So, you are wondering how to incorporate oats in your meals!!

We hear you.

Gear up for the power-packed nutritious ride that has the power to boost your day.

The popularity of oats is on the rise now owing to its affordability and perceived health benefits. A comforting bowl of oatmeal is nutritious to begin your day with.

Fiber is an oatmeal’s main health attribute. Unlike wheat and most other grains, oats contain large amounts of a specific type of fiber called beta-glucan. It helps to slow down food processing and absorption in ways that promote fullness.

Folks looking to keep themselves full while shedding extra weight alongside can consider incorporating overnight oats in their breakfast.

Wondering why you should switch to overnight oatmeal from your regular cooked counterpart?

Read on to find out more in this post.

Loaded with good nutrients for you like fiber, protein, magnesium, potassium, and omega 3 fatty acids, oats can be consumed in different ways. There are endless possibilities to get creative to have a satisfying meal with your oatmeal.

Oats are of different varieties such as rolled oats, steel-cut oats, whole groat oats, instant oats. Overnight oats are now becoming a fad among many because of its benefits than regular cooked oats. It is now widely preferred in breakfast due to many reasons.

Overnight oats can be customized with fruits or favorite spreads which does its job of getting prepared when you wake up the next morning. With this raw version of oatmeal, you’ll be on your way to getting your daily dose of vitamin, mineral, and fiber-packed morning.

Basically, you’d use rolled oats for preparing overnight oats which are already pre-cooked, allowing the oats to soak in a liquid overnight. It is enough to soften the grain to the same texture as would cooking.

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How to make overnight oats in simple steps

To make your bowl of overnight oats you can get as creative with fruits, nuts butter, chia seeds, and see them for yourself which is liked by your taste buds. You can also add yogurt, shredded coconut, maple syrup, honey, or whatever you wish to as per your taste. It takes very little time and effort to whip up your bowl of oats that is sure to give you a healthy start of the day.

Here’s why you should try overnight oats

Oats are good for gut health

Overnight oats become more digestible after being soaked overnight. It means it helps absorb more nutrition from food. Its daily intake is connected with greater energy levels, improved mood, and weight loss. Oats have a very healthy nutritional composition. They are high in specific kind of fiber called beta-glucan, which is linked to lowering cholesterol levels and overall heart health.

It makes you feel full and satisfied

People wishing to shed extra pounds should definitely include oatmeal as it helps feel fuller and consume lower calories. Half a cup of oats contains 4 grams of fiber. This is equivalent to 14 percent of how much fiber one should eat per day.

It is good for heart health

A well-balanced breakfast should contain carbs, fat, protein, and fiber. Overnight oatmeal has health benefits which also depends on how you make them. The nutritional component stays intact when they are left to soak overnight. The oatmeal swells up and seeps the liquid in every pore making it a wholesome and satiating breakfast meal by itself. Make sure not to add added sugars and flavored milk. Researches in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism show that a specific oat fiber called beta-glucan has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by 5 to 10 percent.

It contains increased resistant starch –

With cooled starchy foods that contain starch, resistant starch appears to be present at higher levels. Resistant starch is a natural carb and helps to improve digestion, aids in weight loss, and gives you the feeling of fullness. Try preparing it with endless variations and stir-ins, which will make your bowl of oats satisfying and fun to have. Endless variations can be prepared, depending on your preference.

They are time-savers and money savers

Overnight oats make them ideal for those on a budget. They are simple to prepare and do not require expensive items making it a heavy on pocket. Additionally, it takes less than a minute to prepare the bowl and you are ready to rock in the morning. No mess, no long hours of cooking. You’ll be done by whisking up a few ingredients.

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How long does overnight oats last?

To enjoy a fresh bowl of oats in the morning to kickstart your day, do not keep overnight oats for more than 4 days in the refrigerator. Best will be to soak it overnight and have it in the breakfast. It will make you full and gives you a bundle of energy to begin your day with.

How to store overnight oats?

Keeping the soaked oats in the refrigerator at an airtight container is the first step after you prepare them. It is critical to keep the food safe by storing it in the refrigerator.

The health benefits of oats cannot be emphasized enough. A regular bowl of oats is the one that uses instant oats are heavily processed and packaged for longer storing capacity. The king of oats recommended for overnight oats is the rolled ones which are more raw in nature. The more processed the oats are, the less nutritious they will be. This makes overnight oats an obvious choice. It is healthy for your gut as well as your overall well being.

Have you tried overnight oats supplementing instant oats? How did you find in taste and texture? Was it similar to the regular ones or more fulfilling? Do let us know your experiences in the comments.

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Useful Tips To Improve Your Digestive Health

Do you know that most of the digestion related issues are because of our unhealthy eating habits?

Digestion is more about what we eat. It is about what we absorb.

