Brain Fueling Almond Butter Granola (No Added Sugar) + How healthy fats fuel your brain

EatSmartThinkDeep
Jul 16, 2025
4 min read

Updated: Aug 14, 2025

Granola is such an addictive snack and topping. Whether you’re putting it in your yogurt, or eating with chocolate chips, it’s such a tasty yet nutrient dense option.

Making your own homemade granola is so easy and tasty too! Store bought granola can be very pricey and can be loaded with sugars that at times, may be a bit too much to start your day off with. This homemade granola is made with whole grains, unrefined oils, and is naturally sweetened, something store bought can never beat. Eat it, package it up and gift it, or feed it to your kids; whatever you do, we know you'll love it.

This granola is also so versatile, and the mix-ins you can use are endless. If you want it a bit sweeter, use riper bananas; if honey isn't your taste, add maple syrup. This is why granola is so great; it can be a sweet treat, a tasty fuel for your workout, a major source of healthy and nutritious fats, or a boost of energy to start your day.

Chocolate Chips: Add a 1/2 cup of semi sweet or no sugar chocolate chips for an added sweetness. Make sure to add after baking to avoid a burnt chocolate mess!
Different Nuts: You don't have to use almonds in this recipe (tho it's my favorite). You can use any combination of nuts, like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, whatever you like. Make sure the amount adds up to 1/2 a cup.
Dried Fruit: Any type of dried fruit can be added. Tho I would recommend 1/2 a cup, you can add as much or as little as you like. Make sure to add after baking!

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Recipe

Ingredients:

2-3 ripe banana

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp hemp seeds

2-3 tablespoons almond butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp honey

2 cups rolled oats

.5 cup chopped almonds

Tools

Small bowl

Large Bowl

Whisk

Spatula

Cookie sheet

Parchment paper

Oven

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Mash banana in small bowl. Add seeds, almond butter, vanilla, and honey into smashed banana. Let this sit on the side while you prepare dry ingredients. In a new, large bowl, combine oats and almonds. Pour banana mixture into oat mixture, using spatula to scrape edges. Use whisk to combine thoroughly ( don’t press down hard with whisk, as you will mash oats to bottom, rather than picking them up).

If mixture is too wet, add a fourth a cup of oats until mixture is sticky, but not soaked in banana mixture.

Once combined, sprinkle the mixture using whisk across a lined cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place in oven for 40 minutes, or until oats are golden and not sticky. Once cooked, let oats cool on counter before packing. Once cooled, store in air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

The Science

The star of today’s post is Almonds and its butters, which are a natural fat. Almonds are technically seeds, found in the pit of the almond fruit, tho they are usually considered a nut. Almonds are made up of all 3 macronutrients: fats proteins, and carbohydrates. The fats found in the almond make up about 50% of its weight, so they are mainly a source of fat. They are also high in many micronutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, and riboflavin (Vitamin B2).

What does this mean for your brain?

It’s no secret that almonds are a tasty snack, and as we’ve learned, they are a nutrient powerhouse. However, they aren’t just a healthy snack, they are an act of brain support. The vitamin E found in the seed acts as protection to your neuronal cell membranes from damage caused by oxidative stress (imbalance between free radicals and anti oxidants). To sum up its effect, this damage can lead to neuronal dysfunction and even neurodegenerative diseases (not good!), so the protection from the vitamin E is very much appreciated. Essentially, oxidative stress is the battle between free radicals( bad guys) and antioxidants (the good guys). The vitamin E actually neutralizes the free radicals before they can harm the antioxidants. Think of it like a battle; free radicals are the Voldemorts of the oxidative stress battle, and the antioxidants are the harry potters.

Almonds can also help boost memory and learning. Our brain is made up of many cells called neurons. These neurons communicate through neurotransmitters, chemical signals, released at the synapse of a neuron. Monounsaturated fats found in the almond support synapse functioning, alongside certain amino acids that support the production of neurotransmitters related to focus and alertness. Magnesium is also a powerful micronutrient for the brain found in almonds. It helps neurons communicate, and regulate receptors crucial for learning and memory.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) also helps convert food into ATP. Here’s a quick bounce back to the basics of biology; ATP is the energy that can be used by and fuels cell processes, including brain cells. Essentially, you are powering your brain cells and giving energy to them.

Fun fact: When one has Alzheimer's Disease, glucose metabolism/use is impaired. This is bad because the brain uses carbohydrates as a fuel source. When certain fats are turned into ketones, which can substitute glucose when scarce, and end up powering the brain.