The popularity of overnight oats is on the rise. Everyone knows oatmeal is a nutritious dish to add to your diet, but overnight oats hold a special appeal and may offer even more benefits than their cooked counterpart. If you are tired of regular oatmeal and are hunting for a make-ahead breakfast that's both delicious and nutritious, overnight oats may be your perfect solution. Plus, a basic oat recipe offers endless possibilities when it comes to toppings and add-ins. From nut butter and dried fruit to cinnamon and brown sugar, you'll never get tired of eating the same breakfast ever again!
Oats are loaded with good-for-you nutrients like fiber, protein, magnesium, potassium, and omega 3 fatty acids, among other things. Plus, oats don’t contain added sugar if you read the labels and avoid certain instant varieties. They also can be eaten different ways, making them one versatile power food. Whether topped with peanut butter, banana and maple syrup or fresh fruit, vanilla and cinnamon, there are endless creative ways to enjoy oats as a satisfying breakfast.
Whether you like your old fashioned oats topped with peanut butter and greek yogurt or slivered almonds and chocolate chips, there are many ways to enjoy both cold and cooked oats. Read on to learn how to make simple overnight oats and find out its many benefits!
Highlights
Here are our top 5 favorite benefits of overnight oats:
- Better Digestion
- Helps You Feel Fuller, Longer
- Versatile & Endlessly Customizable
- Time and Money Saver
- Delicious Taste
But before we explore these benefits further, let’s talk about the basic components of overnight oats.
What Are Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats are raw oats that have been soaked overnight in liquid: popular choices include almond milk, hemp milk, coconut milk or Greek yogurt. While old fashioned oats are the most common type to use, you can also use steel cut oats, quick oats, or whatever else you have on hand. The oats absorb the liquid during the night, softening them in the same way cooking them softens them, except without the work! You can soak pretty much any variety of oats, although quick cook or rolled oats are often preferred because they absorb the liquid faster than, say, steel cut oats. Thinking about making some for a quick and easy breakfast? Here are five reasons you should try overnight oats this week.
Here Are Five Reasons You Should Try Overnight Oats This Week
1. Overnight Oats Have Increased Digestibility
When you soak oats overnight, it’s almost like you’re cooking them, but the process is much longer and slower, and it’s done without heat. Soaking helps the starches break down and reduces the natural phytic acid, which may help your body utilize the oats’ nutrients much more efficiently. This may make the oat mixer easier to digest compared to oats that have been cooked, which is great for everyone, but is especially helpful for people with gluten sensitivities. Even oats that are gluten free aren’t always easy to digest, but overnight oats are a game changer for many.
2. Overnight Oats Contain Increased Resistant Starch
Resistant starch is found in all foods that contain starch, but it appears to be present at higher levels with cooled starchy foods instead of cooked ones. RS is a natural carb and helps to improve digestion, aid in weight loss, increase feelings of fullness and decrease insulin spikes associated with eating hot starchy foods.
3. Overnight Oats Are Versatile
Not only are overnight oats quick and easy to make, they are extremely versatile. You can experiment and brainstorm endless variations and stir-ins, which helps to keep things interesting and make breakfast on the go fun and satisfying. All you need to make overnight oats are your oats of choice (we recommend our Organic Quick Cooking Rolled Oats, but Old Fashioned Oats will also work great in this recipe), your liquid, and a sweetener.
You can use almond milk, Greek yogurt, coconut milk, hemp milk, soy milk, oat milk or even regular cow's milk if you want. Sweeteners can be anything from honey or stevia to maple syrup and more, depending on your preference. Then you can add things like chia seeds, flaxseed, coconut flakes, nuts and nut butters, fresh fruit, cinnamon, dried fruit, berries and even cacao nibs, protein powder or maca powder to your oat mixture. Coconut oil can be a great addition as well and add some energy-giving fats.
