We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

oatmeal and carbs

lostemt
lostemt Posts: 152 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I am trying to decrease my carb intake. So I switch from cold cereal to oatmeal. I am worried about the high carbs. Would this be consider a healthier carb or not so healthy carb. I am feeling better with the oatmeal and not crashing as fast. So am I doing this right. :|

Replies

  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    Not sure if there is a "right" way. If you feel better, then surely that's a good thing? Despite oatmeal being considered "healthier", I personally can't even eat steel cut oats without it affecting my blood sugar and making me crash a couple of hours later, so I stick with a breakfast of yogurt, fruit, bran and egg, piece of bread and nut butter, which means I don't crash at all. But every body is made differently, so you'll just have to find what works for you.
  • MiltonAFC
    MiltonAFC Posts: 121 Member
    Why are you so afraid of carbs? Carbs doesn't make you gain weight, fat doesn't make you gain weight, and protein doesn't make you gain weight.

    A caloric surplus is what makes you gain weight.

    50g of carbs are 50g of carbs. There's no "healthy" carbs.

    I find oatmeal more filling than cereal but I switch it everyday because I like both.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Carbs are carbs. Does your oatmeal have more fiber than your cereal?
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    lostemt wrote: »
    I am feeling better with the oatmeal and not crashing as fast. So am I doing this right. :|
    I think you answered your own question. You feel better and are not crashing.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Oatmeal generally has more nutritional value for the amount of calories than cereal does. But if you like the cereal and are meeting your nutritional needs through other means, it the cereal.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    lostemt wrote: »
    I am trying to decrease my carb intake. So I switch from cold cereal to oatmeal.

    Bacon and egg would be a more logical choice than changing from one cereal to another.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,033 Member
    lostemt wrote: »
    I am trying to decrease my carb intake. So I switch from cold cereal to oatmeal. I am worried about the high carbs. Would this be consider a healthier carb or not so healthy carb. I am feeling better with the oatmeal and not crashing as fast. So am I doing this right. :|

    You're doing it right :) Oats are a slowing acting carb ...taking longer to turn into sugar in the blood stream. Like beans, they are higher in carbs but are complex carbs and so they don't immediately turn into sugar when ingesting them.

    simple carbs vs. complex carbs You're doing great! Nothing wrong with simple carbs they just don't fit well for some ppl that are diabetic or simply crash quickly when eating them.
  • janstoffer
    janstoffer Posts: 1 Member
    You are right to be concerned about carbs. Yes excess carbs will put on weight. I eat steel cut oatmeal with a little agave nectar about every other morning. I eat eggs the other days. I have not found a cold cereal that is as healthy as the oatmeal. You want to stay away from refined or processed carbs if possible.
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    janstoffer wrote: »
    You are right to be concerned about carbs. Yes excess carbs will put on weight. I eat steel cut oatmeal with a little agave nectar about every other morning. I eat eggs the other days. I have not found a cold cereal that is as healthy as the oatmeal. You want to stay away from refined or processed carbs if possible.

    Yes, excess carbs that cause you to go over on calories will make you gain weight. Excess protein above calories will also make you gain weight. As will excess fat above calories.
  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    edited March 2015
    janstoffer wrote: »
    Yes excess calories will put on weight.

    You spelled 'calories' as 'carbs', I've corrected that for you.
  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    lostemt wrote: »
    I am trying to decrease my carb intake. So I switch from cold cereal to oatmeal. I am worried about the high carbs. Would this be consider a healthier carb or not so healthy carb. I am feeling better with the oatmeal and not crashing as fast. So am I doing this right. :|

    If you're feeling better, you're doing it right. Feeling better after eating something means you're far less likely to feel excessively hungry later in the day and over eat. Think of the bigger picture here.
  • bulk_n_cut
    bulk_n_cut Posts: 389 Member
    IXChicharitoXI wrote: »

    50g of carbs are 50g of carbs. There's no "healthy" carbs.

    not quite. 50g worth of carbs in oatmeal or quinoa would be the same in weight amount as the 50 grams in 50g of pure sucrose (table sugar). but your body will process the two in vastly different ways; not so much in terms of a weight gain or weight loss way, but more in terms of wreaking-havoc-on-your-pancreatic-islet-cells type of way
  • RibStabsHeart
    RibStabsHeart Posts: 71 Member
    I've lost weight eating oatmeal, eggs, cereal, and Belvita bars -- it's all about balancing out your day and ending up with a caloric deficit at the end of the day. Weigh your foods (VERY important!), and try to get in some exercise. Your body needs carbs for fuel, so go with what makes you feel good and keeps you satiated longer!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,511 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    lostemt wrote: »
    I am trying to decrease my carb intake. So I switch from cold cereal to oatmeal.

    Bacon and egg would be a more logical choice than changing from one cereal to another.
    My thought exactly.

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Oatmeal is perfectly good for you, but if you want to lower your carbs it's certainly not low carb, so might not be the best choice for you.

    I find it works for me for breakfast only if I add additional protein and some fat, since I do better with meals that contain protein and fat. I also like having veggies at breakfast so end up having to add all sorts of things that make my usual vegetable omelet easier. I still have oatmeal on occasion since it's a nice change-up and I like it.
  • mokaiba
    mokaiba Posts: 141 Member
    IXChicharitoXI wrote: »

    50g of carbs are 50g of carbs. There's no "healthy" carbs.

    I find oatmeal more filling than cereal but I switch it everyday because I like both.

    Oatmeal is a complex carb. Complex carbs take longer to digest and require more energy to break down. Compared to simple carbs, a complex carb makes you burn more calories to digest and in turn keeps you full for a longer period of time.

  • lostemt
    lostemt Posts: 152 Member
    Thank you everyone. It was really helpful information for me.
  • MeiannaLee
    MeiannaLee Posts: 338 Member
    RibStabsHeart wrote: »
    I've lost weight eating oatmeal, eggs, cereal, and Belvita bars -- it's all about balancing out your day and ending up with a caloric deficit at the end of the day. Weigh your foods (VERY important!), and try to get in some exercise. Your body needs carbs for fuel, so go with what makes you feel good and keeps you satiated longer!

    Exactly, at the end of the day carbs, fat and protien is not bad for you. Going over your calories for the day and not balancing the macronutrients is.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    What makes oatmeal special is that it is an excellent source of soluble fiber. It takes longer to digest so at least in theory, stays with you longer. Eating your oatmeal with a source of protein would be even better.

    All macros are valuable to a balanced diet, including carbohydrates.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories