Oatmeal is a superfood that has seemingly endless benefits to eating it. Here is a list of just 5 reasons oatmeal should be apart of your breakfast routine. Here are also a few bonus ideas on how to make your oatmeal even taste better.

5 Reasons to Eat Oatmeal You Didn’t Know

1. Antioxidants.

Oatmeal is absolutely loaded with an antioxidant called avenanthramides, which we all need.

2. Helps endurance.

Oatmeal is thick and helps you stay full for a longer amount of time.

3. Prevents heart disease.

As long as you leave out the dairy when doctoring your oatmeal, it reduces the risk of heart disease in the future.

4. Speeds up your metabolism.

Oatmeal actually helps you burn off the fat on your body quicker.

5. Biotin.

Oatmeal has a lot of biotin, a vitamin that promotes healthy hair, skin and nails.

7 Additions to Make Your Plain Oatmeal Top-Notch

1. Add fruit.

Adding your favorite fruit is so easy. Dicing up a mango or slicing a few strawberries to eat on the side is very underrated. Adding fruit to the bowl can change the consistency of the fruit and the oatmeal so I would suggest against it. The fruit adds a sweet and healthy addition to any breakfast.

2. Add butter.

While not exactly the healthiest option, butter changes everything. Add a pat of salted butter right after the bowl is made and before adding anything else.

3. Add vanilla.

Adding a drop of vanilla extract gives a nice taste to almost anything sweet in my opinion. Right after adding the butter is the best time to add vanilla.

4. Use milk.

Cooking oatmeal with milk instead of water makes the end product taste better and also makes it thicker. You can also add a bit of milk to the water you’re using but to me, the more milk, the better.

5. Use honey.

Sweetening your oatmeal with honey instead of sugar is good for the Earth (save the bees!) and also healthier for us. Honey can make the oatmeal a little thick and can be hard to mix in but is well worth it.

6. Add half and half.

Using cream to make your oatmeal smoother is a great idea but adding too much will ruin the entire bowl. Less is more when it comes the adding half and half to oatmeal.

7. Add cinnamon.

Sprinkling cinnamon or even nutmeg on the top of a doctored bowl of oatmeal is the perfect finish.