Banana Ginger Oats

If you need a healthy, whole-food-based breakfast that’s nutrient-rich and delicious, you’ve got to try these Banana Ginger Oats. Full of complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, this recipe has another benefit: digestion support. A healthy GI has been linked to a stronger immune system, so as we head into cold and flu season, be sure to feed the billions of bacteria living in your gut that may be helping you out in more ways than you even realize. Plus, oats and ginger are packed with so many health benefits that adding them to this dish is the perfect combination.

Everyone is interested in the gut microbiome these days. Perhaps it’s because there are more bacteria living in your colon than you have human cells in your body (what are they all doing?!). Or perhaps there is research in animal models that suggests a link between gut bacteria and weight, mood, inflammation, and other systems. With so much to learn about the gut, we know a few things for certain. First, gut bacteria make vitamins for us! They make biotin, B12, and vitamin K. We also know that for these bacteria to flourish, they need food, and they prefer fiber-rich foods that ferment in the colon. My dietitian friend Mary Purdy wrote a really fun book about the benefits of the microbiome that I’ve been sharing with many of my clients. It includes high-fiber recipes like this one and some ideas for more natural cleaning products. Love it!

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Oatmeal Health Benefits

Oats provide slow-burning, sustainable energy and are a whole-grain food, which is the best way to enjoy grains. Being whole-grain means that all parts of the grain, like the bran or the germ, are present and haven’t been removed during milling. Oats are packed with many nutrients, such as complex carbohydrates and fiber, to help provide long-lasting energy and aid in digestive health.

One powerful fiber that oats are rich in is beta-glucan, a soluble fiber. Beta-glucan can provide the body with many amazing health benefits, such as lowering LDL and total cholesterol levels, reducing blood sugar, and increasing growth of good bacteria in the gut. There’s also some evidence that this compound can increase the immune system, strengthening your fight against bacteria and viruses, which is beneficial as we hit cold and flu season!

There’s not enough attention being paid to the importance of healthy eating and boosting the body’s natural defenses against viruses, in my opinion. There’s a lot that you can do through food to reduce your risk of the comorbidities that we see showing up with worse outcomes of many viruses (diabetes, high blood pressures, and heart disease) by supporting the microbiome and giving your body plenty of vitamins and minerals.

Oats also contain many essential vitamins and minerals, such as manganese, phosphorus, iron, folate, and many more. Additionally, they are rich in antioxidants, specifically avenanthramides, which help reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure levels by lowering LDL cholesterol levels. Plus, oats are gluten-free, making them much more nutritious and beneficial for a wider group of people.

What I love most about oats and oatmeal is how versatile they are! You can add them to so many different recipes, like cookies or pie crumbles, and they are also excellent just on their own. Creating new oatmeal combinations is so fun, and I love switching it up from oatmeal energy bites to overnight oats to these Banana Ginger Oats.

Why Ginger in oats?

Ginger is such an excellent spice to add to these Banana Ginger Oats! Ginger can help aid in digestion and help to reduce nausea. One of the earliest medicinal uses of ginger was to help relieve seasickness, and now it is seen to help aid in numerous forms of nausea. More commonly today, ginger is used to help relieve nausea and vomiting after surgery and for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, along with reducing morning sickness in pregnant women. Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce muscle pain and soreness, osteoarthritis, and reduced blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels. With all these numerous health benefits, it’s no wonder why ginger is such an essential spice to add to so many different dishes.

Making the Banana Ginger Oats

The Oats

I love using rolled oats to make my oatmeal, whether hot oats or overnight oats because they soak up the liquid you use so quickly. Plus, the result is a thick, creamy oatmeal that is so delicious. However, if you prefer steel-cut oats, feel free to use them for this recipe! Remember that the final result may have a different consistency than oatmeal made with rolled oats will have. For the liquid, I prefer unsweetened vanilla almond milk for extra protein. However, any milk, dairy or non-dairy, will work for making these Banana Ginger Oats.

The Bananas

The key to making these oats so thick and creamy is adding the bananas into the milk and oats while boiling over the stove! The bananas add a touch of natural sweetness to these oats while also combining all the ingredients. I also love to garnish the finished oats with some banana slices.

The Spices

While ginger is the star spice for these Banana Ginger Oats, I always love to toss in some additional spices or garnishes to add some extra flavors to the dish. My favorites to add are cinnamon and vanilla extra because the cinnamon provides other health benefits, and the vanilla extract adds some more natural sweetness without being too overpowering!

If you’re looking for even more oat recipes, be sure to check out my Easiest Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal Bake and my Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Energy Bites. What’s your favorite way to enjoy oats?

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