7 Oatmeal Mistakes to Avoid

Here, we unveil health-promoting secrets to prepare and top your bowl — because there are ways to get this breakfast staple wrong.

By Jessica MigalaMedically Reviewed by Kelly Kennedy, RDN

Reviewed: October 26, 2022

Medically Reviewed

Oatmeal is the quintessential breakfast food: It’s quick, it’s simple, and it’s delicious.iStock

Oatmeal is a classic breakfast. And if you’ve gotten the impression that it’s a plain and boring meal that is only carbs, think again. Make it right, and you can have a well-balanced bowl of oats that contains the right amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, which will keep you full and satisfied till lunchtime. Oh, and, you’ll want to make it delicious.

With some awareness of common missteps and registered dietitians’ tips, you can prioritize health and flavor. Here’s what you need to know.

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One-Pan Baked Oatmeal

One-Pan Baked Oatmeal is one of the most delicious social media food trends to date — and it’s super easy to make! This oatmeal technique was made viral by the likes of @feelgoodfoodie and @smartgusto — and you’ll be so glad it found its way into your life.

contains  Dairy, Tree Nuts

4.1 out of 349 reviews

PREP TIME

5 min

COOK TIME

25 min

TOTAL TIME

30 min

Ingredients

Cooking or baking spray

2 ripe bananas

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups milk (of your choosing)

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 cups fresh berries (frozen would work, too!)

1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1 lemon, zested

Maple syrup, to taste

Directions

1

For step-by-step directions to make this recipe, visit The Feedfeed.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving

calories

455

total fat

19g

saturated fat

1.9g

protein

13g

carbohydrates

64g

fiber

8.9g

sugar

24.2g

added sugar

11.1g

sodium

40mg

TAGS:

Dairy, Tree Nuts, Mediterranean, Gluten-free, Heart-Healthy, Vegetarian, Low-Sodium, High-Fiber, Family-Friendly, Breakfast

1.

You Aren’t Serving Up the Right-Size Bowl

One of many essential healthy oatmeal tips: Keep portion size in mind.

One cup of cooked oatmeal is a healthy serving size, says Jessica Crandall Snyder, RDN, CDCES, the CEO of Vital RD in Centennial, Colorado. That amount will contain 154 calories, 27 grams (g) of carbs, and 4 g of fiber, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

That doesn’t have to be the only part of your breakfast either. “Go ahead and have eggs on the side or throw berries on top,” she says, which will add more filling nutrients such as protein and fiber, along with volume. If 1 cup looks disappointingly puny in your bowl, it might be helpful to downgrade to a smaller vessel, like an appetizer bowl, she says.

2. You’re Sticking to Water When Making Oats

If you love the way oatmeal tastes when it’s made with water and oats, continue to make it as you wish. But don’t be afraid to experiment with dairy and nondairy milk, says the Seattle-based registered dietitian-nutritionist Ginger Hultin, the owner of Ginger Hultin Nutrition and the author of the e-book Anti-Inflammatory Plant-Based Eating 101.

These liquids do add calories: 37 per cup for unsweetened almond milk, according to the USDA, and around 105 for soy or low-fat (1 percent) cow’s milk. Your choice depends on your goal. If you’re aiming to make your bowl creamier for fewer calories, opt for almond milk. If you’re looking to add in protein, try soy (6 g per cup) or low-fat cow’s (8 g per cup). Along with that, “any dairy or fortified nondairy milk will add in extra minerals, so you’ll get a boost of nutrients, too,” says Hultin.

3. You’re Not Adding Enough Protein on the Side

When putting together meals, Snyder makes sure she has a source of healthy complex carbs, protein, and produce. The same goes for oatmeal, but it may be even more important here, because it’s easy to think of your bowl as a complete meal. The oats supply healthy complex carbs, and topping it with fruit will get you the produce (and more carbs), but you’ll want to incorporate protein to round things out. (One cup of cooked oatmeal made with water has 5 g of protein, per the USDA. ) “I recommend 15 to 20 g of protein at breakfast. Getting to this number creates more satiety, supports muscle mass and metabolism, and helps balance out your blood sugar,” she says.

