Overnight oats have become the new deluxe recipe for the health-is-wealth tribe. You will see people flouting it as part of their morning routines on Instagram and Tiktok, or gulping it from their protein shake bottles in the gym. It has become the latest trend that gym snobs use to separate the ‘elite’ from the ‘delete’ crowd, but is there anything in this new fad?
Actually, yes. For a change, science is in agreement with the mob, and overnight oats offer a number of health benefits that are worth paying attention to. In his article, we will share some of those benefits and provide you with a simple recipe that you can prepare in no time at all. Well, you will still need to leave it in the fridge overnight, but the fridge will be working much harder than you, so don’t worry.
Oats make you feel full quicker and for longer.
Oats are high in Beta-Glucan, which makes you feel full. This prevents you from overeating oats, which does not happen when consuming alternative sources of carbohydrates. Beta-Glucan also stimulates the release of peptide hormones which is thought to lead to fewer calories consumed throughout the day.
Easier for you to digest and absorb its nutrients
Oats are a starch-resistant food. This means your body finds it difficult to break them down. It is quite common for resistant starches to pass through your digestive tract intact, which also means that your body doesn’t benefit from the nutrients they hold.
By soaking the oats overnight, you break them down making it easier for your body to digest. This allows you to absorb more of the rich nutrients and minerals that oats contain, which include manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, folate, vitamin B1 (thiamin), and vitamin B5.
Oats are high in both soluble and insoluble fibre
The insoluble fibre that you absorb from oats is not broken down and does not absorb water very well and this adds tremendous bulk to your stools (poo). The benefit of this is that it helps you to go to the bathroom frequently and to, well, download a healthy amount of excrement.
The soluble fibre in oats has been shown to reduce the ‘bad cholesterol’ by 10-15%, especially if you are on a low-fat diet. More than this, it is considered to potentially reduce the risk of colon cancer, and improve heart health, obesity and diabetes.
For more soluble fibre, add chia seeds to your overnight oats. When mixed with a liquid, chia seeds produce a gelatin-like substance that increases the soluble fibre.
Oats improve gut health
The Beta-Glucan in oats promotes bile-acid excretion which transports toxins out of your gut. The resistant starches found in oats also provide a rich food source for the friendly bacteria that live in your gut, which helps keep your microbiome in good balance. Interestingly, these friendly bacteria are hard at work when they are well-fed. They suppress your natural appetite and speed up your body’s natural calorie burning - a double whammy that no one will say no to.
And, the payload is quite high. Studies have shown that swapping just 5% of your carbohydrates for starch-resistant options can increase your metabolism by up to 23%.
JUVIA is the perfect ingredient to flavour your oats and it will help improve your gut health further. JUVIA breaks down carbohydrates before they get to your gut, which deprives the unfriendly bacteria of its sugary food source. The good bacteria can then feed on the resistant starch and out-populate the unfriendly bacteria, which will keep your microbiome balanced and healthy.
So, are you convinced yet? We thought so. Before you ask, here’s the recipe.
Ingredients:
- Rolled oats (as much as you like, use the ratio of 1 part oats to 1 part milk)
- Milk of your choosing (consider unsweetened oat milk, or coconut milk)
- A tablespoon of JUVIA
- Chopped bananas
- A pinch of cinnamon
- Nuts of your choice (assuming no allergies here)
- A tablespoon of chia seeds (optional)
- Fruit yoghurt of choice (optional)
Directions
Mix the cold milk and oats in a bowl or sealable container and stir gently until all the oats are wet. Add the toppings and flavourings of your choosing (apart from JUVIA). Stir further until the ingredients are evenly distributed within the oat mix.
Leave to rest overnight or at least a few hours before eating.
Once you’re ready to eat, add the JUVIA, chopped bananas, berries or nuts of your choice, or yoghurt if you like it a little silkier and enjoy!