Soaked Oatmeal

Oats are a controversial thing for celiacs and others on the GF diet. Some argue that they are all contaminated with wheat from the way they are processed, unless they are certified GF (see note in comment section at the bottom). But around here we all eat GF, so special oats are not in our budget. ;) I noticed that after going GF, oats bothered my stomach. When I started reading up on the importance of soaking grains before eating them in order to break down the phytic acid and make them more easily digestible, I decided to give it a try with oats. I purchased organic rolled oats at the health food store, soaked them overnight in warm water and kefir, and cooked them normally the next morning. I was able to eat them without the stomach pain I was accustomed to before. The boys also handled them much better after soaking. But I was still curious about the contamination issue. I eliminated oats from our diet completely for two weeks. No noticeable changes. My middle son is especially sensitive to food, so it's easy to tell when something is bothering him. He also had no change by removing oats. Around that time I happened to find certified GF oats on sale at our grocery store, so I stocked up with enough to last us two weeks. After our two week break from oats, I soaked the GF ones I had purchased just like I had done previously. For two weeks we ate soaked certified GF oats with no noticeable changes in behavior or bowel issues for the boys, and no stomach problems for me. Now it was time for the real test. I went back to regular organic rolled oats from our health food store, soaked them, and started serving them instead of the certified GF oats. I did this for a week straight, and none of us had any issues with the change. Now, I cannot say the lack of problems was due to the oats not being contaminated. The only way to be sure would be to test them. What I do think, though, is that the soaking process makes a significant difference in our ability to digest and break down the proteins in grains, especially oats.

Soaking grains not only breaks down phytic acid (which will inhibit absorption of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and copper in the intestinal tract if left in the grain) but also partially breaks down the protein in grains. By being easier to digest, our body is able to get more nutrients from them. Diets high in whole grains that are not properly soaked before eating can lead to allergies, bowel issues such as celiac disease and IBS, mental problems, chronic indigestion, and yeast overgrowth (candida) in the gut. (You can read more about this topic in NT, pg 452-454.)

Here is the recipe for soaked oatmeal. There are several ways you can dress it up to eat it once it's cooked!

(feeds 4-5 people)
2 cups organic rolled oats
2 cups warm water
4 TBs kefir, yogurt, or kombucha

Put all ingredients into a dish and stir. Cover and let sit overnight, or at least 7 hours. In the morning, add 2 more cups of water and 1 tsp sea salt. Boil on the stove until desired softness is achieved.

We like our oatmeal with fresh butter or coconut oil, ground flax seed, cinnamon, and honey or maple syrup. Sometimes we add fresh fruit like peaches, blueberries or strawberries when they are in season.

Another way you can cook the oats is in the crock pot. After soaking and adding the additional water and salt, put them in the crock pot and turn on low. Leave for several hours. Not only will you have a wonderful healthy breakfast, but your kitchen will smell wonderful!