A bowl of oatmeal is the perfect breakfast. Period. It is something that’s very good for everybody — from someone who is trying to lose weight, a person who wants to bulk up, somebody who is battling constipation, to an individual who needs to lower his or her cholesterol levels.

Regardless of how you look at it, a serving of oatmeal is so beneficial. That is until it is ruined with the wrong add-ins!

While it’s true that oatmeal is good for you, it can also easily leave you bored. And this is why a lot of people top their oatmeal with stuff that can help boost its taste as well as enhance its texture. Unfortunately, it’s also the very act of topping a bowl of oatmeal with something that can completely ruin this superfood.

Let’s take a look at some of the oatmeal boo-boos that a lot of health-conscious people are guilty of:

Topping It With Loads of Dried Fruits

There is no denying that the presence of dried fruits can make a bowl of oatmeal look and taste more appetizing. Dried fruits can also augment the vitamin and mineral content of oatmeal. Per se, dried fruits are not health-wreckers, until lots and lots of them are added to oatmeal. Did you know that a piece of dried piece of fruit contains more calories than a piece of its fresh counterpart? So to keep a bowl of oatmeal friendly to the figure, make sure that you refrain from going overboard when topping this all-time favorite breakfast with dried fruits.

Adding Heaps of Nuts

Oatmeal is gooey and nuts are crunchy — this is why the two go perfectly well! However, some people make the mistake of adding too much almonds, cashews, pecans or any other nut to a serving of oatmeal, thus making this breakfast staple pack tons of calories! Although it’s true that the addition of nuts can help make oatmeal’s texture so much better and its nutritional profile more impressive, excessive amounts of nuts can easily make oatmeal a figure-wrecker.

Sprinkling a Handful of Seeds on It

Aside from nuts, seeds also make a bowl of oatmeal so much more interesting most especially texture-wise. It’s for this reason why so many people sprinkle their oatmeal with lots and lots of seeds, which is not a good idea because that can easily amplify the caloric content of everyone’s beloved breakfast! Experts recommend adding just a teaspoon or two of your favorite seeds to a bowl of oatmeal so that you may be able to benefit from the healthy fats, protein, dietary fiber, vitamin E and B complex that seeds bring without making your waistline expand.

Using Lots of Sweetener

Many people find a bowl of oatmeal blah because it doesn’t taste sweet. Fortunately, a dash of sweetness can instantly turn oatmeal from lackluster to blockbuster! However, some people mistakenly add more of their favorite sweeteners than necessary, which is something that easily throws all the health benefits offered by oatmeal out of the window. Instead of lots and lots of sugar, it’s a good idea for you to add just a little honey or maple syrup to your oatmeal. Many opt for a little cinnamon, vanilla extract or unsweetened cocoa powder to keep things healthy.

Whipping Up Flavored Oatmeal

Last but not least, a bowl of oatmeal can easily become messed up if it’s the flavored kind that everybody seems to be in love with. Although it’s true that flavored oatmeal is so much more enticing to eat than plain oatmeal, the fact remains that the added ingredients boost the caloric content of a serving of oatmeal by several times.

Can you think of any other way that a serving of oatmeal can be ruined in a snap? Feel free to post it below!

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