Protein + Oats = Proats

Here in Australia we sure do love to shorten names, and breakfast food is no exception (eggs benny, anyone?). If you haven’t heard the term ‘proats’ before, I’m sure you can probably guess what they are. Protein + oats = proats! And, true to form here at Oxygen, we’ve broken down the nutritional benefits for our readers and included some tasty winter-warming recipes. Yum!

- Jessica Spendlove

Proats combines oats, one of nature’s true superfoods, with (a good quality) protein powder to create a delicious, warming, protein-booster of a breakfast option for athletes, bodybuilders or individuals looking to gain or maintain lean muscle mass.

On their own, oats would have to be one of the most cost-effective, nutritious foods on the planet; a true superfood! They are a source of whole grains, which means they are nutrient-rich and packed full of fibre, B vitamins and antioxidants. Oats are rich in soluble and insoluble fibre, which is important for gut health and can help reduce cholesterol respectively. As oats are a grain, they do contain protein, but they don’t contain the type or amount you need if you are an active individual needing regular hits of protein to optimise recovery or wanting to gain lean mass, which is why the addition of protein powder creates a winning combination.

Proats really are the best of both worlds as they provide us with good quality carbohydrates that sustain our energy levels across the day, and the protein powder will help optimise lean mass gains or simply satisfy our appetite.

Why is it important that proats contain both good quality carbohydrates and protein?

Carbohydrate foods can be a large contributor of soluble and insoluble fibres, along with resistant starch, which is gaining a lot of interest in the gut health space. Carbohydrates are definitely not the devil if you consume good quality ones. They can be a source of many essential vitamins and minerals if you choose the best forms and in the correct amounts – a general rule to adhere to is ¼ of the meal should be slow-release, low-GI carbohydrates.

The benefits of low-GI carbohydrate foods include:

They keep you full

Prevent you from over-eating

Reduce insulin levels, making it easier for your body to burn fat and less likely to store it