4. Overnight Oats Are Time and Money Savers
Ingredients for overnight oats aren’t super expensive, and because they are so filling, you may eat less throughout your day. This makes them ideal for those on a budget. Plus, prepping your oats recipe before bed probably takes less than 5 minutes, and when you wake up in the morning, they are ready to rock! No cooking, no mess, no fuss. You can prep all your add-ins the night before as well and have them ready to stir in, or bag them up to take with you. Yum and done!
5. Overnight Oats Are Delicious
Have we mentioned how tasty overnight oats are? It’s like dessert in a jar, only good for you and is a full meal in itself. And the best part is, a basic overnight oats recipe can be completely customized to suit your preferences. From dried fruit and shredded coconut to almond slices and cocoa powder, the flavor combos are truly endless! You can even save it for later and really eat it like it’s dessert. We promise we won’t tell a soul.
How to Make Easy Overnight Oats Yourself
Try this easy overnight oats recipe to kick off your breakfast the right way, and then experiment with different ingredients, flavors and textures once you’ve got the process down. This recipe uses our Vanilla Protein Powder Nutritional Booster, which gives this overnight oatmeal recipe an added boost of nutrients, and our gluten free rolled oats, which makes it ideal for those intolerant to gluten.
This overnight oat recipe also uses almond butter for extra flavor and creaminess, which places this recipe squarely in our top faves. Almond butter? Bananas? Chia seeds? Seriously, these overnight oats are amazing! Try them and see for yourself.
How to Get Creative With Your Overnight Oatmeal
Just remember, this overnight oatmeal recipe should serve as a base to help you get started. Once you've mastered this part, don't be scared to get creative with the ingredients you put in your healthy overnight oats! When it comes to fruit, mashed banana, strawberry slices or blueberry jelly are all great ingredients that add a burst of flavor to your oats recipe. To make your oats more creamy and decadent, consider topping with your favorite nut butter or yogurt. Finally, try adding an element of texture. Some creative toppings we like to use include shredded coconut, hemp seeds or slivered almonds. Before taking your first bite, add in maple syrup, honey or your favorite natural sweetener to take your overnight oatmeal to the next level.
Now that you know how to make healthy overnight oats, it’s time to get started! As you can see, overnight oats are the perfect morning pick-me-up to get your day started on the right foot. With just a little preparation and a touch of creativity, you’ll be able to whip up these tasty little cups in no time at all.
My question is if cooled oats are better, why not cook the oats and then cool them before eating? Thanks
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/vegetarianism-and-plant-foods/living-with-phytic-acid/
This is a very informative article.
I have one query. Should I drain the water in the morning after soaking the oats overnight? Please inform.
breakfast. There is no leftover liquid. They have been in the refrigerator for 24 hours by the time I'm ready to eat.... As soon as I eat breakfast, I make my overnight oats for the next morning. I use 1/3 cup of the Bob's
Red Mill gluten free rolled oats (organic). 3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk, (Elmhurst Dairy is thicker than most and it's called Milked almonds) I
add 1 T of whole chia seeds, I chop one medjool date and soak it in little hot water till it's soft, I add about 5 drops of liquid stevia. (Better Stevia brand,
flavors I use are either coconut or vanilla). I add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and about 1/4 tsp of vanilla. Stir, cover container and wait till morning...It's absolutely delicious and I started making this simply due to the concept of resistant starch. My digestion is much better since I starting having overnight oats. I don't like sweet breakfasts. I'm allergic to eggs and dairy so until I discovered this new favorite treat, I was getting tired right after breakfast because carbs were impacting me. I feel no blood sugar spike from eating overnight oats.
Thanks.
Is there any reason NOT to microwave my overnight oats if I want them to be warm?
Thank you
Question: Could I cook (apply heat) the oats the night before and let it cool overnight to have the same effect? And can I reheat in the morning or would that counteract the "overnight oats" effect.
I know this because I've been studying anti-nutrients very extensively.
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup yogurt