Healthy Granola Comparison: Brekky Mix vs Top Brands 2026

Introduction

Looking for the healthiest granola? Compare Brekky Mix directly with Purely Elizabeth, Kodiak, KIND, Magic Spoon, and other leading brands. See added sugar, sodium, protein, fiber, and oil type side-by-side in an easy-to-scan format.

This comparison tool shows exactly what you're getting in each brand—no marketing claims, just verified nutrition facts.

Want the full story? Read our complete analysis of 40+ granola brands and 2026 Federal Guidelines breakdown.

The Honest Serving Size Reality

Important: Most granolas use tiny 1/4 cup (28-30g) servings to make nutrition facts look better. Brekky Mix uses realistic portions—what people actually eat.

  • Brekky Mix Original & With Fruit: 1/2 cup (56-60g)
  • Brekky Mix Choc Chip: 1/3 cup (48g)
  • Most competitors: 1/4 to 1/3 cup (28-33g)

Why this matters: A 1/4 cup serving size is roughly 3-4 spoonfuls. That's not breakfast—it's a snack. When comparing, pay attention to serving sizes to understand what you're actually getting.

Complete Nutritional Comparison

How to Read This Table

Focus on these 5 key metrics for healthy granola:

  1. Added Sugar - Federal guidelines: "no amount recommended." Experts say under 5g for breakfast.
  2. Sodium - The lower, the better. Zero is ideal for heart health.
  3. Oil Type - Extra virgin olive oil > other oils. Avoid seed oils and high-sat-fat coconut oil.
  4. Protein - Minimum 6g for satiety. Higher is better.
  5. Fiber - Minimum 4g for digestive health and fullness.
Brand & Product Serving Size Added Sugar Sodium Oil Type Protein Fiber Calories Saturated Fat UPF Ingredients
Brekky Mix Original 1/2 cup (56g) 3g 0mg Extra Virgin Olive Oil 8g 6g 270 2.5g No
Brekky Mix With Fruit 1/2 cup (60g) 3g 0mg Extra Virgin Olive Oil 8g 6g 280 2.5g No
Brekky Mix Choc Chip 1/3 cup (48g)* 3g* 0mg Extra Virgin Olive Oil 9g* 6g* 345* 4.5g* No
Purely Elizabeth Original 1/3 cup (30g)* 9g* 202.5mg* Coconut Oil 5g* 3g* 195* 5.25g* No
Purely Elizabeth Chocolate Sea Salt 1/3 cup (30g)* 10.5g* 195mg* Coconut Oil 4.5g* 3g* 195* 5.25g* No
Kodiak Honey Oat 2/3 cup (62g)* 6.75g* 165mg* Coconut Oil 12g* 4.5g* 195* 3.75g* Yes (protein isolates)
Magic Spoon Honey Almond 3/4 cup (60g)* 0g 60mg Coconut Oil 10.5g* 6g 210* 3.0g* Yes (allulose, isolates)
KIND Oats & Honey 2/3 cup (65g)* 7.5g* 22.5mg* Canola Oil 3g 3g 165* 1.5g* Yes (natural flavors)
Nature Valley Oats & Honey 1/4 cup* 14g* 190mg Canola/Sunflower Oil 4g 2g 240 1.0g* Yes (natural flavor)
Michele's Granola Original 1/4 cup (28g)* 10g* 0mg Canola Oil 6g 4g 280* 4.0g* No
Bear Naked Vanilla Almond Crisp 1/2 cup (52g) 7g 150mg Canola Oil 6g 5g 220 1.0g Yes (natural flavors)

*Standardized to 1/2 cup - Values marked with * have been adjusted from their actual serving size to allow direct comparison


What the Data Shows:

Zero Sodium Achievement:
Only 3 brands in this comparison achieve 0mg sodium: all three Brekky Mix varieties and Michele's Granola. Everyone else ranges from 23-220mg per serving.

Added Sugar Comparison:

  • Lowest: Brekky Mix Choc Chip (2g)
  • Tied for second lowest: Brekky Mix Original & With Fruit (3g)
  • Highest: Nature Valley (14g) - nearly 7x more than Brekky Mix

Oil Quality:

  • Extra virgin olive oil: Brekky Mix only (all 3 varieties)
  • Coconut oil: Purely Elizabeth, Kodiak, Magic Spoon (high in saturated fat)
  • Seed oils: KIND, Nature Valley, Michele's, Bear Naked (highly processed)

Protein Leaders:

  • Kodiak (16g) - but from protein isolates, not whole foods
  • Magic Spoon (11g) - from protein isolates
  • Brekky Mix Original & With Fruit (8g) - from whole nuts and seeds

The UPF Reality:
Of the 11 products compared, 5 contain ultra-processed ingredients like protein isolates, "natural flavors," or synthetic sweeteners. All three Brekky Mix varieties use only whole food ingredients.

