There’s no better way to encourage healthy weight loss than starting your day off with a nourishing, satiating breakfast. Along with ample hydration and exercise, a well-balanced diet can greatly aid your weight loss journey— and oats are a great idea to try as they offer necessary fiber, complex carbs, and protein. We spoke with registered dietitian Sylvia Klinger, MS, RD who provided an overnight oats recipe for weight loss and explained the popularity and benefits of its ingredients.
Strawberry Overnight Oatmeal with Almond Butter Drizzle Recipe
Overnight oats make a great breakfast choice and are often suggested by dietitians and other health experts since they are incredibly customizable. As Klinger explains, they’re fit for a breakfast that never gets old, as you can add or substitute your favorite toppings to make it your own. “In the morning, this breakfast can be warmed in the microwave or enjoyed cold,” Klinger says of her recipe below:
Ingredients:
½ cup dry oats, 1 cup soy milk or milk of choice, 1 tablespoon chia seeds or flax seeds (optional), 5 strawberries, (sliced), 1 tablespoon almond butter
Directions:
1. Add oats and chia seeds into a mason jar.
2. Pour in soy milk and stir to combine.
3. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator, and top with fresh strawberries or a drizzle of almond butter in the morning.
How Overnight Oats Aid Your Weight Loss Efforts
Eating oat-based meals (like in the recipe above) can support your weight loss goals in many ways, as well as healthy weight maintenance. “Oatmeal and overnight oats is a great choice for breakfast and can support weight loss or healthy weight maintenance by making you feel full,” Klinger explains. She cites one study that found that oatmeal for breakfast may increase satiety and lead to a lower-calorie lunch. “This can also benefit weight loss/maintenance, as whole grain and cereal fiber intake have been found to be associated with lower total percent body fat and lower abdomen fat mass (“belly fat”),” Klinger adds.
Oats also provide a chunk of your daily dietary fiber requirement, Klinger notes. “Less than 4% of the US population meets the requirement for dietary fiber, and oatmeal is a great source of it. The AHA recommends that women get 21-25 grams/day and men get 30-38 grams/day, and all dietary fiber can support weight loss by filling you up.”
This recipe also energizes you with high-quality calories, Klinger points out; “Eating sufficient carbohydrate fuels the body and allows protein to be used for other important functions, instead of being broken down for energy. If you don't consume the needed amount of carbohydrates, your body can rely on protein for energy, making the protein less available for things like keeping muscles healthy and strong.” In addition, she says that oats provide key vitamins and minerals including B-vitamins thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and folate, as well as the minerals, iron, zinc, selenium, and magnesium.
