Laura's Gourmet Granola
Better Nutrition|January 2022
If you’re tired of granola that’s more candy than health food, chef and entrepreneur Laura Briscoe’s offerings are just what you’ve been looking for.
By Neil Zevnik, Photography by Suzie Barber, Pornchai Mittongtare
Laura's Gourmet Granola

“Creating a product that makes people feel good— that’s what chefs do,” says Laura Briscoe, founder of Laura’s Gourmet Granola. “We create recipes, a dish, or a meal that plays a role in a wonderful moment.”

Shopping for granola? Prepare to be utterly overwhelmed by a bewildering profusion of cartons, sacks, and containers encompassing an extensive panoply of flavors and ingredients. And let’s not even get started on the dizzying stacked rows of granola bars on the shelves.

It was not always thus, of course. Once upon a time, there was only “granula,” the first-ever cold breakfast product. Invented by health reformer James Caleb Jackson in 1853, it promised much more than simply good nutrition. According to Mr. Jackson, it was a “pure” food that would help make you calm, give you better Christian values, and even reduce carnal desire—a lot to ask of a breakfast cereal, however healthy it might be.

The idea was stolen by another health reformer, John Harvey Kellogg (yes, that Kellogg), and under the slightly altered name “granola” was soon off and running. By the time the hippie ’60s rolled around, granola had become a darling of the counterculture, inspiring the slightly derisive moniker “granola-head.”

This story is from the January 2022 edition of Better Nutrition.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January 2022 edition of Better Nutrition.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BETTER NUTRITIONView All
Strike A Healing Chord
Better Nutrition

Strike A Healing Chord

Soothe your mind, body, and spirit with three simple sound therapy techniques for self-care.

time-read
7 mins  |
January 2022
Laura's Gourmet Granola
Better Nutrition

Laura's Gourmet Granola

If you’re tired of granola that’s more candy than health food, chef and entrepreneur Laura Briscoe’s offerings are just what you’ve been looking for.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2022
News Bites
Better Nutrition

News Bites

Caffeine, Peanuts, CoQ10, and Iron Deficiency.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2022
The Overlooked Keys to a Healthy Gallbladder
Better Nutrition

The Overlooked Keys to a Healthy Gallbladder

Keep your bile thin and free-flowing by focusing on supportive foods, supplements, and physical activity.

time-read
6 mins  |
January 2022
Go Nutty This Year
Better Nutrition

Go Nutty This Year

This über-healthy alternative to traditional lattes features homemadewalnut “mylk,” along with antioxidant-rich green tea and berries.

time-read
5 mins  |
January 2022
The Three Stages of Infection
Better Nutrition

The Three Stages of Infection

What you need before, during and after an illness, and why you need different fixes for each stage.

time-read
6 mins  |
January 2022
Better Nutrition

Taming the Flames

How to beat back chronic inflammation and protect yourself from related disease.

time-read
6 mins  |
January 2022
Deconstructing the Flexitarian Diet
Better Nutrition

Deconstructing the Flexitarian Diet

How being a part-time vegan can make you healthier.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2022
Brain Regain
Better Nutrition

Brain Regain

How one senior used a leptin-focused diet (high-fat, no carbs) to recover from a cognitive injury, reconnect with his family, and reclaim his health.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2022
Healthy Aging— Head To Toe
Better Nutrition

Healthy Aging— Head To Toe

Science-backed supplements to protect all your parts.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2021