There’s no doubt that oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfast options out there since it is low in calories, rich in beta-glucan (a type of soluble fiber), protein, and a host of other essential trace minerals like copper, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium, folate, etc. Though oatmeal has carb content, those are complex carbs that do not spike insulin and raise blood sugar levels. It’s also gluten free and rich in antioxidants. That’s a whole lot of nutrients packed in a simple bowl of oatmeal, which may look boring, but a great meal option if you are trying to lose weight. There are so many health benefits attached to oatmeal, but then, one needs to acquire a taste for it since most people feel it’s a bland food and an absolutely tasteless breakfast option to make it a staple in their diet. But as we have mentioned earlier, if you want to lose weight, you got to make oatmeal a staple in your diet, but be cautious, because these 8 mistakes with oatmeal can make you actually fat and stall the weight loss process.

Benefits of Eating Oatmeal Daily:

Oatmeal, with the scientific name Avena sativa, comes in rolled, steamed, and instant varieties and is a popular breakfast in a majority of western countries. Oatmeal has the ability to absorb liquid and with its high fiber content (beta glucan) keeps your tummy full for a longer period of time; you would not feel the need to snack often, which will help you from piling on unwanted calories through the day. Studies have revealed that people who eat hot cooked oatmeal for breakfast feel fuller for longer and do not crave for food during the course of the day.

Nutrient Information of Oatmeal:

In terms of nutritional value, one cup of oatmeal has just 300 calories and 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 8 grams of fiber and 0.8 gram of natural sugar. Oatmeal is rich in fiber which helps you feel fuller for a long period of time which will in turn help you control over snacking and binging. Now, regarding the fat percentage in oats, it mainly differs on the type of oats you consume. Whole oats contain more fat than most other grains, ranging from 5-9%. It consists mostly of unsaturated fatty acids. Pure oats are gluten free.

8 Mistakes with Oatmeal that Make you Fat?

Knowing the right way to eat oatmeal can save you from piling on extra calories. Not many people like the taste of oats and yet they forcibly incorporate them in the diet to lose weight, albeit, with a lot of tweaking and adding unnecessary toppings that take oatmeal from being a healthy food to a calorie-dense treat. If you eat it the wrong way, oatmeal can lose all its glory in the weight loss circles. Here are 8 Mistakes with Oatmeal that Make you Fat.

1. Flavoured oats are not the same as regular oats: This is the most wrong way to eat oats and that too on a regular basis. Avoid instant oats as they often come loaded with sugar which adds calories without boosting the oats’ nutritional value. Always pick plain oats without added flavours or taste enhancers. These oats claim to add flavour and taste to oats, but they come loaded with artificial sugar, condiments, sugar, vegetable oil, transfat, and various flavour enhancers. If you are eating flavoured oats on a daily basis, you are bound to become overweight in a short period of time.

2. Are you Overeating this Healthy Food? Yes, there’s no argument that oats are absolutely healthy, but they still have calories, around 300 calories in a single cup. If you eat oats without practicing portion control, the calories are bound to add and take your weight up. It’s important to count the calories of every food item, even though they may seem extremely healthy – to maintain calorie deficit and lose weight effectively.

3. You can take Oats from a Healthy Breakfast to a High-Calorie Treat This way: Are there are too many high-calorie toppings in your bowl of breakfast oatmeal? You should eat oats with fiber and vitamin-rich toppings. This will help you to lose weight. Fiber helps keep you full, so you’re less likely to overeat, and simply adding more fibers to your diet is one of the simplest ways to shed extra calories. Avoid fatty toppings like peanut butter in order to keep the calorie intake low. Consider strawberries, Greek yogurt, sliced apples, kiwi, oranges to add flavour to the oats. If you want a bit of sweetness, you can add 1 tbsp of honey, but skip sugary syrups, candied fruits, date syrup to spike up the sweetness. Some people even add choco chips to their bowl of oatmeal!

4. Eating only oats as breakfast? Though oats are quite filling, to make it a wholesome meal and help you motor through the day, eat boiled eggs or any other protein source on the side. A protein and fiber-rich breakfast will keep your cravings away and help you with mindful eating.

4. Instant Oats vs Rolled Oats and Steel-Cut Oats: Instant oats are the most processed version of oats which is easy to cook compared to rolled oats or steel-cut oats. All three retain their nutritional value but instant oats spikes up blood sugar levels and that’s not good for someone who is trying to lose weight. Rolled oats and steel-cut oats take their own sweet time to cook, but they do not spike up insulin levels and take a longer time to get digested. Switch to rolled oats if you find the texture of steel-cut ones too coarse and hard. That’s the reason why Rati Beauty weight loss programs promotes using rolled oats in their recipes.

5. Say no to Oats with Dehydrated Fruits: Some boxes of oats have artificial sugars, dehydrated fruits that are rich in white sugar, not a good way to start your day with!
6. Why add Sugar? We are completely against the idea of cooking oatmeal with refined sugar to make it sweet. What’s the purpose of oatmeal when it spikes up blood sugar and triggers creation of new fat cells with its sugar content?
7. You are adding low-fat or fat-free milk: When fat content is ripped from food, it usually makes it bland and tasteless. To appeal to the tastebuds of consumers, companies add stuff like heaps of sugar, refined carbs, salt, emulsifiers, and thickeners which add high amount of calories to the body. Such a tendency defeats the whole purpose where one is actually going “low fat” to lose weight. Whole fat milk is much better than skimmed milk or low-fat milk if you are thinking about weight loss. Good fats help the body absorb essential vitamins which are all needed for good health and weight loss in general. Fat is needed to help build cellular membranes and in the production of hormones. If there is an imbalance in hormones, disorders such as PCOD and hypothyroidism will make it much more difficult to lose weight.

8. You are adding artificial sweetener: Artificial sweeteners are counted as added sugars and offer little nutritional value and are just as bad as white table sugar. Add fresh fruits or banana puree to add sweetness to that bowl of oats and shun white sugar completely to lose weight.

To sum up, oatmeal is termed as an extremely nutritious food which is rich in fiber, protein, and minerals, it’s one of the best options for a healthy breakfast, but keep in mind, you need to eat it the right way, to stop putting on weight. In order to maximize the benefits of this weight-loss-friendly meal, have it in the ways that we have mentioned already. This will not only keep you fuller for long but will also give the required nutritional benefits that are so essential for good health.

The post 8 Mistakes with Oatmeal that Make you Fat appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.