Some ideas: Make your oats with soy, cow’s, or protein-fortified plant milks. Add a scoop of protein powder. Stir in PB2, a personal favorite of Snyder’s; the powdered peanut butter nicely dissolves when stirred in, and 2 tablespoons (tbsp) adds 6 g of protein. Nuts, nut butters, and seeds will also bump up protein. For instance, one ounce of almonds has 6 g of protein, according to the USDA.

4. Unhealthy Toppings Have Made Your Bowl a Sugar Bomb

Learning how to make healthy oatmeal also requires knowing the right — and wrong — add-ins.

This can be tricky because it’s easy to go overboard on sugary toppings, as a result of including sneaky and obvious sources in your bowl. For instance, flavored, sweetened nondairy milk, some nut butters, and sweetened dried fruit contain added sugar, as the USDA notes.

Then, there’s the addition of brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey, all of which are sugar. “Adding sugar or syrup to an already carbohydrate-rich breakfast can cause it to become imbalanced, as it’s high in carbs but low in fat and protein,” says Hultin. Make sure you’re using dairy milk, unsweetened nondairy milks, and unsweetened nut butters to restrain added sugar. She likes to mash in some banana for “high-fiber, natural sweetness.” (Half a banana has 1 g of fiber, per the USDA.) You could also sprinkle your oats with cinnamon and nutmeg during or after cooking to impart a natural sweetness, says Snyder. Fresh fruit, such as berries, are another way to sweeten your bowl naturally!

5. You’re Standing Over a Stove When You Don’t Want to Be

Stirring oats on the stovetop may be the most traditional way to make oatmeal, but it takes time and requires attention, lest they burn. (Yuck.) Steel-cut oats take 20 to 30 minutes to make, says Hultin, while rolled oats can be made in five minutes. But if that’s unappealing, you can make oatmeal in ways that work better with your lifestyle.

“You can microwave either type of oat for a more hands-off approach so you can multitask,” she says. Stovetop or microwave will not change the nutritional properties of oatmeal. Another option: If you have a slow cooker or an Instant Pot, make a larger batch, portion it out for the week, and reheat, says Hultin. Just stir in a splash of liquid to get it creamy again — and grab a spoon.

6. You’re Eating a Certain Type of Oats Because You Think They’re ‘Healthier’

Steel-cut, old-fashioned oats, and rolled oats: “It’s shocking, but they’re all essentially the same [nutritionally],” says Snyder. “The manufacturing and processing [to get the different shapes of oats] differs, but the nutritional values are the same,” she says. Each type of oatmeal offers unique textures, and some you’ll find more enjoyable than others.

Go for the type you like the most, because eating healthy should make you happy.

The one exception is prepackaged packets of instant oats. Many of these are flavored and contain added sugar. If you’re opting for instant, choose plain and gussy it up yourself.

7. You’re Always Eating Hot Oatmeal

Oatmeal is known as a hot cereal, but a wonderful thing happens when you combine dry oats, yogurt or milk, fruit, and (maybe) chia seeds in a container in the fridge, says Snyder. After several hours (or, ahem, overnight), the oats absorb the liquid, plump up and soften into a familiar texture, and become “overnight oats.” These are eaten cold.

The benefit is that there’s little prep, you don’t have to cook a thing, it switches up the style of oats to add variety, and they’re perfect as a snack. “I like to make overnight oats in to-go coffee cups, which I can just grab and head out the door,” Snyder says.

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Why They Likely Go Beyond Type 2 Diabetes

Historically, healthcare providers have prescribed metformin to treat high blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes, but increasingly, emerging research suggests that the medication may hold promise for treating additional health conditions.

“It is mainly a medication for the treatment of diabetes,” says Marcio Griebeler, MD, an endocrinologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “There are several studies that showed that metformin can decrease the long-term complications of diabetes, including cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, heart failure, arterial revascularization, stroke, and death.”

Metformin may also play a role in treating COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus. A study published in May 2020 in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene suggested that metformin may help reduce the risk of dying from COVID-19 in people with type 2 diabetes. The study found that the death rate for participants taking metformin was 2.9 percent, while the death rate for those who didn’t take metformin was 12.3 percent. Yet it’s worth noting that this study was not a randomized controlled trial, so researchers could not prove that metformin alone was responsible for the reduced death rate.

Another study published in March 2023 in the Lancet found that a 42 percent decrease in long COVID incidence occurred in participants in a randomized trial who received early outpatient COVID-19 treatment with metformin compared with those who received a placebo.

RELATED: Metformin Recall Expanded: 7 Things You Must Know if You’re Taking the Diabetes Drug

There is also some evidence that metformin may help slow the aging process. Studies have shown that metformin can delay aging and improve health in animals, and the drug may have positive implications for several factors that affect aging in humans.

With a relatively affordable price tag and ubiquity at pharmacies around the United States, you may be wondering if this drug may fit in your treatment regimen. In this detailed story, we run down the latest studies on the benefits of metformin, including its role in weight loss, and delve into the scientific reasons that metformin works.

RELATED: 9 Surprising Complications of Type 2 Diabetes

Metformin Definition, Function, and Type 2 Diabetes Benefits

Metformin is a type of medication called a biguanide, which lowers blood glucose levels by decreasing the amount of glucose produced by the liver and promoting insulin absorption by muscle tissue, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Metformin became available in the United States in 1995, according to the Mayo Clinic, and it is the most commonly prescribed medication to treat type 2 diabetes worldwide, according to a study published in April 2019 in JAMA Insights. In fact, diabetes healthcare professionals consider metformin “the drug of choice for initial treatment of type 2 diabetes,” according to an article published in March 2017 in JAMA.

“Metformin is so popular because it is inexpensive and can reduce the glucose level and A1C [blood sugar average for three months] the most compared with other diabetes medications,” says Dr. Griebeler.

A review published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences reported that metformin is 30 percent more effective at reducing the risk of death and complications than insulin, glibenclamide, and chlorpropamide, which are sulfonylureas, a class of diabetes drugs.

RELATED: How to Treat Diabetes From the Inside Out

Metformin is generally part of a diabetes-maintenance plan, and it works in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise routine. It’s usually taken twice a day with meals and can take anywhere from one week to two months to see blood sugar improvements, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Metformin Brand Names

Metformin is available under the brand names Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza, and Riomet, according to MedlinePlus. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved metformin for people with type 2 diabetes, according to MedlinePlus. It’s also been shown to be a helpful preventive measure for people at risk of developing the disease and those with prediabetes, which is the precursor of type 2 diabetes, though the FDA has not yet approved metformin for those uses.

Cost of Metformin

Susan L. Besser, MD, a primary care physician with Mercy Medical Center in Overlea, Maryland, says metformin is widely available — though by prescription only — and is relatively affordable. Griebeler says that in some locations, a three-month supply may cost just $10. It’s also known to be safe, with minimal side effects. Researchers behind a review published in August 2017 in the journal Drug Design, Development, and Therapy reported that it has a “good safety profile and is associated with low cost.”

