I have been wanting to post about this wonderfood for so long, and as I took the gorgeous mason jar from the fridge amidst the hectic rush to work, I thought it better be now than late. I suppose overnight oatmeal creation is no big news, I am sure a lot of you have tried it and sworn by how easy this is as breakfast-on-the-go. But if you are new to it, let me take a step further and convince you on why you need some good dose of oats in daily lives, especially for those keen to lower the blood cholesterol level.
Just a short medical recap. Whilst we do need a small level of cholesterol for normal physiological function, generally high level of cholesterol is bad for your health. Cholesterol is literally fat which can come in saturated or unsaturated forms. The more saturated the fat is, the more harmful it is to health. These are then carried by the lipoproteins- LDL ( low density lipoproteins) are the bad ones which will deposit the bad fat into the blood vessels, causing heart disease, and HDL ( high density lipoprotein ) is the the good one which is protective, hence higher level HDL is good for you. Then there are triglycerides, these are made of fatty acid chains and is mostly saturated fat, so it can cause harm to health just like LDL. The cholesterol ratio level would usually factor in all the components of these lipid profile, so although the total cholesterol is within normal range, having a stand-alone elevated LDL or triglyceride will still put you at health risk.
There are a lot of foods which should be enjoyed once in blue moon due to its high cholesterol level and there are also foods which are rich in antioxidant and unsaturated fats which is recommended as it promotes good health. I see a lot of bad ads these days promoting unhealthy foods as healthy choice, take for example the liberal use of coconut cream and coconut milk in almost everything. Coconut is actually very rich in LDL, and should be enjoyed only once in a while. Same goes with poultry such as red meat, and especially internal organs. Eggs are a bit controversial as studies have shown that moderate egg consumption can help elevate the HDL level, but generally try limit egg yolks to less than 3 per week.
When it comes to foods which promote good HDL and lower the cholesterol, there are a few that should be included in the diet, such as oats, fresh fruits, oily fish, nuts, fibre and unsaturated oil such as canola and olive oil. I think with some planning it is easy to incorporate delicious recipes using these wonderfoods, and this jar of strawberry almond oatmeal fit the bill perfectly- the rich antioxidants from fresh strawberries, healthy nut oil from almonds and rolled oats soaked in low fat milk and yogurt.
The best part of this overnight oatmeal breakfast is its versatility and the minimal time needed. I am always on the look out for such recipes especially for rushed mornings, and the variety for the week. Top them with nuts of your choice, add honey to sweeten it up, add more or less yogurt for your preferred tang, mix them good in the jar and let the magic happens. Overnight.
