Why You Should Swap Your Oatmeal for NoOatmeal
Before I knew anything about Paleo, I’d often make up Oatmeal for breakfast. Especially in the winter, I felt it was the epitome of healthy breakfasts. Now however, I’ve gained a much better understanding about nutrition, so I thought I’d share my reasons for complete avoidance of Oatmeal.
There is something comforting about Oatmeal, particularly on a cold morning. However, NoOatmeal is a far better alternative. NoOatmeal is made using raw nuts & pepitas which you grind in your blender. You then lightly toast the nuts in a saucepan, with some cinnamon. Then you add coconut milk and an egg and stir until ready. How easy is that? Like Oatmeal, it is warm, but unlike Oatmeal I find it far more filling – and I know the ingredients are far better for me. The smell when the nuts are toasting is fantastic! I also like the fact that alone and unprepared I could eat & enjoy the individual ingredients in Noatmeal. Have you ever tried eating raw, unprepared Oats? Not so nice.
So, what’s not great about Oats?
When you eat Oats, they breakdown to glucose which causes an insulin spike in your blood – if you test your blood glucose an hour after eating Oatmeal, you’ll see a big increase (perhaps as high as 140). Regularly allowing your blood sugar levels to increase like is very damaging to your body (and can also lead to conditions like diabetes). Also soon after the spike in blood sugars, there will be a crash – which is the reason you’ll be hungry soon after eating Oatmeal. Nuts and eggs will keep your blood sugar levels constant, which is a far healthier state.
As well as the sugar issues, Oats contain high levels of lectins and phytic acid which are components that can cause intestinal imbalances and block nutrient absorption. Oats also have a high Omega 6 ratio, which in itself is very damaging. Some brands of Oatmeal also contain traces of gluten grains, which are very intolerable to a lot of people.
Whilst you can reduce the lectin and phytic acid content of oats by fermenting them – why not just make yourself some NoOatmeal instead? I tend to have NoOatmeal perhaps once a week, having saved myself time by preparing the ingredients the night before. Other typical breakfasts are scrambled eggs, omelettes, bacon and eggs – and often just last night’s dinner leftovers! Who said breakfast has to be traditional?
Have you tried NoOatmeal? Do you still eat Oatmeal? Add your comment below
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Glad the noatmeal worked for you 🙂
Thanks Erika! Itching to try your coconut butter recipe next!
I love the NoOatmeal. It keeps me feeling full much longer AND I don’t miss the cornflakes that were a staple part of my diet before Paleo.com.au converted my thinking about the food I eat. Thank you!
I am going to cook up another batch now 🙂
I would be interested in the types of nuts you used in this recipe ☺
This is great, I am always on the lookout for a substitute for oatmeal.
But don’t nuts contain photic acid too?
Yes, nuts do contain phytic acid also, and I have read that it is necessary to soak them. http://www.azurestandard.com/blog/2012/9/6/soak-or-not-soak-its-no-question-soak
When I have oatmeal or rather porridge, I am full for a whole 5 hours, while after bacon and eggs I quickly get hungry again. Plus, nuts give me – and many other people – really bad indigestion. Each to their own, I suppose. There’s just no one size fits all solution.
I know there are other things that may do what oatmeal can do but I have good results from it. The gluten-free oatmeal I buy from Trader Joe’s fills me up for about 5 hours and I get no blood sugar drops. Also my cholesterol levels are excellent. I have read of all the numerous health benefits from it such as: 1.The benefits from high fiber don’t stop with cancer prevention. A high fiber diet will stabilize blood sugar levels and won’t cause the mid-morning slumps, which comes from eating a lot of sugar and carbs in the morning, 2. Lowers cholesterol levels, 3.Reduces risk of high blood pressure, 4. Prevents arteries from hardening, 5. Loaded with anti-oxidants, 6. Prevents development of diabetes, 7. Boosts immune system, 8. Prevents weight gain, 9. Alternative for gluten free diet.
9 Awesome Health Benefits Of Oatmeal
By Marisa Ramiccio. May 7th 2016
For many kids, there can be no worse breakfast than oatmeal. They’ll eat pancakes and waffles and cereal, but they won’t touch oatmeal. But what many kids, and many adults, don’t realize is that just one bowl of oatmeal a day can keep the doctor away. Read on to learn more oatmeal health benefits.
