13 Healthy Oatmeal Recipes That Will Fuel You For Hours (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to oatmeal for energy? ›

Go one step further and mix oats with peanut or almond butter, yogurt, or chia seeds to get more protein in your diet. Think of it as a quick, easy way to fuel your body in the morning or before a workout and boost your nutrient intake.

Fresh fruit will add fiber, vitamins, minerals and some sweetness to your oatmeal. Fruit's fat-soluble vitamins like A, E and K will best absorb if you add in a fat source like nuts, which will also add extra fiber and protein.

"Try making the oatmeal with milk instead of only water, mix in some nut butter, and top with fresh or frozen berries and nuts," says Nikolakopoulos. "These add protein, calcium, vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy fats, turning a simple bowl of oatmeal into a complete meal."

High-sugar toppings like chocolate, syrup, and dried fruit

As Best points out, "some of the worst ingredients that are mistakenly added to healthy overnight oat recipes include chocolate sauce, sugar, syrup, and dried fruit."

Rolled oats: These take longer to digest, so waiting 1-2 hours before working out is recommended. Quick oats: These digest faster, allowing you to exercise after 30-60 minutes. Instant oats: These digest very quickly, making them less ideal for pre-workout fuel.

Compare 100 calories of baked potato to 100 calories of oatmeal, and you find a bit less protein (3 grams vs. 4), a bit more starch (18 grams vs. 16) and a similar mineral profile (potatoes have more potassium, but oats have more selenium). But potatoes beat out oats in just about every vitamin, as well as fiber.

Oatmeal is good for your gut.

Oats are a prebiotic food and the beta-glucan fiber helps feed the good bacteria. The fiber helps to keep you full for hours by slowing down digestion AND contributes to keeping bowel movements regular. A healthy gut decreases the risk for disease and inflammation.

5. A Bowl of Oatmeal May Help Reduce Belly Fat. Another win for oatmeal's soluble fiber: It may help reduce visceral fat, the type of fat in your midsection that hugs your organs and raises your risk of heart disease and stroke — even if your body mass index is deemed normal, notes the AHA.

How to use oats to lose belly fat? ›

If you want to lose weight, you can include oats water in your diet as it helps in reducing belly fat rapidly. Oats water is rich in fibre, which keeps the stomach full for a long time. Consuming oats water on an empty stomach in the morning controls appetite, which helps in weight loss in longer run.

To follow this 7-day diet, people start off with eating just oatmeal for all three meals of the day for the first two days, followed by eating oatmeal for at least two meals of the day for the next two days. Finally, dieters consume oatmeal for just one meal of the day for the remaining three days.

Simple tip #1: Make oatmeal with milk (or a non-dairy alternative) versus water. Not only does oatmeal made with water taste way less delicious, but you're also missing out on the extra protein staying power that milk will add to the breakfast. Water will also make the oats more gummy instead of creamy.

Add different spices, such as nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or cloves. Add different sweeteners, such as honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar. Top your oatmeal with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or fresh fruit. Add a dollop of yogurt or Greek yogurt to your oatmeal for extra creaminess and protein.

Dried fruit like mulberries, goji berries, jujube, and dates lend chewy texture in addition to fruity flavor. Top with nuts and seeds for an extra crunchy, extra hearty bowl of oats. We like hemp seeds, toasted sesame seeds, pepitas, chia seeds, and toasted coconut.

Berries, nuts, oats, granola, seeds, honey, apples, papaya, mango, coconut, and over a dozen other fruits can make breakfast an enjoyable and satisfying way to start your day.

Diets that contain a variety of fresh, nutrient-rich foods can help reduce feelings of fatigue. Such foods include kale, oats, and watermelon, among others. However, some processed foods — such as white bread and baked goods — can worsen fatigue in some people.

Oatmeal is nutritionally rich. It has more protein than most grains and also contains numerous vitamins and minerals. It contains antioxidants and a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which aids several systems of the body. The beta-glucan soluble fiber promotes regular emptying of the bowel and prevents constipation.