Oatmeal- A Great Carbohydrate Choice For Breakfast

First, let me say that with the exception of human breast milk for babies, there is no such thing as a perfect food. Superfoods and the like are little more than advertising propaganda designed to make you buy more products, but it has no anchor in the science of nutrition and biochemistry. Not one food can be termed as better than another since we tend to be the healthiest when we have our nutritional needs met by eating a wide variety of different natural foods- each one providing different micro and macronutrients. That being said, there are foods that are not good for us- and that list would encompass the vast majority of products you would find on the inner isles of any supermarket. Processed foods and refined products make up the lion-share of what most people eat today- but at a price. Obesity and the slew of diet related diseases that have become commonplace in our society are silent testaments to the fact that there are indeed foods that should not be part of our regular diet. Almost unheard of in societies untouched by industrialized food products, obesity and metabolic disease are preventable as they are brought on not by inevitable genetic factors, but rather by the choices we make everyday at the dinner, lunch and breakfast table. While there are no superfoods that can come to our rescue- there are better food choices available to us as opposed to the refined goods that we have come to rely on for our sustenance. When it comes to breakfast- oatmeal is one such better choice.

Oats and Gluten- Understanding the Relationship

Oatmeal is made from ground oats, steel-cut oats, crushed oats, or rolled oats. Steel cut oats are very much a la mode these days but they are nothing more than smaller cut oats that are steamed and flattened.  With the exception of instant type oats and brands with added sugars, all forms of oatmeal are pretty much the same in terms of health benefits. Oats and oatmeal do not contain gluten, but many associate it with gluten as individuals with celiac disease (who must avoid gluten in their diets) can often have adverse reactions to it. The reaction has nothing to do with gluten sensitivity however, but rather a protein high in proline and glutamine called avenin.[1] Studies have found that oats can indeed be part of a gluten free diet for individuals suffering with celiac disease, as having this disorder does not necessarily mean that avenin will negatively affect you.[2] That being said, here in the United States oats are usually processed in the same factories that refine wheat, barley and other grain products and so there is always some risk of cross contamination and they are sometimes listed as containing gluten for this reason. It can be a bit confusing but oats themselves are gluten free and many steel cut and higher priced organic brands advertise as being processed in factories that do not manufacture wheat and grain products. In Europe where wheat and oats are not usually milled together oats are always classified as gluten free. Should you avoid oats made in factories that may have some degree of gluten contamination? My take would be that unless you have celiac disease and have been recommended specifically by your physician to avoid all traces of gluten, I wouldn’t worry about it. Microscopic amounts of gluten aren’t going to do much to you if you are healthy and if the cheaper brands make it easier for you to eat oatmeal consistently, then I say by all means go for it.

Instant Oatmeal- Junk Food Disguised As A Healthy Product

Instant oatmeal in all of its incarnations should be avoided. Unlike other forms of oats which are dehusked  by pounding and then heated, instant oats are cut into smaller pieces and pre-cooked. Rolled and steel cut oats require longer cooking times and the shorter cooking times required by instant oats may seem like a great idea for those pressed for time, but there are some problems created by the refinement process. Instant oats have much less fiber than its counterparts as the fiber is removed to make it cook faster and to give it a lighter taste. In so doing, the glycemic index value increases. Glycemic index is a tool used in nutrition to measure the effect of a food on our blood sugar levels. Foods that breakdown quickly during digestion and rapidly release sugars into our system are said to have a high glycemic index. Foods that digest slowly and gradually release glucose into the bloodstream are said to have a low glycemic index. Foods with a high glycemic index value such as candy bars, white bread and table sugar wreak havoc with our insulin levels and increase the likelihood of visceral abdominal fat storage.

Instant oatmeal has a glycemic index of 62- the which is the same as ice cream and that’s without the sugar usually added to instant varieties which effectively turns a potentially healthy food choice into a junk food. A fact that doesn’t stop food manufacturers from claiming it to be healthy even though it clearly isn’t.

Benefits Of Oatmeal As A Breakfast Food

For decades, oatmeal has been the standard morning meal of bodybuilders and athletes. (Wheaties and Corn Flakes may be marketed as the breakfast of champions but unless your sport is being overweight and out of shape you’ll do best to put cold cereals on your avoid list.)  Oatmeal is high in slow burning complex carbohydrates and water-soluble fiber that not only fills you up but also stabilize your blood sugar levels. High as well in B vitamins, fats and proteins, oatmeal provides a calorie rich food that can help you start the day on the right foot.

