We are busy people.  We are waking up too late, prepping the kids for school, feeding the dog, and rushing to get in the car to beat rush hour traffic.  Many times we forget to eat breakfast and so we pick something on the way.  This modus operandi is fraught with peril to your health not only because of the crap, toxic-laden ingredients found in most fast food and processed foods in your pantry, but due to the cortisol oozing from your adrenal glands.  Let’s prep next time.  Let’s talk about a Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal.

Overnight oatmeal has been rather popular as of late.  And for various reasons this makes sense.  A well-done overnight oatmeal can not only be delicious but healthy and satiating, chockful of superfood ingredients.  But the key is making the RIGHT overnight oatmeal.  Similar to store-bought Naked Smoothies, a poorly executed oatmeal can put you on the road of sugar spikes and diabetes.

Read our article on 4 Superfoods You Should Be Eating Right Now.

Read our article on 12 Sugar-Laden Superfoods or listen to Our Holistic Health News episode on it.

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Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal

Before we can talk about the benefits of this Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal recipe, let’s talk about some of the problems with store-bought instant oatmeal.  Actually, there are quite a bit but for the sake of brevity we will condense it down to a few. (Hamlet did tell Polonius “Brevity is the soul of wit” after all.)

Regular instant oatmeal is laden with artificial food dyes and preservatives.  Food dyes have been linked to numerous health problems, in particular cancer and hyperactivity.  (Check out our article on the Hazards of Food Dyes.)

Preservatives, like potassium sorbate and sodium nitrate, have been linked to the aforementioned as well.  Great for Big Business to put them in the food; not so great for us to put in our mouth.

The other issue with store-bought instant oatmeal is that it is laden with excess sugar.  The blueberry or strawberry “flavored” oatmeals rarely have said ingredient.  Similar to flavored yogurts or even the hallow kombucha, manufacturers load up the oatmeal with tons of sugar to make it more palatable.  You can avoid the problem of dyes, preservatives, and excess sugar by making your own oatmeal.  So let’s talk about the Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal recipe.

Before we do that, let’s talk about rolled oats versus steel-cut oats.  In general rolled oats do better in overnight oatmeal recipes than steel cut.  But personally, if you are preparing your own oatmeal I would opt for steel-cut oats, for they are more nutrient-dense and boast more fiber.  Katie, the co-creator of Naturopathic Earth, eats steel cut oatmeal all the time, even for lunch or dinner.

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Time To Prep!

Okay, NOW let’s talk about the Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal.  The beauty of overnight oatmeal is preparation. Simply put…That is the benefit of all meal preparation.

Meal preparation has caught on quite a bit this last decade. In particular, it’s people who make or at least prepare all their food for the work week on Sunday.  What is the benefit of this prep?

The main benefit of meal prep is simply YOU are the one controlling the ingredients put into it without being “blinded” by the rush of the week.  You can take your time deliberating what meal and what items you would like to make and then make them as healthy and tasty as possible.

Vis-à-vis overnight oatmeal, prepping for it is easy.  Just grab a mason jar and throw some ingredients in there, mix it up, and refrigerate.  That’s it!  You don’t need to prep the rolled oats (unlike steel cut).  The yogurt and the milk in it will soften the oats for you.

Let’s look at the health benefits of this Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal recipe.   First of all, oats themselves.  Oats are rather nutrient-dense, but more importantly, they do NOT contain gluten, the protein which many estimates show 60-70% of Americans suffer some sort of sensitivity to it.   So let’s avoid the bloating, “brain fog,” weight gain, and other symptoms associated with gluten.

Now you can certainly make your overnight oatmeal not-so-healthily with skim milk, chocolate chips, and loads of extra sugar.  But this Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal is far from that. It is loaded with phytonutrients and healthy fats.

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Nutrient-Dense Goodness

We opt for a non-dairy “milk” to avoid the hypoallergenic and possible carcinogenic effects of dairy.  I prefer coconut milk due to its taste and high fat content, but you are more than welcome to use whichever milk your heart contents.

Read our Review Of Non-Dairy Milks or Listen to an Holistic Health News episode on it.

Let’s look at the other ingredients.  Full-fat Greek yogurt bring satiety, a creamier texture, and taste, but more most importantly, probiotic bacteria.  A healthy microbiome is connected to a stronger immune system, better digestive health and mood, and smaller waist.  Read our article on What Are Probiotics & The Microbiome?  Furthermore, Greek Yogurt is very popular here at Naturopathic Earth.

Check out our Review of Popular Greek Yogurt brands & Our Ultimate Yogurt Bowl recipe.

But wait…there’s more.  We have two superfoods in this Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal recipe.  Cinnamon is a wunderkind.  It is one of the most potent agents in combatting high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, infections, and more.  Review our article on the Amazing Benefits of Cinnamon.  

Chia seeds was likely the biggest contribution by Meso-Americans Indians like the Aztecs.  They cultivated these most-nutrient-dense seed on the planet.  In this recipe, it will bring a great color and texture aside from the phenomenal healthy fats and fiber.

Honey is a great non-sugar sweetener.  Manuka honey, in particular is the best, most-nutrient-dense honey on the plant.  (You can buy it below.)  You may also use maple sugar but honey is a stronger choice.  Review our Review of non-Sugar Sweeteners to see how we grade molasses, stevia, cane sugar, and other sweeteners.

Overnight oatmeal is the best.  It can be made with proper nutrition in mind plus it helps you avoid the morning stress and the temptation to grab crap fast food or a pastry from home.  Make this Paleo, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal recipe and eat it in the car.  We won’t tell the police!

Buy these ingredients now!