When life gets busy, eating oats is such a simple yet nutritious way to fuel your body, plus there are many health benefits of eating oats. I grew up having oatmeal for breakfast almost every day, as it was a healthy yet budget friendly breakfast that keeps you feeling satiated, especially if you eat a warm oatmeal porridge mixed with chia seeds for a balance of healthy fats and protein.
My parents also grew up eating oatmeal, and I now carry on this tradition with my own daughter, as oats for breakfast are super quick and easy and way better than processed cereals. I primarily use oats to make a warm oatmeal breakfast or to make my homemade granola, served with yogurt and fresh or frozen berries.
While there are many different types of oats, including quick oats, rolled oats, and steel cut oats, I personally switch between quick and rolled oats. If I don’t have much time in the morning, I will use quick oats, which cook faster, but if I want a more wholesome oatmeal, I will use rolled oats.
If you have busy mornings or simply want a healthy breakfast, oats are a great option. They are much healthier than any breakfast cereal, as they are whole foods packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals to nourish your body.
Oats Are Rich In Vitamins & Minerals
According to Cronometer (a fantastic app for tracking your nutritional and macronutrient intake), 1 cup of dry rolled oats contains:
Macros
- Calories: 307
- Protein: 11 g
- Total Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Fat: 5 g
Top 5 Vitamins
• Thiamine (B1)
• Folate
• Pantothenic Acid (B5)
• Riboflavin (B2)
• Choline
Top 5 Minerals
• Manganese
• Molybdenum
• Phosphorus
• Selenium
• Magnesium
Oats To Support Healthy Energy Levels
Oats are an excellent breakfast food because they provide B vitamins and magnesium, which are key nutrients involved in cellular energy production. B vitamins help convert the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins you eat into usable energy, while magnesium is required for the production and function of ATP, the body’s primary source of cellular energy. Since oats naturally contain these important nutrients, they are a nutritious breakfast choice for supporting healthy energy levels throughout the day.
Oats For Cholesterol
Oats contain beta glucans, a type of soluble fiber that forms a gel in the digestive tract and helps bind bile acids and cholesterol. As more bile acids are excreted in the stool, the liver must use cholesterol from the bloodstream to produce new bile acids. In a clinical trial, consuming oats daily for 45 days reduced total cholesterol by 8.7% and LDL cholesterol by 9.1%, highlighting the heart healthy benefits of this nutritious whole grain.
A scientific review examining the cholesterol lowering effects of oat beta glucan found that consuming at least 3 grams daily can reduce total cholesterol by approximately 5% and LDL cholesterol by approximately 7%. The authors concluded that there is strong evidence supporting the role of oat beta glucans in promoting healthy cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health.
Oats For Gut Health
One of the benefits of oats is their ability to support a healthy gut microbiome. Oats are rich in prebiotic fiber that helps feed beneficial gut bacteria. As these fibers are fermented in the colon, they produce short chain fatty acids such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate.
Butyrate is particularly important because it serves as a primary fuel source for the cells lining the colon and helps to support the integrity of the gut barrier and overall digestive health. Research also suggests that oat beta glucans may help support intestinal barrier integrity. In a rat study, oat beta glucan supplementation increased the expression of proteins involved in maintaining the intestinal barrier.
Oats For Blood Sugar Balance
Oats may help support healthy blood sugar balance, insulin levels, and cholesterol levels thanks to their rich fiber content. A large review of 14 clinical studies found that regularly eating oats was associated with improvements in fasting blood sugar, fasting insulin, long term markers of blood sugar control, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol. Oatmeal also helped reduce blood sugar and insulin spikes after meals compared to control foods.
One interesting finding was that whole oat products appeared to be more beneficial than isolated beta glucan supplements. Researchers suggested this may be because oats contain a combination of fiber, beta glucans, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant compounds that work together to support metabolic and cardiovascular health.
