Oatmeal is a nutritious, inexpensive and versatile way to incorporate whole grains into your diet and help you start your morning off right.
Oats contain a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which lowers blood glucose and cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Beta-glucan also promotes healthy gut health.
Eating oatmeal regularly can have weight-management benefits, too. A half cup of rolled oats cooked in 1 cup of water has 165 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.
Oats' fiber and protein contribute to feeling full longer and slowing the release of blood glucose. They're also an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, copper, thiamine and zinc.
Kinds of oats
Steel-cut: Whole oat kernels are cut into pieces with steel disks. Because these oats are the least processed, they contain the highest amount of fiber. Steel-cut oats take longer to cook, resulting in a creamy and chewy porridge. They also can be made in a slow cooker.
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Rolled: These oats are rolled flat to make them easier to cook. Most of the bran is removed, so they have slightly less fiber than steel-cut oats but take less time to cook.
Quick: This variation of rolled oats is rolled thinner and cut into small pieces, so they cook even faster.
Instant: These are the oats found in single-serve packets. They're typically flavored and can be added to hot water or cooked in the microwave for a few minutes. While instant oats cook the fastest, they usually have more added sugar and less fiber than other oats.
Taking oats to the next level
Oats have a nice flavor on their own, but if you're tired of plain oatmeal, here are a few ideas to try:
Baked oatmeal is almost cake-like and is a great way to make a week's worth of breakfasts in one batch.To make your morning smoothie more filling, put ¼ to ½ cup rolled oats in a blender and grind until fine and then stir into your smoothie.Overnight oats are made with rolled or quick oats mixed with some type of milk and yogurt, then refrigerated overnight. In the morning, you'll have a cool, creamy oatmeal mixture to eat with fruit or add to a smoothie.
You also can play with flavors and add-ins that increase protein and soluble fiber. Try adding these options to your oatmeal:
Chopped dates, dried cranberries or applesauce.Cocoa powder, a ripe banana and a couple of drops of vanilla extract.Peanut butter and a few drops of vanilla.Pinch of pumpkin pie spice.Roasted pumpkin seeds and a swirl of nut butter or a dollop of Greek yogurt.Sprinkle of chia seeds or ground flax.Unsweetened coconut, chopped cashews or sliced almonds. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
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