Muesli Vs. Oats: What’s a better choice?

Eating healthy goes a long way in losing weight. No amount of running and workouts would prove beneficial if your diet isn’t healthy. And this includes having a healthy breakfast to start your day with. While picking healthy breakfast options, two options always steal the limelight- Muesli and Oats. And while it might seem to many that they’re identical, they’re actually very different. Moreover, each has its own set of positives and negatives that can drastically impact your diet and fitness regimes. So what should you be eating? Let’s find out.

What is Oats?

Oats are a whole-grain food. It is quite commonly eaten as breakfast in the form of oatmeal, which is made by boiling oats in water or milk and topped with a variety of toppings and combinations, tasting both savoury as well as sweet. This can include fruits like strawberries, raspberries, raisins, blueberries etc.

What makes Oats better?

Oats are rich in antioxidants and dietary fibres which help in preventing heart diseases and lowering the bad cholesterol. Present with high soluble and insoluble fibres, eating oats helps to eliminate constipation and aid digestion. Oats also contain beta-glucan which improves insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels. Oats are loaded with nutrients like healthy carbs and fibres that make one feel full for longer. This will prevent you from feeling hungry every time and gorging on unhealthy snacks.

What is Muesli?

Muesli is a combination of whole grains, seeds, dried fruits, and nuts, depending on the brand and the variant you pick. Popular inclusions include dried prunes, apricots, almonds, cashews, corn flakes etc. Some brands also fry Muesli, along with other ingredients, to make it crunchy, which tastes amazing when mixed with some milk and honey.

What makes Muesli better?

Just like Oats, Muesli is high in fibre too. This aids in digestion and a smooth-functioning digestive tract. Its rich fibre content also keeps your tummy full for longer like oats. In fact, raw oats in muesli contain resistant starch which takes longer to digest. It keeps your stomach full for longer and spikes up the metabolic rate making you burn more calories in less time.

Final verdict

While both of these are healthy breakfast items, if you look closer, the better option from the two is most definitely oats. Primarily because it doesn’t have any sugars of its own. Muesli is processed, fried (depending on the brand you pick) and the added dried fruits add to the sugar content, which might not be a lot, but can make a considerable impact when you’re on a total weight-loss mode. If you’re just looking for a healthier and a more delicious option and aren’t looking to lose weight, you can very well pick Muesli. However, if you’re on a strict diet with a strict ban on sugars, Oats is the option you should go for.

Try out these Muesli and Oats recipes from my library.

Muesli Recipes

Oats Recipes