Candida Diet-Friendly Overnight Oats: A Delicious and Safe Breakfast Option

Overnight oats can be a safe and nutritious option for those following a Candida diet. This article explores how to prepare them using low-glycemic ingredients to support your dietary needs while still enjoying a satisfying breakfast.

Introduction

The Candida diet aims to reduce the overgrowth of Candida yeast in the body by limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates. Finding suitable breakfast options that adhere to these restrictions can be challenging. Overnight oats offer a versatile and convenient solution when prepared with Candida-friendly ingredients.

What are Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats are a no-cook method of preparing oatmeal. Instead of cooking oats on the stovetop or in the microwave, they are soaked in liquid (usually milk or a milk alternative) and left to sit in the refrigerator overnight. This process softens the oats, making them ready to eat straight from the fridge.

Developed around 1900 by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital, Bircher Muesli is a popular breakfast dish based on raw ingredients and is a predecessor to modern overnight oats.

Are Overnight Oats Safe on the Candida Diet?

The safety of overnight oats on a Candida diet depends on the ingredients used. Oats themselves have a relatively high glycemic load, which can be problematic for those trying to control Candida overgrowth. However, by employing specific strategies and ingredient choices, overnight oats can be made low-glycemic and suitable for the Candida diet.

Read also: Nutritious oat ideas

Making Low-Glycemic Overnight Oats

Key Strategies

1. Control Portion Sizes: Limit the amount of oats to around 20-25 grams (0.7-0.9oz) per serving.
2. Incorporate Low-Glycemic Bulk Ingredients: Increase the volume of the mixture with ingredients like oat bran, unhulled lentils, seed and nut protein powders, chia seeds, flaxseeds, psyllium husks, superfood powders, and certain vegetables.
3. Choose Low-Glycemic Fruits and Berries: Top the oats with fruits like wild blueberries, strawberries, green apples, kiwis, pears, and plums.
4. Opt for Low-Glycemic Sweeteners: If needed, use sweeteners like mesquite, carob, monk fruit, yacon, stevia, xylitol, or erythritol.

Ingredients to Avoid

• High GL sweeteners (maple syrup, coconut nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar, raw cane sugar, etc.)
• Dried fruit (dates, figs, raisins, apricots, etc.)
• Sweet fresh fruits (banana, mango, persimmon)

Recipes

Dairy-Free Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

This recipe is perfect for meal prepping and offers a wholesome, dairy-free option for breakfast.

Ingredients:

• Organic rolled oats
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Chia seeds
• Ground sweet cinnamon
• Powdered xylitol (or preferred low-glycemic sweetener)
• Pinch of salt
• Green Granny Smith apple
• Unsweetened coconut yogurt
• Almond milk

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, cinnamon, xylitol, and salt. Stir well.
2. Wash and grate the green apple, then add it to the bowl.
3. Add unsweetened coconut yogurt and almond milk to the mixture.
4. Stir all ingredients until thoroughly combined.
5. Transfer the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.

Low Glycemic Chocolate Overnight Oats

This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and Candida diet-friendly.

Ingredients:

• Old-fashioned rolled oats (or quick oats/jumbo oats)
• Oat milk (or other plant milk)
• Soymilk (optional, can be substituted with other plant milk)
• Grated zucchini
• Psyllium husks (or ground chia seeds)
• Carob powder (or mesquite flour/yakon powder)
• Coconut flour (or nut protein powder)
• Liquid stevia (or other low-glycemic sweetener)
• Pinch of Himalayan salt

Instructions:

1. In a medium jar or bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (oats, psyllium husks, carob powder, coconut flour, salt).
2. Gradually add oat milk and soymilk to avoid lumps.
3. Stir in grated zucchini.
4. Transfer the mixture into a sealed container or mason jar and refrigerate overnight.
5. Add liquid stevia to taste if desired.

Substitution Tips:

• Use any combination of plant milks (almond milk, oat milk, soymilk, rice milk, etc.), keeping in mind that oat, rice, and cashew milk have higher glycemic loads.
• If you don’t have psyllium husks, use more ground chia seeds (adjust liquid accordingly).
• Carob powder can be substituted with mesquite flour or yakon powder.
• Coconut flour can be substituted with any nut protein powder (adjust liquid accordingly).

Additional Tips for Candida-Friendly Overnight Oats

• Use Gluten-Free Oats: Ensure the oats you use are certified gluten-free to avoid any potential issues with gluten sensitivity, which can sometimes be associated with Candida overgrowth.
• Add Healthy Fats: Incorporate sources of healthy fats like chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds. These can help to stabilize blood sugar levels and provide essential nutrients. A generous dollop of almond or hazelnut butter is an absolute must and can make or break the recipe.
• Spice it Up: Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg not only add flavor but also have potential anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties.
• Consider Probiotics: Add a dollop of plain, probiotic yogurt to your overnight oats to introduce beneficial bacteria to your gut.
• Always grind your own chia seeds and store them in a sealed container or jar in fridge. Use spice/coffee grinder.
• If you feel that the oats could use some more sweetness, add a little bit of liquid stevia or other low glycemic sweetener.
• If you don’t need to watch those fats, go ahead and top your overnight oats with seed or nut butters, i.e. additive free almond butter, peanut butter, tahini, sunflower seed butter etc.
• If you must have some berries on top of your overnight oats, go with some goji berries, wild blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries.
• Finally, plain soy Greek yogurt would make an excellent topping. Furthermore, you could mix some into the oats as well.

Other Recipes

Bircher Muesli

This muesli contains no added sugars, is naturally low in carbohydrates, and will give you plenty of energy to last through the whole morning. It can be served right away or soaked overnight.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes
• ½ cup nuts (macadamia, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 2 Tbsp. raw pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ginger
• ¼ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg (optional)
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup coconut milk
• Dash of alcohol-free vanilla (optional)
• 2 to 3 drops liquid stevia (optional)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Plain, probiotic yogurt (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl or a container with a tightly fitting lid, add coconut flakes, macadamia nuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
2. Store muesli ingredients in a container with a tightly fitting lid for a day or two to let the flavors develop. This mixture will keep for up to two months.
3. In a small bowl, combine coconut milk, alcohol-free vanilla, stevia, and lemon juice.
4. Stir well, then add muesli and top with a dollop of plain yogurt.
5. For a softer texture, prepare a bowl the night before. Put a serving of muesli in a bowl and cover with the coconut milk mixture. Place in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, enjoy plain or with a dollop of yogurt.

The Nutritional Benefits of Oatmeal

Despite its reputation as a "nerdy" food, oatmeal offers significant nutritional benefits. It is rich in soluble fiber, particularly beta-glucan, which supports digestion, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and promotes a healthy gut microbiome.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a one-cup serving of cooked oatmeal contains about 1.8 milligrams of vitamin B1 (thiamin), which is close to 15% of the daily requirement for an adult. It also contains 1.36 mg of manganese, which is 59% of the daily recommendation for men and 76% for women. Oats are also rich in phytonutrients, including avenanthramides, which are unique to oats and may boost health.

Read also: Popcorn on a Candida Cleanse

Different Types of Oats

Oats come in various forms, each processed differently:

• Steel Cut Oats: Processed with a steel cutter, resulting in a chewier texture.
• Rolled Oats: Steamed and then pressed with a roller.
• Quick-Cooking Oats: Rolled oats that are pressed into thinner flakes.
• Oat Bran: The coarser portion extracted when oats are ground to flour.
• Oat Milk: Derived from oats and water, often with added ingredients like sugar, salt, and oil.

Nutritionally, there is little difference between steel-cut and rolled oats.

Read also: Best Bread for Candida

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