oatmeal

Reed286
Reed286 Posts: 33
in Health and Weight Loss
I recently started eating oatmeal and well the only way i can eat it is if i add brown sugar. My mom said im defeating the purpose of eating it if i add the sugar. Does the sugar really make a big difference? It tastes so good with brown sugar lol

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    It adds 35 calories per tbsp. so if your budget can afford that then go for it.
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
    Make sure you measure it and log it. As long as you include it in your log, I don't see why you can't add a little brown sugar to your oatmeal.
  • mapenguinkeeper
    mapenguinkeeper Posts: 191
    no it doesn't defeat the many benefits of eating oatmeal as long as you're not drowning it in tablespoons of the stuff.
  • khaney4
    khaney4 Posts: 8 Member
    I add 1-2 tsp of brown sugar, 1 pat of butter and 1/4-1/2 cup of diced peaches. It's taste great and it keeps me full until lunch time. It's costs me roughly 250-275 calories but it's worth it.
    If I just eat my greek yogurt and a piece of fruit for breakfast I end up getting hungry and needing a snack around 9:30-10.... so I'm still spending 250 calories by lunch regardless. Eat your oats...they are good for you! :)
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
    I eat one packet of Weight Control Maple & Brown Sugar oatmeal every day. (Well, M-F). It has 160 calories, 3g fat, 290mg sodium, 150mg Potassium, 29g Carbs, 6g Fiber, and only 1g sugar. I highly recommend it! You don't need to add anything except water :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I LOVE oatmeal. Your mom is probably just thinking back to the old dieting days when certain foods were considered "fattening," especially sugar. That's the old diet mentality that many of us grew up on.

    Northing is forbidden, and I think brown sugar on your oatmeal sounds wonderfully delicious!

    This morning in my oatmeal, I had a tablespoon of peanut butter, 1 banana, 1/4 cup of strawberries, and 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoanut milk. Was delicious!
  • cmstirp
    cmstirp Posts: 51 Member
    Some brown sugar is fine...1-2 tsps. Check out theoatmealartist.com. She has some awesome oatmeal recipes and most of them are relatively healthy too.
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    It adds 35 calories per tbsp. so if your budget can afford that then go for it.

    ^^This.

    I eat oatmeal with a tsp of brown sugar and cinnamon. If you want an alternative to brown sugar, you can try mixing it with unsweetened applesauce. This past weekend, I added sweetened coconut (1 tbsp.), 1/4 cup of blueberries, and 1 tsp brown sugar. Yum!

    Basically, if it fits in your caloric budget, go for it...within reason. (You still need vitamins from veggies, etc., for example.)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Make sure you measure it and log it. As long as you include it in your log, I don't see why you can't add a little brown sugar to your oatmeal.

    This!^

    Just account for it ......sugar does not defeat all that fiber goodness.
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    My mom said im defeating the purpose of eating it if i add the sugar.

    I'm not sure what she means by this? A calorie is energy and sugar contains calories, so...

    However, if she's concerned about the ill effects of table sugar, etc., then that's entirely different. I wouldn't recommend eating loads of table sugar, but a little, used as a SPICE, imo, can be part of a healthy diet.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    Try honey instead. I use a little bit of honey (maybe 1/2-1 tablespoon; a tblspn is about 50 cals) and cinnamon, and I think it tastes great. Supposedly, honey doesn't raise your blood sugar the same way sugar does.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    What they all said - nothing wrong with it as long as you keep the portion under control and log it. You could think about adding some fruit for sweetness too - I love banana slices and raisins in my oatmeal. YUM!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I eat one packet of Weight Control Maple & Brown Sugar oatmeal every day. (Well, M-F). It has 160 calories, 3g fat, 290mg sodium, 150mg Potassium, 29g Carbs, 6g Fiber, and only 1g sugar. I highly recommend it! You don't need to add anything except water :)

    WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS (WITH OAT BRAN), SUGAR, SOY GRITS, OAT HULL FIBRE, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, INULIN, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS, SALT, GUAR GUM, CALCIUM CARBONATE (THICKENER), CARAMEL COLOUR BLEND (SOY, SULPHITES), SUCRALOSE (8 mg PER 38 g SERVING).

