Posted on 03/07/2021 12:35:14 PM PST by be-baw
Oats are incredibly healthy. "Oats are nutritional powerhouses filled with soluble fiber, protein, and essential nutrients like iron and vitamin B-6," says Kelsey Lorencz, RDN, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Graciously Nourished.
And if you haven't been eating oats, there's a few good reasons you should: "Eating 2-3 servings of whole grains (like oats!) per day is associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, good levels of LDL 'bad' cholesterol, and even a healthy gut/microbiome. And oatmeal has been scientifically-proven to help you feel full between meals," says Julie Miller Jones, PhD, LN, CNS, an emeritus professor of nutrition at St. Catherine University and a member of the Grain Foods Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board.
But did you know that there actually preparation methods that could increase oatmeal's health benefits? We asked a team of registered dietitians for their tips on how to make oatmeal even healthier. That's how we discovered the easiest hack for a healthier bowl of oats all has to do with what you're putting on top of it.
Your bowl of oatmeal is only as good as what you're eating it with. High fiber breakfast whole grain oatmeal with fresh berries nuts and seeds
While oats are healthy on their own, you can make oatmeal even healthier by what you add to it.
The bulk of oatmeal's nutritional composition is carbs, so if you want your breakfast to be especially filling, dietitians agree that you'll want to pair it with satiating macronutrients like healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
The healthiest (and best tasting!) way to enjoy oats is by "adding nutrient-dense toppings to make oats more balanced," says Rachel Fine, MS, RD, CSSD, CDN, a registered dietitian and owner of To The Pointe Nutrition. "Though oats are incredible complex carbs, I recommend pairing them with toppings like flax, chia, and nuts to round out the nutrient profile," she adds.
"You have to add toppings!" chimes in Miller Jones. "Adding fruit, nuts, or peanut/nut butter can boost the fiber, healthy fats, and protein for breakfast," she adds.
There are so many options for oatmeal toppings, so we asked dietitians for their absolute favorites.
Protein peanut butter, banana, almonds and nuts
"Oats aren't rich in protein, so my number one recommendation to boost their nutritional content is to add a protein source to them," says Diana Gariglio-Clelland, RD, registered dietitian at Next Luxury. "Adding nuts, seeds, or even stirring in some Greek yogurt or cottage cheese can all do the job."
"Pairing oatmeal with a protein and fat is best because it prevents a blood sugar spike. Some options are chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, almonds, unsweetened coconut flakes, protein powder, or a scoop of collagen," says Kylie Ivanir, MS, RD, a registered dietitian with Within Nutrition.
Nuts oatmeal fruit berries walnuts nuts
Nuts are a great oatmeal topping from almonds to walnuts to cashews. registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, founder of Nutrition Now Counseling and author of Fueling Male Fertility."Top your oatmeal with walnuts. Walnuts contain fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based protein—three nutrients that help keep people feel fuller longer. Plus, data shows that increasing daily consumption of nuts, like walnuts, is associated with less long-term weight gain and a lower risk of obesity in adults," says registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, founder of Nutrition Now Counseling and author of Fueling Male Fertility.
Fiber Oat Bran A serving of oats contains between 4-5 grams of fiber, but you can boost that number up even more with some clever ingredients. Many of the sources of protein, like nuts and seeds, are also good sources of fiber, and so are fruits. "Another great option is mixing your steel-cut or rolled-oats with some oat bran since oat bran is highest in fiber and great for satiety and overall health," says Ivanir.
Seeds
As a food group, you can't go wrong with seeds. "Flax is a rich source of lignans, a powerful phytochemical with anti-oxidative characteristics. Flax also contains the highest percentage of Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA) per serving. Chia seeds are also a great source of calcium and unlike flax, doesn't need the extra step of grinding before eating (chia is easier for the body to digest without the need to grind the seeds beforehand)," says Fine.
Fruit
Berries, apples, bananas, the list goes on. For inspiration, take a page out of Lorencz's book: "My favorite oatmeal recipe is old-fashioned oats topped with strawberries and a spoonful of peanut butter. The strawberries naturally sweeten the oatmeal and the peanut butter adds extra fat to keep me full and satisfied all morning."
1/2 cup of oats (not quick oats or steel cut )
Add enough water to cover oats
Microwave for 1 min, 40 sec
remove from microwave
Add 1/2 t butter and enough milk to cover oats.
Microwave for 1 min. 40 sec.
Add honey, coconut flakes, sprinkle of granola, blueberries or blackberries, etc
Been having oatmeal this way for decades now.
I think you’re wrong about the eggs...my understanding is that eggs have the highest bioavailability of protein of any food.
Let’s hear it for oatmeal with raisins, pecans and a low-fat fried egg cut up topped with Vitamin D enriched fat-free milk. Vary with pumpkin seeds and raspberries. Yummy!
Nice! We have blueberry bushes (25 yr old+ and are up to 10 feet tall) lining our driveway and we usually get about 15 gallons frozen each year.
bookmark.
I either start the morning with homemade Belgian waffles made with oatmeal, whole wheat flour, all purpose unbleached flour and corn meal (with egg, buttermilk, etc. in it) or a bowl of oatmeal with strawberries or banana on it, with a couple strips of fake bacon for some more protein. Gets me going, with a tall tumbler of iced coffee/skim milk/sugar free syrup.
“my understanding is that eggs have the highest bioavailability of protein of any food.”
I hadn’t heard that. I was just going by g of protein per serving. I’ll check into bioavailability. Thanks for the tip.
I love eggs. I often eat 4 at a time for breakfast, either fried or in an omelet.
Then, I would dot the top with small dabs of butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper and, liberally, with brown sugar. I would finish by carefully pouring the hot milk flavored with a 1/2 tsp of vanilla around the edges of the oatmeal.
I also use this technique with two slices of whole wheat toast in a rimmed plate each topped with poached egg swimming in hot milk.
Meatloaf.
The article you linked mentioned the “sugar spike” it gives - but I defeat that by tossing a bunch of brown sugar on it....
Will oatmeal cookies with walnuts work? HAHAHA
I add pecans, craisins, butter, sugar, eggs, baking soda and flour and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. YUM!
I make a pretty good bowl of cooked cereal. Sometimes it’s oatmeal, although more often it’s Cream of Wheat. On rare occasions it might be something more unusual, like sorghum or millet.
My secrets:
1. Cook it in milk, not water. Be careful when doing so, because milk boils over more easily than water does.
2. Long, slow cooking will get you a creamier texture. The best way I’ve found to do this is with a double-boiler. I recommend staying away from the Instant Pot, when I tried that it both burned, AND boiled over!
3. Salt. I know a lot of people are trying to avoid sodium, and I respect that. But a pinch of salt does wonders for the flavor.
4. Brown sugar, not white. And if you can, add the sugar at the start of cooking, so it gets right into the grains.
5. Butter. It makes everything better!
6. My final secret: Maple extract. Just a drop or two per serving is enough. If you have access to maple sugar, you can use that instead of brown sugar. But don’t skip the maple!
Even people who don’t like “mush” tend to like it when made this way.
I didn't even know you could hack oatmeal... what will those kids think of next.
Could you tell me how you know that?
Top with brewer’s yeast..
Does baking it take away the sliminess? I can’t eat oatmeal or cream of wheat, etc., because of the goo. Baked might be the way to go.
You can add some flour (1/2 cup) and it then is more cake like.
All oats have roundup. We eat organic amaranth instead.
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