Among cereals, instant oatmeal in breakfast manages hunger better than other options

If you never feel full after eating cereals for breakfast, try instant oatmeal. A serving of instant oatmeal is more filling than a ready-to-eat (RTE), oat-based cereal, a new research shows.

By: Editorial Team | | Published: June 12, 2014 1:06 pm

If you never feel full after eating cereals for breakfast, try instant oatmeal. A serving of instant oatmeal is more filling than a ready-to-eat (RTE), oat-based cereal, a new research shows. Also Read - Skipping breakfast: What happens to the body when you miss your morning meal?

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‘Eating a bowl of instant oatmeal for breakfast is more satiating and helps manage hunger better than the same amount of calories from a leading oat-based, cold cereal, even when consumed in smaller portions,’ researchers said. Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

The unique characteristics of oatmeal have a significant impact on fullness and desire to eat even when matched for calories and ingredients (oats) with another breakfast option.

‘We found instant oatmeal to be more effective at suppressing appetite compared to the cold cereal, even with a smaller serving size and less calories than previously investigated,’ said Frank Greenway from the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

During his experiment, 43 healthy men and women completed the randomised, controlled crossover investigation over their breakfast habits.

The results showed that when participants ate instant oatmeal, they reported less hunger compared to the RTE cereal.

Instant oatmeal also provided increased fullness and a reduced desire to eat more.

Researchers state that the viscosity of instant oatmeal was higher than the RTE cereal which could explain the differences in hunger and appetite control.

‘The new research demonstrates that increased satiety is possible with smaller portions and less calories (150 calories) of instant oatmeal,’ Greenway added in a paper published in the Nutrition Journal.

How to make oats tastier?

Now that you know its benefits, learn a few easy recipes and tips to make your oatmeal tastier as well as healthier.

A quick and easy way to make your morning bowl of oats tasty is to add chopped dry fruits or cut fruits to it. This will not only add to its taste but will also make it more nutritious. You could also sprinkle a bit of your favourite herbs on it to improve its taste as it might be a bit too bland for the Indian palette.

If getting your kids in the habit of eating oats is your concern, you can try making oats lollipopsfor them. They are extremely healthy as they are made of sesame seeds, jaggery and are tasty too you certainly wouldn’t mind your kids eating these lollipops.

Find yourself craving a snack? Satisfy this craving with a healthy snack such as oats chaat. It is healthy yet tasty and a good way to beat your hunger pangs than reaching out for your jar of junk food.

With inputs from IANS