The creamy taste of oatmeal and the texture of sticking to ribs make it look like an indulgent food, but in fact its calorie content is relatively low. A cup of cooked oatmeal made of ordinary oatmeal and instant oatmeal contains 159 calories, which come from 27 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fat.

But be careful with seasoned, prepackaged oatmeal. A packet of leading commercially prepared apple cinnamon cereal contains 157 calories per serving, which may make you hungry in the morning. Taste-restrained oatmeal contains almost six times as many calories as ordinary oatmeal.

Oat fiber and weight loss

The main weight loss effect of oatmeal comes from its fiber content. Although fiber is a carbohydrate, it does not break down into sugar like other types of carbohydrates. On the contrary, it absorbs water to occupy your stomach space, which also helps to fight constipation. According to Harvard Health Journal, you can lose weight by taking 30 grams of fiber every day. It also has other benefits, including lowering blood pressure and protecting heart health. A cup of cooked oatmeal contains 4g of fiber, accounting for 13% of the target 30g. According to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, some of this fiber comes from soluble fiber, a form that is particularly suitable for fighting abdominal fat.

Other weight loss benefits

Oatmeal's reputation as a diet food is not just buzzing-there is evidence that eating oatmeal for breakfast can help you lose weight. This study compared oatmeal with cornflakes to learn more about the potential of oatmeal to help lose weight. The author of this study fed 36 subjects corn flakes or oatmeal, half of which were overweight and the other half were thin, to observe how each grain affected their appetite. They found that people who ate oatmeal for breakfast ate longer and ate less for lunch than people who ate cornflakes. These results are especially obvious in overweight subjects, which shows that oatmeal may be particularly good if you want to achieve a healthy weight.

However, there is also some evidence that oatmeal can help children lose weight. A study found that children who eat oatmeal are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and have a higher overall diet quality than children who don't eat oatmeal. Although this does not mean that oatmeal can directly combat childhood obesity, it does regard oatmeal as part of a healthy diet.

A good idea to decorate oatmeal breakfast.

Use a healthy mixed meal to avoid boredom-make oatmeal more suitable for children. Sprinkling chopped apples, pears or a small amount of berries on oatmeal can increase the natural sweetness and increase the fiber content in the diet. Mix oatmeal with pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and a small amount of chopped pecans to make oatmeal look like a treat. Or add sugar-free applesauce and a little cinnamon powder to oatmeal to make "apple pie" oatmeal. Try different textures to keep oatmeal interesting. When you have some extra cooking time on weekends, you can eat roasted oats or soak oats in almond milk all night to make "overnight oats" without any breakfast.