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Home » Diets that Work » 7 Oatmeal Mistakes to Avoid – Everyday Health

Oatmeal is a classic breakfast. And if youve gotten the impression that its a plain and boring meal that is only carbs, think again. Make it right, and you can have a well-balanced bowl of oats that contains the right amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, which will keep you full and satisfied throughout your morning. Oh, and, youll want to make it delicious, too. By acknowledging these common missteps and following registered dietitians' tips, you can prioritize health and taste. Heres what you need to know.

One cup of cooked oatmeal is a healthy serving size, says Jessica CrandallSnyder, RDN, CDCES, and CEO ofVital RDin Centennial, Colorado. That amount will contain 154 calories, 27 grams (g) of carbs, and 4 g of fiber, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

That doesnt have to be the only part of your breakfast either. Go ahead and have eggs on the side or throw berries on top, she says, which will add more filling nutrients (protein, fiber) and volume. If one cup looks disappointingly puny in your bowl, it might be helpful to downgrade to a smaller vessel, like an appetizer bowl, she says.

RELATED: 8 Ways to Sneak More Fiber Into Your Diet

If you love the way oatmeal tastes when its made with water and oats, continue to make it as you wish. But dont be afraid to experiment with dairy and nondairy milk, says Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ginger Hultin, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner ofChampagne Nutrition.

These liquids do add calories: 37 per cup for unsweetened almond milk, according to the USDA, and around 100 for soy or low-fat (1%) cows milk. Your choice depends on your goal. If youre aiming to make your bowl creamier for fewer calories, opt for almond milk. If youre looking to add in protein, try soy (6 g per cup) or low-fat cows (8 g per cup). Along with that, any dairy or fortified nondairy milk will add in extra minerals, so youll get a boost of nutrients, too, says Hultin.

When putting together meals, Snyder makes sure she has a source of healthy complex carbs, protein, and produce. The same goes for oatmeal, but it may be even more important because its easy to think of your bowl as a complete meal. The oats supply healthy complex carbs and topping it with fruit will get you the produce (and more carbs), but youll want to incorporate protein to round things out. (One cup of cooked oatmeal made with water has 5 g of protein, per the USDA.) I recommend 15 to 20 grams of protein at breakfast. Getting to this number creates more satiety, supports muscle mass and metabolism, and helps balance out your blood sugar, she says.

Some ideas: Make your oats with soy, cows, or protein-fortified plant milks. Add in a scoop of protein powder. Stir in PB2, a personal favorite of Snyders; the powdered peanut butter nicely dissolves when stirred in and 2 tablespoons adds 6 g of protein. Nuts, nut butters, and seeds will also bump up protein. For instance, one ounce of almonds has 6 g of protein, according to the USDA.

RELATED:15 Top Food Sources of Lean Protein

Its easy to go overboard on sugar, as a result of including sneaky and obvious sources in your bowl. For instance, flavored, sweetened nondairy milk, some nut butters, and sweetened dried fruit contain added sugar, as the USDA notes. Then, theres the addition of brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey, all of which are sugar. Adding a lot of sugar to an already carbohydrate-rich breakfast can cause it to become imbalanced, as its high in carbs but low in fat and protein, says Hultin. Make sure youre using unsweetened nondairy milks and unsweetened nut butters to restrain added sugar. She also likes to mash in half of a banana for high-fiber, natural sweetness. (A half of a medium banana has 1.5 g of fiber, per the USDA. Thats about 5 percent of your daily value.) You could also sprinkle your oats with cinnamon and nutmeg during or after cooking to impart a natural sweetness, says Snyder. Topping with fresh fruit, such as berries, is another way to sweeten your bowl!

Stirring oats on the stovetop may be the most traditional way to make oatmeal, but it takes time and requires attention, lest they scald. (Yuck.) Steel-cut oats take 20 to 30 minutes to make, says Hultin, while rolled oats can be made in five minutes. But if thats unappealing, you can make oatmeal in ways that work better with your lifestyle. You can actually microwave either type of oat for a more hands-off approach so you can multitask, she says. Stovetop or microwave will not change the nutritional properties of oatmeal. Another option: If you have a slow cooker or an Instant Pot, make a larger batch, portion it out for the week, and reheat, says Hultin. Just stir in a splash of liquid to get it creamy again and grab a spoon.

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Steel-cut, old-fashioned oats, and rolled oats: Its shocking, but theyre all essentially the same, says Snyder. The manufacturing and processing [to get the different shapes of oats] differs, but the nutritional values are the same, she says. Each type of oatmeal offers unique textures, and some youll find more enjoyable than others. Go for the type you like the most, because eating healthy should make you happy. The one exception is the prepackaged packets of instant oats. Many of these are flavored and contain added sugar. If opting for instant, choose the plain variety and gussy it up yourself.

Oatmeal is known as a hot cereal, but a wonderful thing happens when you combine dry oats, yogurt or milk, fruit, and (maybe) chia seeds in a container in the fridge, says Snyder. After several hours (or, ahem, overnight), the oats absorb the liquid, plump up and soften into a familiar texture, and become overnight oats. These are eaten cold. The benefit is that theres little prep, you dont have to cook a thing, it switches up the style of oats to add variety, and theyre perfect as a snack. I like to make overnight oats in to-go coffee cups, which I could just grab and head out the door, Snyder says.

RELATED: The Best Oatmeal for People With Type 2 Diabetes

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7 Oatmeal Mistakes to Avoid - Everyday Health

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