Why would you soak your oats overnight? Ask most people and the common response - “if you soak overnight it takes less time to cook in the morning”! This is actually true, BUT it’s so much more than that.

Why should you soak oats overnight?

All grains contain something called “phytic acid”—or phytates—in the outer layer or bran, and oats contain more phytates than almost any other grain.

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.

Soaking in warm, acidic or cultured water not only gets rid of this mineral-blocking substance, but it also releases all of the vitamins in oats, and encourages more healthy digestion by partially breaking down some of the proteins (like gluten).

What milk works best with soaked overnight oats?

Oats are so versatile and you can use your own imagination to come up with your favourite recipe. You can use almond milk, Greek yogurt, coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk or even regular cow's milk if you want. You might want to add a little sweetener like some raw honey if you can get some and there are an abundance of add-ins like chia seeds, flaxseed, coconut flakes, nuts & nut butters, fresh fruit, cinnamon, and berries.

Prepping your overnight oats the night before will take less than 30 seconds and save you so much time in the morning, you are ready to rock! No cooking, no mess, no fuss. You can prep all your add-ins the night before as well and have them ready to stir in, or bag them up to take with you. Job done!

Try making your own overnight soaked oats

So soaking overnight will not only save you time in the morning, you literally just have to heat them up, but by doing this it's also a lot kinder on the gut and encourages healthier digestion - it’s a WIN WIN!