Oatmeal or no oatmeal

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varia2u
varia2u Posts: 39 Member
Hi lowcarbers. So I had a serving of oatmeal yesterday for the first time since starting this journey less than a week ago, and it was the first time I felt good for the entire day. No starvation feeling, lethargy etc.
The booklet my doc gave me states that whole grains (oatmeal) raise blood sugar but in reading everywhere that oatmeal is like a slow release carb that doesn't spike blood sugar. So which is it?
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  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
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    Oatmeal and Low-Carb Diets. If you are following a very low-carb diet, with no more than 20 grams of net carbs a day, it is best for you to avoid oatmeal and get your limited amount of carbohydrates from nutrient-dense non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli and leafy greens instead.

    From here:
  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
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    I eat it daily, just plain oats in my protein shake. It works great for me. There are only about 19 g if carbs in a pouch if you are using those. What info did you Dr give you and what was it for? I'm insulin resistant and hypothyroid been low carb over two years eat 80-100 g a day with regular exercise and my blood work has never been better.
  • blueeyetea
    blueeyetea Posts: 44 Member
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    Compared to a breakfast of eggs, I found that I'll feel hungrier sooner when I've had plain oatmeal. To help with keeping myself fuller longer, I make a batch of oatmeal to which I'll add a chopped apple with the peel, and when it's ready, I'll also add 1 tbsp of flaxmeal, and a tbsp or two of nuts and seeds I have available (sunflower, peanuts, almonds, coconut, walnuts, etc.)
  • LowCarb4Me2016
    LowCarb4Me2016 Posts: 575 Member
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    RalfLott wrote: »
    Yep, I think that's a good answer. Everyone's their own science project (good look with yours!), and people have different goals. If you're carb sensitive/insulin resistant, it might not be a superfood for you....

    I don't know about the "feel good" test, though. I rather suspect it's led more than one unsuspecting soul down the primrose path......

    By feel good I just meant that it keeps one full, doesn't make them feel sluggish, and so on. I get sluggish and lethargic after eating oatmeal, not to mention hungry not even an hour later sometimes. Then there was the whole blood sugar skyrocketing thing.
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
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    What's your normal breakfast?
  • Working2BLean
    Working2BLean Posts: 386 Member
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    Steel cut oatmeal is a completely different beast than the processed stuff that is crushed into a morsel of what it once was

    Sure cut does hit your blood sugar differently, for me, and I use a glucometer to check how foods react. Quest bars hit my blood sugar faster than Steve cut oatmeal.

    With some coconut oil it slows it more and is a great pre bike ride fuel source

    Regular oatmeal is like rice for me. Have not ate it for years.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
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    Steel cut oatmeal is a completely different beast than the processed stuff that is crushed into a morsel of what it once was

    Sure cut does hit your blood sugar differently, for me, and I use a glucometer to check how foods react. Quest bars hit my blood sugar faster than Steve cut oatmeal.

    With some coconut oil it slows it more and is a great pre bike ride fuel source

    Regular oatmeal is like rice for me. Have not ate it for years.

    Just out of curiosity, what kind of BG effect do you get from steel-cut?
  • Working2BLean
    Working2BLean Posts: 386 Member
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    I checked when I woke up and was at 88 if I remember right

    I had my breakfast and got on the treadmill 20 minutes later or so

    After the treadmill I checked in within 5 minutes

    Even after eating it but with some exercise my BG was a few points lower

    It is one of the only foods that has carbs that I can eat pre workout and after a typical morning 30 minute moderate pace workout I have a lower BG than when I started

  • Working2BLean
    Working2BLean Posts: 386 Member
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    The above advice has to be taken considering I am a pretty highly trained person. People toss around terms that they are a fairly serious athelete.

    I think I am in that category and only for context of this post do I mention it

    This was a couple Saturdays ago. I had a big bowl of steel cut oatmeal before the long ride before the triathlon.