Eating the highest quality foods is not sufficient to keep the gut active and healthy. Common problems like bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, gas, weight gain, etc are all results of improper functioning of the digestive system.

The Why’s and Who’s of Digestive System

The digestive process starts in your mouth, where mechanical chewing and the saliva start breaking down food. The breakdown is vital for your survival as the body cannot use whole food for nourishment. The nutrients from food such as minerals, fats, calories, vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates which are absorbed in the intestinal walls require breaking down by the digestive tract. It works consistently in breaking the food we consume bread, vegetables, meat, etc.

A nutrient-dense and balanced diet help to nourish all of your body’s cells, including those in your digestive tract. It is also responsible for steering out unwanted waste from the body. The digestive tract is a key player in immunity that protects your body against bacterial and viral invaders that could make you ill.

Your brain and digestive tract are always aligned and work in parallel. The brain instructs the digestive tract and alerts if you eat something you shouldn’t have. It helps keep a tab on hunger pangs and mood swings. If not paid attention to it something might go wrong.

Healthy digestion can be influenced by:

• Mental and physical stress
• What we eat
• The gut bacteria
• The natural lining of our gut

The overall wellness of our body is dependent on the proper digestion. It impacts your mood, focus, energy, skin, and how well you age.

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So, what practical measures you should incorporate in your already busy lifestyle to improve your gut functioning?

Eat Freshly Cooked Foods            

Avoid eating leftover foods and always have freshly cooked food in meals. Freshly cooked foods are most nourishing and free from staleness.

Chew Well 

While eating makes it a habit to chew each bite 25-30 times. It will break the food into smaller particles and allowing for proper digestion. Do not pick another morsel until the one in the mouth is completely swallowed.

Replace Modern diets

Our ancestors insisted on a diverse yet often low-calorie diet that is rich in nutrients. It is therefore important to include freshly cooked food, lots of colorful vegetable fruits that certainly has multiple benefits over stored frozen foods. People with weak digestion will not be able to eat cold foods and drinks.

Relying too heavily on excessive carbohydrates, storage proteins like gluten, and gut-irritating lectins will harm our digestive system. Clean and healthy eating support gut health. Lifestyle changes and dietary habits have a greater role to play that will help maintain gut health.

Pick a Peaceful and Relaxed Environment

A quite peaceful environment does wonder when you choose to have your meals in that. Do not distract yourself while eating by watching TV, reading, working, or having discussions. You will notice the way you enjoy food and will feel more relaxed.

Drink Herbal Teas To Improve Digestion

Your digestive strength will improve and also the body will be detoxified by having herbal teas. Ginger tea is the best detoxifier which stimulates digestion. Some of the other excellent herbal teas are chamomile, peppermint, and cinnamon.

Avoid Overeating

Overeating only burdens the digestive system. The recommended amount of food by ancient ayurvedic medicine is that it will fit into two cupped hands at any meal. Make a habit to stop eating while you are still a bit hungry.

Few Minutes of Relaxing After Eating Helps

The body’s resources are able to fully focus on the digestive engine if a few minutes of rest are allowed after meals. Digestion is a continuous process that continues even after we sleep. Allowing a good amount of time after meals makes it an easy process.

Avoid Stress 

Stress interferes with your body’s production of serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that’s crucial for moving food through the GI tract. For keeping the health in the balance, the digestive system when functioning normally efficiently moves food and undesirable substances through the gut.

Some amount of stress is unavoidable, but constant and stubborn stress takes a toll on our health, including that of the gut. Our body automatically diverts focus towards the perceived threat, when under stress. The digestive system naturally slows down in such a situation.

Seek Professional Help If Required

Consider consulting a nutritionist or physician if the problem persists. A physician will help figure out the cause of the problem and suggest possible aids in improving it.

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Foods to Improve Digestion

You need to include plenty of gut-friendly nourishing foods as a healthy gut requires a healthy diet. Identify foods that facilitate your digestion process and helps avoid abdominal discomfort.

Listed Down Below Are Some Foods That Aid Digestion

Probiotics

Several studies suggest that probiotics help improve intestinal functioning, alleviate lactose intolerance symptoms, and reduce the risk of other medical problems. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria in the gut. Foods like curd, yoghurt, kimchi are natural sources of probiotics. Therefore it is recommended to include a variety in the diet that includes fermented foods and diverse fiber sources to get pre-biotics.

Whole Grains 

Whole grains are a great source of insoluble fiber, which is responsible for having good digestive health. Fiber absorbs water, which prevents constipation. These actions help in reducing pressure inside the intestines, lowering the risk of other possible diseases.

Whole grains are composed of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and have a much higher fiber content which allows the digestive tract to adjust and function well. Whole grains like Barley, Oatmeal, Whole Wheat, Millet, Farro, Quinoa, etc, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and beans are all good sources of insoluble fiber.

