Clean Eating Gingerbread Oatmeal Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest way to eat oatmeal? ›

The bottom line

Adding nutritious toppings to oatmeal can boost its flavor and contribute to its health benefits. Try adding fruit for sweetness, veggies or eggs for a savory twist, or sources of protein and fat to make it a balanced meal.

Greek yogurt – try a dollop on top or my Greek yogurt oatmeal. Nuts and seeds – add almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and/or flaxseed to your oats for some crunch and a touch of protein. Nut or seed butter – top your oats with almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter.

Whatever you do, steer clear of the worst offenders: dried fruit with added sugars, like Craisins or dried pineapple. "These are almost always made with added sugar, if not also an artificial sweetener, says Pennsylvania-based RD Gina Consalvo. "Always choose a fresh fruit instead." Need hard proof?

Oats contain fiber. Eating a diet high in fiber, such as 3.6 grams of oats daily, reduces the risk for heart disease. High cholesterol. Eating oats, oat bran, and other soluble fibers can somewhat reduce total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol when consumed as part of a diet low in saturated fat.

Complex carbs are still carbs, and they can lead to a blood sugar spike if you don't balance them out with other macronutrients. (Think protein and fat.) Plus, certain oat products, like instant oats, contain less fiber and protein than other varieties, and may contribute to an even greater sugar spike.

Can you put stevia in oatmeal? ›

In a saucepan, combine milk and Splenda Stevia Sweetener; bring to a boil. Add oats and simmer for about 5 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in vanilla extract, cinnamon, bananas, and walnuts. Allow to sit for 1 minute before serving.

Try Greek yogurt, which has about 13 grams of protein per cup or peanut butter, which also packs in fiber and healthy fats. Consider adding a couple of hardboiled eggs on the side or mixing them in while you're cooking, which adds extra protein without tasting funky.

As far as plain oats go there isn't one kind that's healthier than the other. "It's a common misconception that one type of oat is healthier than another," says Rizzo. "They are all actually identical in terms of their nutrition. The difference is how they are rolled and cut."

Think Beyond Water. For a boost of calcium and creamy flavor, make oatmeal with low-fat milk or plant-based milk instead of water. Or try making it with apple cider instead for a boost of flavor. The ratio of liquid to oats stays the same, so you can easily make this switch.

Cooked oats might be easier to digest for some, as cooking helps break down the starch they contain. However, neither way to eat oats is better or worse. How you choose to eat them—either raw or cooked—comes down to personal preference.

Milk is rich in fats, calcium, and Vitamin D that complements the nutrients in oats. Thus oats cooked in milk have benefits over oats cooked in water. Milk has fats, calcium, and Vitamin D that is normally absent in processed oats. Apart from adding a flavour, it also helps in keeping your muscles and bones healthy.

There is no particular time to eat oats. You can consume the oats at lunch and dinner too. This cereal, however, is consumed in breakfast mostly. It contains fiber, magnesium, complex carbohydrates, etc, which help in keeping your tummy full for a longer time, thus, reducing overeating.

Raw oats are nutritious and safe to eat. As they're high in the soluble fiber beta-glucan, they may aid weight loss and improve your blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and heart and gut health. They're also easy to add to your diet. Just remember to soak them first to enhance digestibility and nutrient absorption.