe work together syngergistically to reduce the risk of certain diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Because Meusli is made with raw, whole-grains that are rolled, you get the maximum health benefits from the cereal. And because the original nutrients are kept intact, it’s not necessary to replace them with synthetic vitamins like you find in many fortified, pre-packaged cold cereals.
Sustained Energy from Complex Carbohydrates: If you’re looking for a superb pre-workout meal to fuel your training at the gym, high intensity interval training or biking, Meusli is second-to-none. Because it’s made from whole grains and fruit, Meusli is a fantastic source of slow-burning complex carbs that will keep your energy levels stable over the duration of your exercise. The high fiber content of the cereal, combined with the healthy fats, also places it much lower on the glycemic index that most cold cereals. This reduces blood insulin spikes that can leave you fatigued later in your workout.
Healthy Fats: Because nearly all Muesli recipes include nuts and seeds, Muesli is also an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fats, as well as heart and brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts, especially walnuts, pecans and almonds also contain powerful phytochemicals and antioxidants that may protect the body from tissue damage as well as cancers. Walnuts, for example, have been shown to reduce the damaging effects of meals that are high in unhealthy saturated fats, and a study conducted by Dr. David Jenkins at the University of Toronto and published in the AHA journal “Circulation” demonstrated that almonds can help reduce blood cholesterol levels. Nuts also have been found to decrease feelings of hunger.
Fruit: The USDA also recommends that people eat at least seven servings a day of fresh fruits and vegetables. “Fresh” includes dried fruits, as well as frozen — which may actually have higher vitamin and mineral content due to their ripeness and how they are preserved. While dried fruit is found in many Muesli recipes, the addition of fresh fruit like chopped apples or blueberries is also a great addition. Fruits and vegetables are not only good sources of fiber, but also are high in healthy antioxidants that can aid with recovery and repair post-workout.
Milk/Soy Milk Protein: Skim milk, which Meusli is often served with or soaked in, is a good source of calcium and slow-digesting casein proteins. Having plenty of protein available during your workout or training can help with muscle repair and recovery and preserve lean tissue, even under stress. Substituting soy milk every now and then (or always, if you are a vegan or vegetarian) also can have health benefits, especially around controlling or lowering cholesterol. If you want to boost the protein in your Muesli even more, consider adding a scoop of whey protein to milk.
Lowering or Controlling Cholesterol: The combination of soluble fiber and nuts in Muesli can work together to help control or reduce serum blood cholesterol levels, especially if you serve it with soy milk. Soy has been shown to be one of four cholesterol-lowering “superfoods” that when combined into a portolio diet with other cholesterol-lowering foods like nuts, viscous fiber and plant sterols, can reduce blood cholesterol levels as effectively as prescription statin drugs. Muesli is a nearly perfect “portfolio meal” for lowering cholesterol because when served with soy milk, it has three of the four key cholesterol-lowering foods already in it.
With that being said, Muesli is not only healthy but it's delicious & nutritious. If you're looking to lower your cholesterol or just eat healthier, Muesli is definitely for you. Matter of fact, I here a bowl of Muesli calling my name right now. So...until later, live healthy! This is 'thedoc' and I'm signing out. Peace, Love, and God Bless.
P.S.
For more info about Muesli including Homemade recipes, go here.
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