Losing weight has never been an easy task for us, but it is not impossible because several factors help us achieve our weight goals. However, it is quite challenging for us to lose weight faster because we all know that it is a continuous and long-term process that requires consistency.
People think that exercising and high-intensity physical activities are enough for them to lose weight, but let me tell you, that is not the truth.
People need to understand that apart from activities and exercises, they should also pay attention to their eating habits and the amount of food they are consuming. There are several food items and ingredients that are good and beneficial for us to reach our ideal weight, and oats are one of them that play a very crucial role.
These can be prepared freshly in the morning or kept overnight, and here we will discuss whether the overnight oats are good for weight loss or not.
Can Overnight Oats Help To Reduce Weight?
We include oats in our breakfast because they are rich in fiber and make one feel fuller for a long time, thus helping to avoid frequent eating. Oats are also rich in carbohydrates, and that keeps the person energetic throughout the day as carbs take time to get absorbed or burn as calories.
Some people prepare oats dishes early in the morning, and some of them do it at night because of the morning rush, but here the question is, does that help in weight loss? Well, as per my knowledge and observation, the recipes that are prepared overnight have higher sugar constraints than the ones prepared in the morning.
So this can have the opposite effect as, in this case, the body will get high sugar, too, along with carbohydrates and fiber, which can lead to weight gain. However, if anyone wants to prepare overnight oats, then there is a solution for them, too, and I have listed here some of the best ones that can help greatly in weight loss.
3 Best Overnight Oats To Try For Weight Loss
✅ Rolled Oats Can Be Cooked Faster
Rolled oats can be refrigerated overnight while soaking them in water or milk and can be eaten the next morning just by adding some toppings like fruits, dry fruits, nuts, and honey. These oats can also be cooked in oil to elevate the taste by mixing some vegetables and spices, as they do not require much time to prepare.
These are versatile oats and can also be blended to make smoothies, pancakes, and shakes so that one can get the nutritious benefits of these food items.
✅ Groats Oats Are The Healthiest
Groats are freshly harvested oats and are one of the healthiest ones because they don’t go through processing and any other treatments. When they are brought from the farm, they are just cleaned and hulled to separate grains from hay and are rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Although this is one of the healthiest oats that is good for weight loss, people do not prefer this because it takes a lot of time to prepare the dishes. To minimize the cooking time, it is better to soak the oats overnight and then steam or shimmer them in the morning before eating.
✅ Overnight Steel-cut Oats
Steel-cut oats are the smaller particles of groats, and they are named so because steel blades are used to cut the whole oats. Since the oats are smaller in size, the cooking time gradually decreases, and if they are soaked overnight, this time reduces even more.
It takes around 20-30 minutes for steel-cut oats to cook, and they are good for the weight loss journey. The glycemic index of these oats is relatively higher than that of normal groats and has all the essential nutrients at the same time.
How To Make Oats Breakfast Healthier?
We know that oats do not have any specific taste of their own and need some outside agents to add taste and flavor. One can mold these oats in any way they prefer because of their versatile nature that allows them to blend in with almost everything.
My personal favorite is adding sweet fruits and dry fruits to my bowl of oats because it makes the breakfast look colorful and also provides extra nutrition.
Other than that, oats can be cooked as porridge, smoothies, pancakes, cakes, cookies, and more by adding some extra ingredients that are necessary to make that particular dish. Although oats are healthy in their original form, they become healthier with the extra addition, and that helps in weight loss.
Apart from that, one can prefer to have a bowl of oats with a cup of tea or coffee as it helps to awaken the senses and soothe the body alongside helping in the weight loss journey.
What Is The Best Time To Have Overnight Oats?
According to nutritionists and specialists, it is said that one must have one’s first meal of the day between 7 am to 11 am because this is the duration when our spleen and stomach are at the peak of functioning.
I prefer to enjoy my overnight oats before 10 am because it makes me feel fuller and also provides the energy needed to work for the day. Apart from that, having it at this time is good for the body because then the digestive system can work properly and also use up the energy in due course.
Takeaways
As per my observation, I can conclude that overnight oats are good for weight loss because of the nutrition they provide and other properties. The fiber in the food does not make one feel hungry faster, and also, one can reduce cooking time by soaking the oats in milk or water at night.
Since oats have a bland taste, one can elevate the taste and flavor by adding some healthy fruits and vegetables to the morning meal.
References
- Bashir KMI, et al. (2017). Clinical and physiological perspectives of β-glucans: The past, present, and future.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5618555/ - Biel W, et al. (2020). Nutritional value of wheat, triticale, barley and oat grains.
https://asp.zut.edu.pl/2020/19_2/asp-2020-19-2-03.pdf#tab1
