Oatmeal is one of my favorite foods, and not only is it filling but it is incredibly versatile! You can make it hot, or use them when creating overnight oats

Oatmeal Has Amazing Health Benefits

Magnesium: essential in promoting bone health, regulating blood pressure, and blood sugar.

Folate: essential in optimizing brain health, heart health, and production in brain chemicals.

Iron: essential in developing healthy blood cells – iron helps your red blood cells carry oxygen.

Great meal for blood sugar control – since oatmeal is loaded with fiber, it takes longer for it to digest in our system, causing a slower and less drastic increase in blood sugars.

Oatmeal has also been shown to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and raise HDL (good) cholesterol. The soluble fiber in oatmeal benefits your digestive system, by keeping your regular.

What Type of Oats is Best?

Rolled Oats! You want to try and stick with plain oats, due to them having less added sugar. Plain oats allow you to be more creative with your toppings, and flavors from natural sources of sweeteners.

If you are someone that follows a gluten-free diet, I recommend only buying oats that are marked with “Gluten-Free.” Oatmeal naturally does not have gluten, but it may be made in a facility where other non-gluten free products are made, leading to potential cross-contamination.

Now to the Fun Stuff – Toppings

Below are some recommended toppings for your oatmeal bowl.

Protein

Protein Powders (Third-party tested products!)
Nuts
Seeds
Nut butters

Fruits & Veggies

Berries
Apple Chunks or Banana Slices
Dried Fruits (cherries, apricots, figs, raisins)
Grated Zucchini

Extras

Coconut Flakes
Granola (GoLean Crunch, Cheerios, Rice Chex)
Cocoa Nibs, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds
Greek Yogurt

Natural Sweeteners

Honey
Maple Syrup
Liquid Stevia

Favorite Oatmeal Bowl Combinations

Blueberries, Almonds, Chia Seeds & Honey Drizzle
Strawberries, Walnuts, and Almond Butter
Raspberries, Blackberries, Grated Coconut & Peanut Butter
Cocoa Powder, Blueberries, Banana, and Peanut Butter

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If you liked this oatmeal guide, check out our list of other helpful recipes on the Home Base Nutrition page. If you would like to speak with one of our registered dietitians, click the “email a registered dietitian” button to get your questions answered.

About the Author: Emilie Burgess, MS, RDN, LDN s a Registered Dietitian within Home Base’s Warrior Health and Fitness Program and Intensive Clinical Program. Emilie brings her love for performance nutrition, wellness, and cooking to Home Base to help each person find a healthy relationship with food. She has volunteered for two NCAA Division-I Sports Nutrition programs around the country and is currently a Registered Dietitian specializing in sports nutrition and eating disorders at Laura Moretti Nutrition, a private practice in Somerville, MA. She believes in an individualized approach to nutrition counseling and wellness to help each person achieve their goals. Emilie is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as well as the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA).