How To Use Tea To Transform Your Oatmeal

Oatmeal isn't the most exciting breakfast item, but it is one of the most nutritious. Teeming with fiber, Healthline states that oats also provide a significant source of manganese, copper, vitamin B, and antioxidants like avenanthramides that are anti-inflammatory, anti-itch, and can even support cardiovascular health. But while they're good for you, eating a bowl of plain porridge can be dull.

In 2019, the global oatmeal market was valued at $2.4 billion and is estimated to reach $3.5 billion by 2027, due to an increasing demand for quick and healthy breakfast options, which has been influenced by the pandemic, notes Fortune Business Insights. With all this attention brought to whole grains, it's time we started getting creative with how we enjoy them.

Typically, oatmeal is made by boiling oats in water or milk. However, time-saving overnight oats offer a no-cook solution that simply soaks the grains in milk overnight. But, if you're seeking a real win-win scenario, you can ditch your cup of caffeine and instead infuse tea into oatmeal.

Swapping water for steeped tea is the ultimate way to transform your oatmeal. All that's required is a pot, water and a few tea bags. Once your water comes to a boil, The Kitchn recommends steeping a couple of tea bags for a few minutes, before removing them and cooking oats. For an overnight version, Food Network instead suggests steeping tea bags in milk and cooling before mixing with oats and letting them sit in a mason jar.

Just about any tea will do the trick, whether it's a spiced chai, herbaceous green, floral white, malty black, or toasty oolong — even a decaffeinated herbal. That said, based on the type of tea you select, you can revamp your oatmeal even further by adding extra ingredients to complement the subtle flavors of the tea infusion.

To build flavor and texture to your porridge, toss in chopped fruit, toasted nuts, chocolate chunks, Greek yogurt, jam dollops or even a drizzle of sweetener like maple. Of course, if sweet oatmeal isn't your vibe, there's always savory oatmeal — but that's a topic for another day!