    It was a long intense day

    :)

  • varia2u
    varia2u Posts: 39 Member
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    To those that asked my primary aim is to lower blood sugar. Weight loss is a secondary goal, though not a huge consideration. I started low carb 6 days ago. It's been a bumpy ride so far. Maybe the starvation feeling is my body adjusting, or maybe it is really starving for nutrients. Who knows. If oatmeal is good to go then I'll have a prayer at keeping this up.

    Wasn't aware of the differences in oatmeal other than instant and regular so thanks for that tip. I always buy plain, not the flavored stuff in pouches.

    My normal breakfast since I started LC has been heavy on protein: turkey bacon, boiled or fried egg, also LC biscuits (new recipe I discovered), lettuce, coffee.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    varia2u wrote: »
    To those that asked my primary aim is to lower blood sugar. Weight loss is a secondary goal, though not a huge consideration. I started low carb 6 days ago. It's been a bumpy ride so far. Maybe the starvation feeling is my body adjusting, or maybe it is really starving for nutrients. Who knows. If oatmeal is good to go then I'll have a prayer at keeping this up.

    Wasn't aware of the differences in oatmeal other than instant and regular so thanks for that tip. I always buy plain, not the flavored stuff in pouches.

    My normal breakfast since I started LC has been heavy on protein: turkey bacon, boiled or fried egg, also LC biscuits (new recipe I discovered), lettuce, coffee.

    If you're feeling 'starvation', you probably aren't getting enough calories. I started LC 20 days ago and I haven't been starving once. I gorge myself on things like eggs, bacon, turkey burgers, yogurt, protein shakes (LC ones of course), salads full of veggies and chicken or turkey, bison burgers or beef burgers, etc. I've been managing to lose weight despite eating more calories than my previous SAD (Standard American Diet).
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    Seajolly wrote: »
    varia2u wrote: »
    To those that asked my primary aim is to lower blood sugar. Weight loss is a secondary goal, though not a huge consideration. I started low carb 6 days ago. It's been a bumpy ride so far. Maybe the starvation feeling is my body adjusting, or maybe it is really starving for nutrients. Who knows. If oatmeal is good to go then I'll have a prayer at keeping this up.

    Wasn't aware of the differences in oatmeal other than instant and regular so thanks for that tip. I always buy plain, not the flavored stuff in pouches.

    My normal breakfast since I started LC has been heavy on protein: turkey bacon, boiled or fried egg, also LC biscuits (new recipe I discovered), lettuce, coffee.

    If you're feeling 'starvation', you probably aren't getting enough calories. I started LC 20 days ago and I haven't been starving once. I gorge myself on things like eggs, bacon, turkey burgers, yogurt, protein shakes (LC ones of course), salads full of veggies and chicken or turkey, bison burgers or beef burgers, etc. I've been managing to lose weight despite eating more calories than my previous SAD (Standard American Diet).

    Not necessarily. Hunger signaling is notoriously crap in overweight/obese/t2d sufferers. Lchf helps many with this, but not all.

    Honestly, mine never straightened out, and didn't improve at all until I got to sub-15% bodyfat and held it for a few months. A lifetime of being a fat kid has my brain so screwed up, that I have to bulk using whole foods, just to avoid overdoing it and putting a bunch of fat back on.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,956 Member
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    Seajolly wrote: »
    varia2u wrote: »
    To those that asked my primary aim is to lower blood sugar. Weight loss is a secondary goal, though not a huge consideration. I started low carb 6 days ago. It's been a bumpy ride so far. Maybe the starvation feeling is my body adjusting, or maybe it is really starving for nutrients. Who knows. If oatmeal is good to go then I'll have a prayer at keeping this up.

    Wasn't aware of the differences in oatmeal other than instant and regular so thanks for that tip. I always buy plain, not the flavored stuff in pouches.

    My normal breakfast since I started LC has been heavy on protein: turkey bacon, boiled or fried egg, also LC biscuits (new recipe I discovered), lettuce, coffee.

