When we think of a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, we already imagine a healthy breakfast that will fuel us for the whole day. And if you were on the weight loss journey before, this must have been your go-to option, or it could be your staple meal for breakfast. But now that you are pregnant and growing a small human, things are a little different. Making you wonder, is oatmeal good for pregnancy?
Just like any meal we consume in the name of being healthy, it can affect your body if not consumed the right way. Let’s find out a little more about oatmeal, is it good for pregnancy, and the benefits of enjoying a warm bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.
You can also explore a little more what else you can have as breakfast when pregnant.
Is oatmeal good for pregnancy?
The short answer to this burning question is Yes. Having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast topped with your favorite fruits; raspberries, strawberries, banana, with a sprinkle of chia seeds, or if you’re like me, you like it plain, go ahead and enjoy it. When you’re pregnant, there is no better time to fuel your body with all the good nutrients needed to keep you and your baby healthy.
Why are oats good for pregnancy?
Oatmeal offers a list of benefits whether you are pregnant or not; these are some of the benefits you will enjoy from a bowl of oat that I thought you should be aware of.
1. It is a good source of energy
When you are pregnant, your body is like a small factory trying to create a small human, and with this production taking place, you will need sufficient energy. A bowl of oatmeal will give you sufficient calories and carbohydrates to boost your energy.
2. Loaded with complex carbohydrates
Oatmeal contains three structures; this is germ, endosperm, and bran, making it loaded with complex carbohydrates, which means it takes slightly longer for your body to digest, unlike the simple cabs. With slow digestion, it helps keep your blood sugar levels perfect, and it reduces your chances of gestational diabetes. And on the weight gain sector, it helps you gain healthy weight as you carry your bun in the oven.
3. It will help prevent constipation
Constipation is one of the common symptoms you will experience during pregnancy, well, for most women. And to avoid this, oats might be of help because it contains the right amount of soluble fiber that helps in digestion, it goes a long way in helping with bowel movements, thus preventing constipation.
4. It is loaded with folic acid
After your doctor’s checkups, the first supplement that he gave you was folic acid, which you are expected to take every morning. Even when you are trying to get pregnant, you should take some folic acids for a healthy baby. It plays a vital role in fetal brain development and their nervous system. As a result, it has been found to reduce congenital disabilities when you can load up on it early on in your pregnancy. Thus, white oats are a natural source of this important vitamin for healthy baby development.
5. It is also loaded with all those good irons
Besides getting some folate acid boost, you also need that extra iron to reduce the risk of being anemic during pregnancy. Remember, your body is a small factory, so most of the blood and good nutrients are focused on growing the little human; to ensure you don’t deplete all these good nutrients, it is good to find ways to fuel your body adequately. And a bowl of oatmeal will install give you the required iron in a day.
6. There some vitamin E and B1
So what’s good about these vitamins? Vitamin B1 is essential in breaking down the protein and fat stored in your body and at the same time helps in keeping the mucus membrane to be strong and healthy. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that reduces the risks of free radical damage to your body. So one vitamin helps break down fats and protein to keep you at a healthy weight during pregnancy, while the other keeps your system strong and healthy, keeping your skin radiant and strong.
7. You also get to enjoy some essential minerals
Selenium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and the essential minerals your body gets to enjoy from a simple bowl of hot oatmeal in the morning. And these minerals offer you several benefits, good teeth formation, keeps your bones healthy, an instant boost to your immunity. For the baby, it helps in proper fetal development and growth.
What are the side effects of eating oat when pregnant?
A bowl of oatmeal can offer you several benefits, but everything good also has its downside. And for some people, there are some adverse effects if they over indulge in oatmeal. These are some of the side affects you need to be aware of.
- Too much oatmeal could lead to diarrhea and probably some indigestion. As much as you want to load up on all the goodness, it can offer you and your baby, ensure you enjoy it in limited quantities.
- There could be some blockage in your intestines, too much fiber might not be good for your system leading to this blockage.
- If you experience a gluten allergy, then oatmeal might not be for you.
- When shopping around, you will find oats come in different types, and to enjoy the benefits mentioned above, you need to avoid purchasing instant oats. Go for rolled or steel-cut option; these have been found to process all these health benefits you’re looking for.
Oatmeal offers your body several benefits, but you need to know the best way to consume it so that your body can thank you for the added fuel for the day.
Different ways to include oatmeal in your diet
Due to the health benefits oats offer, people have come up with creative and different ways to consume it over the years. And when you go shop for your oats, you will find they come in different forms from the whole cut, steel-cut, rolled oats, oat flour to make pancakes and cakes, to instant oats. And with these different varieties available to you, it is super easy to incorporate them into your meals.
These are some of the ways to explore oatmeal.
- For a quick and tasty breakfast
You can boil it out with either milk or water. To make it healthy, add honey as a sweetener. If you are like me, I would enjoy this as is – but if you like to experiment a little with your meals, you can throw in some mix ins with these five cool ideas.
- Mango and coconut – get sweat fresh mangos chopped up, some shredded coconut, cashews, and sprinkle some cardamom.
- Try a pumpkin pie oatmeal – in your bowl of oatmeal, top it with some Canned pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
- Some ginger and orange, please – mince some fresh ginger, orange marmalade, some candied ginger, and chopped almonds. Use these add-ons to top your bowl of oatmeal.
- Banana and nuts – if you love peanut butter and banana, you will love this mix in. Mash some bananas with nuts and peanut butter, make it nice and smooth to drizzle over your bowl.
- Top your bowl with Some peaches and cream – chop up your peaches; these could either be fresh or frozen, and for the cream, we use yogurt, preferably Greek yogurt, to make it super healthy.
- How about some pancakes?
Thanks to oat flour, you can use it as a replacement for all-purpose flour in your baking. This is from yummy oat pancakes, bread, muffins, cookies, pie crust; I mean, the list is endless on the healthy pastries you can make.
- Healthy but still sweet
When trying to eat healthy, it doesn’t mean your meal has to be bland. There are healthy ways to incorporate flavorings. From a dash of cinnamon, maple syrup, yogurt, and just to beat the cravings, you could go a little extra with some ice-cream.
- Go for some of those health bars.
For a quick healthy snack, go for the granola bars, an effective way also to beat those sweet cravings. The bars have been loaded with oats, some berries, and nuts for that tasty snack; with just a bite, you have filled your body with the needed energy and nutrients to keep going.
- Try and be a master chef.
The good thing about oats is how simple and quickly you can prepare a bowl. So try and experiment with different mixes and flavors to keep it interesting. This way, you will crave a healthy, tasty dish.
A quick takeaway, is oatmeal good for pregnancy?
Oats have proved to be an excellent go-to healthy option when you are pregnant, thanks to all the health benefits it can offer you. The most important benefit is a good supply of folic acid, which has been essential in fetal growth and development, especially early on in your pregnancy. And with the different mix-ins and ways to enjoy your oatmeal, it is an excellent healthy snack to grab.