Changing your dietary habits isn't an easy task, whether it's for health reasons or just to try something new. For those embarking on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, one of the most researched questions is, "What can I eat?" Finding out which foods you can and cannot consume on this diet may seem overwhelming at first. You're given a guideline to consume foods that are "low-carb" and "high-fat," and now feel like you're required to know the nutritional facts of every food out there. This article explores the role of oatmeal in a low-carb dietary plan, providing guidelines, alternatives, and creative ways to enjoy a comforting bowl of "oatmeal" without derailing your dietary goals.
Understanding the Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet intended to put your body into the metabolic state of ketosis. In general, a keto diet is when people consume a set amount of carbs daily and replace any extra carbs with high-fat, high-protein foods. In ketosis, your body uses ketones instead of carbohydrates (carbs) as a primary energy source. Ketones are substances produced when your body breaks down fats.
When following a ketogenic diet, there are several guidelines that you must follow to remain in ketosis. The suggested daily carbohydrate intake is typically reduced to less than 50 grams when following the ketogenic diet.
Oatmeal: Nutrient-Rich but High in Carbs
Oatmeal is a high-fiber grain that does contain a high amount of carbohydrates. Oatmeal is a nutrient-rich food that's excellent for your health. Oats made history when they became the first food with a Food and Drug Administration health claim label in 1997. Oats contain a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which lowers blood glucose and cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Eating oatmeal regularly can have weight management benefits, too. Oats' fiber and protein content contribute to feeling full longer and slowing the release of blood glucose.
Regular rolled, quick-cooked oatmeal is not considered a keto-friendly food. One cup of oatmeal contains around 24 grams (g) of net carbohydrates. One serving of Organic Steel Cut Oats oats contains 31 grams of carbohydrates. When you factor in your carbs from other food sources, even half a cup of oatmeal can exceed your daily allowance of carbs in a keto diet.
Read also: Benefits of Oatmeal Drinks for Dieting
While oatmeal isn't considered a keto food, it's not entirely off-limits.
Types of Oatmeal
When choosing oatmeal, we recommend sticking to Steel Cut Oats. Also called Irish oatmeal, whole oat kernels are cut into two or three pieces with steel disks. Because these oats are the least processed, they contain the highest amount of fiber. Steel-cut oats take longer to cook, resulting in a creamy and chewy porridge.
These oats are rolled flat to make them easier to cook. These are the oats found in single-serve packets. They're typically flavored and can be added to hot water or cooked in the microwave for a few minutes.
Can You Incorporate Oatmeal into a Low-Carb Diet?
It’s possible to have a smaller portion of oatmeal if you pre-plan your entire day to ensure you stay within your carbohydrate goal. Therefore, if you adjust the other meals you eat throughout the day, you can enjoy a bowl of oats and remain within the advised range.
One advantage of oatmeal is its low glycemic index, due to its high fiber content. This means that oatmeal does not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. To further minimize the impact on your carb intake, pair oatmeal with low-carb or zero-carb foods such as eggs, avocado, or non-starchy vegetables.
Read also: Oatmeal: A Nutritional Powerhouse
Enhancing Oatmeal for a Low-Carb Approach
When crafting a keto-friendly bowl of oatmeal, fill it with keto-approved foods like blueberries and strawberries, and stay away from ones that could up the carbohydrate content. Making a bowl of lower-carb oatmeal doesn't have to be bland. Keto-approved oatmeal can be just as flavorful as a traditional bowl with the right ingredients.
Keto-Friendly Oatmeal Add-Ins
- Hulled Hemp Seeds: Gorgeous green-colored seed has a mild nutty flavor and packs a punch of nutrition. Considered a complete protein, our hemp seeds deliver 5 grams of plant-based protein per 2 tablespoon serving, making them a great addition to ketogenic, vegan and vegetarian diets. In addition to providing a wealth of protein, hemp hearts also provide a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. The fatty acids found in this seed have many health benefits ranging from promoting heart health to reducing inflammation.
- Flaxseed Meal: An excellent addition to your low-carb bowl of oatmeal, flaxseed meal offers a mild and nutty flavor that blends perfectly with the versatile taste of oatmeal. First cultivated in Babylon as early as 3000 BC., King Charlemagne was one of the first individuals to believe in the health benefits of flaxseeds. In fact, he believed in this seed so much that he passed laws requiring his subjects to consume it. While flaxseed meal contains several nutritional components, the most commonly recognized are omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans and fiber. Just two tablespoons of our flaxseed meal offer 2430 mg of omega-3s. In addition, flaxseed contains nearly 75-80 times more lignans than other plant foods. Like oatmeal, flaxseed meal is a good source of fiber, including soluble and insoluble fiber.
- Nuts: Nuts are an excellent way to add flavor and texture to oatmeal. When adding nuts to any recipe, you can crush them, ground them, or add them in whole. To keep your oatmeal low carb, reach for nuts with low carbohydrate content. Hazelnuts, macadamia nuts and Brazil nuts are the lowest in carbs and will taste great when combined with the naturally nutty flavor of oats.
