When is the Best Time to Eat Oatmeal for Weight Loss?

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Oatmeal is rich in nutrients and high in fiber, making this a breakfast staple for those looking to drop some pounds, while still eating a flavorful breakfast.

There are many health benefits of oats—rich in antioxidants, fiber-rich, and contains essential vitamins and minerals—making the addition of oats to your diet a healthy choice. 

Not only is oatmeal filling, eating oatmeal may actually help you lose weight. Consider the fact that the oatmeal diet is an entire weight loss regimen revolved around eating oats as the primary focus of each meal.

So, if you are thinking of eating oatmeal for weight loss, when is the best time to eat oatmeal?

When Should I Eat Oats for Weight Loss?

Oatmeal is prepared from dry, rolled oats and is a nutritious whole grain. Oatmeal’s high fiber content helps you stay full longer and can even help lower cholesterol levels.

In fact, the US Food and Drug Administration has even gone as far as allowing a health claim on oats because of the association between oat consumption and the reduction of coronary heart disease risk.

Oats are loaded with carbs, fiber and digestible minerals making this the perfect way to reduce belly fat. Below we will discuss the right time of day to add oats to your diet to help your weight loss plan. 

What is The Best Time to Eat Oats?

Since oatmeal is a whole grain and rich in fiber, eating oatmeal in the morning may help boost metabolism, helping your body to quickly convert food into energy.

Oatmeal is one of the foods that can help accelerate your energy levels and improve metabolic function. Because oatmeal is rich in fat and soluble fiber, it requires a lot of calories to breakdown, therefore, eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning can help jump start your metabolism and get your day started off on the right foot. 

Is it better to Eat Oatmeal in the Morning or at Night?

Protein-rich foods can play a big role in weight loss because they can help you feel satisfied longer, reducing your urge to snack. In addition to protein, oats high fiber count will allow you to digest your breakfast slowly helping you stay full for a few hours longer. 

Oats have a low-glycemic impact, which can provide a great source of energy to your mornings, without dropping blood sugar levels. Because you stay full longer, oatmeal can help you cut calories by providing a nutrient-rich food preventing you from over-consuming calories later in the day. 

Check out this Eating Oatmeal at Night article for more tips for nighttime oatmeal.

Is it Okay to Eat Oatmeal at Night for Weight Loss?

Although oatmeal is usually a breakfast staple, adding a hot bowl of oatmeal to your diet before bed can release serotonin helping you to relax. Additional, its high ratios of calcium, magnesium and potassium can also aid your bedtime routine.

Because oats are filled with melatonin, a hormone in your body that helps play a role in sleep, adding this source of complex carbohydrates to your bedtime routine can help you relax and aid in weight loss. 

Can I Lose Weight By Eating Oatmeal?

Oats are less fattening than other grains and can also help keep you satiated so you are feeling fuller longer. Oatmeal has also been shown to lower blood sugar levels, which could help those with diabetes or excess weight.

Oatmeal is high in protein and low on the calories, making this a superfood for weight loss. Because oats take ample time to digest in the body, this can help burn calories and makes is a good option for losing belly fat.

Along with burning fat, oats can help lower cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and improve appetite control. Oatmeal has numerous health benefits and are naturally gluten free and affordably priced. 

Oats contain beta-glucan, the primary source of fiber, which has been shown to slow digestion, increase fullness and suppress appetite. Studies have shown the benefits of oats and its effect on glycemic control in patients with diabetes.

It was shown that oats can improve glucose levels and insulin sensitivity after oat consumption. Some studies have also shown that oat consumption can lower BMI and body weight. 

Which Oats are good for Weight Loss?

While any type of oatmeal serves as a good source of fiber and protein, which type of oats is best to see weight-loss results? Steel cut oats are the least processed oat in the pack, which may make this the best choice is weight-loss is your goal.

The body processes steel cut oats very slowly as compared with rolled oats, which may aid in weight loss. Additionally, due to the long processing time, this may prevent a spike in blood sugar and keep you fuller longer.

Steel-cut oats may also have a higher fiber content, which can help in digestion and aid in gut health. 

While health benefits can be found in all types of oats, the chart below compares the nutritional differences between 2 ounces (56 grams) of rolled, steel-cut and quick oats. 

	Steel Cut Oats	Rolled Oats	Quick Oats
Calories	208	212	208
Carbs	37 g	39 g	38 g
Protein	9 g	7 g	8 g
Fat	4 g	4 g	4 g
Fiber	6 g	5 g	5 g
Sugar	0 g	1 g	1 g

The Bottom Line

No matter what type of oats you choose—steel-cut, rolled oats or quick oats—all have health benefits. Adding oats to your daily routine is a great way to boost metabolism, help you feeling full longer.

While eating oats any time of day can provide fiber and daily minerals to your diet, if weight-loss is your goal, eating them for breakfast may help boost your metabolism.

Adding steel-cut oats into your diet plan? You can liven it up with many toppings and varieties. Take care not to add too much sugar or sweet toppings to your oatmeal if trying to eat for weight loss, as this may add many unwanted calories. 

Related: Are Overnight Oats Good for Weight Loss?

Resources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26273900/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037534/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325078/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015038/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7956987/

https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/74/2/131/1924832

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