I grew up eating overnight oats. I actually never had them warm like Americans eat them for breakfast before I moved here. I still rarely eat them cooked. Most likely simply because I'm too lazy to do so and seem to like to stick to my Swiss roots 😊. 

Back home we call overnight oats Bircher Müesli. Why? It was named after Dr. Maximilian Bircher. He originally put the meal together for his patients around 1900. 

He recognized the benefits of eating raw fruits and vegetables as he claimed to recover from Jaundice by doing so. 

Click into the link below to learn a bit more about this man who undoubtedly was one of the first nutritionists we recognized as such. 

Maximilian Bircher-Benner - Wikipedia 

 Oats, What’s So Good About Them? 

Oats contain more soluble fiber than any other grain. Soluble fiber is the kind that dissolves in water, so the body turns it into a kind of thick, viscous gel, which moves very slowly through your body. One of the benefits is that your stomach stays fuller longer, providing satiety. Soluble fiber also slows the absorption of glucose into the body, which means you're going to avoid those nasty sugar highs and lows. Last but not least, it inhibits the re-absorption of bile into the system, forcing your liver to get its cholesterol fix from your blood. This helps to lower your blood-serum cholesterol.  

Oats also have anti-inflammatory properties, and have been clinically shown to help heal dry, itchy skin. Oats are also highly absorptive, hypoallergenic, and help to soften skin, if you’re into that kind of thing. They have the best amino acid balance of all the cereal grains, and thus can be used as water-binding agents in skin care products. Oat grains and straw appear in shampoos, dusting powders, moisturizers, cleansing bars and much more. 

I copied the above paragraphs from FIGHT TIMES.com as I feel there is no other or better way to describe oats.   It was written by John K Williams.  To read the entire article, click into the link below. 

 A Brief History of Oats — And How You Should Eat Them - Fight Times Magazine 

 Should you be looking to add more fiber to your diet, stabilize your weight or even lose some, overnight oats are a good way to go about it. They don’t need heating, transport well, can be eaten any time a day and best, they can be made up to a week in advance. Wait! One more thing....oats are super filling and cheap. 

You can really add anything you like, there are no rules. I have a tendency to add whatever fruits or berries are in season. I especially love eating the basic mix of oats, milk and yogurt with only oranges or strawberries. Or I consult my freezer for options. Overall, a cup of Müesli contains about 325 calories, 12 grams of protein, little fat and tons of flavor and texture. You will not get hungry for 3-4 hours and have plenty of energy to go about your day.   

Whether you like overnight oats or porridge, I strongly suggest making it part of your weekly meal prep and diet. I do not think there is a single body builder out there who does not eat oats. Here is a basic recipe using rolled oats. I use those as they offer most fiber and nutrients besides steel-cut oats. 

 BASIC RECIPE

• 2 cups rolled oats 
• 2 tbsp honey 
• 2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit 
• 2 cups of milk 
• 1 cup of plain yogurt or Greek yogurt 
• 2 tbsp flax or chia seeds  

Mix all ingredients and let it all sit for at least 2 hours. Adjust until it suits you and then store in the fridge for up to a week. 

 And that is it for today. E-mail me with any questions or comments you have.  

 See you in two weeks 

Yvonne