RELATED: Does Metformin Cause Weight Loss? What to Know Before You Take It

The Studied Benefits of Metformin for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Complications

Metformin is prescribed to treat high blood sugar, but researchers have found that it has many other benefits to offer patients with type 2 diabetes and can reduce the risk of several other health concerns, including:

• Cancer In a study published in Gastroenterology, participants had a 62 percent lower risk of pancreatic cancer when taking metformin. The study also reports that the medication may help slow the spread of colon, breast, ovarian, prostate, and lung cancer cells, perhaps due to the medication’s antioxidant activity.
• Stroke A study published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases followed subjects with type 2 diabetes for four years and found that 9.2 percent of those who took metformin had a stroke, compared with 17.5 percent of those who did not take it.
• Dementia Metformin can reduce the risk of dementia, which people with type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing, according to a study published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences, and Medical Sciences. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for an estimated 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases, notes the Alzheimer’s Association.
• Heart Problems A review published in August 2017 in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases found that metformin helps protect against coronary events and heart failure. “Metformin can also improve [one’s] cholesterol profile,” Griebeler says. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with diabetes are 2 times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke than people without diabetes.
• Type 1 Diabetes Metformin may help manage blood sugar in the second most common type of diabetes, type 1, especially in those who are overweight or obese. In a small yearlong study published in 2018 in BMC Endocrine Disorders, individuals treated with metformin and insulin therapy saw lower glucose levels, reduced markers for metabolic syndrome, and less reliance on insulin compared with participants treated with insulin alone. While the aforementioned health improvements happened regardless of changes in weight and blood lipid levels, the study authors reported that on average, those people in the metformin and insulin group lost more weight than the group that took only insulin. Yet because the study was small and relatively short term, more research is needed.
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Metformin also has potential benefits for your eyesight. In fact, the diabetes medication may reduce the risk for AMD by 58 percent, according to a case-controlled retrospective study published in April 2019 in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. AMD is the most common cause of severe loss of eyesight among people ages 50 and older, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. In the study, researchers found that metformin, but not other medications (such as DPP-4 inhibitors, SSRIs, antidepressants, and statins), were associated with a reduced odds of AMD development.

RELATED: How Diabetes and Heart Disease Are Connected 

The Potential Benefits of Metformin Beyond Managing Type 2 Diabetes

More and more research suggests that the benefits of this medication aren’t reserved for people with type 2 diabetes. Griebeler says that even though metformin is only approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, it’s being used off-label to treat weight reduction, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), infertility, prevention of diabetes, prevention of pregnancy complications, and obesity.

It’s been shown to have a positive effect on the following health issues for people without diabetes:

Osteoarthritis According to a study published in May 2019 in Arthritis Research and Therapy, metformin can help people with obesity and osteoarthritis. The researchers found that metformin helped people lose cartilage at a lower rate than those who did not take metformin, and they observed that the medication reduced participants’ risk of needing a total knee replacement, which is a possible complication of this health condition.

RELATED: Diabetes Drug May Protect Against Osteoarthritis Knee Damage

Alzheimer’s Disease A study published in April 2017 in Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders involving 20 people without type 2 diabetes found that metformin improved executive function skills, learning, memory, and attention. The randomized, controlled trial was short (eight weeks) and small (only 21 participants), though, so more research is needed.

Obesity Metformin has been shown to result in weight loss among people with type 2 diabetes, per the Mayo Clinic, so researchers were interested in seeing if the results would be similar for people without diabetes. “There has been some research that when people who [do not have diabetes but are] overweight are put on metformin, it helps with weight loss,” Dr. Besser says.

A study published in Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes treated 154 people who did not have diabetes with metformin for six months. The study participants lost nearly 13 pounds (lbs) on average, and researchers found that the medication helped overweight and obese people with insulin resistance, increasing their sensitivity to the hormone. Insulin resistance increases the risk for weight gain, notes the Mayo Clinic.

A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials that was published in December 2018 in Endocrine also found that metformin may help people with obesity lose weight. “I have used [metformin] for obesity management — for some with normal sugars, some prediabetic — and it helps,” Besser says. “It’s not an end-all, do-all — it’s not a miracle cure — but it does seem to help.” She says to expect only a modest amount of weight loss, 10 or 15 lbs, but it could be enough to inspire people to stay on the weight loss path. “It’s enough to kick-start things, and for anyone who’s quite overweight, any weight loss is encouraging, and it makes them want to keep going,” Besser says.

