The Benefits of Eating Oatmeal Daily

There’s no more basic food in the Western diet than oatmeal. “Everyone” has eaten it, many people eat it as cereal for breakfast every day. People eat it in granola bars, they eat it in desserts, and they eat it in cookies. BUT…it’s not so certain that “everyone” knows the benefits of eating oatmeal daily! It’s a true superfood, as we’ll see…

One of the Very “Budget-Friendliest” Foods

If oatmeal was even the least bit nutritious, and had, let’s say, some good vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, etc., it should be on the shopping list of the budget-conscious!

In fact, if you were down to your last $40 – USD or CAD – and had to survive a month on that $40, and you spent every last penny for oatmeal, either instant or steel-cut – you could buy $40 worth of oatmeal and still be very much alive and “kicking” at the end of the month!

Would it be a perfectly balanced diet? Of course not. Would I recommend it? Of course not.

But is there any other one food as healthy as oatmeal, that you could survive on as well as oatmeal, for 30 days, that costs only $40? Sometimes “you gotta do what you gotta do.” Trust me, you could buy an incredible amount of oatmeal for $40 – especially in bulk! At this date of writing (May 2023) I believe you could buy 40 pounds of oatmeal for $40. That’s a lot of oatmeal!

Again, I’m not saying you should do this. But if you want to get out/stay out of debt, pay your way through college, get past a period of time being unemployed, and your food budget is necessarily low, oatmeal should definitely be a basic staple.

Is It Healthy to Eat Oatmeal Every Day?

Now that we’ve established the budget-friendliness of oatmeal, let’s see what we get for the dollars we spend on it.

First of all, pure oatmeal is gluten-free. So we can take any gluten concerns off the table right up front.

Oatmeal is fiber-rich! The fiber of note in oatmeal is beta-glucans, which make up +/- 5% of raw whole oats. Beta-glucans are soluble fiber that is known to reduce blood sugar, lower LDL cholesterol levels (to help protect your heart), and increase bile acid production.

Along with being a great source of many vitamins and minerals, it is notably rich in manganese. Manganese helps the body form connective tissue and bones.

Oatmeal is a good source of protein, higher than most grains at 11-17% of dry weight. The protein avenalin contained in oatmeal is not found in any other grain.

Oats – and only oats – contain a powerful group of antioxidants called avenathramides.

Oats are very low in sugar.

Oats may help with weight loss because they contain considerable fiber, which is very filling and satisfying!

Oats are great for the digestive system, and due again to their fiber content, help to reduce the chances of constipation.

In short, oatmeal is truly a superfood. As one of the least expensive foods “out there,” it’s like finding nutritional treasure for almost nothing!

How Not to Eat Oatmeal

Don’t eat the oatmeal that comes in the pre-flavored packets! It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the oats, it’s what they add in the form of added sugar, primarily.

Suffice it to say that anytime you add large amounts of sugar to oatmeal, you are reducing its health value. Ideally, if you want to sweeten oatmeal – which most people do – consider use a different sweetener such as honey, stevia, or monk fruit sweetener.

The oatmeal that comes in granola bars is also often loaded with sugar. Check your labels to make sure you aren’t getting so much sugar that it negates the potential benefits you would get from the oatmeal in the bar.

How to Eat Oatmeal

As mentioned in the opening paragraphs, there are different ways to eat oatmeal. It can be baked, boiled – even eaten plain.

When people think about eating oatmeal, they most likely think of eating it as a breakfast cereal, which is prepared either on the stovetop, in the microwave, or possibly in the form of “overnight oats.”  But of course oatmeal can be found in many baked goods – the possibilities are endless! Just – as mentioned above – watch out for added sugar.

Adding some fruit and milk (or nut milk), plus a healthy sweetener of choice – that’s really all you need. Blueberries, for example, are awesome with oatmeal. Then you get the superfood qualities of blueberries added to the superfood qualities of oatmeal. It’s a perfect start to any day – or who’s to say you can’t eat oatmeal as a main meal at the end of the day – or at lunch? It might not be traditional – but your body doesn’t care.

Yogurt is great with oatmeal as well. If you use Greek yogurt, you get an extra protein boost.

Should you use ordinary or steel cut oats – or quick oats? Use whichever form you prefer. There’s actually no difference nutritionally. The quick oats have been precooked, and thus take less time to prepare.

The only thing you need to watch for with quick oats is if they have added sugar or salt to them.

Personally, I use quick oats, and I don’t need them cooked. I add cranberry juice, blueberries and sweetener, just mix them cold in a bowl, maybe add powdered greens, flax, chia, and/or protein powder for a nutrition-filled beginning to my day.

In Summary…

Oats are an amazing superfood. They’re super-healthy, full of vitamins and minerals, full of soluble fiber, and can help with constipation, lower LDL cholesterol, assist with weight loss, are gluten-free and high in protein.

 If you can afford to live at all – and we are all pretty much dedicated to doing that – you can afford oats. If you have only a few dollars, you can afford oats! They’re easy to prepare, easy to eat, and readily available everywhere.

If you have any questions or comments about this blog post, please feel free to share in the comments section below.