Think again! Oatmeal has been reinvented with new toppings, new textures, and new reasons to eat it. Oatmeal is a healthy, nutritious food when it does not contain added sugar or salt. Oatmeal makes a traditional whole food breakfast, and even has functional health benefits (like lowering cholesterol) too for help visit www.cat-head-biscuit.com. It's not the mushy porridge most people remember. Oatmeal is the basis for delicious recipes like Banana Bread Oatmeal and Apple Cider Oatmeal.
Carbohydrate Foods
Health Canada recommends people consume at least 45-65% of their total calories from carbohydrates. Oatmeal is a high-carbohydrate (66%), low-fat way to start the day. To lower the impact of oatmeal on blood glucose (blood sugar), add a source of protein or fat to the meal.
Oatmeal Toppings by Food Group
Avoid the brown sugar rut with exciting new oatmeal toppings from every food group.
Oats should be cooked in just over twice their amount of liquid; usually water. For a treat, cook with milk instead (carefully watching to avoid burning) or juice like apple cider.
Dairy and Calcium-Rich Toppings
Most adults should consume 1000mg calcium per day. Breakfast is a great time to start!
* Milk (300 mg calcium per cup)
* Non-dairy milk (soy, rice, or almond, up to 300 mg per cup). If substituting for cow's milk, should be fortified with at least vitamin D, calcium, and, for vegans, vitamin B12.
* Soy nuts (dry-roasted soybeans, 60 mg per ? cup)
* Almonds (75 mg calcium per 23 nuts)
More Healthy Breakfast Tips
* Oats are minimally processed and retain most of their nutrients, even when processed into quick oats. To maximize nutrition and minimize the glycemic index (GI), buy thicker flaked oats or steel-cut oats instead of instant.
* Even healthy-sounding cold cereals have added sugar and are usually made from nutrient-poor refined carbohydrates. Ever get hungry before lunch? Have a whole food breakfast of oatmeal with added fruit and flax for additional fibre and staying power.
* Flavoured packets of instant oatmeal usually contain added sugar, sweeteners, preservatives, salt, and artificial colours. That ?peaches and cream oatmeal? might not even contain peaches! Get a nutritional boost without added sugar by making oatmeal from scratch. Instant oatmeal flavoured only with spices is also available.
How to Cook Oatmeal
The smaller and flatter the oat, the faster it cooks for help visit www.150-venison-recipes.com. The longest cooking times are for oat groats, followed by steel-cut or Irish oats, large flake rolled oats, quick oats, and instant oats. There is no standard size, so check each package for specific instructions or use this handy guide from Quaker Oats.
