Yogurt with Granola, Honey, Raisins & Nuts
Honey, raisins, and granola in the same bowl — it reads like a sugar triple-threat. But raisins, despite being 60% sugar by weight, have a glycemic index of just 49. Lower than a banana. Roughly half the sugar in raisins is fructose, which scores just 19 on the glycemic index on its own.
The 23g of fat from the mixed nuts and 35g of protein from the yogurt slow digestion further. Three minutes, no cooking, 665 calories. A breakfast that tastes sweeter than it acts.
Honey, raisins, and granola in the same bowl — it reads like a sugar triple-threat. But raisins, despite being 60% sugar by weight, have a glycemic index of just 49. Lower than a banana. Roughly half the sugar in raisins is fructose, which scores just 19 on the glycemic index on its own.
The 23g of fat from the mixed nuts and 35g of protein from the yogurt slow digestion further. Three minutes, no cooking, 665 calories. A breakfast that tastes sweeter than it acts.
Ingredients
- yogurt, nonfat 1 cup
- granola 2 oz
- honey 0.5 tbsp
- raisins 1 oz
- mixed nuts, unsalted 1 oz
Method
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In a bowl, scoop out the yogurt. Sprinkle the granola over the yogurt. Drizzle honey over the granola and top with the raisins and nuts.
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Serve and enjoy!
Use a wide, shallow bowl so the toppings spread across the surface instead of sinking into the yogurt. You get a bit of crunch, sweetness, and protein in every spoonful.
Researchers at Ohio State University tested raisins against a pure glucose drink in 31 adults across three groups — sedentary, athletic, and prediabetic. Despite being 60% sugar, the raisins produced a glycemic index of 49 in sedentary and prediabetic groups. The mechanism: about half the sugar in raisins is fructose, which has a glycemic index of just 19. One honest caveat: the study was funded by the California Raisin Marketing Board. The methodology was solid (randomized crossover, gold-standard glucose analyzer), but the funding source is worth knowing.
Ohio State University — Raisin Glycemic Index Study (2008) · DOIBehind this recipe
Will the raisins spike my blood sugar?
Probably not the way you'd expect. Raisins are 60% sugar by weight, but a randomized crossover study at Ohio State measured their glycemic index at just 49 — lower than a banana, lower than white rice. The reason: about half the sugar in raisins is fructose, which has a glycemic index of 19. In this bowl, the 23g of fat from the nuts and 35g of protein from the yogurt slow carbohydrate absorption further. The study was funded by the California Raisin Marketing Board, so read the result with that context. For more on whether glycemic index matters for fat loss, see our 14-trial GI analysis.
Read the full evidence reviewIs 665 calories too much for breakfast?
That depends entirely on your daily target. If you eat 2,000 calories a day, this bowl is about a third of your intake — which is a reasonable breakfast for someone eating three meals plus a snack. If your target is lower, adjust the portions (halving the granola and nuts drops the recipe below 500 calories). What matters for body composition is total daily energy balance, not whether any single meal crosses a magic number.
Read the full evidence reviewCan my body actually use 35g of protein in one sitting?
Yes. The idea that your body wastes protein above 20–30g per meal is one of the most persistent myths in fitness nutrition. Research consistently shows your body absorbs and uses protein well beyond that range — it just takes longer to digest. The 35g in this bowl comes from nonfat yogurt, which is a mix of casein and whey. Casein digests slowly, which means the protein release is spread out over hours. For the full evidence on per-meal protein limits, see our 24-study analysis.
Read the full evidence review
