Whats so special.

weightgoesbyebye

I was wondering what is so special about oatmeal. I read online thats is great for breakfast as its high in fiber. But i just had 2/3 cup for breakfast it was 40 carbs and only 4 fiber. There is bread with better macros then that.

Dempsters bread has 30ish carbs and 7 fiber for 2 slices.
All bran buds for half that amount has 10 fiber for 1/3 cup.

Is it something else in oatmeal or is it just websites building up something about oats that just aint true.

Thanks

WholeFoods4Lyfe

Absolutely nothing.

springlering62

I need the carbs. For whatever reason I’m always way low on carbs, so I throw some dry oatmeal in my breakfast smoothie. It makes it creamier, too.

cmriverside

It's a whole grain. I like the warm filling bowl I have. Of course I put apples, blueberries, flax meal, walnuts, butter and milk in mine. Keeps me happy for hours.

MikePTY

With that sort of calorie breakdown, I would assume you are having flavored oatmeal with a lot of added sugar? Regular oatmeal itself has about half that amount of carbs for a 2/3rd cup serving. However, there is nothing bad about carbs, unless you are overeating them and they are creating a calorie surplus when you are trying to lose weight.

There is nothing "special" about any type of food. Food is food. Oatmeal can be a beneficial part of a diet to those who enjoy it, because oatmeal can be relatively filling and low in calories. It is also a very good source of vitamins and minerals. Very high in iron, and is a source of Vitamin B-6, Magnesium, Vitamin A, and Calcium. It is also higher in protein than most grains.

Good foods are foods you enjoy eating to stay within your calorie deficit. There is no need to eat any specific food to either lose weight or improve nutritional health. Oatmeal can be a "good" food for some people who enjoy it and find it fits well in their diet. But if you'd rather have bread, have bread. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it either.

hesn92

I don't really care that much about macros. I just try to get enough protein in the day. I like oatmeal because it's yummy and filling for not that many calories.

lemurcat2

Many find oats satisfying and a good base for other foods like dairy and fruit and nuts or, as I often prefer, an egg and vegetables.

Some don't.

No reason to consume it if you don't.

My favorite oats have about 170 cal for a 1/4 cup dry, and about 4 g of fiber with that, as well as 6 g of protein (31 g carbs). Not super high fiber, but also not the cals I want for breakfast, which is why I add other ingredients when I have it.

I don't like bread that much, so would always prefer oats, and I'm not scared of carbs, but if you prefer bread and like the macros, have bread.

All bran buds are made with psyllium, among other ingredients, to bump the fiber. I prefer to get my fiber from other sources (and for some reason hate cold cereal, while enjoying hot cereal/oats) and am rarely low (beans and lentils are a great source, and I eat lots of veg and some higher fiber fruits), but again if you enjoy them and find them satisfying, go for it.

This aside, my most common breakfast is a 2 egg vegetable omelet.

lynn_glenmont

There are different kinds of fiber. Oatmeal has some soluble fiber, which can be effective in reducing serum cholesterol, so that's one reason for some people to think it's special. But there are other sources of soluble fiber, like apple skins, beans, okra, and barley (but probably not your bread, unless it's made with some of those ingredients). So even if you care about soluble fiber, you don't have to eat oatmeal.

cwolfman13

weightgoesbyebye wrote: »

I was wondering what is so special about oatmeal. I read online thats is great for breakfast as its high in fiber. But i just had 2/3 cup for breakfast it was 40 carbs and only 4 fiber. There is bread with better macros then that.

Dempsters bread has 30ish carbs and 7 fiber for 2 slices.
All bran buds for half that amount has 10 fiber for 1/3 cup.

Is it something else in oatmeal or is it just websites building up something about oats that just aint true.

Thanks

Are you eating flavored oats? my plain oats only have 27 grams of carbohydrates per serving. There's more to a food than just macros as well. Oats have are a good source of soluble fiber which is beneficial in reducing blood serum cholesterol levels...your bread is most likely just insoluble fiber.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-oats-oatmeal#section3

Oats are also rich in vitamins and minerals:

Manganese: 191% of the RDI
Phosphorus: 41% of the RDI
Magnesium: 34% of the RDI
Copper: 24% of the RDI
Iron: 20% of the RDI
Zinc: 20% of the RDI
Folate: 11% of the RDI
Vitamin B1 (thiamin): 39% of the RDI
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 10% of the RDI

Rich in antioxidants:

Whole oats are high in antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols. Most notable is a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, which are almost solely found in oats (6).

Avenanthramides may help lower blood pressure levels by increasing the production of nitric oxide. This gas molecule helps dilate blood vessels and leads to better blood flow (7, 8, 9).

