Do you start the day with a bowl of oatmeal? That’s a good choice. Oatmeal is a good source of heart-healthy fiber to fill you up so you won’t scurry to the vending machine for an unhealthy snack by mid-morning. What you might not know it that oatmeal is a good source of antioxidants and beta-glucan, a compound that gives you extra protection against cold and flu viruses by enhancing immunity. It’s also rich in magnesium, important for a healthy heart and bones, and zinc, essential for healthy immunity, fertility and wound healing. Enjoy your oatmeal with milk and you’ll get more bone-building calcium. There’s more good news. You can make oatmeal even healthier by adding a few of these cereal toppers to your next bowl of cereal.
Cacao Nibs
You’ve heard about the health benefits of dark chocolate. Even better are raw cacao nibs, available at many natural food stores. They are essentially flakes of unprocessed, raw chocolate with all of the flavonoids that make dark chocolate so healthy still intact. They’re also rich in iron and magnesium. They satisfy a craving for chocolate in a healthy way since they contain no added sugar and haven’t been processed. Sprinkle some on your oatmeal and enjoy their crunch.
Matcha
Matcha is the highest quality Japanese green tea ground into a powder form. It’s the tea Japanese use in their special ceremonies. What makes it so special? It’s rich in antioxidant catechins that make green tea such a healthy drink but in a more concentrated form. You’d have to drink five or more cups of green tea to get the same benefits as a cup of Matcha. What does this have to do with oatmeal? Stir in a teaspoon of Matcha powder and a little dairy-free milk to give your oatmeal a unique flavor. Don’t use dairy milk since it blocks absorption of the catechins.
Chia Seeds
Oatmeal is filling, but you can make it even more satiating by adding a spoonful of chia seeds. A single ounce of chia seeds will supply almost half of your day’s fiber requirement. Each tablespoon also has around 100 milligrams of calcium, something most women don’t get enough of. Give yourself a head start on your calcium requirements for the day by adding chia in your oatmeal.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed is another good source of heart-healthy, tummy-satiating fiber. Plus, it contains lignans that are converted by bacteria in your gut to weak estrogens that may block the effects of more powerful estrogens on breast tissue, thereby lowering breast cancer risk. Grind up a few tablespoons in a grinder and stir it into your oatmeal to pump up the fiber. You’ll only get the benefits if you grind it first. Whole flaxseeds pass through your digestive tract without being absorbed.
Cinnamon
Sprinkle cinnamon on your morning oatmeal. Research shows that cinnamon improves insulin sensitivity so your pancreas has to pump out less of this fat-storage hormone. Look for Ceylon cinnamon. The cinnamon most grocery stores carry called cassia cinnamon contains a compound called coumarin that can be toxic at higher concentrations. If you use cassia cinnamon, don’t use more than a teaspoon a day.
Berries
Berries are usually lower in natural sugar than other fruit and they’re chock full of natural antioxidants. Boost brain health by adding blueberries. A study carried out by researchers at Harvard showed that diets rich in blueberries and strawberries slowed down the rate of memory decline in older women. Who couldn’t use a little more brain power? Get it naturally and make your oatmeal sweet at the same time by adding blueberries or strawberries.
The Bottom Line?
Pump up the health benefits of a bowl of oatmeal by mixing in one or more of these healthy add-ons – and start your morning out with a bang.
References:
Medicina (Kaunas). 2007;43(8):597-606.
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (2008), 67, 48–53.
Harvard Gazette. “Berries keep your brain sharp”
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