    If you're feeling 'starvation', you probably aren't getting enough calories. I started LC 20 days ago and I haven't been starving once. I gorge myself on things like eggs, bacon, turkey burgers, yogurt, protein shakes (LC ones of course), salads full of veggies and chicken or turkey, bison burgers or beef burgers, etc. I've been managing to lose weight despite eating more calories than my previous SAD (Standard American Diet).

    Not necessarily. Hunger signaling is notoriously crap in overweight/obese/t2d sufferers. Lchf helps many with this, but not all.

    Honestly, mine never straightened out, and didn't improve at all until I got to sub-15% bodyfat and held it for a few months. A lifetime of being a fat kid has my brain so screwed up, that I have to bulk using whole foods, just to avoid overdoing it and putting a bunch of fat back on.

    I agree. Some people always have rabid appetites. I've been at a healthy BMI for almost 2 years. Still a VERY hungry caterpillar.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    baconslave wrote: »
    Seajolly wrote: »
    varia2u wrote: »
    To those that asked my primary aim is to lower blood sugar. Weight loss is a secondary goal, though not a huge consideration. I started low carb 6 days ago. It's been a bumpy ride so far. Maybe the starvation feeling is my body adjusting, or maybe it is really starving for nutrients. Who knows. If oatmeal is good to go then I'll have a prayer at keeping this up.

    Wasn't aware of the differences in oatmeal other than instant and regular so thanks for that tip. I always buy plain, not the flavored stuff in pouches.

    My normal breakfast since I started LC has been heavy on protein: turkey bacon, boiled or fried egg, also LC biscuits (new recipe I discovered), lettuce, coffee.

    If you're feeling 'starvation', you probably aren't getting enough calories. I started LC 20 days ago and I haven't been starving once. I gorge myself on things like eggs, bacon, turkey burgers, yogurt, protein shakes (LC ones of course), salads full of veggies and chicken or turkey, bison burgers or beef burgers, etc. I've been managing to lose weight despite eating more calories than my previous SAD (Standard American Diet).

    Not necessarily. Hunger signaling is notoriously crap in overweight/obese/t2d sufferers. Lchf helps many with this, but not all.

    Honestly, mine never straightened out, and didn't improve at all until I got to sub-15% bodyfat and held it for a few months. A lifetime of being a fat kid has my brain so screwed up, that I have to bulk using whole foods, just to avoid overdoing it and putting a bunch of fat back on.

    I agree. Some people always have rabid appetites. I've been at a healthy BMI for almost 2 years. Still a VERY hungry caterpillar.

    Yeap. That's a big part of why I prefer my current macro outlay when bulking. I eat (quite literally) 7+ lbs. of combined vegetables, berries and potatoes on a daily basis now, in my 2850 kcal recovery and 3350 kcal lifting days.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    Could it also be needing more sodium that is the hunger signal?
  • Catawampous
    Catawampous Posts: 447 Member
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    I'm actually wondering about the fat intake being too low?
  • can111
    can111 Posts: 63 Member
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    What a great community we have here!

    I am a low-carb person, not keto. I regularly enjoy an oatmeal breakfast. I limit myself to 1-2 grains per day but not white flour. My favorite breakfast is 1/2 c. old fashioned oats, 1 tsp chia seeds, 1 cup sugarfree almond milk, about 8 almonds, 6 oz fruit (raspberries!). I eat this cold. It can be made the night before (minus the nuts) and then is a grab and go in the morning. I stay satiated until lunch! Best wishes on your journey!
  • mmultanen
    mmultanen Posts: 1,029 Member
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    I hate oatmeal. in no form do I enjoy it. Texture is gross, taste is gross, barf-o-rama. But my kids and husband love it. LOVE IT. Would eat it daily. Steel cut, rolled, anything but instant they love it so we have it around but I wouldn't know what to do with it if it jumped out of the cupboard and said "EAT ME!" I'd probably just chuck it in the bin and tell it to quit scaring me.