Lowers Cholesterol
Oatmeal is a rich source of soluble fiber, which is also found in apples, pears, prunes and barley. Soluble fiber inhibits the body’s absorption of low-density-lipoprotein, or LDL, which is known as the bad cholesterol. One-and-a-half cups of oatmeal contains more than five grams of fiber, which is enough to reduce your cholesterol level.
For more information, read What Food to Eat to Lower Cholesterol.
Reduce Risk Of High Blood Pressure
Since oatmeal is high in fiber, which is heart-healthy, it offers many cardiovascular benefits, including a reduced risk of developing high blood pressure. It’s recommended that postmenopausal women, who tend to develop high blood pressure, should eat six servings of oatmeal or other whole grains on a weekly basis. Studies show that men can also reduce their risk of heart failure if they eat one bowl of whole grain cereal or oatmeal, per day.
Full Of Antioxidants
Oatmeal contains a special type of antioxidant called avenanthramide. Avenanthramides fight off free radicals that attack high-density lipoproteins, or HDL, which is known as the good cholesterol. They also protect LDL cholesterol from oxidizing from copper, which reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Prevents The Arteries From Hardening
Avenanthramides not only protect against heart disease, they also prevent the arteries from hardening. Those antioxidants suppress the production of molecules that allow monocytes to adhere to the walls of the arteries. Research has shown that postmenopausal women who eat six servings of whole grains a week reduced their risk of developing atherosclerosis, which is the build-up of plaque along the passageways of the arteries, and slowed the progression of stenosis, which causes the passageways of the arteries to narrow.
When paired with vitamin C, the cardiovascular benefits of oatmeal are enhanced, so drink a glass of orange juice or eat some citrus with your oatmeal.
Stabilizes Blood Sugar
The benefits from fiber don’t stop with cancer prevention. A high fiber diet will stabilize blood sugar levels and won’t cause the mid-morning slumps, which comes from eating a lot of sugar and carbs in the morning.
It Will Also Prevent The Development Of Diabetes
Aside from fiber, oatmeal is also a good source of magnesium, which regulates the body’s insulin and glucose levels. To up the ante, add milk to the oatmeal. The boost of low-fat dairy can also lower the risk for diabetes.
Boosts Immune System
Oatmeal contains a certain type of fiber called beta-glucan fiber. This fiber protects against heart disease and also revs up the immune system. It helps the immune cells seek out and repair areas or the body that may be fighting a bacterial infection.
Prevent Weight Gain
Eating food to not gain weight sounds like the perfect kind of diet, right? Because oatmeal is so rich in fiber, it will make you fuller for a longer period of time. Fiber will increase the viscosity of the stomach’s contents so that it will take longer to empty. Feeling full for a longer period of time will also prevent the need to snack on sugary or salty foods throughout the day. Research has linked a lower risk of obesity to children who regularly eat oatmeal.
Alternative for Gluten-free Diet
Adults and children who have celiac disease cannot eat gluten, but studies show that they can eat oatmeal although it contains a small amount of gluten.
Next Steps
Keep in mind that the best way to reap the benefits of oatmeal is through regular oatmeal and not the instant stuff, which is full of sugar and sodium. To add flavor without adding an onslaught of calories, mix in some fruit like apples, cranberries or blueberries or add a tablespoon of brown sugar for a touch of sweetness.
Sources
Meydani M. “Potential health benefits of avenanthramides of oats.” Nutrition Reviews, 67; 731-735. doi: 10.1111/j. 1753-4887.2009.00256.x. Accessed May 2014.
Brown L, Rosner B, Willett W, Sacks F. “Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta analysis.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/69/1/30.short. Accessed May 2014.
Lammert A, Kratzsch J, Selhorst J, Humpert PM, Bierhaus A, Birck R, Kusterer K, Hammes HP. “Clinical Benefit of a Short Term Dietary Oatmeal Intervention in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Severe Insulin Resistance
https://www.symptomfind.com/nutrition-supplements/health-benefits-of-oatmeal/
What about Nairn’s gluten free oatcakes?
Hi Esther, definitely better than many other oats, but they are still essentially oats, which meats they contain high levels of lectins and phytic acid.
This sounds delicious!! can someone point me in the direction of the recipe please 🙂
Erika, you recommend bacon but bacon is on the list of carcinogens!
Isn’t oats slow energy release food? I have eaten oats for many years and havd found they give me good energy during the day unlike wheat products which tend to bloat
I don’t understand… what is “NoOatmeal?” Is that an actual thing or brand? It’s consistently talked about in the article like it’s a specific substitute. Or are you just meaning to say, “don’t eat oatmeal?”