It makes sense that if you're soaking oats to rid them of phytic acid, you would need to discard the soaking water; however, this process is enzymatic. That means the phytic acid is deactivated (to some degree) and you do not need to discard the soaking water.
The addition of milk to overnight oats creates a creamy texture whereas water won't add any creaminess but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We can compensate for the lack of creaminess and flavor with other nutritious ingredients like mashed banana, plant-based yogurt, or nut butter.
Notes on Batch Cooking:
I often prepare several single-serving batches in canning jars and refrigerate them for quick breakfasts through the week. The oats soaking in their liquid will keep for at least 5 days, refrigerated.
Once they're soaked, it's time to cook. Simply bring oats to a low boil. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender. Lastly, add in your sweetener of choice, along with cinnamon and flaxseed.
Is it okay to meal prep several days' worth of overnight oats? Yes, you can (and should) meal-prep your overnight oats ahead of time. Try making a big batch on Sunday evening and portioning them out into jars. Don't worry: The oats can sit in your fridge longer than just overnight without compromising their texture.
If you soak your oats overnight at room temperature (do not put them in the fridge!) between 7-15hrs it allows the natural enzymes and other helpful organisms to begin fermenting the grain and this will neutralise a large portion of the phytic acid.
The seven benefits of oat water include weight loss, protection against cardiovascular disease, aid in blood sugar regulation, assist in detox processes, provide antioxidants, and may also help prevent cancer and osteoporosis.
The longer your oats can soak, the more flavor they will absorb. Avoid keeping prepared oatmeal in the fridge for any longer than 5-7 days.
They're definitely best on day one and two, when they are soft but still have retained some of that toothsome chew, but five days is the max. Over time, you'll find that the liquid will separate from the oats while the container sits in the fridge — just give it a quick stir to reincorporate everything before enjoying.
Overnight oats offer a range of health benefits, due to their rich fibre and protein content. They also contain a number of vitamins and minerals, some of which include manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. This makes overnight oats healthy for your gut, as well as for overall health and well-being.
When soaked overnight, the starch in the oats is naturally broken down, allowing more nutrients to be absorbed by the oats. This causes the oatmeal to swell up and absorb the liquid through every pore, making it a healthy and filling breakfast meal on its own.
Making oats overnight is when you soak oatmeal in a liquid such as milk, making it no-cook oatmeal. Instead of having to cook your oats, you can actually eat them raw by soaking them in milk or water for at least 2 hours or overnight.
It's Rich in Protein
As mentioned above, oats will allow for the energy needed in the gym and the protein helps repair the muscle tissue. It's always a bonus when you can get protein from carbohydrate dense foods. For vegan bodybuilders, adding oatmeal to your diet is essential as protein sources can feel sparse.
The intensity of heat while cooking is the contributing factor, lower the heat better the nutrient availability. When you soak the oats overnight, it's almost like you're cooking them, but the process is much longer and slower, and it's done without heat. Hence, it is more nutrient rich than cooked version.
Milk: You can make overnight oats with any kind of milk — dairy or non-dairy. If using non-dairy milk, it's best to stick with unsweetened. Greek yogurt: Not only does Greek yogurt make overnight oats more filling, but it also gives the oats a super-creamy texture.
Mix equal parts old-fashioned oats (rolled oats, that is, not quick-cooking-they'll get too mushy) and water along with a pinch of salt in a jar, cover and refrigerate overnight and up to 3 days. For one serving, we recommend using: 1/2 cup oats. 1/2 cup water (or milk or nondairy milk)
Oats should soak for at least 12 hours but 24 is best, and a little longer is ok too. I usually start them soaking at night so we can have them in the morning. This recipe is also gluten-free and dairy-free!
Quick-soaked oats could sit for a few minutes or a couple hours. It's all good. Like overnight, you can use equal parts oats and liquid; also like overnight, you can adjust this to taste (I always seem to add more milk).
Milk is rich in fats, calcium, and Vitamin D that complements the nutrients in oats. Thus oats cooked in milk have benefits over oats cooked in water. Milk has fats, calcium, and Vitamin D that is normally absent in processed oats. Apart from adding a flavour, it also helps in keeping your muscles and bones healthy.
Salt brings out the nuttiness in oatmeal, and as it cooks it develops a warm, toasty flavor.
One of the most powerful benefits of oatmeal water is its ability to increase metabolism and help in weight loss. Oatmeal water helps to improve the good cholesterol (HDL) in our body and even lowers the bad cholesterol levels.
Fermentation and bread leavening (using yeast) can help to break down phytic acid due to the activation of native phytase enzymes, reducing the number of phosphate groups.
Oats contain phytic acid, which impairs the absorption of iron, zinc, calcium, and more1 , and blocks the production of digestive enzymes, making your oats much harder on your stomach. Reduction of phytic acid is just one reason that traditional cultures usually soak, sprout, or ferment their nuts, seeds, and grains.