Is Oatmeal Keto?
On a cold winter morning, is there anything more satisfying than wrapping your hands around a bowl of fresh oatmeal, sweetened and flavored with your favorite spices? It is a hearty meal that can leave you feeling satisfied for hours, but you should know the nutritional facts about oatmeal before you indulge while on a keto diet.
The short answer to the question of whether oatmeal is keto is that traditional oatmeal has too many carbohydrates to be considered an option for the keto diet. Especially if made with milk and sweeteners, oatmeal, like other foods made with grains, will not allow you to stay in ketosis. Fortunately, there are some substitutions you can make to still enjoy a warm bowl of “oatmeal” at home.
Is Oatmeal Keto-Friendly?
The bad news is that your favorite morning oatmeal might need to be mercilessly cut from your diet if you plan to stay in ketosis long-term. While oatmeal still packs a nutritional punch for your diet without adding the sugar of normal breakfast cereals, it is still too heavy in carbohydrates and too low on fiber to make it into your keto diet.
In one cup of oatmeal (regular cereal oats and unenriched), you will find a whopping 28 grams of carbohydrates. [1] Only four grams of that is allocated to dietary fiber, making it a challenge when it comes to fitting oatmeal into your macros for the day.
At 24 grams of net carbs, most people on a keto diet will have exhausted just about all of their carbs for the day on one bowl of oatmeal. [2]
This carb count increases further when you make your oatmeal with traditional milk rather than water. A cup of 3.25 percent milkfat has upwards of 11 grams of carbs combined with the carbs from the oats. [3]
While oats themselves are too laden with carbs to be keto-friendly, but you do still have options. Premade keto “oatmeal” and hot cereal mixes can be found on Amazon and in some grocery stores. Just be prepared to pay more money than you would for relatively inexpensive regular oats.
You can also substitute oats for other keto-friendly foods like chia seeds and ground flaxseed. These contain more nutrition and still give you the option for a hearty porridge-type breakfast. When made with unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, you will have a tasty and well-rounded breakfast that won’t impact ketosis.
Keto-Friendly Oatmeal Recipes
While the carb-heavy oats that star in a packet of your favorite oatmeal may not be keto, that’s no reason to give up a hot, filling breakfast. Instead, you can make your own porridge at home, satisfying your craving for a hearty start to the day without kicking you out of ketosis. Whether you prefer a warm bowl or cold cereal in the style of overnight oats, these recipes will have you covered.
In just a few minutes, you can whip up a batch of this cinnamon keto porridge with chia seeds and ground flaxseed in place of steel-cut oats. Sweeten it with a touch of stevia powder if you desire or just enjoy the warm flavors of the cinnamon mixed with your favorite unsweetened almond milk. Or try this simple keto porridge with coconut flour and flaxseed.
If you want something warm and soothing for the cold weather, this maple pecan keto oatmeal with cinnamon and brown “sugar” is just the thing. This recipe is made from a base of hemp seeds, flax seed meal, and chia seeds with tons of flavor. You will enjoy touches of brown “sugar” with maple extract, vanilla, and even a dash of maple syrup. In less than five minutes and with fewer than 3 grams of net carbs, this may just be your new morning favorite.
Overnight oats are another popular option among many oatmeal enthusiasts, and you don’t have to miss out with keto noatmeal cauliflower overnight “oats.” It takes about 20 minutes to prepare before refrigerating it overnight. You’ll love that it has only 5 grams of net carbs and all of your favorite fall flavors, like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla.
Getting a Healthy Breakfast
One of the best things you can do to set yourself up for success each morning is to indulge in a healthy keto breakfast. Ditch the sugar-laden cereals and the carb-heavy oatmeal for homemade oatmeal and porridge recipes that allow chia seeds and flaxseed to shine. The keto diet might make traditional oatmeal a no-no, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a warm meal on a cold morning when you’re in a hurry!
References
Nutrition facts for cooked oatmeal. My Food Data. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2022, from https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutrition-facts/173905/wt1
Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for weight loss. The Nutrition Source. (2019, May 22). Retrieved November 21, 2022, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/ketogenic-diet/
Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/335240/nutrients
