McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal

Posted on Oct 24, 2010 by Anthony



Not all oatmeals are created equal. Well, let me back up. In case you did not know, we will be choosing oatmeal over cereal for breakfast, especially during training. There are several reasons for this. First, most cereals are super processed, full of sugar and tons of other junk that are not good for you. There are some decent choices, if you just must have a cereal, I recommend Wheaties (not Wheaties Fuel). Wheaties is made from whole grains, and has low sugar. However, it does have a high glycemic index, or GI. Oatmeal has a very low GI which is why it is the preferred choice. By now you may be wondering, "what is GI and what does it have to do with the price of tea in China?!" GI is a measure of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Carbs that breakdown quickly during digestion and release glucose rapidly into the bloodstream have a high GI, and vice versa. (I have also referred to these in other blogs as fast acting/slow acting carbs). It is important to eat these at particular times in relation to your workout. Read my 12 Laws of Fat Burning blogs for more info on that.

Now that we have covered why oatmeal over cereal, let's figure out which oatmeal. The next time you are in the grocery store, take a quick look at your typical oatmeal box's nutritional info. You may be suprised at how much sugar they actually put in. This can be very confusing for you who are trying to eat properly during your training. You may as well be eating a big bowl of Frosted Flakes or something. Let's put these oatmeals back on the shelf and keep looking. Don't fret, you are in luck....I present to you McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal. Per 1/2 cup of oats you get only 2.5g total fat, 0 sugar!! AND 4g of protein...not to mention it has an extremely low GI, which is exactly what we are going for. I know what you are thinking...zero sugar = bland. This is true, but I am going to help you with that too. The trick to flavoring it up is: cinnamon!! Sprinkle in some cinnamon to taste, mix up 1/2 cup of oats with 1 cup of water, heat in the microwave for 2 minutes and you are ready to go. Now, this will give you optimal results, but if this is still too bland for you, as it is for me, you can substitute Skim Milk for the water. This will add a small amount of sugar, but you will also pick up 8g of protein, all the vitamins that milk provides, plus the extra taste.

There you have it, your perfect breakfast carb! Now just add in some eggs, mostly egg whites and a glass of 100% pure apple juice or orange juice. It is important to add the eggs or some other lean protein, as you never want to just eat carbs alone. Also, make sure your juice is 100% pure and not processed. Processed sugars are totally different that the natural sugars found in the fruits. Now you are ready to take on the day!

By the way....the only place I can find McCann's locally is at Kroger.

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