Oatmeal: the Best Food to Promote Sleep

Yes, oatmeal can help you have a solid night’s sleep! The trick is to bring in two key ingredients that offer both melatonin, tryptophan, and other relaxing nutrients like magnesium. You’ll be surprised at how easy and effective it is.

Sleepytime Oatmeal

Many of us struggle with falling asleep and staying asleep. But we typically turn over the counter and prescription meds to solve the problem. And though many doctors will tell you not to eat certain things that may interfere with good sleep (like alcohol, red meat, chocolate), no one ever talks about the power of food to PROMOTE sleep.

It may be hard to believe that a small bowl of oats and hour before bed could be your key to better sleep. But trust us, Colleen has tried the recipe many times and has been blown away with its effectiveness. The recipe is based on recommendations by Dr. Ayesha Sherzai in her appearance on the Plant Proof Podcast. Here’s why it works.

Oatmeal – complex, slow release carbs that prevent you from waking up due to a drop in blood sugar (one of the reasons alcohol disrupts your sleep). ZEGO’s Double Protein Oats are higher in fiber than others, so they perform this function well.
Banana – high in magnesium and potassium, bananas relax your muscles, nervous system, and lowers your brain temperature. Both minerals help you fall asleep and stay there. In addition, bananas are high in tryptophan, a hormone that help produce seratonin (makes you happy, decreases worry) and melatonin (helps you fall asleep).
Pistachios or Walnuts – both are very high in melatonin, which will help you fall asleep faster

Why this Recipe is Better

We’ve never tried a recipe to induce a good night sleep before and have been blown away with its success! And, kids love it. If you can eat it without adding sugar (the banana and cinnamon should be enough sweetness), all the better. We add in a few soothing spices to aid digestion and calm your gut.

cardamon
allspice
cinnamon

The Recipe: Sleeptime Oatmeal

Makes 2 servings

1 cup ZEGO Double Protein Oats
2 cups water
1/3 cup pistachios or walnuts (we prefer pistachios)
1/2t allspice (optional)
1/2t cardamon (optional)
1t cinnamon (optional)
salt to taste

Boil water. Add all your ingredients at once and stir. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Enjoy with your favorite milk, milk substitute, or yogurt drink.

We highly recommend cooking the nuts with the oats to soften them and make them easier to digest.

Consider smashing them into small pieces either by putting them in a bag and using a mallet to crush them or by putting them in a blender. This is particularly helpful if your kids don’t like the green color of pistachios.

If you use walnuts, keep in mind that they can be quite bitter. We prefer pistachios.

Do you have to use nuts? No. Good news for those allergic and those recovering from a health episode involving their gut (since nuts can be hard to digest for delicate systems). You’ll still get many benefits from just the oats, banana, and spices.