Love overnight oats? Here's how they may be harming your gut

About a thousand recipes of overnight oats can be scrolled on your social media feed right now. From flavours to styles, there are a number of ways this dish has been propagated as the ideal breakfast recipe for those wanting to maintain a healthy breakfast schedule that is quick yet tasty. However, while for most overnight oats might be the miraculous solution, for some they might be harmful. Here's how!

Benefits of overnight oats


Oats are rich in soluble fibre that helps clean the digestive tract and relieve constipation. When soaked overnight, this fibre absorbs water and forms a gel-like consistency that helps in bowel movements. It also has antioxidants that suppress high blood pressure levels by creating nitric oxide gas.
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Eating overnight oats helps you feel full for longer, reduces belly fat, supports healthy skin by reducing breakouts and dryness and provides substantial energy, keeping you focused throughout the day.

Why overnight oats can harm the gut?


While they may be a healthy breakfast choice, overnight oats are not suitable for everyone. They contain phytic acid which can lead to bloating and discomfort for many people. For those with sensitive guts or irritable bowel syndrome, this can mean cramps and irregular bowel movements.

Along with bloating, phytic acid in overnight oats can reduce the absorption of minerals such as iron, zinc and calcium. Over time, this can cause nutritional deficiencies.

According to a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, overnight oats do not provide the probiotic benefits associated with fermented foods and show no significant improvement in IBS. Thus, for those with sensitive guts they may still contain resistant starch, phytates and certain fibres, triggering bloating, gas, and discomfort.

However, when you cook the oats the cooking process breaks down the phytic acid, making them easier to digest for the gut.

How to make overnight oats healthy?


If you want to continue eating overnight oats without experiencing bloating then follow below given steps:

Soak them for 12 hours or more

Add some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar while soaking to reduce phytic acid

Pair it with yogurt for probiotics that aid in gut health

Avoid adding too many raw high-fibre toppings