Due to the high beta-glucan and fiber levels found in oats- oatmeal was a bit of a health fad in the eighties when research found positive associations between oatmeal  consumption and lower blood cholesterol. This lead to a glut of oat bran products on the market masquerading as healthy foods. Oat bran muffins, instant oatmeal and other foods containing little in the way of fiber and filled with sugars, salt and artificial ingredients were vigorously promoted as being heart friendly and in turn adding even more misinformation to the clamor of misleading nutritional information.

Oatmeal is a great breakfast food, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that simply eating a bowl of oatmeal and then having junk for the rest of the day is going to do much. Instead, it is a valuable addition to the arsenal of wholesome and natural foods that can help you maintain an optimal body weight, help you lose weight and decrease your risk of diet related disease. Avoid the temptation to look at any one food as a magic formula and don’t negate the health benefits of your oatmeal by adding milk, sugars and sweeteners, instead stick with fruit and berries  for added flavor.  So have some oatmeal for breakfast- you’ll feel better and look better as a result. For more information on oatmeal and healthy choices for breakfast feel free to download a copy of my free breakfast ebook here.

References

1. Rottmann LH (2006-09-26). “On the Use of Oats in the Gluten-Free Diet”. Celiac Sprue Association/United States of America, Inc. (CSA)

2. Janatuinen, E.K., Kemppainen, T.A., Julkunen, R.J.K., Kosma, V-M., Mäki, M., Heikkinen, M. and Uusitupa, M.I. (2002) No harm from five year ingestion of oats in celiac disease, Gut, 50, 332–335

Kevin Richardson is an award winning health and fitness writer, the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training™ and one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City. If you live in the New York City area and need help losing weight or getting into shape give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

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A lot of people ask me what I eat for breakfast so I thought I would give everyone another glimpse into what our mornings look like with all the kids. If you ever thought that you didn’t have enough time to make breakfast- this article should set you straight! Enjoy and Happy Fathers Day to all the dads who wake up to make breakfast!

Breakfast On The Run- Healthy Eating With Kids

At 5:45 am Lucien, my 2 year old starts singing the theme song from Superman at the top of his lungs. I try to ignore him and pretend that I am still asleep in the hope that the universe will take pity on me and make him go back to sleep for another half hour- but no such luck. With no reaction, he starts belting out the theme from the Good The Bad And The Ugly- one of his favorites. Realizing that his Royal Highness had no intention of going back to bed, I get up and pluck him out of the crib. The kids are still asleep- thank goodness and my better (by far) half is still in dream world. After a night of ninjutsu classes- (I am the head instructor and Steph is one of my senior teachers) that go on until a little after midnight, we are both pretty beat. But today is my day to wake up and do the breakfast run, so I let her sleep a little longer.

Right now, my first order of business is dealing with Lucien’s diaper as a nighttime of use makes him feel about five pounds heavier when I lift him out of his crib. Thankfully, there are no unwanted surprises this morning and he is all too happy to have his pamper changed while humming the tune from the Spiderman cartoons (see a pattern here?). Pampers changed, Lucien runs off into the kids bedrooms screaming at the top of his lungs. For a second, I think of running after him so the other kids won’t be startled into consciousness by their little brother jumping on their chests and screaming their names in delight- but I think of the times that each one of them woke me up in just that fashion and leave him be. Payback! I am alone in the kitchen for a second before the cats get me. I’m their best friend first thing in the morning when they haven’t eaten in about 7 or 8 hours and are about to expire from lack of nourishment. It’s hard to walk with two cats rubbing against your shins competing for your attention but somehow I am able to feed them both without stepping on anyone.

My two year old Lucien

Cats fed, the morning routine begins and I start getting breakfast ready. I have a total of five hungry kids to feed none of whom possess simple tastes. That being said, it isn’t uncommon for me to cook 5 different meals for each of them, in addition to what Steph and I will eat as well. Many have wondered if my family eats the way I do and the answer is yes and no. Yes, we as whole, only eat healthy foods- but I don’t really think it would make sense for my five year old to eat the same things his 225lb father with 6% body fat would eat. The cats would love to – but that’s another story. Stephanie, my (very) significant other eats extremely healthy as well and in a way the system of diet and exercise that I branded as Naturally Intense isn’t simply a platform created for my personal training business. It is instead very much our way of life and I am certainly fortunate to have a life partner who eats as healthy and who is as supportive as Stephanie is. Sustaining the body that I have worked the better part of 23 years building isn’t easy and having someone by your side who understands and respects your need to eat clean at all times is truly a Godsend. Very often when one person eats a certain way and their partner doesn’t, it can create major tension. The key is to always respect the other person’s choices and to be very much aware that just because you decide to change your life and eat better it doesn’t mean that anyone else around you is obligated to change theirs.

