Grab a Container of Oats and Make These 6 Healthy Desserts That Double as Breakfast

The lines are blurred when it comes to oats. They're abreakfast stand-out, providing a nutritionally sound start to your day, but they're also the perfect dessert ingredient.

Here's why: Acup of cooked oatsclocks in at just 166 calories and boasts 4 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein and a handful of nutrients including iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese and selenium. Oats' mild flavor pairs well with everything from chocolate to berries and bananas — and their texture is ideal for cookies, bars and cobblers.

That's why we rounded up six of our favorite oat-based desserts, which pull double-duty as breakfast on those mornings you're craving something sweet.

这道菜有很多优点:首先,it's beloved banana bread, but as a cookie. It's also just three-ingredients, requiring 20 minutes from start to finish and is free of added sugars, deeming it a healthy dessert and a solid breakfast — whichever you choose.

We've got a sweet spot for added sugars and it isn't serving us well. Americans currently take in 77 grams of added sugar per day, according to theAmerican Heart Association. That's more than three times the daily recommended limit.

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Another delicious dessert/breakfast combo, these strawberry oat bars are free of added sugar. And all you need to whip them up are rolled oats, dates,macadamia nuts, fresh strawberries and sea salt — that's it.

Most of us are aware that strawberries are packed with nutrients, including antioxidants, but it's theoats in this recipethat offer a surprising dose of these phytonutrients, too.

It turns out oats are the only food to contain an anti-inflammatory antioxidant called avenanthramides, which is thought to have protective properties against coronary heart disease, colon cancer and skin irritation, according to a December 2009 paper published inNutrition Reviews.

Crumble for breakfast? When it features cherries and mangoes and is paired with oat flour and rolled oats, we're all for it.

Carbs — oats included — are often shunned by low-carb diets and their followers. But research shows this belief is ill-informed, especially when it comes to oats.

Researchers tested oatmeal against an oat-based cold cereal and found that the beta-glucan in oats caused a greater increase in fullness along with reduced hunger and desire to eat after eating the oatmeal compared to the ready-to-eat cereal. The oatmeal group also ate less at the following meal (lunch), per the August 2015 study published in theJournal of the American College of Nutrition.

These bites are perfect for the mornings you find yourself in a rush. Make them in advance (they last for up to three days in the fridge) and grab a couple as you head out the door.

Oats are made up of bothinsoluble and soluble fiber, as outlined by theHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Insoluble fiber is what helps keep things moving along (in other words, prevents constipation) and soluble fiber helps lower LDL cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar levels and promotes satiety.

The parfaits you find in grab-n-go places aren't ideal for your healthy-eating goals. Usually topped with granola and mixed with sweetened yogurt, they're a sugar bomb that can send your blood sugar levels skyrocketing.

That's not the case with this parfait. Because this calls for overnight oats, we recommend sticking with instant or rolled oats. Steer clear of steel-cut or groats if you want that softer oatmeal texture in the morning — anddon't snub instant oats.

Instant oatmeal was found to be better at suppressing appetite, increasing satiety and reducing total calorie intake than an oat-based breakfast cereal in an August 2015Journal of the American College of Nutritionstudy.

This recipe is a healthier and simpler take on the classic oatmeal raisin cookie and made with just five ingredients — bananas, oats, raisins, cinnamon and coconut oil. These cookies are also vegan, free of added sugars and gluten-free.

If you avoid gluten because of an intolerance or sensitivity, you'll want to make sure you check for a"gluten-free" labelon your oats' packaging. Oats are naturally gluten-free but cross-contamination is common in oats with the way they're manufactured, according to theCeliac Disease Foundation.