The best oatmeal alternative for better blood sugar (2024)

Most people think of oatmeal as one of the best foods to start your day. After all, this whole grain is a good source of dietary fiber and is associated with areduced risk of heart diseaseandweight loss.

But your blood glucose might not agree that oatmeal should be considered a “superfood.” Levels data consistently shows it’s one of theworst foods for blood sugar. According to CGM data from Levels food logs, it spikes blood sugar levels an average of 34 mg/dL.

Why does oatmeal spike blood sugar? Let’s start with the oats themselves. Rolled and instant oats areprocessed foods, and both carry a more significant glycemic load. To speed up cook time, they have the outer husk removed and are flattened, pre-cooked, and toasted dry. Instant oats are also milled to a smaller size, so they take even less time to prepare. But this convenience means your body breaks down both types of oats quickly, which means the carbohydrates in the oats are more rapidly converted to glucose and absorbed. That can lead to a blood sugar spike.

A crash often follows a sudden rise in glucose as your body releases extra insulin to try to get back to homeostasis. That blood sugar dip is why you may feel hungry and sluggish soon after a high-carb breakfast. This kind of eating could lead to overall health problems down the road. Regular large spikes and plummets of glucose (calledhigh glycemic variability) are linked to an increased risk of insulin resistance,Type 2 diabetes,obesity,Alzheimer’s disease, andcancer. And when you consider the links betweenmetabolic function and cardiovascular disease, oatmeal’s status as a heart-healthy food seems less certain.

Then consider what you eat with the bowl of oatmeal. Instant oatmeal often comes with added sugar and processed “natural flavor” derived from fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs. Or you may add your own sweetener to rolled oats in the form of brown sugar, maple syrup, or high-glycemic fruit such as bananas or raisins. Either way, your bowl is likely heavy on sugar and light on protein and fiber, two essential nutrients that can help blunt the glucose-spiking effect of carbohydrates, leading to a lower blood sugar rise after a meal.

Learn more:

Can Oatmeal Be Blood Sugar-Friendly?

If you love eating oatmeal, there are ways to enjoy it with less of a spike. Consider upgrading from rolled and instant oats to steel-cut oats or oat groats. Groats are whole oat kernels—only the inedible outer hull has been removed. They also take the longest to cook of any type of oats. Both groats and steel-cut oats are minimally processed and have an intact fiber-rich bran layer, which means your body digests them more slowly, and therefore your blood glucose will likely rise more slowly, too. But remember, glycemic response is highly individual, so while this simple swap may make a difference for some, steel-cut oats, despite their relatively higher fiber content and lower glycemic index compared to rolled or instant oats, can still spike blood glucose levels for many. Another way to calm glucose response: top oats with foods rich in protein, fat, and fiber, such as the ones below

• Nut butters (we love almond butter)
• Nuts
• Seeds, such aschia,flax, hemp, orpumpkin
• Unsweetened protein powder
• Natural sweeteners, such as monk fruit or allulose
• Unsweetened coconut flakes
• Spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg
• Low-glycemic fruit, such as apple, pear, blueberries, and blackberries
• Coconut oil
• Grass-fed butter

When you combine reasonable portion sizes of carbohydrates with protein, fat, and fiber, your morning bowl will have less impact on blood sugar. This is because these nutrients helpslow the digestion of carbohydratesandcurb the release of glucose in the bloodstream. As a bonus, these ingredients also provide various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support metabolic health.

The Ultimate Oatmeal Alternative

A better way to keep blood sugar stable is to avoid grains altogether. Seeds such as chia, flax, and hemp can come together to create an alternative to oats perfect for any meal plan.

Recipe: Warm Chia, Flax, and Hemp Pudding

Thiswarm triple-seed puddingfrom nutritionist Kelly LeVeque is an excellent oatmeal substitute brimming with health benefits. When you warm this mixture of chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, and hemp seeds on the stovetop, it transforms into a substantial breakfast cereal that’s low in carbs and high in protein, healthy fats, and fiber to help stabilize blood sugar levels.

• 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp flax meal
• 2-4 tbsp hemp hearts
• unsweetened protein powder (optional)
• optional toppings: nut butter, berries, or cinnamon

Heat almond milk in a pan over medium heat. Add chia, flax, and hemp, and stir with a silicone spatula as the mixture simmers. Once it’s creamy, stir in protein powder (if using). Serve warm in a bowl with toppings as desired.

This recipe packs essential nutrients and metabolic benefits, including:

• Omega-3 fatty acidsfight inflammation, an underlyingrisk factor for most chronic diseases, includingmetabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and COPD. They do this by decreasing the production of inflammatory lipids called prostaglandins anddecreasing the production of pro-inflammatory compounds. Chia, flax, and hemp are all excellent sources of these fatty acids.
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), one type of omega-3 fatty acid that our bodies can’t produce alone; we can only get it through our diets. According to the National Institutes of Health, men should aim to get at least1.6 gramsof ALA daily, and women should get1.1 grams. Two tablespoons of chia seeds provide5 grams of ALA. Like other omega-3s, ALA’s are anti-inflammatory, andanimal studiesindicate they may help protect against strokes through multiple mechanisms in the brain, such as an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein critical for the development of new neurons.
• Chia seeds mayimprove glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, according to rodent studies. The seeds appear to increase the production of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme that helps regulate metabolism.
• Flaxseeds are known for their lignans. Eating these polyphenolsimproves glycemic controlbyenhancing insulin sensitivity. It also appears to reduce the risk ofcoronary heart disease: the gut turns lignans into phytoestrogens (called enterodiol and enterolactone), which areassociated with heart benefits. Thanks to these positive health effects, flaxseed may helpreduce metabolic syndrome.
• Chia and flaxseedpromote satiety by slowing digestion. This effect is particularly pronounced for chia seeds, which are especially high in fiber (including a type of soluble fiber called mucilage), with5.7g per 2 tablespoons(flaxseed contains6g fiberper 2 tablespoons).
• Hemp seeds contain10g proteinper 3 tablespoons serving. Their nutritional value largely comes frommultiple bioactive compounds, including antioxidants and peptides that help fight inflammation and may offer neurological and cardiovascular health protection.

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