Breakfast On The Run- The Kids Wake Up

I punch in my for my shift as a short order cook at 6:30 am and I can hear the tribe waking up one by one as Lucien welcomes them into the new day at the top of his not so small lungs. The younger ones  file into the kitchen one by one hugging my leg until I can’t walk very much anymore and again I am trying to not step on anyone. My 16 year old peeks into the kitchen bleary eyed and with the look of a man who hasn’t seen food since the 90’s and asks what’s for breakfast. The kids join in and I answer with my usual answer- which is ‘You’ll see’ and get the usual groans and complaints that I never say what I am cooking ahead of time. They file into the living room to watch Nick Jr. much to the chagrin of  the older kids, but Lucien rules pretty much most of the time when it comes to what they watch on TV and so they sit to watch Elmo cavorting on the screen while my 16 year old pops out his tablet and starts surfing the web.

My daughter Indi loves a big breakfast!

Everyone is having oatmeal today but along with it each of them have their individual orders to go with their main course. My 6 year old daughter, Indi, walks in to say good morning and hugs me so hard that I have to tap out! She always finds it strange that Daddy can’t breathe when she hugs my neck so hard that my eyes pop out! For breakfast, Indi will be having anywhere from 2 to 3 egg whites (often as much as 6 when she is in the mood!) so I put some eggs in some water to boil with Lucien helping me count them out.  I put in 3 or 4 for Stephanie as well as she eats them but you won’t find me eating eggs anytime soon. Seventeen years of eating anywhere from 6 to a dozen eggs every morning has permanently blunted my taste for anything egg related. One day, I decided I couldn’t take it any more and haven’t had any for years. They are still a great source of protein but the memory of all those eggs- some of them eaten raw when I was back home in Trinidad and salmonella was not an issue keeps them off my plate.
My step-son, Paolo is 7 and quite the performer and the intellectual. He has a standing order of a special omelet that I make so I fire up the pan with some olive oil while he stands in the vestibule while I quiz him on his multiplication tables and we discuss the hardness of diamonds. Reid is the muscle of the group. Six years old but about as big as his two older siblings, he has a penchant for running into you at full speed and bringing home all sorts of animals that don’t really belong indoors. Reid isn’t into eggs- perhaps something he inherited genetically from the millions I ate before he was born, but has a taste for tuna fish, not unlike some cats that are still lingering in the kitchen waiting for the much anticipated sound of the can opener. Reid is an eater- he asks what’s for lunch right after breakfast and will hug you hard and not let go if you cook him curry chicken, but not a big breakfast eater. He’ll have some tuna with his oatmeal and of course some fruit.
Lucien is for all intents and purposes the man of the house and doesn’t wait for such trivialities as breakfast time to eat so he saunters into the kitchen and demands to be fed. He

My step-son, Paolo

spots the watermelon I’ve already cut and put into plates and grabs as much as his hand can hold while scurrying off into the living room to see Elmo- whom he affectionately refers to as ‘La-La’. Kuvonn, my 16 year old come in to see what’s ready to go to the table. He’s on the track team which is code for the fact that he will eat just about anything that isn’t bolted down. I’m making him 4 scrambled eggs (with one yolk tossed in) just the way he likes it with black pepper some Ms. Dash, Angostura bitters (don’t ask) and some green seasoning that I make myself. Paolo doesn’t like anything spicy in his eggs so I have to cook them separately sometimes. Sigh. Along with the fruit and oatmeal Kuvonn is all set for his day.
Most of the food is ready so Kuvonn starts bringing out the plates while looking on in dismay at the piling dishes in the sink. He has permanent dish washing duties until the others are tall enough to reach the sink and he dreads the aftermath that comes with cooking for seven of New York’s hungriest. While he carts stuff out, I have more countertop space to start preparing lunch for the little kids. Kuvonn goes to a private school where the meals are outstanding but I don’t put much faith in the public school lunches so we try to make something for the little ones every day. They really appreciate a home cooked meal at school- unless it’s Friday which is pizza day and then all bets are off. Sigh.

Breakfast On The Run-Getting Lunch Ready For The Day

Reid isn't terribly fond of oatmeal but he eats it!

