Oats: An Introduction
Oats is a whole-grain cereal that is a popular healthy breakfast choice for people globally. These are naturally fed to livestock, but they are rolled, crushed, ground or steel-cut for human consumption.
It generally boiled with milk or water and the resulting healthy dish is known as oatmeal.
The most famous topping is dry fruits and fruit in oatmeal globally. Oats due to their health benefits have gained a lot of popularity.
Health Benefits of Eating Oats:
#1. Immunity Booster:
Oats contain beta-glucan and soluble fibre. White blood cells ( WBCs ) also known as warriors of our immune system, have receptors for the absorption of beta-glucan. Beta-glucan stimulates WBCs. This aids in guarding our bodies against infections.
Beta-glucans accelerates the healing of wounds. It makes the body more sensitive to antibiotics.
It also promotes the activity of natural killer, neutrophils, cells and macrophages to fight a variety of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, fungi, and viruses.
Selenium and zinc in oats also helps in fighting infections.
#2. Lowers Blood Sugar Levels:
Oats contain beta-glucan and soluble fibre. This aids us to maintain the glycemic index low when consumed regularly.
The high fibre presence in oats makes us insulin sensitive. It decreases postprandial glucose levels.
Those who have type 2 diabetes or overweight have shown a reduction in blood sugar levels.
#3. Improves Heart Health:
Oats are rich in fibre and loaded with antioxidants. The antioxidants present in oats fight off free radicals and promotes the health of the heart.
Beta-glucan, a soluble fibre in oats decreases the bad cholesterol LDL by limiting the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the gut. Hence, oats decrease the risk of coronary heart disease. Vitamin E in oats also prevents cardiovascular disorders.
Dietary lignans present in oats protects us against heart disease.
#4. Good for our Digestive System:
Oats are beneficial for our gut health. It is rich in soluble fibre that enhances the time the food spends in the intestines.
This also protect us against colorectal cancer and fixes constipation. This fibre cleans the gut as it travels through it.
They are also full of insoluble fibre that aids consolidate stool, adds weight to it and thus maintains bowel movement and relieves constipation.
#5. Good for the Skin:
Oats are rich in zinc hence helps fight off pimples, acne breakouts. It absorbs the excess oil on the skin. Oats is also very helpful to treat dry and itchy skin as the beta-glucans aids to hydrate the skin.
Oats also work as an efficient against harmful sun rays and help lighten the skin tone.
#6. Good for the Hair:
You must have seen many oatmeal beauty products like shampoo and hair masks. Oats absorb extra oil and treat an itchy scalp. It is a great treatment for dandruff as well.
When applied abundantly over areas experiencing hair loss you can see the results pretty soon, oats work wonders as they prevent hair damage and strengthen hair follicles.
#7. Improves Bone Health:
Oats are rich in silicon which makes them important for skeletal health.
Thus, women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, osteoporosis, benefit a lot from eating oats regularly.
#8. Energy Booster:
Oats are composed of carbohydrates and this makes oats a healthy breakfast option. Oats have high amounts of vitamin B, they are the reason that makes oats boost the energy levels in the body.
Since the fibre in oats is a lot, it keep you feeling satiated for longer and you face less energy flushing.
#9. Improves the Quality of Sleep:
Eating oats improves the production of melatonin, which is vital for ensuring better sleep quality.
They also prived serotonin that aids you feel relaxed. It decreases stress. These have some essential an amino acid that has sedative properties.
#10. Regulates Calorie Consumption:
It contain a type of soluble fibre, large amounts of beta-glucan.
Beta-glucan partially dissolves in water and forms a thick, gel-like solution in the gut.
The health benefits of beta-glucan fibre include:
- Reduced LDL and total cholesterol levels
- Reduced blood sugar and insulin response
- Increased feeling of fullness
- Increased growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract.
Oatmeal helps you regulate weight by making you feel fuller. It does this by decreasing the speed of emptying the stomach and spiking up of the production of the satiety hormone PYY.
Oatmeal offer high amounts of many vitamins and minerals, such as:
- manganese
- phosphorus
- copper
- B vitamins
- iron
- selenium
- magnesium
- zinc
These are the only dietary source of powerful antioxidants called avenathramides. They also contain ferulic acid and phytic acid.
Nutritional Value of Oats:
100 grams of oatmeal provide around 389 calories of energy.
These have high essential nutrients and minerals like magnesium, iron, manganese, thiamine, zinc, phosphorus and selenium. A bowl of oatmeal provides an essential part of the body’s daily requirement of essential fatty acids, fibre, protein, and vitamin E.
Also, these are loaded with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidant plant compounds. Half a cup (78 grams) of dry oatmeal contains:
- Manganese: 191% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 41% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 34% of the RDI
- Copper: 24% of the RDI
- Iron: 20% of the RDI
- Zinc: 20% of the RDI
- Folate: 11% of the RDI
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin): 39% of the RDI
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 10% of the RDI
- Smaller amounts of calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin B3 (niacin)
Oatmeal comes with:
- 51 grams of carbs
- 13 grams of protein
- 5 grams of fat
- 8 grams of fibre
- only 303 calories
The carbs in oatmeal are majorly starches and fibre.
This pack more fat and protein than most other grains and are an amazing source of beta-glucan, a unique, soluble fibre connected to multiple health benefits.
Also, check All About Wheatgrass Juice
Bottom Line
Oatmeal are a highly nutritious food packed with important minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.
It amongst some of the healthiest grains and an amazing source of many vitamins, minerals, and rare plant compounds.
Choose a bowl of this over your traditional breakfast to get the innumerable benefits of oatmeal. Have in the form of savoury, sweet or oatmeal and add toppings of your choice like fruits, dry fruits to keep your taste buds tingling.