    Ugh...........I can't get past the nasty soy taste....besides the inulin (chikory root fiber) gives me gas. Not everyone is effected the same way.
  • dancingj2
    dancingj2 Posts: 4,572 Member
    As long as you log it and it fits in you calories it should be OK.

    When I want a bit of sweetness in my oatmeal, I add unsweetened apple sauce or some raisins. Also sometimes cinnamon adds enough flavor to avoid adding sugar.
  • runitskat
    runitskat Posts: 30
    I put brown sugar, raisins, apple butter and peanut butter in mine. Sometimes even jam. I usually eat that for dessert though. Strawberries are really good for adding sweetness if you don't want to add additional sugar.
  • Roz2889
    Roz2889 Posts: 71 Member
    I have oatmeal everyday for breakfast but I make it with Almond milk. This makes it taste sweeter than if you made it with regular milk. I actually look forward to breakfast I enjoy the taste so much!

    Your palette will adapt so quickly. Try switching to almond milk without adding anything. The first time it will seem bland, the second time slightly less bland etc and within days you're palette will adapt and you'll enjoy it. Then if you try to add things to sweeten it you' ll probably find it too sweet!

    Also almond milk has way less calories that normal milk ;)
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
    Oatmeal just isn't right without a little bit of brown sugar. :smile: I add milk, then sprinkle 1 tsp of brown sugar on and don't mix it in, for little bites of brown sugary goodness.
  • Amadbro
    Amadbro Posts: 750 Member
    I recently started eating oatmeal and well the only way i can eat it is if i add brown sugar. My mom said im defeating the purpose of eating it if i add the sugar. Does the sugar really make a big difference? It tastes so good with brown sugar lol

    I have about 2 cups a day. Here's what I do..

    2 cups oats
    2 scoops muscletech whey
    3 tbsp ANPB
    2 cups 1% milk

    throw it all in a blender and the oats get chopped up into gritty goodness. Shake above comes out just over 1200 cals.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    adding brown sugar does not negate the numerous health benefits of eating oats. I eat them regularly and always add about 4 grams or so of brown sugar and some cinnamon and blueberries.
  • pineapple_jojo
    pineapple_jojo Posts: 440 Member
    I like honey on mine, plus nuts and dried apricots :) just make sure you log the sugar!
  • drshona
    drshona Posts: 52 Member
    Just curious, when you all say 'oatmeal', do you mean porridge? Or are you eating oatmeal or oats with milk pured over like a muesli sort of thing?
  • LianaG1115
    LianaG1115 Posts: 453 Member
    It's safer than sweet n low and splenda!! Take it in moderation, eventually you may be able to try and eat it without! :happy:
  • shriderp
    shriderp Posts: 37
    i eat my oatmeal with spices in it ...i try many combinations and i dont add milk and i can do this daily if i have to ....with spices the possiblities are endless...
  • eevincheezburger
    eevincheezburger Posts: 163 Member
    Just something to consider: When you add fast-acting carbs like sugar, it causes a pretty big insulin spike in your blood sugar levels. A lot of times this insulin spike causes the calories to be stored as fat rather than as glycogen, unless directly after a workout. Another way to quell this spike is to eat protein with it, as protein holds down some of the spike. I like to mix a bit of protein powder into my oatmeal with some Stevia. But if brown sugar works for you, then by all means go for it! :)
  • svsl0928
    svsl0928 Posts: 205 Member
    I eat oatmeal 5 days a week. Sometimes I add Splenda and or brown sugar. I usually add cinnamon and or nutmeg. I also like it with a banana or an apple cooked in it. If you add apple, microwave the apple until they are soft then add the oatmeal and water. I don't do the prepackage oatmeal because of the sodium.
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
    I eat my oatmeal with brown sugar always. Sometimes with honey or maple syrup as well. I regret nothing.
  • Tuili
    Tuili Posts: 34 Member
    I've added "fruit in its own juice" and the juice to sweeten and add flavor. It keeps me full for quite a while.

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