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The Valley Hospital is a local hospital in my area that makes a healing turmeric oat bowl for those who have given birth. My girlfriends who have had babies at this hospital have become obsessed with it.
These many messages piqued my curiosity as to what is so special about these oats. The oats were bright yellow (no doubt packed with turmeric) and topped with a variety of fresh fruits, nuts and seeds. I set out to create a recipe for them, and I’ve finally perfected it. It’s now my go-to gift for new moms and neighbors recovering from surgery. And now, you can make it, too.
I Have Chronic Inflammation & These Are the Easy Anti-Inflammatory Lunches I Make on Repeat
What Are Healing Oats?
My formula for warming healing oats begins with rolled oats. In the debate aboutwhich oat reigns supreme, my vote is always for the one that cooks the quickest. (I’ve got two small kids in my house, so quick is key!)
The oats are cooked in equal parts water and full-fatcoconut milk, which gives the base of the oat bowl a smooth and creamy texture. A spice blend of turmeric, black pepper, freshly grated ginger and cinnamon gives the oats the beautiful yellow color, as well as a nice grounding flavor that feels like it’s healing you from the inside out. Depending on what I have available, I may also add spices such as cardamom, nutmeg and cloves.
I stir in a bit of maple syrup or agave at the end for a hint of sweetness and depth of flavor. The oats are best served in a bowl and topped with a combination of your choice of fruits (like cherries and berries) and seeds and nuts (like walnuts, chia and flax). They truly feel like a hug from the inside of your body—no wonder, since the oats are filled with warming, anti-inflammatory goodness.
What Makes This an Anti-inflammatory Breakfast
It’s no secret thatturmeric and gingerlead the pack of anti-inflammatory spices, but did you know they work better together? The combination of powerhouse spices provides more anti-inflammatory properties in combination than alone, suggests research.Black pepper is key here, too. The spice boasts anti-inflammatory properties of its own, but it also interacts with turmeric in a good way. “Combining the spice with black pepper may help increase your body’s ability to absorb turmeric’s beneficial compounds,” saysMary-Eve Brown, RD, a clinical dietitian at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
I also like to add cinnamon, a warming spice, to as many dishes as I can—from these oats to savorychicken dishestochilisand beyond. Cinnamon adds so much flavor, while increasing the anti-inflammatory properties of the dish.
My go-to topper for one of my favorite breakfasts is nuts. It is no secret that nuts have manyhealth benefits, as they are packed with everything from omega-3 fatty acids to fiber. Nuts have also been found to reduce markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, which is associated with chronic disease.My favorites arewalnuts,pistachiosor pecans. (Or, all three!)
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Zhou X, Afzal S, Wohlmuth H, Münch G, Leach D, Low M, Li CG.Synergistic Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ginger and Turmeric Extracts in Inhibiting Lipopolysaccharide and Interferon-γ-Induced Proinflammatory Mediators.Molecules. 2022 Jun 16;27(12):3877. doi:10.3390/molecules27123877Pagliari S, Forcella M, Lonati E, Sacco G, Romaniello F, Rovellini P, Fusi P, Palestini P, Campone L, Labra M, Bulbarelli A, Bruni I.Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verumJ. Presl) Bark Extract after In Vitro Digestion Simulation.Foods. 2023 Jan 18;12(3):452. doi:10.3390/foods1203045Rajaram S, Damasceno NRT, Braga RAM, Martinez R, Kris-Etherton P, Sala-Vila A.Effect of Nuts on Markers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: A Narrative Review.Nutrients. 2023 Feb 22;15(5):1099. doi:10.3390/nu15051099
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Zhou X, Afzal S, Wohlmuth H, Münch G, Leach D, Low M, Li CG.Synergistic Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ginger and Turmeric Extracts in Inhibiting Lipopolysaccharide and Interferon-γ-Induced Proinflammatory Mediators.Molecules. 2022 Jun 16;27(12):3877. doi:10.3390/molecules27123877Pagliari S, Forcella M, Lonati E, Sacco G, Romaniello F, Rovellini P, Fusi P, Palestini P, Campone L, Labra M, Bulbarelli A, Bruni I.Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verumJ. Presl) Bark Extract after In Vitro Digestion Simulation.Foods. 2023 Jan 18;12(3):452. doi:10.3390/foods1203045Rajaram S, Damasceno NRT, Braga RAM, Martinez R, Kris-Etherton P, Sala-Vila A.Effect of Nuts on Markers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: A Narrative Review.Nutrients. 2023 Feb 22;15(5):1099. doi:10.3390/nu15051099
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Zhou X, Afzal S, Wohlmuth H, Münch G, Leach D, Low M, Li CG.Synergistic Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ginger and Turmeric Extracts in Inhibiting Lipopolysaccharide and Interferon-γ-Induced Proinflammatory Mediators.Molecules. 2022 Jun 16;27(12):3877. doi:10.3390/molecules27123877Pagliari S, Forcella M, Lonati E, Sacco G, Romaniello F, Rovellini P, Fusi P, Palestini P, Campone L, Labra M, Bulbarelli A, Bruni I.Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verumJ. Presl) Bark Extract after In Vitro Digestion Simulation.Foods. 2023 Jan 18;12(3):452. doi:10.3390/foods1203045Rajaram S, Damasceno NRT, Braga RAM, Martinez R, Kris-Etherton P, Sala-Vila A.Effect of Nuts on Markers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: A Narrative Review.Nutrients. 2023 Feb 22;15(5):1099. doi:10.3390/nu15051099
Zhou X, Afzal S, Wohlmuth H, Münch G, Leach D, Low M, Li CG.Synergistic Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ginger and Turmeric Extracts in Inhibiting Lipopolysaccharide and Interferon-γ-Induced Proinflammatory Mediators.Molecules. 2022 Jun 16;27(12):3877. doi:10.3390/molecules27123877
Pagliari S, Forcella M, Lonati E, Sacco G, Romaniello F, Rovellini P, Fusi P, Palestini P, Campone L, Labra M, Bulbarelli A, Bruni I.Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verumJ. Presl) Bark Extract after In Vitro Digestion Simulation.Foods. 2023 Jan 18;12(3):452. doi:10.3390/foods1203045
Rajaram S, Damasceno NRT, Braga RAM, Martinez R, Kris-Etherton P, Sala-Vila A.Effect of Nuts on Markers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: A Narrative Review.Nutrients. 2023 Feb 22;15(5):1099. doi:10.3390/nu15051099
