Oatmeal may seem to many people a boring, flavorless bowl of mush that you’re “supposed to” eat because it keeps you full. To this I say, these people just haven’t discovered the wonders of oats!

Yes, oats are a breakfast superstar that will help keep you fuller longer, but there are so many more benefits to eating oats than appetite control. Oats help to lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure, which may help to reduce the risk of heart disease, and may also help to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Oats contain more than 20 unique polyphenols called avenanthramides, which have strong anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itching properties and are high in beta-glucans which stimulate the immune system and may help reduce the risk of some cancers.  They are also higher in protein and healthy fats and lower in carbohydrates than most other whole grains.

To us, though, the health benefits are just a nice bonus. The real beauty of oats is their versatility: the countless creative ways to incorporate oats into all of your dishes such as meatloaf, burgers, pancakes, granolas and cookies just to name a few.

Even if you stay with the porridge approach, there’s a universe of flavors to sample starting with the tried and true sweet oatmeal. One of our very favorite sweet oatmeal recipes comes from an Oldways colleague, Kelly. You’ll see this classic combination of dates, raisins and almonds at least a couple times a week in our office.

Savory oatmeal, however, is the new big thing. Survey the web and you’ll find countless options to cook up yourself, restaurants plating solely oatmeal dishes, and food blogs devoted to oatmeal-only recipes.

A personal favorite savory option comes from just such a blog — the Oatmeal Artist blog. Her Sweet Potato and Soyrizo Oatmeal gets rave reviews, and is adventurous but still comfortable enough for a first foray into savory oats. You can even experiment with some overnight oats. This 5-Minute Power Bowl recipe from the Oh She Glows blog is packed full of goodness when you’re short on time.

So if one of your 2016 New Year’s Resolutions is to eat healthier and lose weight, oats might be the right choice for you. With their endless flavor profiles and uses, you can mix and match to keep things interesting all year long!

(Harley)