Think oatmeal can only be good slathered with butter and brown sugar? Think again! Oatmeal has been reinvented with new toppings, new textures, and new reasons to eat it.

Oatmeal is a healthy, nutritious, food when it does not contain added sugar or salt. Oatmeal makes a traditional whole food breakfast, and even has functional health benefits (like lowering cholesterol) too. It's not the mushy porridge most people remember.

Carbohydrate Foods

Health Canada recommends people consume at least 45-65% of their total calories from carbohydrates. Oatmeal is a high-carbohydrate (66%), low-fat way to start the day. To lower the impact of oatmeal on blood glucose (blood sugar), add a source of protein or fat to the meal.

Oatmeal Toppings by Food Group

Avoid the brown sugar rut with exciting new oatmeal toppings from every food group.

Oats should be cooked in just over twice their amount of liquid; usually water. For a treat, cook with milk instead (carefully watching to avoid burning) or juice like apple cider .

Dairy and Calcium-Rich Toppings

Most adults should consume 1000mg calcium per day. Breakfast is a great time to start!

• Milk (300 mg calcium per cup)
• Non-dairy milk (soy, rice, or almond, up to 300 mg per cup). If substituting for cow’s milk, should be fortified with at least vitamin D, calcium, and, for vegans, vitamin B12.
• Soy nuts (dry-roasted soybeans, 60 mg per ¼ cup)
• Almonds (75 mg calcium per 23 nuts)

Fruits and Vegetables

Mostly Fruits. Eat seasonal or frozen for the most nutrition.

Fresh or frozen fruit

• Blueberries, strawberries, or mixed berries
• Rhubarb (sweeten cooked rhubarb with a touch of honey or brown sugar)
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Banana
• Apple or applesauce
• Pumpkin puree (add pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon)

Dried Fruit

• Raisins
• Dried cranberries
• Figs
• Dates (chopped)
• Currants
• Dried apricots, peaches, or pears

Healthy Fats and Proteins

Nuts and seeds are a nutritional powerhouse and a source of healthy unsaturated fats. Flax seeds have the highest omega-3 fat content and are high in fibre. Most nuts provide some protein, too. Protein will also be boosted by the dairy food group and the oats themselves.

• Almonds or almond butter
• Walnuts
• Chopped mixed nuts
• Peanut butter
• Sunflower seeds or sunflower seed butter
• Flax seeds, whole (For fibre only. The body cannot break down the seed coat very well to get full access to the omega-3s inside)
• Flax seeds, ground
• Flax oil, cold-pressed (stir a small amount into cooked, slightly cooled oatmeal for an omega-3 boost)
• Soy nuts
• Egg (Note: eggs should be fully cooked to maximize food safety. Traditionally, oatmeal was cooked on the stove and a whole egg stirred in when the porridge was still hot enough to cook it.)

Spices and Sweeteners

A little goes a long way.

• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Apple pie spice
• Vanilla extract
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Low-sugar syrup
• Low-sugar jam or preserves

Note: Avoid salt in the cooking process; it adds unnecessary sodium to the diet.

More Healthy Breakfast Tips

• Oats are minimally processed and retain most of their nutrients, even when processed into quick oats. To maximize nutrition and minimize the glycemic index (GI), buy lthicker flaked oats or steel-cut oats instead of instant.
• Even healthy-sounding cold cereals have added sugar and are usually made from nutrient-poor refined carbohydrates. Ever get hungry before lunch? Have a whole food breakfast of oatmeal with added fruit and flax for additional fibre and staying power.
• Flavoured packets of instant oatmeal usually contain added sugar, sweeteners, preservatives, salt, and artificial colours. That “peaches and cream oatmeal” might not even contain peaches! Get a nutritional boost without added sugar by making oatmeal from scratch. Instant oatmeal flavoured only with spices is also available.

How to Cook Oatmeal

The smaller and flatter the oat, the faster it cooks. The longest cooking times are for oat groats, followed by steel-cut or Irish oats, large flake rolled oats, quick oats, and instant oats. There is no standard size, so check each package for specific instructions or use this handy guide from Quaker Oats.

Oatmeal Cooking Methods

1. Stove-top (5-10 minutes for rolled oats; up to 20 minutes for steel-cut or Irish oats)
2. Microwave (for quicker-cooking oats only) When cooking oatmeal in the microwave, always use a large, microwave-safe bowl. Oatmeal tends to bubble up and get messy as it cooks.
3. Oven (for large quantities or recipes with lots of extras, like eggs). Can take up to 45 minutes.
4. Slow cooker or Crock Pot. Cook overnight on low. No extra liquid is usually needed.
5. Uncooked: soak oats overnight or until soft in water, milk, yogurt, or juice. Soaking is the basis for traditional muesli and makes getting ready in the morning that much faster! Try it with Banana Bread Oatmeal. Fruit and nuts can also be added the night before. Devotees say soaking oatmeal makes it easier to digest, especially first thing in the morning.

Fitting Oatmeal into the Diet

Don’t feel limited to breakfast. Try oats or oatmeal:

• As a snack or post-workout mini meal
• To stretch meatloaf, lentil loaf , or homemade hamburgers
• As oat flour (simply whir rolled oats in a blender until they reach the texture of flour)
• Added to baked goods recipes as whole oats or oat bran