In addition, avenanthramides have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects (9).

Ferulic acid is also found in large amounts in oats. This is another antioxidant

Oats contain large amounts of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber.

Beta-glucan partially dissolves in water and forms a thick, gel-like solution in the gut.

The health benefits of beta-glucan fiber include:

Reduced LDL and total cholesterol levels (1)
Reduced blood sugar and insulin response (11)
Increased feeling of fullness (12)
Increased growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract

I'm a big proponent...

nocgirl72

Great question. I LOVE oatmeal but the serving size is so small, a lot of carbs, only 4g of fiber, its not filling enough for me. I find it triggers cravings too because I sweeten it.

kshama2001

I don't find oatmeal filling at all. I started adding Greek yogurt, protein powder, and fruit, and yes, that was more filling, but I can be as full for less calories with different foods.

cavefallss

I love it. I make the steel cut oats on the stovetop then add berries and various things into it. Keeps me full for a long time.

melissafeagins

There are studies that show it helps reduce bad cholesterol. And it's naturally gluten free if properly processed.
Since all of my grandparents had heart disease and my dad has it, the heart benefits are a good reason for me to eat it. Since I have celiac disease, it's better for me than other whole grains.

emmamcgarity

It all depends on your goals. For those who prefer a low carb way of eating it’s probably not a good choice. I try to follow DASH. So for me, it’s a way to get servings from several different food groups in one bowl. I cook it with milk instead of water and slice in some fruit. I end up with whole grain, dairy and fruit servings which help me meet my nutritional goals. If your only goal is weight loss, choose the foods you like that with within your calorie goal. No reason to have oatmeal if you don’t like it.

lemurcat2

kshama2001 wrote: »

I don't find oatmeal filling at all. I started adding Greek yogurt, protein powder, and fruit, and yes, that was more filling, but I can be as full for less calories with different foods.

Oddly enough, I find oats with fruit and nuts/seeds (with or without protein powder) exactly as filling as my usual 2 egg vegetable omelets, calories kept equal. Same with my smoothie when I have it.

I think for me hunger is more about timing/habit, so precisely what I eat for breakfast is less significant than my habit about when I eat lunch.

I know others are more macro or specific food sensitive.

yirara

I never liked oats until I found fairly coarse ones and added cold skyr to it in a ratio 1 part oats, 2 parts skyr (in grams), and a few rasins. It's a cold, stiff, partly hardish mash with lots of chew on. Once at work I cut whatever fruit is there into pieces and add it. Then eat. Works for me and is more filling than bread.

amusedmonkey

Nothing special about it unless you are trying for soluble fiber for cholesterol management. It's not usually available in high amounts and oatmeal is a cheap source to get some. Even that is not necessary if you eat beans.

Personally, I think oatmeal is special because it tastes good. I can't have eggs often and other grains take longer to cook, so I find it convenient and delicious.

HereToLose50

I've found I don't stay full as long with the flavored instant packets of oatmeal as I do with the oats I cook in a saucepan on the stove. If I make my own, I stay full for 3-4 hours. It probably has something to do with how much more processed one is over the other.

Sometimes I mix in an egg at the very end of cooking. Keep mixing for about 2 minutes while the egg cooks so it doesn't scramble. I add brown sugar or honey and cream or butter and cinnamon or whatever flavor/fruit, so the calories can be similar to the instant packets and tastes a whole lot better. Adding fruit can up the fiber.

I don't eat it in the morning since I rarely eat before noon. I like it as a late night snack - if I have calories to spare 😊

girlwithcurls2

nocgirl72 wrote: »

Great question. I LOVE oatmeal but the serving size is so small, a lot of carbs, only 4g of fiber, its not filling enough for me. I find it triggers cravings too because I sweeten it.

^This. I switched to Greek yoghurt with frozen fruit. I weigh out the berries (half a serving is plenty) and then weigh the yoghurt on top. For me, it's more bang for my buck. Every now and then,I want something warm, but oatmeal just doesn't fill me up. Find what works for you

aokoye

I like oatmeal, in that it tastes good. It, however, doesn't fill me up at all. A bagel with less than a tbsp of butter will keep me satiated for longer. And that's regardless of whether or not I'm eating quick cook oats, steel cut oats, or thick rolled oats (yes, I have three, maybe four, types of oatmeal at home).

JeromeBarry1

Oatmeal is cheap, easy, flexible, useful in many recipes.

When happy with carbs, I found oatmeal to have value as a carrier for cinnamon and sucralose.

Sunshine_And_Sand

I don't eat it because of anything special about it. I just like it. It's quick and easy to prepare. It's versatile, tastes good both sweet and savory. It's low calorie compared to how long it keeps me feeling full.