Fruits and Vegetables

It is recommended to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables in all your meals. Including a variety of fruits and vegetables helps one to get a mix of different nutrients and fibers.

They are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory agents and also in soluble and insoluble fibers. Fruits and vegetables also make you feel full, which could help lower hunger pangs.

Fermented Foods 

Fermenting by natural process helps increase the shelf life and nutritional value of foods. Fermented foods also act as a good source of healthy probiotics.

Herbs and Spices –

Ginger

Ginger has been used for ages to the treatment of multiple gastrointestinal disorders. It’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties is proven to alleviate gas, bloating, nausea, and indigestion.

Asafoetida

The medicinal importance of Asafoetida has been suggested by several studies that help stimulate bile flow and secretion needed for the digestion of dietary lipids. It is for long used as a spice in cuisines. It is known to boost the action of the digestive enzymes of small intestines and pancreas.

Peppermint 

The cooling effect of peppermint is useful for the digestive system. It is a go-to treatment for an upset stomach that aids in digestion and the discomfort which usually happens because of a heavy meal.

Useful Tips On Better Digestion –

Fluid Intake 

Incorporating an adequate amount of water intake to stay hydrated as it helps in bowel movement and prevents constipation. Coupled with a balanced diet, proper water intake.

Exercising 

Regular exercise stimulates the movement of food through the digestive tract. Therefore, it is important to maintain an exercise routine daily to maintain your digestive health.

Avoiding Smoking and Drinking 

Various health conditions arise as a result of the consumption of alcohol and smoking. The digestive health is pressurized by such acts, hence one must immediately shun it to avoid getting into further risks.

To Sum It Up

Incorporating a wide variety of foods in your diet is vital to maintain good health. Single food items will not aid to provide a wide variety of nutrients. In order to keep up the proper functioning of the digestive system, the above practices are essential.

What’s your take on keeping a well-balanced diet intake. Do you find it challenging in the fast-moving lifestyle? Share your stories in comments or write to us. 

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In today’s world and daily routine, people are focusing on plant-based alternatives as healthier options to go for as we all are entangled in crazy eating habits and unbalanced lifestyles. And apart from the regular milk that we all like, oats milk is a good choice for people with allergies and intolerances. It’s free from lactose, nuts, soy and gluten if made from gluten-free oats. It’s good for bone and heart health.

What is Oat Milk?

People looking for a vegan dietary substitute can consider Oat milk. Stating simply it is made from a mixture of oats and water. The preparation is done by soaking and blending steel-cut or rolled oats with water, later straining them through cheesecloth separating milk from the oats. Manufacturers add some extra ingredients like gums, oils and salt to give it a more desirable taste and texture. Oat milk has the same number of calories as cow’s milk, double the number of carbohydrates, about half the amount of proteins and fats.

Oat milk isn’t as nutritious whole oats. Oats milk is free of many of the allergens found in other types of milk. It also contains beta-glucans, a soluble fibre that is good for heart health benefits. It is an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals and also fibre. Commercial oat milk is fortified with vitamins A, D, B2 and B12 as well as other minerals like calcium. In comparison to other types of milk, oat milk has more calories, carbs, fibres than almonds, soy, cow’s milk. After almond, soy milk, oat milk is the latest trendy, plant-based milk to take over the supermarket shelves, cafes, coffee shops.

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Health Benefits Of Oats Milk

There are a number of reasons which makes Oats the most essential food to be included in the diet. It is a 100% whole grain filled with fibre, plant-based protein, vitamins, and minerals including iron, calcium and magnesium. It also gives the body prebiotics which fuels your body and also probiotics which help these friendly bacteria survive and thrive. Eating foods having beta-glucan also improves immunity and great health.

Here Are A Few Benefits Of Oats Milk:

1. Oats milk is good for people with dietary restrictions. It’s free of lactose.

2. A great source of vitamin B-Oat milk has riboflavin or vitamin B2 and vitamin B12. These vitamins help you elevate mood, combat oxidative stress, promote healthy hair, nails, and skin.

3. Great for bone health-Oat milk is fortified with calcium and vitamin D which is good for bones. We know that calcium is the main mineral for healthy and strong bones. Adequate vitamin D is equally important as it helps in the absorption of calcium from your digestive tract.

4. It prevents anaemia-Because of taking a vegan diet a person is prone to the risk of getting anaemic because most plant-based foods lack certain micronutrients to prevent this condition. Anaemia is a serious illness that develops due to a lack of red blood cells. It can be cured by taking foods rich in the mineral, iron.

5. It boosts immunity-As this milk has a high vitamin composition it helps to strengthen the immune system.

Oat Milk Nutrition vs Real Dairy Milk: Which is better?

The latest player in the non-diary milk alternative world which is a popular choice among its users. But it is important to note that it is not a replacement for real dairy milk when it comes to nutrition.

The main difference between real dairy milk and oat milk’s nutrition is the nutrient profile. The nutrient in oat milk are fewer than dairy milk and most of them are fortified. This means these nutrients do not occur naturally in the milk and are added during manufacturing.

Real dairy milk is fortified with only Vitamins and D while other essential nine nutrients in each 8-ounce glass (protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, phosphorus, vitamin B12, riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid occur naturally. While apart from iron all other nutrients in oat milk are fortified.

Real dairy milk provides 8gms of protein in every 8-ounce glass which is about twice the amount of protein in oat milk. Real dairy milk is a source of complete high-quality protein i.e it contains a full mix of essential amino acids. Most plant-based proteins like oats are incomplete proteins and missing some of the essential amino acids our body needs.

The nutrient constituents in oat milk can vary from brand to brand. As it is not federally regulated, some brands may fortify more and some less. So, before making a purchase which will help make an informed decision. Real dairy milk also boasts a simple ingredient list of just milk, vitamin A and vitamin D where you know what you’re getting when you have a glass of it.

The difference in carbohydrate content of the dairy milk and oat milk also differs. Per serving of dairy milk has 12 grams of carbohydrate while oat milk can have up to 24 grams of carbohydrate. Real dairy milk is wholesome, minimally processed, and naturally nutrient-rich. It also offers a range of health benefits backed by decades of research.

Oat Milk for Weight Loss

Folks who are on a plant-based diet and haven’t based diet should not miss out on oats milk. It is low in fat and lactose-free which satisfies the need for anyone who is lactose intolerant or who chooses to go light on diary and eating habits.

Consuming oat milk in conjunction with proper exercise and diet can help with weight loss and ensuring for your nutritional needs. It is low in calories, fat, and sugar but high in protein and has fiber, oat milk is a great substitute for folks trying to shed few pounds. Oat milk very comfortably beats other non-dairy options like nut milk and coconut milk, however soy milk trump oat milk in terms of an extra protein boost.

Which Is A Better Option- Oat Milk or Almond Milk?

For individuals who are lactose-free, how oats milk or almond milk is good for you depends on two factors.
Are you choosing an unsweetened version?

Before making a purchase make sure to check for the nutrition facts on the package. Make an informed choice that there’s 0gm for added sugar per serving. Some oat milk brands may contain more than just oats and water. Flavorings, gums, sweeteners may crop up in some of the options available. Therefore, it is worth checking out the back label before you buy and be wary about what you’re putting into your body.

How much of it you are drinking?

An unsweetened version of oat milk is to be preferred in coffee, tea, cereal, or homemade smoothies if it is in regard to taste. However, when it is primarily used for weight-loss reasons, know that it has slightly more calories than unsweetened almond milk, which can add up if you’re adding it to almost everything.

Potential Downsides

Oat milk also has some disadvantages or downsides. Some varieties of commercial oats milk contain a high amount of sugar if they are sweetened or flavored. So the best buy would be that of unsweetened variety. Some commercial oat milk products are not certified to be gluten-free which may cause digestive problems for people with celiac disease. The gluten-free variety is safe for babies and children may not be a suitable alternative for breast or cow’s milk as it lacks nutrients needed for optimal growth. It’s more expensive than cow’s milk.

How To Make Your Own Oat Milk?

If you make your own oat milk it allows you to choose your own ingredients and avoid additives or thickeners found generally in commercialized products. To make oat milk blend 1 cup (81gms) of rolled or steel-cut oats with 3 cups of water. Pour the mixture over the cheesecloth to separate the oat milk from the oats. When prepared, store it in a glass bottle in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. To enhance the flavor try adding ¼ tsp of salt, a tsp of vanilla or cinnamon extract, some dates, maple syrup or honey.

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Is Oat Milk Better Than Almond Milk?

Whether or not oat milk is better than almond milk depends on factors like—

1. Are you choosing an unsweetened version of both? -For both the oat and almond milk varieties, we should look for those that say ‘unsweetened’ on the front of the package and check the nutrition fact labels to ensure there is 0 gm. of added sugar.
2. How much of it are you drinking?-If you love the taste of oat milk then pour an unsweetened version in coffee, tea, cereal, or homemade smoothies.

The Bottom Line

Oat milk is a lactose-free, vegan alternative to cow and goat milk. It is high in protein and low in fats has a lot of calcium and vitamin D. It’s gluten-free and allergen-free. It has lots of fibers too. It’s a very healthy option if you are pursuing weight loss goals. It improves appetite control. It’s good for people concerned about the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It’s pretty tasty, healthy to the core and you can really look up to it as the best vegan alternative to dairy products. It delivers its promises totally.

Do you include Oats in your diet? Share some interesting recipes with us which you have discovered in your journey in making your health a priority.

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