With the right toppings added to the mix, oatmeal can be an equally delicious and healthy breakfast. It’s probably one of the most versatile meals as you can add whatever your heart desires. However, while this leaves plenty of room for healthy toppings to help you on your weight loss journey, room for tons of unhealthy stuff that pleases your taste buds but can seriously harm your body. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the risks that are in front of you when it comes to certain ingredients. I agree that there are several things that should be done.
To learn more, we spoke with expert Rachel MacPherson, Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Nutrition Coach for Garage Gym Reviews, and nutritionist Trista Best of Balance One Supplements. They told us that refined sugar and other sweet ingredients like chocolate and dried fruits were among the worst options.
1. Refined sugar
It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that the absolute worst thing you can add to oatmeal or overnight oats is plain white sugar. There’s no doubt that this ingredient makes breakfast taste a little better, but the health risk at hand isn’t worth it, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. The worst ingredient to add to your overnight oats is sugar. As such, “Nutrient density is essential for sustainable weight loss and healthy weight balance.”
But it’s not just the lack of nutrients that makes sugar a terrible ingredient. Eating too much of it can also lead to problems like inflammation, poor gut health, weight gain, and illness over time. In other words, starting your morning with a sweet breakfast is more likely to lead to overeating. It’s best to skip all the sugar.
2. Sugary toppings such as chocolate, syrup, and dried fruit
It may seem obvious that you should avoid adding spoonfuls of sugar to your bowl of oats, but there are plenty of sneaky high-sugar additives that you might not consider. As Best points out, “Some of the worst ingredients accidentally added to healthy overnight oat recipes include chocolate he sauce, sugar, syrup, and dried his fruit.”
Wait, is dried fruit bad for you? Unfortunately it is. It’s certainly not the worst thing you can add to the mix, but it’s important to note that this ingredient has a lot more sugar than you might think. says it’s “one of those foods that are somewhere between healthy and unhealthy, depending on how much you consume.” Compared to fresh fruit, “this type of fruit is very concentrated in calories and sugars and is much easier to eat than a serving size,” he says. Overall, it’s probably best to omit dried he fruit from oats entirely and instead opt for fresh fruit such as high-fiber berries.
Healthy, filling, low-sugar options that you can add to your breakfast without risking your health include seeds, nuts, and nut butters. It keeps you feeling fuller longer without packing you down with sugar. But remember to be careful with how much sugar you add.
