DO NOT USE Oats For Weight Loss ( How to eat Oatmeal? )

• Contrary to popular belief, oats for serious weight loss is not the way to go.

• By eating oats every morning you could be sabotaging your further weight loss efforts.

• Find out all about oats, how to prepare oats healthily, and which alternatives you should rather be eating for weight loss and better health.

If you are eating oats for weight loss, they are definitely the first step towards better health but if you want to take step 2 you should not eat oats, especially for breakfast. This may shock you because aside from a few recipes that use oats for the other meal times, oats are considered a breakfast food.

Are Oats Healthy?

Oats can form part of a healthy diet because they contain fiber and they are certainly better than wheat. But in general, grains are lacking in nutrition. There are far healthier foods that are better for you than grains, including oats. Grains should be limited in the diet, even gluten-free grains. You do not need to cut them out completely, however, they should just be eaten occasionally.

With all the experts having various opinions on using oats for weight loss and some people even saying that you should follow the oats or oatmeal diet, let’s see what the science really says.

Problems With Eating Oats For Weight Loss

1. Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates (carbs) raise your blood sugar levels. Not just sugar which is also purely carbs, but carbs in the form of grains and starchy vegetables too. Per cup of cooked oats, there is 27 g of carbs (or about 66%). Although oats contain fiber which will slow down the rate of absorption of the carbs, you will still spike your blood sugar which causes your insulin levels to be raised.

If you add sugar, or even honey (although honey is not as bad as sugar), the effect is even worse, just as it would be if you added fruit. Some people may find that they get hungry sooner which will make them overeat or become hungry. Insulin sensitivity is important for weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight, unstable blood sugar levels can cause insulin resistance over time.

If you do want to eat oats in the morning, make sure you choose whole oats as steel cut, quick, and instant oats are highly processed.

2. Poor Source Of Protein (Vegetarians Vs. Non-Vegetarians)

For many vegetarians and vegans, oats are a way to get protein, but they are a cheap source of protein and should only be eaten every once in a while. Those on a more plant-based diet should rather get their protein from soaked seeds and sprouts.

To give you an idea, here is the protein content of oats, seeds, and sprouts:

• Dry whole oats per ½ cup have 6.75 g of protein

• Chia seeds per ounce (28 g) have 4.4 g of protein

• Flaxseeds per ounce have 5.1 g of protein

• Pumpkin seeds per ounce have 5.2 g of protein

• Sesame seeds per ounce have 5 g of protein

• Bean sprouts per cup have 5.3 g of protein

Note that in terms of eating seeds and sprouts, 28 g might be too much to eat in one sitting while a ½ cup of dry oats when cooked is a little easier to manage. But it is not just the protein content but the overall nutrition profile of foods that you should take into account.

For Vegetarians/Vegans:

Chia seed pudding is a much better option. Soaking ½ to ¾ cup of chia seeds in 2-3 cups of almond or coconut milk for a few hours and using honey, maple syrup, stevia, or xylitol to sweeten it is delicious and nutritious. You can add some raw cacao or even some fruits for different flavors.

Non-Vegetarians:

You really do not need to eat oats in the morning at all since you will get your protein from your meat intake as well as incomplete proteins (missing one or more essential amino acids) from your plant foods. Eggs are the best in the morning, eggs with vegetables, eggs with salad, eggs with sprouts, you can even eat some bacon. Do not be afraid of eating full-fat foods for weight loss.If you are serious about taking your health to a higher level stop eating oats.

3. Anti-Nutrients

Oats, like all whole grains, contain phytates. These phytates prevent the absorption of nutrients like iron, zinc, and calcium. Oats should be soaked prior to eating it which will remove most of the phytate content. Preparing and cooking all foods should be done with the goal in mind to primarily feed our bodies nutrients and how to make the food taste good. The way you cook matters.

How To Eat Oats

 

When you do eat oats, they should be eaten in the correct way. Timing matters as does how you use the oats. Soak oats for 8-24 hours before cooking them to get rid of the anti-nutrients. Then you can cook them and add helpful ingredients for flavor and health. Here are my favorite oats recipes for weight loss:

 

Breakfast Oats

 

 

Ingredients:

 

½ cup soaked whole oats

1tsp chia seeds 1tsp flaxseed meal Some raw honey to taste 1½ cup of coconut or almond milk.

 

Method:

 

• Put all the ingredients in a jar.

• Put the jar and store it in the fridge overnight and eat it in the morning. The texture will be soft so you don’t need to worry about cooking it.

• You can sprinkle some cinnamon on the porridge if you would like for flavor. Cinnamon also helps to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

 

 

Note: If you prefer cooked oats, put all the ingredients minus the oats in the fridge overnight, then cook your oats and add the contents from the jar as a topping. You can just also cook the oats in the milk and then add soaked chia seeds and flaxseed meal. Whole oats can take long to cook so if you want to you can cook your oats and then store them in the fridge for the next day.

 

 

 

This is a very balanced breakfast, you will have fat from the milk, fiber from the flax and chia seeds, you will also get fiber from them. Raw honey is great for boosting your immune system and is delicious. You will be eating 60% proteins and fats and 30% of carbs, so this will prevent your blood sugar from spiking.

 

 

Oats Soup

 

Use oats, coconut or almond milk, seeds of your choice, and spinach and make a delicious and creamy soup out of the ingredients that can be eaten for lunch.

 

Please share your weight loss stories with us and feel free to ask any questions. Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel for videos on health and weight loss.

Summary:

• Oats can form part of a healthy diet but should not be eaten regularly and especially not for weight loss.

• Eating carbohydrate-rich breakfast is not good for your blood sugar levels and can set you up for overeating later or becoming hungry. It also puts you at a higher risk of developing insulin resistance.

• Oats are a poor source of protein, better options are eggs, sprouts, and seeds.

• Oats contain anti-nutrients and need to be soaked for 8-24 hours before cooking to get rid of them.

• Eggs are a much better option for breakfast for those able to eat them. Chia seed pudding is a healthy alternative for those who are on a strict plant-based diet.