Oatmeal Diet

Background

A diet based on oatmeal has been promoted on the Internet as a way to lose weight, reduce cholesterol, and lower the risk of certain types of cancer. There is no specific oatmeal diet but all of the approaches that are suggested are based on incorporating varying amounts of oatmeal into the diet on a daily basis.

Diet Basics

One method of doing the oatmeal diet involves eating nothing but oatmeal for the first week. You can eat ½ cup of oatmeal for each meal, which may be combined with ½ cup of skim milk if desired.

Only whole oatmeal is allowed. Instant oatmeal and granola bars should be avoided for the first seven days. Calorie consumption for the first seven days should be between 900-1200 calories per day.

For the next 30 days dieters continue having ½ cup of oatmeal three times a day in addition to their regular diet. Instant oatmeal is now permitted. Calories may now be increased slightly to 1000-1300 per day.

A morning snack of ½ cup of fruit and an afternoon snack of ½ cup raw vegetables are allowed.

After 30 days you may begin to eat your normal diet while continuing with one meal and one snack of oatmeal daily. Dieters are advised to limit their intake of fats when returning to normal eating.

Recommended Foods

Oatmeal, skim milk, berries, bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, carrots, red pepper, celery, lettuce, spinach, chicken breast, fish, coffee, tea, club soda, sugar free pudding.

Sample Diet Plan

Breakfast ½ cup oatmeal ½ cup skim milk 1 tablespoon raisins ½ teaspoon cinnamon coffee or tea

Morning Snack ½ cup blueberries

Lunch ½ cup oatmeal 1/2 cup low fat yogurt 1 banana

Afternoon Snack ½ cup raw vegetable sticks

Dinner 4 oz grilled chicken breast Large green salad ½ cup oatmeal

Evening Snack Sugar free pudding

Exercise Recommendations

30 minutes of exercise is recommended on 3-5 days of the week.

Costs and Expenses

The only cost for this diet is for groceries, which will probably be even less than usual because oatmeal is very inexpensive.

Pros

• Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber, which helps to promote a feeling of fullness after meals.
• A diet high in oatmeal can reduce the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol without affecting the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and has been demonstrated to be as effective as cholesterol lowering medication.
• Oatmeal is a good source of low glycemic carbohydrates and can help to promote stable blood sugar levels.
• Oats contain phytonutrients called lignans, which are beneficial for heart health.
• Oats are very inexpensive.

Cons

• Calorie intakes are below that recommended for safe and healthy weight loss.
• Lack of variety in the diet will limit the ability to obtain adequate nutrition.
• Diet involves a dramatic change in normal eating patterns, especially for the first week, which has the potential to trigger yo-yo dieting for some people.

Conclusions

Any diet that is based on a single food while excluding other healthy foods can be regarded as a fad diet that will not be supportive of the health of the dieter. It is not recommended to follow the first seven days of the version of the diet where oatmeal is the only food permitted.

However oatmeal is a nutritious food that can help to reduce appetite, which makes it a good source of carbohydrates for a weight loss diet. If weight loss is to be maintained over the long term it will also be necessary to pay attention to other aspects of nutrition and lifestyle.

See Also:

Cooking with Oats: Oat Bran, Oatmeal, and More