RELATED: 6 Foolproof Ways to Lose Weight for Diabetes and Heart Health

Arthritis A study published in 2019 in Current Rheumatology Reviews found that metformin can protect bones, especially during the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, and decrease inflammation. “I suspect it’s because metformin may work in an anti-inflammatory way,” Besser says.

PCOS Metformin can help promote ovulation among nonobese women with PCOS, which, like type 2 diabetes, involves insulin resistance, according to an article published in the Annals of Translational Medicine. “Diabetes does not cause PCOS, but people with PCOS have a higher risk of developing diabetes,” Besser says. She’s used metformin to treat people with PCOS, a couple of whom managed to become pregnant after they started taking it. According to the Mayo Clinic, metformin can also improve fertility rates among women with PCOS.

RELATED: A Detailed Guide to PCOS Treatment Options

The Bottom Line on Using Metformin for Treating Health Conditions

Though the FDA has only approved metformin to treat type 2 diabetes, research shows that it can help with a host of other health benefits for people with or without diabetes. In fact, according to a list of studies on the website for the journal Frontiers, in addition to the health conditions listed above, metformin is currently being explored as a way to treat these issues as well:

• Metabolism conditions
• Inflammation

Additional reporting by Laura McArdle.

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The best brands of oatmeal were determined :: News :: TV Center

10:58

• Thursday
• September 03, 2020

Experts named 10 brands

Roskachestvo specialists checked 23 brands of oatmeal produced in Russia and Finland.

Named a simple way to extend life by 10 years

All flakes were found to be safe. They did not find toxic elements, radionuclides, pesticides, impurities and pests.

As stated on the website of Roskachestvo, only the Karachikha brand does not meet the GOST standards in terms of organoleptic indicators (taste and smell) and in terms of “humidity”.

VkusVill, Goodwill, Lacome, Makfa, Market Perekrestok, National, Passim, Uvelka, Yasno Solnyshko, Myllyn Paras 19 were recognized as the best flakes28. These products meet the advanced requirements of the Russian quality standard.

Manufacturers of several cereals indicated inaccurate cooking times on the packaging. The label indicates that the cereal should be boiled for three to five minutes, but in reality it turned out that from eight to 25 minutes. We are talking about the brands “Russian Breakfast”, “Bystrov”, “Magnit” and “Dixie”.

“Dietitians consider instant porridges to be the most undesirable type of oatmeal for consumption,” said dietitian Darya Rusakova. and others. Regular consumption of such oatmeal can provoke obesity and even contribute to the development of diabetes. ”

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NEXT NEWS

Which oatmeal is healthier and which is better to buy from oatmeal

She has an impeccable image. But is oatmeal really as healthy as fast breakfast manufacturers say?

Okea/Fotolia.com; StockFood/Fotodom.ru; Pr

The truth about instant oatmeal: 4 main facts0071 Correct proportions
2 more tasty and healthy oatmeal dishes
Roskontrol test

All over the world people are trying to save time as much as possible, this is the basis of the success of instant food. The trend has even touched the “breakfast queen” – oatmeal. Now it is difficult to find cereals in stores that need to be boiled for half an hour, but each has a dozen options for cereals from the “fill with boiling water” series. It is perceived as positively as usual, but the difference in benefits, to be honest, is significant. Let’s figure out why cereal is so harmful and which oatmeal is the most useful.

The truth about instant oatmeal: 4 key facts

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1. Instant oatmeal goes a long way to becoming so pliable. Whole grains are shelled and cleaned well. That is, they get rid of bran – a valuable source of fiber, vitamins. Then they are steamed at a high temperature, which also affects the nutritional value, they are cut, flattened, steamed again. As a result of these manipulations, a very convenient product is obtained: it is as tasty as ordinary oatmeal, but it affects the body in a completely different way.
2. Porridge cooked not from whole grains, but from flakes, cannot make a person full for a long time. The level of sugar in the blood rises sharply from the first spoonful (there are only carbohydrates in the dish), and then also drops rapidly. Thanks to the multi-stage cleaning, it was she who deprived the grain of substances that make absorption smoother.
3. Oatmeal without bran, that is, fiber, unlike the usual one, can no longer be called especially useful for the stomach.
4. To make their product tastier, manufacturers of instant cereals usually use cream, sugar, and other sweet, fatty additives. Such flakes are not the best choice for those who care about their figure and health. However, even it can be made a little more useful.