One of the reasons I love oats is that they are budget friendly, especially when compared to many breakfast cereals. I use oats in all kinds of recipes, including granola, warm oatmeal with chia seeds, pancakes, bliss balls, smoothies, and even homemade oat flour. Making your own oat flour is incredibly easy. Simply blend rolled oats in a high speed blender until a fine flour forms.
With grocery costs continuing to rise, I find it most economical to buy oats in bulk if you use them regularly, as I do. Costco is a fantastic place to find large bags of gluten free oats, but I have also found large bags of rolled oats at my local grocery store that are much more affordable per kilogram than the smaller packages.
Oats are among the most affordable whole grains and are incredibly easy to incorporate into a healthy diet thanks to their versatility. They are one of my essential pantry staples, as they are eaten almost daily in my household.
Ways to Use Oats and Oatmeal Recipes
Healthy Granola Recipes
One of my favorite ways to use oats is in homemade granola recipes. I like to make large batches of homemade granola with various nuts and seeds, so I always have a quick and healthy breakfast on hand. I enjoy serving homemade granola with plain yogurt and applesauce, fresh fruit, or frozen berries such as blueberries for a nutritious breakfast that comes together in just a few minutes. My daughter especially loves granola with yogurt and often requests it daily for breakfast.
These are some of my favorite oil-free granola recipes made with oats . Check out this round up for granola recipe ideas using oats.
Healthy Oatmeal Recipe
I often don’t like to eat a large breakfast right away, but if I have a busy morning where I will be working out of the house, I like to fill up on a warm oatmeal porridge as I find it satisfies me and keeps me full for hours without weighing me down first thing in the morning.
This healthy oatmeal recipe is one of my favorites because it combines oats with chia seeds and hemp hearts for a balanced breakfast that is rich in fiber, healthy fats, and plant based protein.
Oat Flax Bread
Another one of my favorite ways to use oats is to make homemade oatmeal flax bread which is perfect for breakfast or snacks. I love topping a toasted slice with almond butter or peanut butter with honey! My little girls loves this bread just plain as well.
Black Bean Protein Balls With Oats
I also use oats to make these chocoalte black bean balls that are packed with healthy fats for an energy dense snack that satisfies a chocolate craving. Made with oats, nuts, seeds, and cacao powder, they are naturally sweetened and make a convenient grab and go snack. I often keep a batch in the fridge for busy days when I need a quick snack between meals or want a healthier alternative to store bought treats.
Spinach Banana Pancakes
Another favorite recipe that uses oats is my spinach banana pancakes, which use oats as the base instead of traditional flour. These naturally sweet pancakes are a great way to incorporate more greens into your diet and are a hit with both kids and adults. I love serving them with fresh fruit, yogurt, or a drizzle of maple syrup for a nourishing breakfast rich in fiber and made with wholesome ingredients.
Oatmeal Protein Pancakes
These oatmeal protein pancakes are a hearty, high-protein breakfast made with blended rolled oats, eggs, and vanilla protein powder. Naturally high in fiber, they’re easy to meal prep and make a wholesome breakfast the whole family will love.
Whether you enjoy oats as a warm bowl of oatmeal, in homemade granola, pancakes, bread, or healthy snacks, they are a versatile whole grain you can add to your diet. Oats provide important vitamins and minerals that support energy production, prebiotic fibers that help nourish beneficial gut bacteria, and beta glucans that have been shown to support healthy cholesterol levels.
Beyond their impressive nutritional profile, oats are affordable, easy to prepare, and can be incorporated into countless recipes. If you are looking for a simple way to add more fiber and whole foods to your diet, oats are an excellent place to start. Their combination of nutrition, versatility, and health benefits is one of the reasons they have remained a staple food for generations and continue to be one of my pantry staples.
Chia seeds are one of my favorite foods to pair with oats because they provide fiber, healthy fats, and plant based protein. If you want to learn more, check out my article on the health benefits of chia seeds.
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8697019
https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article-abstract/69/6/299/1815168
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