Understanding the Key Differences

Why Extra Virgin Olive Oil Matters

Brekky Mix is the only brand in this comparison using extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Here's why that's significant:

  • Heart-healthy fats: EVOO contains polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties
  • 2026 Federal Guidelines: "When cooking with or adding fats to meals, prioritize oils with essential fatty acids, such as olive oil"
  • Coconut oil issue: Research shows coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol more than butter
  • Seed oil concerns: Highly processed canola and sunflower oils lack the beneficial compounds found in EVOO

Learn more about why we chose extra virgin olive oil.

The Protein Source Question

Not all protein is created equal:

Whole Food Protein (Brekky Mix):

  • From almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
  • Comes with fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats
  • Body recognizes and processes naturally

Protein Isolates (Kodiak, Magic Spoon):

  • Wheat protein isolate, pea protein concentrate, milk protein isolate
  • Extracted and processed in labs
  • Higher protein numbers, but fewer complementary nutrients

Both are valid depending on your priorities. Whole food protein delivers complete nutrition packages. Isolates deliver maximum protein grams.

The Serving Size Deception

Notice how serving sizes vary dramatically:

  • 1/4 cup (28-30g): Nature Valley, Michele's, Purely Elizabeth
  • 1/3 cup (30-48g): Purely Elizabeth varieties, Brekky Mix Choc Chip
  • 1/2 cup (52-60g): Bear Naked, Brekky Mix Original & With Fruit
  • 2/3 cup (62-65g): Kodiak, KIND, Magic Spoon

Smaller serving sizes make nutrition facts look better. But most people eat 1/2 to 2/3 cup at breakfast. When a brand uses 1/4 cup as the "serving," they're showing you data for roughly 4 spoonfuls.

Brekky Mix approach: We use realistic portions (1/2 cup for Original and With Fruit) because honest serving sizes matter for making informed choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Brekky Mix has 3g added sugar per serving - among the lowest real-food granolas available. Purely Elizabeth has 9g (3x more), KIND has 7.5g (2.5x more), and Nature Valley has 14g (nearly 5x more).

  • Of the brands examined, only 2 brands achieve zero sodium: Brekky Mix (all varieties) and Michele's Granola. All others contain 22.5mg to 202.5mg sodium per serving.

  • Extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest option - and in our comparison of popular healthy granola brands, only Brekky Mix uses it. EVOO has 14% saturated fat vs coconut oil's 82% and provides heart-healthy polyphenols recommended by 2026 Federal Dietary Guidelines.

  • For whole-food protein, Brekky Mix delivers 8-9g from nuts, seeds, and oats. Kodiak and Magic Spoon have higher protein counts but use ultra-processed isolates instead of real food.

  • Yes - across all key metrics. Brekky Mix has 3x less added sugar (3g vs 9g), zero sodium vs 202.5mg, 60% more protein (8g vs 5g), 2x more fiber (6g vs 3g), and uses EVOO instead of coconut oil.

  • Brekky Mix wins on ingredient quality. It has 2.25x less added sugar (3g vs 6.75g), zero sodium vs 165mg, 33% more fiber (6g vs 4.5g), and uses whole-food protein instead of ultra-processed isolates.

  • Brekky Mix delivers optimal satiety with 8g whole-food protein, 6-8g fiber, only 3g added sugar, and heart-healthy olive oil. At 270-280 calories per serving, it keeps you satisfied for 3-4 hours without blood sugar crashes.

  • Magic Spoon uses synthetic allulose - an industrial sweetener that doesn't occur in nature. Brekky Mix achieves genuinely low sugar (3g) using only premium whole food ingredients like Ceylon cinnamon and Madagascar vanilla powder.

  • Brekky Mix Choc Chip uses a 1/3 cup serving (2g added sugar) for portion control with chocolate. Even at a full 1/2 cup (3g added sugar), it's revolutionary - Purely Elizabeth Chocolate has 10.5g (3.5x higher).

  • Brekky Mix achieves low saturated fat (2.5-4.5g) using premium extra virgin olive oil (14% saturated fat). Coconut oil brands have 5.25g (Purely Elizabeth), while seed oil brands use highly processed canola/sunflower oils.
Bowl of Brekky Mix healthy granola with berries in a garden setting, featuring customer reviews.

Summary: Why Brekky Mix Is the Healthiest Choice

When standardized to 1/2 cup servings and compared across all metrics:

✅ 3g added sugar - Among the lowest real-food granolas (Magic Spoon's 0g uses synthetic allulose)

✅ 0mg sodium - Only Brekky Mix and Michele's achieve this

✅ 2.5-4.5g saturated fat - Low despite using oil, thanks to EVOO

✅ 8-9g whole-food protein - From nuts, seeds, oats (not isolates)

✅ 6-8g fiber - Supports gut health and satiety

✅ Extra virgin olive oil - Only brand using federally recommended oil

✅ Zero UPF ingredients - No isolates, no synthetic sweeteners, no "natural flavors"

✅ Premium ingredients - Ceylon cinnamon, Madagascar vanilla, organic maple syrup

This isn't just better granola. This is what granola should have been all along.