As the weather gets warmer, we usually want a breakfast that gets cooler. Those hot, steaming bowls of oatmeal that were so comforting during the cold winter months are not at all appealing in the summer. Granola with cold milk (dairy or non-dairy) is one answer, but if you’re looking for another way to eat your oats, maybe it’s time to try some overnight oats:
What are overnight oats, you ask? The answer is quite simple — oats soaked in some type of liquid overnight (in the refrigerator). There are many different ways to make overnight oats, and we have our own recipe with many variations of toppings. You can be very creative with oats–whether they’re cooked or soaked!
While we were sitting at the breakfast table enjoying our oats, we started wondering if cooking them changes the availability of the carbohydrates compared to soaking them overnight. It’s best to eat carbs that release slowly into the bloodstream to avoid spikes in blood sugar and insulin. That’s one reason whole grains are recommended over processed grains (not to mention the nutritional value). So, we did a little research and found a few interesting studies.
A group of researchers in Canada studied the effects of different types of cooked oats on blood sugar levels. In short, they determined that the lowest glycemic impact (a good thing) occurred with the least processed oats (no surprise there). So, steel cut oats are best, followed by rolled oats, then instant oats, then Honey Nut Cheerios.
In another study, researchers compared overnight oats (made with old-fashioned rolled oats) to a cream of rice cereal (control) and found that the rolled oats soaked overnight had a much lower glycemic impact than the control cereal, which means they do not cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin levels. When comparing the blood sugar and insulin levels of subjects after eating overnight rolled oats to those of people who ate cooked steel cut oats, they found them to be similar. Additionally, overnight oats made from rolled oats had less of a glycemic impact than cooked rolled oats, which was a little surprising.
If you’re looking for a breakfast food that will not cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, cooked steel cut oats and overnight oats made with old-fashioned rolled oats are your very best bet. So, give overnight oats a try if you’re not in the mood for a hot breakfast!
References:
Glycaemic and insulinaemic impact of oats soaked overnight in milk vs. cream of rice with and without sugar, nuts, and seeds: a randomized, controlled trial
and
Impact of oat processing on glycaemic and insulinaemic responses in healthy humans: a randomised clinical trial
