Overnight Oats: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious No-Cook Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are overnight oats safe without cooking? ›

Yes, you can eat oats without cooking. However, it is important to note that raw oats are not as digestible as cooked oats. This is because the outer layer of the oat kernel is not broken down during the cooking process. As a result, raw oats can cause digestive problems in some people.

Add Twice as Much Milk as Oats

Whether you prefer whole milk, rice milk or coconut milk, you can use it. Just make sure to add twice as much milk as oats. Note: You can also use whey, buttermilk or thinned yogurt for a tangier flavor.

Overnight Oats Ingredients

Oatmeal: Plain old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats are best for making them. Do not use steel cut oats. Liquid: For the liquid you can use water, 2% or low-fat milk or your favorite plant-based, dairy-free milk like oat milk, coconut milk, soy milk, cashew milk, almond milk, etc.

As Best points out, "some of the worst ingredients that are mistakenly added to healthy overnight oat recipes include chocolate sauce, sugar, syrup, and dried fruit."

Though typically served cold, overnight oats can be eaten warm if you wish. But it is usually eaten cold; that's why it's a grab-and-go breakfast. If you prefer warm oats in the morning, just place them in the microwave for a minute.

The intensity of heat while cooking is the contributing factor, lower the heat better the nutrient availability. When you soak the oats overnight, it's almost like you're cooking them, but the process is much longer and slower, and it's done without heat. Hence, it is more nutrient rich than cooked version.

The Bottom Line

Making oatmeal a regular part of your menu can potentially lower your disease risk, help your gut health thrive, make bowel movements easier and keep you feeling fuller for longer. If you're ready to start your morning with a bowl of oats, try our Cinnamon-Roll Overnight Oats.

Whatever you do, steer clear of the worst offenders: dried fruit with added sugars, like Craisins or dried pineapple. "These are almost always made with added sugar, if not also an artificial sweetener, says Pennsylvania-based RD Gina Consalvo. "Always choose a fresh fruit instead." Need hard proof?

Dairy milk and oat milk both work well. Coconut milk adds rich flavor and yields an especially creamy texture. Maple syrup – For sweetness. Honey works too.

"It's a common misconception that one type of oat is healthier than another," said Rizzo. "They are all actually identical in terms of their nutrition. The difference is how they are rolled and cut." However, Price added that since instant oats are the most processed option, they generally have salt and added sugars.

What is the difference between overnight oats and quick oats? ›

While Oatmeal is simple meal of cooked oats with milk or sometimes curd as my granny eats. For both Instant or rolled oats can be used. Difference we see here, overnight oats are not cooked, instead oats absorbs milk/curd and gets softer allowing us to consume.

Old-fashioned rolled oats are the best choice for overnight oats. They soak up the liquid overnight, leaving you with a creamy (but not mushy) texture. Save steel-cut and quick-cooking oats for another time. Milk: You can make overnight oats with any kind of milk — dairy or non-dairy.

For richer, creamier results, we also like adding regular yogurt or plant-based yogurt. The best ratio of milk to oats is 1:1 oats to milk. If you want to add additional creaminess with yogurt, you can add half as much yogurt as milk, for a ratio of 2:2:1 for oats:milk:yogurt.

Oats have a low glycemic index, meaning they cause a slower and more gradual rise in blood sugar levels compared to refined carbohydrates. This slow release of glucose into the bloodstream helps prevent spikes in blood sugar, promoting stable glycemic control.

Oats are high in dietary fiber, so eating oatmeal may help someone prevent or manage constipation or difficulty with passing stool. A person who has fewer than three bowel movements per week may have constipation.

Yes you can have it but it is better that you must cook. No side effects but soaked for 2 hours or 4 hours in milk without cooking Soaking procesing make them soft and easily digest. Eat this mixture with chopped fruits which is very beneficial for health.

If you are using rolled or instant oats, then, yes, it is OK to put raw oats in your smoothie. These types of oat have been pre-cooked already via light steaming and toasting. On the other hand, whole oats need to be cooked for 20-30 minutes first before adding them unless you want hard bits of oats in your drink.

A popular breakfast favorite, oat flakes can be enjoyed cooked or raw. This means that you can either boil them, as when preparing oatmeal or porridge, or enjoy them cold, such as by adding raw oats to shakes.

A bowl of soaked oats in the morning will support you in feeling full and satisfied. According to research, people who eat porridge for breakfast feel fuller for longer and consume fewer calories at lunch. Soaked oats improve oat digestibility and allow nutrients in the grain to be more easily absorbed by your body.