No Sugar Added Blueberry Oat Bars Make a Healthy Breakfast

These blueberry oatmeal bars are so yummy and very healthy also. They make a great breakfast, snack or even dessert if you want to go guilt-free. This recipe makes a pretty large batch, so you can enjoy them all week long.

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Too many people (especially children) start their day off with a sugary, nutrient void processed food. Beginning the day with a blood sugar crash, isn’t good for your mood, focus or energy level. My go-to breakfasts are eggs or something similar to this recipe that is nutrient-dense with little to no added sugar.

The added sugar recommendation for children and women is no more than 25 grams per day and just 36 grams per day for men. The bottom line is that’s not much, and you don’t want to blow it on breakfast. I personally save mine up for occasional chocolate cake or ice cream splurges.

Now that we’ve covered some of the benefits of a healthy breakfast, let’s dive into the ingredients that make up this recipe.

Oats

It all starts with rolled oats. I have not attempted this with quick oats, but it may work. If you are gluten-free, you will want to grab gluten-free oats to be on the safe side. Some believe oats are already gluten-free while others do not. For the sake of time, we’ll leave it at that.

Oats are a good source of soluble fiber and are contain loads of vitamins and minerals. They contain manganese, phosphorus: magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, folate, vitamins B1 and B5. Oats also contain a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, which are not found in many other foods.

There are mixed opinions on how oats effect blood sugar, but some studies have found oats to be beneficial to blood sugar stabilization as well as keeping you full longer. Oats contain a little protein too. Since oats are a grain, and many grains are test high for glyphosate, buying organic oats when possible is ideal.

If you buy bulk organic oats, they are still very affordable. Rob’s Red Mill Extra Thick Rolled Oats are a good bulk option. Oats tend to go a long way, which is nice.

Blueberries

Blueberries are a wonderful antioxidant-rich food to have in your daily meal plan. They are rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and soluble fiber. Blueberries contain anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. They are also a low-glycemic fruit making them blood sugar friendly.

Like oats, blueberries are a heavily sprayed crop, so you’ll want to buy these organic too if you can. 52 different pesticides have been identified on conventional blueberries, 14 of which are known neurotoxins.

An affordable way to buy organic blueberries is by using frozen berries when baking. Not only are they much cheaper per ounce, but you don’t have to worry about them going bad. If you can’t buy organic, the next best thing to do is soak the blueberries in vinegar water for a few minutes then rinse them. This will remove a substantial amount of pesticide residue.

Cinnamon

Sometimes we don’t think much about the benefits of herbs and spices in the U.S. Cinnamon is an incredibly healthy spice. It is loaded with antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties and can even help lower blood sugar levels.

Cinnamon has anti-cancer and anti-dementia potential as well as anti-fungal and anti-bacteria components. Check out this neat study on cinnamon as potential prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s safe to say that cinnamon is a great addition to any eating plan and offers lots of health perks.

Nut Butter

Almond butter, peanut butter or just about any nut butter should work great with this recipe. I like to say that it gives it a little substance. Some people choose to avoid peanuts, because they are potentially inflammatory, but we eat lots of it in our home. We just really like the taste and haven’t notice any obvious side effects.

Almond butter is another favorite of mine, and it is a good replacement for peanut butter. I am not super familiar with other nut butter alternatives but have at it if you are. It’s a small amount, so I can’t see it making much of a difference in the recipe.

Milk

My family uses almond milk for most everything, so that’s why I included it in this recipe. That being said, any milk should work just fine for these breakfast bars. Oat milk, coconut milk or good ole fashioned cow’s milk are all fine substitutions. You can even sub with water if you were in a pinch, but I do think milk adds a little extra flavor.

Apple Sauce or Mashed Banana

The recipe contains a lot of apple sauce, so if you don’t like apple flavor, I’d go with the banana. My son loves cinnamon apple sauce, so that’s usually what I use for this recipe, but, of course, you can use plain apple sauce. Beware as most cinnamon apple sauce brands contain added sugar. I use the 365 Whole Foods brand, and it does not.

I personally love the apple flavor with the blueberries and cinnamon, so I normally just use the applesauce. Either of these fruits will provide the bars with a subtle sweetness.

These bars will store in the fridge well for a few days, or you can freeze them and pull them out when you need them. If you love blueberries for breakfast, you have to try out my healthy blueberry waffles.

Let me know how these healthy blueberry oatmeal bars turn out if you decide to give them a try.