At face value the nutritional differences between oats and grits are quite comparable. We would encourage the reader to compare the nutrition profiles for themselves. Our focus is not so much with the side-by-side comparison of oats and grits separately, but more so with the ingredients commonly added to these dishes.
It is very important to regulate the source and quantity of sugars in the diet of power athletes. In this instance, we find grits a better vehicle for limiting the addition of concentrated sugars such as brown sugar and syrup.
Far too often sugar is dumped on bowls of oatmeal. Or perhaps worse yet, variety pack, pre-flavored oatmeal is being eaten. The sugar content often soars as high or beyond that of sugary cereals.
Power athletes don’t spend much time in aerobic state of exercise and thus require a lower level of carbohydrate. Unused sugars in the body quickly become fat and lead to non-lean body mass.
We feel the ability to pair fried eggs in the same bowl as grits is a tremendous advantage to the power athlete as a meal typically requires 30g of protein and it is hard to get that much in a few cups of oatmeal.
Grits also offer 5x the amount of Folate than oats and are much higher in the amino acid, Leucine. Folate is a B-vitamin responsible for DNA production and health of new cells. Leucine is responsible for improving endurance and strength in athletes.
Typical Meal Ingredients
Grits Oatmeal
Water/Milk Water/Milk
Salt/Pepper Cinnamon
Tomato Apple/Cranberry
Fried Egg/Olive Oil Walnuts
Butter Butter
Cheese Brown Sugar
Try out grits as a new pre-work out meal and let us know what you think!