Burn More Fat, Lower Blood Sugar, and Lose a Pound a Day With Superfood Oatmeal
If a meal that sticks to your ribs and shrinks your waist sounds good right about now, there’s a delicious new breakfast trend you’ve gotta try. “Adding superfood mix-ins to oatmeal has become very popular, and it takes this extraordinarily healthful whole grain to a whole new level”, says Yale-trained healthy aging expert Nicholas Perricone, MD, bestselling author of Forever Young ($18, Amazon) and The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet.
Turns out, pairing ingredients like coconut, flax, and even cookie-flavored protein powder with the special fiber in oats works weight-loss wonders. Experts and regular folks alike say a bowlful each morning slashes appetite all day and prompts fat to burn really fast.
Oatmeal can do pretty amazing things all on its own. Case in point: Oats are a top source of resistant starch, “a fiber-like compound that’s the unsung hero of weight control,” insists Dr. Perricone. “Studies on resistant starch show one serving speeds the rate at which the body burns fat by more than 20 percent for an amazing 24 hours!”
As if that weren’t impressive enough, a new study by British and Chinese scientists found that type 2 diabetics who enjoy one cup of oats daily not only lose weight quickly, they trigger a 200 percent increase in belly-fat burning all while helping you keep blood sugar stable. The explanation?
According to LSU researcher Candida Rebello, PhD, oats contain a jackpot of beta-glucan, a type of fiber that creates a sticky barrier inside us, trapping nutrients for up to 10 hours and releasing them very slowly and from deep in the digestive tract. It’s a trick proven to shrink appetite by 400 calories and shift hormones so ab flab quickly turns to energy.
How to Make Superfood Oatmeal
How big is the boost you get from the right toppings on oatmeal? Huge! One of the hottest options is coconut oil. Turns out, it’s loaded with MCT fatty acids. MCTs create a blast of heat as they digest, turbocharging metabolism, says Dr. Perricone. This effect benefits midsections most: Columbia University scientists found that MCTs increase belly-fat burn by a whopping 600 percent! And if coconut’s not your thing, don’t worry: Even picky eaters rave about fun protein powder flavors! Per University of Arkansas research, they deliver the perfect dose of amino acids to double the speed at which women over the age of 50 burn fat.
We’ve rounded up more fat-incinerating oatmeal toppers below. There’s even a turbocharged oatmeal cookie recipe for you to try! All you have to do is whip up an option that appeals to you—and watch the magic happen.
4 Superfood Oatmeal Ingredients to Try
To trigger weight loss without ruining your holiday fun, experts suggest 1 cup of cooked oats with 2–3 servings of these “turbo toppings” per day. Beyond that, opt for unprocessed fare as often as possible—and savor your food, aiming to stop eating when lightly full. Happy slimming!
Almonds
Loma Linda University scientists found that almond-rich diets stimulate 62% more weight loss and trigger key benefits of the keto diet without cutting carbs!
Blueberries
The juicy gems’ potent antioxidants have been shown to suppress appetite, block fat absorption, improve blood sugar and speed metabolism.
Coconut
Italian scientists found that MCT fatty acids in coconut amp up metabolism by 200 percent for six hours after we eat. For an extra creamy treat, try coconut milk.
Flaxseed
They’re a great source of ALA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid that seems to zap fat-storage hormones — and boost weight loss by 200 percent!
This article originally appeared on our sister site, Woman’s World.
More From FIRST
The ‘Metabolism Miracle’ Diet Has Just 3 Simple Steps to Slim Down for Good
Keto Not Working? Drop Major Pounds With an Easier High-Fat Diet