Today the horde will be feasting on rice, peas and beef- a universal favorite. The rice is on and I am sautéing some steak strips in olive oil and by now I must have lost at least five pounds from the beads of sweat that are pouring down my brow.  It’s a lot of work but it’s a small investment given the fact that all of our kids have learned to eat well and actually prefer home cooked meals to fast foods. You can’t really put a price on that! With the beef added to the rice and peas and the pot simmering nicely it’s time to make my breakfast. I make a huge batch of oatmeal which is prepared several different ways- I eat mine plain while Steph, Kuvonn and Lucien eat theirs with a hint of vanilla essence some strawberries, blueberries or whatever is in season and some raisins. Indi likes hers with the berries but no raisins. Paolo likes the raisins sometimes while Reid isn’t crazy about anything in his oatmeal except for the vanilla. All orders fixed, Kuvonn carries them in to the dining area (and he’ll make a great waiter one day I tell him) while I get the tuna fish.
I eat tongol tuna with no salt if I am not eating fresh fish of some sort as my protein for the morning. The cats get the tuna water and hopefully they will ignore me for the better part of the day. I will also have a grapefruit- although it is more like half a grapefruit these days as Lucien has taken a liking to them and insists on eating what is in my plate. Sigh. I always have some fruit for breakfast, (I try to eat them as they come into season as opposed to eating the same thing day in day out and today watermelon is in season so the kids will have a little treat. I’ll have 16 oz of water with all of my meals and I have a truly ugly cup that I use to get my water all in. It isn’t aesthetic as Steph has pointed out on occasion but it does do the job and is easier for me that having to drink two glasses of water. Besides there isn’t that much room on the table for another glass anyway!

The kids all drink water as well- thankfully- and we all sit down to eat. Lucien complains a bit when the TV goes off but we think it important for breakfast together to be an activity in

My 16 year old Kuvonn get to do the dishes!

itself. Not something we do while watching TV. With breakfast eaten and the table and dining area looking very much like an active warzone it’s time for teeth to be brushed, clothes to be put on, and lunches to be packed. It’s 8:10 and we have to be at school to drop them off at 8:40 am. Kuvonn catches a school bus, but it is quite a challenge getting the others all to school on time as Indi and Reid go to one school and Paolo attends another about 10 minutes drive away. We strap them into the car seats and we are off to school with the sounds of the Good The Bad & The Ugly blaring in the car- one of Lucien’s special requests and we start the next phase of just another day with the kids. Thankfully Stephanie has cooking duties tomorrow!

Kevin Richardson is an award winning health and fitness writer and one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training™. Get a copy of his free weight loss ebook here.

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10 Foods You Should Never Have For Breakfast-

If you are serious about losing weight and getting into great shape you have to stay away from the common trend today of eating dessert instead of breakfast or skipping it altogether. In today’s fast paced world everyone is in a rush and the bad eating habits that come with such a lifestyle is largely to blame for our current problems with obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Most will either skip breakfast or grab high sugar foods like donuts, pastries and highly processed boxed cereals all of which can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels and really sabotage your efforts at getting into better shape. By skipping breakfast altogether you set the stage for overeating later in the day as your body tries its best to compensate for the lack of nutrition that it was supposed to get first thing in the morning. A lot of the guilt that people feel for the perceived loss of willpower when they overeat later in the day is simply a manifestation of  bad breakfast choices or from skipping breakfast entirely. Taking that into consideration, a change in eating habits need not be difficult as it is less a matter of willpower, but more a matter of making better selections earlier in the day. A good start with healthy breakfast choices makes it easier to keep on making good food choices as the day goes on. Remember also that:

SKIPPING BREAKFAST OR ANY MEAL FOR THAT MATTER CAN BE JUST AS BAD AS EATING THE WRONG FOODS!

That being said, here are some certain no-no’s for breakfast, foods that you probably should never eat under any circumstances for that matter:

1. Bagels

Bagels have a high glycemic index, due to the low fiber content and are among the highest calorie breads. You are not much better off with whole wheat or whole grain versions as they are still high in calories and not that high in fiber (you would be better off with oatmeal any day). Adding cream cheese or other spreads, can also increase the calorie count to over 500 calories each!

2. Granola

Touted as a health food but essentially far too high in sugar- and for the record, honey is not an acceptable source of sugar for anyone serious about getting into great shape.

3. Pancakes Most commercial products consist of wheat are high in calories and have a high glycemic index. Many also have corn syrup and trans fats as ingredients as well and forget about adding maple syrup if you don’t want your blood sugar levels to go through the roof! The only pancakes that you can count on are ones you make yourself with stone ground flours and without added sugars or honey.