- Berries: Berries like strawberries, blackberries and blueberries top the list of delicious keto-approved foods. And their naturally sweet flavor makes them an excellent way to sweeten your bowl of oats without using syrups or processed ingredients. Like nuts, berries can be added to oats in several different ways. For example, choose to bake blueberries into your oats as they're cooking, add a handful of fresh strawberries to your oats and top them with cottage cheese, or dice up a few strawberries and stir them into a freshly cooked bowl of oatmeal.
Low-Carb Oatmeal Alternatives
If, after reviewing the nutritional facts of oatmeal, you've found that it won't work within your dietary requirements, don't worry! Several low-carb dishes can be created to replicate the taste and texture of oatmeal without the extra carbs.
If you’re in the mood for some oatmeal goodness, you could consider using oat fiber, a product made from the outer husks of oats that can produce porridge when mixed with hot liquid. Carbohydrate values vary depending on the manufacturer, but oat fiber is lower in carbs than oatmeal.
If that isn’t quite what you’re looking for, you might find success mixing a spoonful of oatmeal with a keto-friendly food, like chia seeds, often eaten using the same preparations as traditional oatmeal.
Whether you eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, oatmeal doesn’t vary much in preparation. Oatmeal as a prepared dish is typically a form of porridge, a food made by combining liquid with grains or legumes until you have a cream-like consistency. If you’re not too concerned about maintaining the oat flavor, there are plenty of other low carb porridge alternatives:
Read also: Is Oatmeal Safe for Kidney Patients?
- Flaxseed Meal: Flaxseed ground up is called flaxseed meal. One hundred grams, or between ½ to ¾ cup, depending on the consistency of the meal, contains around 11 net carbohydrates. To make yourself a flaxseed oatmeal alternative, combine half a cup of ground flaxseeds with one cup of unsweetened almond milk, a pinch of salt, and a dash of cinnamon. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
- Coconut Flour: Coconut flour is another porridge option, made from dried and ground coconut meat. Its net carbs come in at about 24 per 100 g (or 8 g net carbs per 1/2 cup), depending on consistency. To prepare a warm and comforting coconut flour ‘oatmeal’, combine half a cup of unsweetened shredded coconut, 4 tablespoons of coconut flour, 1/4 cup of ground flaxseed, 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan.
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are a versatile food used in various dishes and as baking substitutes. When mixed with liquid, they develop a gel-like coating that creates a texture similar to pudding. One-half cup of chia seeds contains about 8 net carbs. Chia seeds are another fantastic keto-friendly substitute for oatmeal. For a tasty serving of keto chia pudding, mix half a cup of chia seeds with two cups of unsweetened almond milk and a sweetener of your choice.
- Hemp Hearts: Hemp hearts are the seeds from the Cannabis sativa plant. They’re considered a nutrient-dense food that you can add to a keto diet. After calculating for fiber, hemp seeds have almost no net carbs per serving.
- Almond Flour: Almond flour is typically used as a substitute for regular baking flour, but it can also make porridge if you need an oatmeal alternative. Almond flour has approximately 6 net carbs per 1/4 cup. To make almond flour porridge or ‘oatmeal’, start by combining 6 tablespoons of almond flour, 1/4 cup of ground flaxseed, 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat for about five minutes.
- Keto Smoothie Bowls: Keto smoothie bowls offer a highly customizable and nutrient-dense breakfast option. For a keto Berry Smoothie Bowl, blend half a cup of frozen berries, one cup of spinach, half an avocado, and unsweetened almond milk until smooth.
If you eat your oatmeal dry, with granola, or as an additive in smoothies and protein bars, the whole-form versions of the above foods still work as keto-friendly substitutes.
Low-Carb Oatmeal Recipe
Preparing low-carb and gluten-free oatmeal is simple, swap out the starchy oats for keto-friendly nuts and seeds!
Here are our top 3 favorite mixes with measurements, simply substitute these ingredients for the honey and cinnamon listed in the recipe below. Remember that there are endless flavor combinations. You can also add in a scoop of protein powder for an extra protein boost!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of Hemp seeds
- Chia Seeds
- Flax Seeds
- Additional flavorings
Instructions:
- Gathering and measuring all of the ingredients you will be using to prepare your low-carb oatmeal.
- Stir all of the ingredients together in a small saucepan, including any additional flavorings, and whisk until smooth.
- Heat the oatmeal over medium heat and stir occasionally until thickened into a porridge consistency (6-10 minutes). The chia seeds and ground flax help thicken the mixture, you may see it firm-up overnight as well thanks to the chia seeds.
- Once you reach the desired consistency you can remove your low carb oatmeal from the pot and portion it into meal prep containers or into a bowl to enjoy immediately! This recipe only makes 1 serving, so multiply it as many times as you'd like for your weekly meal prep. You can also microwave your low-carb oatmeal for 3 minutes, be sure to cover it was a paper towel and stir it halfway through the cooking process.
Other Considerations
Oat milk is made by blending oats with water and separating the liquid from the solids. Even though it’s lower in carbs than oatmeal, oat milk isn’t considered keto-friendly either. One cup of oat milk has approximately 17 g of net carbohydrates. Used sparingly as a coffee creamer or in tea, oat milk may still be acceptable on a keto diet if you factor in the rest of your carb intake.