Mediterranean Diet Berry Breakfast Smoothie (10 Mins)

Oats are one of the best breakfast foods to have.

They’re quick, have a number of health benefits and fill you up enough so that you’re not snacking before lunch.

But how many of us have hit the snooze button a few times…and before you know it, have only a precious few minutes to get ready and out of the door to work?

However, a common gripe people have with oats is that they can be just a little bit boring on their own.

So what touches can you add to them to make them extra delicious?

Meet our Oaty Berry Smoothie.

Ready in 10-minutes with zero cooking, this simple recipe is packed with healthy foods:

Oats. These contain high amounts of fiber and nutrients and contain more protein and healthy fats than most grains.  They contain large amounts of beta-glucan fiber, which has been linked with various health benefits. Eating oats has been shown to:

• Help lower LDL (‘the bad’) and total cholesterol (1, 2)
• Improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics (3, 4)
• Increase how full you feel and therefore, help you lose weight (5)

Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is high in protein, calcium and vitamin B-12—important if you’re reducing your meat consumption. Be sure to choose, plain yogurt though, as the flavored varieties add unnecessary sugar.

Berries. No matter which ones you get, they’ll be high in antioxidants, nutrients and fiber. They’ve been linked with lower LDL cholesterol (6, 7) and lower other inflammatory markers that are linked with the development of diabetes, heart disease and obesity, among other diseases (8, 9).

We’ve used bluberries and raspberries here, but try experimenting with different berries to see what you like.

Although the honey is optional, you might find it a bit plain without and it needs that sweetener. Natural honey is a much better alternative than sugar because it has a lower glycemic index (GI) value. GI ranks foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels.

This is something to consider when buying oatmeal too. Rolled oats have a GI of 55, whereas instant oats is 83. This means instant or quick-cooking oats raise your blood sugar quickly, which is something diabetics need to consider. Stick with rolled or steel-cut oats where possible.