4. Pastries

Why desserts have become a popular choice for breakfast is beyond comprehension but croissants, éclairs, donuts, jelly filled pastries and such- high in simple sugars, wheat, all have high glycemic indices and are just about as bad a choice as you could make for the first meal of the day. Instead choose high fiber natural foods like fruit and oatmeal but not the instant kind!

5. Juices

Juices sound like a good idea, since they come from a natural source, but are not at all natural to the human body. Whole fruits have fiber, which in turn reduces their glycemic index, by slowing it’s the rate of absorption in our body. Juices, however do not have significant fiber levels and the since there is not much fiber present, it elevates blood sugar levels above acceptable levels. You can easily over consume juices, but you would never eat 12 apples at one sitting. However an average person’s realistic serving of apple juice gives your body just about that amount. Some argue that juices are high in micronutrients, such as Vitamin C and other antioxidants but such an argument is ridiculous. You get the same micronutrients in whole fruit, without the insulin rush. So if you want fruit, eat fruit, don’t drink juices. You’ll feel better and look better as well! Besides, the breakfast standard of a glass of orange juice is so processed that all the naturally occurring nutrients (Vitamin C included) are destroyed and manufacturers have to put the vitamins back in so what you are drinking is really dead orange juice product with a vitamin tablet dissolved in it. Not exactly the best first choice for the health conscious. Eat fruit!

6. Sausages & Cold Cuts

All are highly processed meats and also very high in sodium. You would be much better off eating freshly cooked meat, chicken or fish. I would also add to this category the ubiquitous American breakfast food- bacon.  High in fat, high in calories, high in sodium, not that high in protein, and also high in potentially cancer causing nitrites. It should be noted as well that recent studies have found that processed meats are responsible for increased risk of heart disease so it should certainly be on your stay away list- (read more here.)

7. Muffins

Another so called health food, but even the bran muffins are far too high in sugars and have too high a glycemic index to be considered as a breakfast food. Skip it!

8. Protein Shakes

Another bad idea that sounds good; you drink a shake and get all the minerals and macronutrients you need for the day, case closed. However our bodies simply are not made for liquid foods, and you find that blood sugar levels still plummet later in the day as well. Which is a great thing if you happen to be in the protein shake manufacturing business- but isn’t that great for the rest of us). At the end of the day a protein shake is really nothing more than a glorified milkshake, and should not be in your diet if you are interested in getting into optimal shape. And forget the magazine ads and articles. Supplement advertising is the main source of income for the magazines in the first place, so it makes sense for them to herald them as the greatest invention since the wheel. Read more on my post on how protein shakes can actually make you gain unwanted pounds here.

9. Cold cereal

All cold boxed cereal, from Kellogs to the whole grain varieties sold by the so called organic companies is junk food with no exceptions (and adding milk only adds to the problems!) The obvious ones like Frosted Flakes are easily spotted as being a bad choice, but popular brands like Wheaties, Healthy Choice and others are also bad examples, as are breakfast bars. It can say ‘all natural ingredients’, ‘organic’ or what not, but there is nothing in our food supply more alien than boxed cold cereals. You will never find a Wheatie or corn flake in nature and in order for any cereal of this nature to survive for prolonged periods they have to be highly processed which not only takes a ways the naturally occurring nutrients, but also creates a food product that our body is not designed to consume. Many of these cereals also have corn syrup and large numbers of unpronounceable preservatives added to them but thanks to extensive marketing boxed cereal is accepted as a staple for many, especially kids and college students, but keep in mind that they are filled with preservatives and all of the vitamins and minerals you see listed are added by machines after the refinement process and will never be absorbed the way your body would from a fruit or naturally occurring food. Moreover they all have a high glycemic index which will go a long way in increasing your insulin levels and increasing your visceral abdominal fat stores. Do not be fooled as well if you see a breakfast cereal in a health food store and assume that it is healthy. Health food stores are about making profit and selling products, not about providing you exclusively with foods that are wholesome, and it would be naive to think otherwise.

10. Instant Oatmeal

Since instant oatmeal is refined, even the plain variants are not as good as old fashioned oatmeal. The refining process removes a lot of the fiber, to make it cook faster, and so its glycemic index goes up. The flavored varieties are even worse and are loaded with sugar. Convenient as those instant containers may be, convenience should never be more important than making the best food choices for your body so get the non instant varieties- it is much better for you and is an excellent start to your day!

For more information on healthy eating for weight loss, download a free copy of my Naturally Intense Breakfast Guide below.

Kevin Richardson is one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training 10 Minute Workouts™. Visit Kevin’s official website at www.naturallyintense.net

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