Oatmeal is a healthy breakfast choice. It’s packed with vitamins and nutrients and high in fiber which is amazing for fat loss and getting lean. However, oatmeal in itself is not high in protein. Can we add protein powder to oatmeal to make it a super breakfast for anyone looking to get healthy and toned?
Protein powder can be added to any kind of oatmeal. You can add it to cooked oatmeal, instant oatmeal, or overnight oats. If the oatmeal gets too thick, add a dash of water or milk until you get your preferred thickness.
Now that you have a general idea of how to incorporate protein powder into your oatmeal, let’s dive deeper to find out what type of protein powder you can add.
Can You Add Protein Powder to Your Oatmeal?
There is a way to make fiber-rich oats protein-packed. By simply adding protein powder, you can quickly increase the amount of protein in your oatmeal!
There isn’t a right way to add protein powder to your oatmeal.
First, you can simply add the protein powder to your overnight oats by mixing the protein powder with the dry oats before adding the liquid, flavors, and toppings.
Another way to add protein powder to your oatmeal is to add the powder to your stovetop oatmeal. Add the powder to the oatmeal while you are mixing it on top of the stove or add the powder to the oatmeal while it is still hot.
Lastly, you can mix the protein powder with a little bit of water or milk in a shaker then you can mix the protein shake to the oatmeal and add a bit of liquid until you get the right consistency for you.
After doing the process, just add the flavors or toppings and enjoy!
Types of Protein Powders Can You Add To Your Oatmeal
It’s not hard to find a protein powder that suits your preferences. There are so many different kinds of protein powder and so many different flavors! I doubt you won’t find one that suits your liking.
Whey Protein
The most popular protein powder is whey protein powder. Whenever you open a yogurt container you may see liquid floating on top, that liquid is whey. After the liquid has been separated during the production, whey goes through multiple processes to become whey protein powder.
Whey protein comes in many different flavors which makes it great for adding to oatmeal, smoothies, pancakes, and other recipes.
According to studies, whey protein is the best option for weight loss and fat loss. However, if you are lactose intolerant, whey may not be the best option for you.
Casein Protein
Similar to whey, casein protein powder is also from dairy products, it is made from milk. However, casein takes much longer to digest as compared to whey protein. Although both are high in amino acids, whey is still considered the best in muscle building. This doesn’t mean that casein is not great for building muscle. Casein contains high amounts of leucine which kickstarts muscle protein synthesis.
Most people take casein before bed to reduce muscle breakdown while sleeping and to assist with muscle recovery.
If you are casein or lactose intolerant, casein protein powder may not be for you.
Soy Protein
Soybeans are high in protein. They are very popular with vegans, vegetarians, and people who are on a meatless diet. This is why it makes perfect sense to create a protein powder using soybeans.
Soy is one of the best alternatives to whey and casein if you are lactose intolerant. Soy protein has very little fat and has zero cholesterol. Even though soy protein is a concentrated protein source, it contains phytates which can decrease mineral absorption.
When it comes to muscle building, soy protein powder is not as effective as whey and casein.
Egg White Protein
From the name itself, egg white protein is made from egg whites. Eggs are excellent sources of protein which makes perfect sense that people have made a protein powder out of them.
Similar to meat, eggs are complete protein sources which means they provide all nine essential amino acids.
Vegan or Plant-Based Protein
Vegan protein powders come from plants such as grains, seeds, legumes, nuts, rather than animal products which are eggs, dairy, and meat.
Plant-based protein powders are excellent for vegans, vegetarians, pescetarians, and people who are lactose intolerant. These kinds of protein powders can increase your protein intake without the need to consume animal products.
However, you must keep in mind that almost all plant-based protein powders (except for soy protein) do not contain all nine essential amino acids. Each plant-based protein usually lacks one or two essential amino acids.
Here’s a list of the available plant-based protein powders:
- Pea
- Rice
- Hemp
- Pumpkin Seed
- Brown Rice
- Sunflower
- Chia
- Soy
- Plant Protein Blends
What Is The Right Way To Add Protein Powder To Your Oatmeal
There is no right or wrong way to add protein powder to your oatmeal. It all boils down to your preference.
With that being said, before you prepare your protein-filled bowl of oatmeal, ask yourself these questions:
- Do you prefer your oatmeal served hot or cold?
- Do you have time to prepare a bowl of oatmeal in the morning?
Hot Oatmeal
If you prefer your oatmeal hot, you can simply add the protein powder to your oatmeal once it is cooked and still hot. Mix it until the protein powder completely dissolves. If you find that the oatmeal is too thick, then add a dash of milk until you get the right consistency.
Another way to serve a hot bowl of oatmeal with protein powder is to microwave your oatmeal with water or milk then add the protein powder after, while it is still hot. This is great for days when you do not have enough time to cook your oatmeal on the stove.
Cold Oatmeal
There are two ways to prepare protein oats cold.
The first is to add the protein powder to your overnight oats. If you are not sure what overnight oats is exactly, it is a no-cook way of preparing oatmeal. Rather than cooking your oatmeal, you just mix the ingredients such as the oats, your preferred liquid, and the toppings in a mason jar or a small container. Leave it in the fridge before you go to bed and let it soak for several hours. When you wake up in the morning you have a serving of oatmeal that is ready to eat!
The other way to mix protein and oatmeal together is to do it the other way around. Instead of adding protein powder to your oatmeal, why not add oatmeal to your protein shake? Add the protein powder to a blender combined with your choice of liquid, add a few tablespoons of oatmeal then add fruit and/or nut butter. Oh, and don’t forget the ice! Blend them all together and you have yourself a fiber-rich protein smoothie.
Protein Alternatives You Can Add To Oatmeal
If you aren’t a fan of protein powder, there are still different ways to add protein to your oatmeal.
These are high-protein food you can add to your oatmeal:
- Eggs or Egg Whites
- Cottage Cheese
- Flax, Chia, and Hemp Seeds
- Nut or Seed Butter
- Greek Yogurt
- Turkey Bacon
You can add eggs, egg whites, turkey bacon, and such to your savory oatmeal. You don’t have to always eat sweet or fruity oatmeal. There are loads of savory oatmeal recipes out there that you can try out. You can have it for breakfast or dinner.
But, if you are an avid fan of fruity oatmeal the high-protein add-ons that you can include are nut butter, seed butter, greek yogurt, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and cottage cheese. These all complement fruit toppings.
Related Questions
Adding protein to your oatmeal to get a protein-filled breakfast may come with a lot of questions. If our article hasn’t answered them all thus far, see some of these related questions to get more information about protein oatmeal and protein-filled breakfasts.
How do I get more protein in my oatmeal?
To get more protein in your oatmeal, add a protein powder of your choice or you can add eggs or egg whites, cottage cheese, flax seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds, nut butter or seed butter, greek yogurt, turkey bacon. You can also pair your oatmeal with a glass of your favorite protein smoothie.
Is oatmeal a good protein source?
Oatmeal has more protein compared to other grains, however, they are not high in protein. Half a cup of oats contains about 5 grams of protein which may not be enough to keep you full throughout the day. If you want to add more protein to your oatmeal add a scoop of protein powder.
How can I add protein to my breakfast?
Eggs are high in protein. You can incorporate eggs into your breakfast. Almonds, greek yogurt, protein shakes, chicken or turkey sausages, beans, and seeds are also excellent foods to add extra protein to your breakfast.
This is very informative on the different types of protein powder! And it’s a great idea to add it to oatmeal!