Best of the Bites: Hot Cereal, Instant
This morning I was sitting in one of my favorite neighborhood cafes, The Grey Dog's Coffee , having breakfast. I love this place because it offers so much more than the ubiquitous coffee shop. They serve delicious food as well as coffee, especially the Irish Oatmeal with fruit which is what I ate today. You might think of oatmeal as something you would eat in the winter, but I'm here to tell you that it's one of the most nutritious breakfasts around whether it's 20 below or 80 degrees. The health benefits alone should be reason enough to include oatmeal in your diet. Did I mention it's a good source of fiber, especially if you are diabetic, have high cholesterol or post menopausal? But if you don't have time to slow cook old fashioned oatmeal or aren't lucky enough to eat at The Grey Dog, there are plenty of instant oatmeal brands available that are a great alternative instead of your usual bagel with cream cheese, which is not only high in calories and fat but will leave you hungry by 10am!
The first question you may ask yourself is which kind of oatmeal do you choose? Different types of processing are used to produce oat products. For example there is steel cut, old fashioned, and quick cooking. Basically, instant oatmeal is partially cooked oats that are rolled very thin. However, often they have added sugar or artificial sweeteners, and salt. So make sure that the brand you choose is 100% whole grain, low in sodium (look for no more than 250mg), low in fat (no more than 2g per serving) and at least 3g of fiber per serving. I prefer brands that have less than 1g of added sugar too. Flavored oatmeal, although it may taste great, will have a much higher sugar content. Remember 4g is equivalent to 1 teaspoon. Opt for plain and add your own fruit and/or nuts. Not only will it be naturally sweeter but you'll get the additional nutritional benefits as well.
Next time your in the supermarket check out these instant brands (in no particular order):
- Uncle Sam Oatmeal (130 calories, 0g sugar, 20mg sodium, 5g Fiber)
- Erewhon Organic Oatmeal, with added Oat Bran (130 calories, 0g sugar, 0mg sodium, 4 g Fiber)
- Quaker Oatmeal - Regular (100 calories, 0g sugar, 80mg sodium, 3g Fiber)
- McCann's Irish Oatmeal - Regular (100 calories, 1g sugar, 80mg sodium, 3g Fiber)
Now there's no excuse that you don't have time for breakfast. Keep a few single serving packets of your favorite oatmeal in your desk drawer and you're off to a great start to your day.
On a personal note, I'll be away for a few days on a mini vacation, so this is my only post for the week. I'll be back next week....Enjoy!
PS: For more information about The Grey Dog's Coffee, go to www.thegreydog.com
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