Can overnight oats help the battle?

I’ve been reading on what kind of things can help with diabetes.

Over the past several years, I’ve backed away from oatmeal because the carb count was so high. It worried me and I didn’t want to do something that could throw me out of whack.

Alas, I’ve been seeing a lot – and I mean A LOT – of recipes on Pinterest for overnight oats. Several years ago, I tried it and didn’t like it, though I am starting to think it was because of the chia seeds, which I don’t think I enjoyed. That being said, I haven’t fully given up on chia seeds as I have been reading that they have some serious benefits for one’s health, including fighting aspects of diabetes. I think, however, if I start adding these to these recipes, it will be in a much smaller quantity.

So oats … seem to have some healthy aspects, too. Despite having a decent amount of carbs, it seems they can help overall. According to Healthline, “Because oatmeal has a low glycemic index, it can help maintain glucose levels. This can be beneficial for people with diabetes.” The website also warns, however, that pre-packaged oatmeal can be packed with sugar, which is why it’s better to create your own wonderful mixtures.

The first few nights, I followed recipes pretty much to the word. But I also realized there was a lot of ways to do overnight oats. Nothing had to be set to a recipe as you could do what you needed to make it taste the way you want. And, though many people eat it cold, I’ve found putting it in the microwave for about 1:30 warms it enough to make it really tasty!

I found a recipe that seemed interesting, but I tweaked it a bit to my liking. See below:

 

• 1/2 (ish) cup of oats
• 1/2 (ish) banana mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3/4 (ish) cup of almond milk (or regular milk) (I use “Almond Breeze Vanilla with a hint of honey”)

Put a small layer of oats at the bottom of a pint-sized mason jar (I use the wide-mouth ones). Add the mashed banana. Then put the rest of the oats. On top of that, add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and milk. Mix up either with a spoon or shake vigorously to mix everything together. Refrigerate overnight.

I came up with this, in regard to carb count:

• Oats: 30g
• Banana: 12g
• Maple syrup: ~7
• Almond milk: ~6
• Total: ~55 grams of carbs

This seems like a pretty safe bet for breakfast and with so many ways of making overnight oats, the tastes can be different each day. I’ve made ones with blueberries and such as well, which adds to it. I’m going to keep trying and see where it goes.

So far, I’m not sure if it’s been good, bad or indifferent. I’ve had these a few days so far (different flavors) and it hasn’t been perfect. But I am wondering over time. I have to see the diabetes educator in about a week, so I am hoping she can shed some light on things.

I know this much — it’s filling and tastes good. So I’m not as hungry later in the morning/day. It’s all part of the process, so hopefully I can keep going in the right direction.

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