The Problem with Oatmeal

Personally, I love oatmeal. I eat it about 5 times a week for breakfast and find it to be quick, easy, healthy and most of all-extremely filling. The only problem with oatmeal is that it is often filled with many things that just don't belong. Oats are a great source of whole grains, but when filled with added sugar and cream a bowl of oats begins to hold the same weight (pun intended) as a bowl of ice cream.

Another problem with oatmeal is that is seems to be a popular item on many fast food restaurant menus. The recent addition of oatmeal to McDonald's breakfast menu has gained much attention in the health world.

Mark Bittman, author of many food and health related materials brought up a lot of good points on the issue in his New York Times article. He explains that McDonald's has ruined oatmeal by adding cream, brown sugar, and using a base of oatmeal that contains around 7 ingredients. In case you weren't aware, in order to make oatmeal all you need is oats. The other 6 ingredients are unnecessary.

He also gives a great counterargument to the idea that fast food is popular and "good" because it is cheaper by pointing out that no one seems to take into account the fact that that health care bills for obesity related care are quite expensive. He also makes note of perhaps the biggest reason why fast food is bad-because fast food restaurants often take ingredients that are healthy and make them unhealthy by processing them and adding unnecessary things.

Bittman's points are valid, there has been disagreement with his case. Although this article doesn't have good feelings towards Bittman's ideas, the inclusion of a list of fast food oatmeals and their stats is helpful.

Do you know what really bothers me? The commercial for this oatmeal.

It looks good doesn't it? After seeing this, it will be super easy to think that you are getting a healthy breakfast. Of course the oats are "all natural", the brown sugar is sprinkled on lightly, and the fruit is fresh, right? Maybe it is in this commercial, but in reality the words "all natural" don't mean anything, they don't mention that the brown sugar is optional, and the fruit? It's dried, and probably has added sugar.

Just another example of the media presenting something that is healthy even though it really isn't. I love oatmeal, but if I ever find myself at McDonald's for breakfast (which I probably won't) I will plan to order apple dippers and iced water.