Don’t miss it

7 most useful additions to porridge

Turning “quick” oatmeal into the right nutritious breakfast helps:

1. Grated cheese. Porridge becomes richer in protein and salt. The first is useful for everyone, the second requires the attention of people prone to hypertension.
2. Green. Finely chopped parsley will make the dish more appetizing and provide a detox effect.
3. Butter. Dietary oatmeal will become a little more caloric, but the body will receive fats important for the synthesis of most hormones and a small portion of calcium.
4. Fresh or frozen berries. Decorate dull-looking porridge, and also delight the body with energy, valuable antioxidants and vitamins.
5. Poached egg. Properly cooked, creamy oatmeal and gooey hot egg yolk together make a nutritionally perfect breakfast. It is only important not to overdo it with oil (we control cholesterol).
6. Seeds, nuts. A tablespoon of flax seeds or crushed almonds will make the texture of porridge more interesting, at the same time give the body a portion of vegetable fats and proteins.
7. Oat bran. A few teaspoons of bran will give cereals back the fiber and vitamins that they were deprived of during industrial processing.

What kind of oatmeal should you really eat

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If you hope to get the same benefits from oatmeal for breakfast that doctors constantly talk about and cereal manufacturers write on the packaging, you will have to look for either crushed whole grains or rolled cereals.

The latter is easily recognizable by the corrugated impression that remains after passing through the rolls. In the process, microcracks form on the raw materials, it is thanks to them that porridge is cooked quickly enough, but retains the benefits of whole grains.

But the popular sort of flakes “Hercules”, despite the mesmerizing veil of “the same Soviet quality” – the choice is not the right one. The fact is that during its production, grains are removed from all coarse fibers, steamed, and only then flattened.

And yet, Hercules porridge has more vitamins than oatmeal (E, A, PP, I, group B, organic acids, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus), and therefore porridge from it is much more useful than numerous “fast” analogues. Together with it, substances that can regulate cholesterol levels, as well as tocotrienols and tocofellols, necessary for the adequate functioning of the nervous system, enter our body.

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The right proportions

Do you want to quickly cook porridge from whole grains or rolled oats? Then soak them overnight in warm water. Soaked oats during cooking will become tender in 5-10 minutes.

The classic oatmeal recipe includes only three ingredients: grain, water, salt.

The amount of water and grain in the preparation of oatmeal is the subject of an eternal dispute between star chefs and housewives. The spread in the ratio of oats and water ranges from 1:2 to 1:4. In general, try it yourself, which option suits you personally.

2 More Delicious and Healthy Oatmeal Meals

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Of these, you can cook not only porridge.

1. Granola

Ingredients:

350 g flakes

2 st. l. seeds

150 g nuts

135 g honey

ground cinnamon, salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Mix ingredients, bake and in the oven until golden brown (about 15 minutes).
2. The resulting crispy preparation can be filled with juice, milk or yogurt.

2.

Crumble

Crumble is a fake cake (it has no bottom), which is usually eaten with a spoon directly from the baking dish.

Ingredients:

120 g cereal

100 g butter

70 g flour

60 g sugar

frozen and fresh berries/fruits in any quantity

Preparation:

1. Cut berries, put it in the form.
2. Grind cereal with sugar in a blender, mix with flour and finely chopped butter, add a pinch of salt, cinnamon, vanilla, put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
3. Fill the fruit and berry filling with dough crumbs. Place in preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.

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Roskontrol’s test

Experts checked which oatmeal is the healthiest and chose the top three.