Oatmeal...The Perfect Start to Any Day

Whenever I'm asked "what's your favorite food?" I always say oatmeal or bananas, or the combination of the two. People almost always look at me with some crazy look of astonishment, not about the banana part, but about how oatmeal could possibly be one of my favorite foods. I have my reasons.  

I could argue that oatmeal may be the healthiest food on the planet. Lowly oatmeal? You'd think it'd be beat out by health food powerhouses like salmon, acai, almonds, quinoa, or kale -- just to name a few. Not so fast. In it's natural form (Quaker oats barrel style, not that pre-packed, sugar-laden, processed excuse for oatmeal) oatmeal is as healthy as it gets. Here are a few of the reasons why oatmeal tops my list of go-to foods: 

Health. (We're talking about 100% natural Quaker oats, nothing packaged that has preservatives, additives, or sugar added.)

1. It's a slow-digesting, complex carb that's loaded with fiber. That translates into long-lasting sustained energy and curbed hunger cravings. Oatmeal is literally the perfect breakfast food to start any day. 
• It's also a great pre-workout food
2. The high fiber content promotes digestive health, fights cancer, and cleans out toxins from the body. 
• It reduces LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)
• Prevents/helps relieve constipation
• The phytochemicals in the oats actively fight cancer
3. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and keeps insulin from spiking. Low insulin levels are the key to losing body fat and sculpting a flat belly. For anyone looking to shred body fat and get cut abdominals, meet your new best friend. 
• This is extremely beneficial for diabetics who are looking to control blood sugar levels.
4. It only has 150 calories per half cup. Oatmeal is extremely filling for a food with so few calories.
5. Good source of protein. Oatmeal alone has 5g of protein, and if you cook it with milk it adds about 6g of protein per half cup. That's 11g of protein for a carb. The milk also adds calcium and vitamin D.
6. It has no sugar or refined carbs. See my bullet point about insulin levels.
7. Helps protect against heart disease
8. Sodium free
9. Good source of vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, magnesium, and manganese.
10. It's only ingredient is oats. That means no preservatives, chemicals, added sugar, or artificial sweeteners.

Quick and easy to make. Dump some oatmeal and milk/water in a bowl, pop it in the microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds, add your toppings, and enjoy. It takes all of 2 minutes to make.

Versatility.

I'll admit oatmeal is pretty bland and boring when it's made with water, but the beauty of oatmeal comes from it's versatility. On it's own oatmeal is incredibly healthy, but add a few all-natural toppings and you can step up it's game to an entirely new level. Here are a few ideas to pump up your oatmeal.

1. Add milk to everything.  This is the foundation of oatmeal art. Making oatmeal with milk instead of water makes a world of difference. If you want richer oatmeal use 1 or 2% milk, but skim milk should do the trick just fine.
2. Add cinnamon to everything.Cinnamon is perfect. It adds a great flavor, but also has robust health benefits. Cinnamon is one of the most powerful antioxidants, it regulates blood sugar levels and insulin (back to the fat burning factor), and can actually boost metabolism.
3. Bananas and cinnamon. Ahhhhhh...my go to meal. The bananas add potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, and additional fiber. Not to mention they taste delicious. 
4. Apples and cinnamon. Try this If you're a fan of Apple Cinnamon Cheerios. Keep the skin on the apples, you'll triple the fiber intake.
5. If you like sweetness try adding a little bit of raw honey or natural maple syrup. No Aunt Jamima, I'm talking about maple syrup straight out of the tree. Honey in it's raw form is a natural antioxidant that can help ward off disease. Make sure you check ingredient labels and packaging to ensure both of these are all natural with no added sugar or chemicals.
6. Berries. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are all a great source of antioxidants, vitamin K, vitamin C, and fiber. Try out different combinations to find your ideal flavor.
7. Ground Up Flaxseeds. Flaxseeds are an amazing source of omega-3 fatty acids--fat's that improve cholesterol ratios and overall heart health. They're also high in antioxidants to help fight nasty free radicals.
8. Yogurt and fruit. Like strawberries and cream? Yogurt adds a nice sweetness and creaminess to oatmeal. Make sure you're choosing a healthy yogurt brand. Also, using greek yogurt bumps up the protein content significantly
9. Oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins. I'm not a huge fan of raisins because they have unusually high sugar content (dried fruit has more sugar and less nutrients than fresh fruit), but there are so few raisins in this mixture that the added sugar is negligible. Some people swear by cinnamon raisin, try it out.
10. Peanut butter. Contributes loads of healthy fats, and also adds thickness.
11. Nuts. Mixing in peanuts, walnuts, almonds, or cashews adds healthy fats and a nice crunch.
12. Shredded coconut and almonds. Aka "Almond Joy" oatmeal. The almonds add healthy fats. Coconut contains a healthy type of saturated fat called lauric acid which has been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), while keeping LDL levels neutral. This is a tasty alternative that's loaded with a variety of healthy fats--key to proper heart health.

If anyone else has any other great oatmeal recipes they'd like to share please post them! Oatmeal is great because you can be so creative with it. Be healthy, and have fun doing it.