There are several reasons why oatmeal is a good food to eat while on a diet. In addition to being packed with fiber, the nutrients can improve health and accelerate weight loss. Oatmeal is also the best source of resistant starch which can suppress appetite and speed up calorie burning.
Whether consumed raw or cooked first, oatmeal made from wheat can promote ideal weight loss. However, the way you serve oatmeal has a big impact on the benefits it can provide. You should avoid fatty and sweet toppings if you want to eat oatmeal for weight loss.
Here’s how to eat oatmeal right on a diet:
1.Avoid Sweet and Instant Oatmeal
Try to always choose plain oatmeal without added flavor. Packaged oatmeal with added flavor usually contains sugar, which can add unwanted calories and decrease its nutritional value. A cup of flavored oatmeal has about 70 more calories than a cup of plain oatmeal.
2. Eat As a Snack
The oats in oatmeal are rich in fiber which takes a long time to digest, so they can keep you full longer. This makes oatmeal not only a healthy breakfast menu, but also a good snack choice.
Mixing oatmeal with other filling ingredients, such as nuts and seeds can be a healthy snack option as a substitute for sweet or fried snacks.
3.Add Fiber Rich Topping
The main nutrient for weight loss is fiber. According to research by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, fiber helps with weight loss by making you feel full longer, so you are less tempted to overeat.
If you like sweet foods, you can add berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries to your oatmeal bowl. Berries help satisfy your cravings for sweets and the fiber content in them makes your oatmeal healthier.
4.Don’t Add Fatty Topping
Adding honey or maple syrup only provides more calories and reduces the nutritional value of oatmeal. Instead, you can add a banana or a drop of stevia (a natural, calorie-free sweetener to satisfy your sweet cravings.
Also avoid adding peanut butter to your oatmeal. Because, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter has 188 calories with little nutritional value. Replace milk with water to make oatmeal healthier to help your weight loss program.
Tips for Processing Oatmeal for Weight Loss
One of the advantages of oatmeal is that this food can be processed in various ways according to what you want.
For example, you can add different toppings and textures so you don’t get bored with oatmeal for breakfast. You can add almond milk, unsweetened banana puree, and cinnamon for a more delicious and healthy taste. You can also add different seasonings, like cardamom or even cayenne pepper for added flavour.
Another way to make oatmeal tastier is to add 1-2 egg whites when cooking oatmeal. Egg whites don’t add flavor, but they can at least add the beneficial protein you need to lose weight.
According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, along with fiber, protein is also important and is the key to losing those extra pounds. Foods rich in protein and fiber help burn more calories during digestion and keep you fuller for longer.
Not only that, you can also add oatmeal to your pancake dish, or make an oatmeal smoothie, or mix it into protein milk.