Medically Reviewed by: Nicole Anne Vergara, RD
Oatmeal, it must be said, is a complete nerd. It doesn’t have any sense of style; the color they named after it is on the dull side of beige. It’s frequently observed with Bert from Sesame Street, who also like pigeons, bottle caps, and paper clips.
However, oatmeal and the oats it is made of can unquestionably sit at the breakfast table with the cool kids when it comes to healthy eating.
What Are The Benefits Of Consuming Oatmeal?
It has a lot of positive features, according to Candida Rebello, director of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, which conducts research on nutrition and chronic diseases.
Numerous heart-healthy advantages of oats and oatmeal have been linked by extensive research, including decreasing cholesterol (both total and “bad” LDL cholesterol) and aiding in weight management.
What Is The Nutrient Composition Of Oatmeal?
Numerous vitamins and minerals are also found in oatmeal. Two instances are as follows: According to the Department of Agriculture, a cup of cooked oats contains roughly 1.8 milligrams of thiamin, sometimes known as vitamin B1. That comes to about 15% of an adult’s daily needs. In addition, 1.36 mg of manganese, or 59% of the daily recommended amount for males and 76% for women, are present in it. Manganese plays a part in the immune system, blood coagulation, and the metabolism of cholesterol and blood sugar.
Oats stand out, though, for other reasons, according to Rebello. Only 166 calories and approximately 4 grams of dietary fiber are contained in the same cup of cooked oats.
Oats start to stand out when it comes to the type of fiber. It is known as beta-glucan. When you bring something up in conversation, it’s similar to the part in a movie where oatmeal takes off its glasses and everyone suddenly recognizes how stunning it is.
not actually. Being a soluble fiber, it dissolves in hot water and thickens there. When you eat oatmeal, the sliminess you notice is caused by the viscosity that beta-glucan produces, according to Rebello.
She claimed that makes you feel fuller for longer. Additionally, it facilitates the movement of undigested food farther down your digestive tract, where it can feed the helpful bacteria there.
Oats and barley are rich sources of beta-glucan, which has been proved “very unambiguously” to support maintaining good cholesterol levels.
Phytonutrients, or chemicals obtained from plants that may improve health, are also abundant in oats. Avenanthramides, which are solely present in oats, are one class of these phytonutrients. Although Rebello noted that avenanthramides’ potential advantages have not been as thoroughly studied as those of beta-glucans, they may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
What Is The Anatomy Of Oats?
Oats exist in a variety of forms and have been associated with heart health advantages since the 1960s. Levels of processing play a role in the variances.
Oats develop in a hull, which is an inedible covering. A seed-like groat is found inside the hull. The bran covers that groat. You can remove the bran layer in other whole grains, such as wheat, according to Rebello. However, the oat groat is exceedingly soft, making it impossible to truly remove the bran layer.
Because whole grains are essential to a healthy eating pattern, oats are virtually usually one of them.
According to Rebello, “steel cut” oats simply indicate that they were prepared using a steel cutter. Before being rolled, oats are first steam-pressed. You can achieve quick-cooking oats if the roller breaks the grain into finer flake, she explained. “You get your quick oats if it is subsequently rolled into an even thinner flake.”
According to Rebello, there is not much of a nutritional difference between rolled and steel cut oats. However, instant oats have a higher glycemic index, which means they cause your blood sugar to rise more quickly.
The rougher part of the oats, known as oat bran, is removed and used to make flour. She stated that the flour will include a higher concentration of beta-glucans than the bran.
How Do I Incorporate Oats In My Diet?
Oats and water are used to make oat milk, but additional components like sugar, salt, and oil may be added during processing. Oat milk has some dietary fiber, usually 2 grams per cup, according to Rebello, however the amount of beta-glucan is quite tiny.
Unfortunately, Rebello disqualified sugar-filled oatmeal cookies from being considered a healthy food (although she isn’t opposed to occasionally enjoying one as a treat).
So how do we embrace oats? Simply consume ordinary oatmeal, she said. Rolling oats cook fairly rapidly and provide a substantial amount of energy.
A nice option to start the day can be oatmeal with your preferred fruit. To make it creamier and increase the heart-health benefits, cook it with low-fat milk and add unsalted almonds. Try a healthy variation of overnight oats, which can be made the night before, if you’re short on time in the morning.
You can also try the new Casa De Sante Low FODMAP Superfood Oatmeal especially for people who are always on the go. This gut-friendly oatmeal is packed with goodness to nourish you from the inside out. The various blends are carefully created to not only taste good but are bursting with nutrients. This oatmeal is All Natural, Gluten Free, Vegan, Cholesterol Free, Low Sodium and an excellent source of Dietary Fiber. You can choose from different flavors like Hedgerow, Peanut Butter & Chocolate, Strawberry & Pumpkin Seed, and 4 Seed.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that no one food, not even oats, can satisfy all of your nutritional needs, according to Rebello, who added that eating a healthy breakfast followed by a diet high in sugar and fat is “really not going to assist you much.”
However, Rebello advised including oatmeal in your morning club. “I firmly advise eating oats.”
