Why you should add Oats to your day

I am a big advocate for eating a variety of foods that give you a return on your health in terms of nutritional value. Oats are one of those foods and come in a few forms, but the most commonly consumed is whole grain or rolled oats; the variety that makes your stock standard porridge. Oats contain some unique characteristics – in particular the powerful soluble fibre, beta-glucan and antioxidants called avenanthramides which help to lower blood pressure and also have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects. Oats are also high in protein, vitamins and minerals, with links to reduced risks of heart disease, regulated blood sugar levels and healthy gut bacteria/digestion. Long story short, a quick and easy way to improve your overall health with one meal, is to add in a bowl of oats to your day.

Here are a couple of tasty breakfast options to try:
Apple & Cinnamon Overnight Oats:
½ cup Rolled Oats
Half an apple – chopped into small cubes or grated
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
150 grams of Greek yoghurt
1 tablespoon of chia seeds (optional)
50ml of water to loosen
Combine all ingredients in a small container or jar and leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to soften – eat cold

Vanilla Protein Oats with Blueberries and Banana
½ cup Rolled Oats
Half a cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup of water
1 banana
½ scoop of vanilla protein powder 
150 ml Almond Milk
Make the protein shake with the almond milk and set aside. Combine the oats and water and microwave for 1.5 minutes. Add the blueberries and cook for another minute. Slice the banana on top of the cooked oats and pour over the protein shake. The protein shake acts as both a sweetener and to cool the hot oats. Use a large bowl as the oats will bubble and if the bowl is too small it may overflow and make a mess of your microwave! You don’t need to restrict your oat consumption to breakfast either as they also make a great snack. As a bonus, with these recipes you also get a serving or two of fruit, which is always a good thing. Enjoy!

Always take into consideration your goals and nutritional requirements when making changes to your diet.