Oatmeal is considered one of the most complete and nutritious cereal you can add to your daily diet. Raw or cooked, in flakes or cream, experts qualify it as a super healthy food and recommend its daily consumption to reduce cholesterol and blood glucose.
Around the world, oatmeal is known as an essential meal to improve the lives of those who want to reduce weight in a healthy way, also favors the decrease of blood sugar and contains a large amount of protein.
Learn right nowthe 10 best benefits of oatmealand discover how you can improve your life just by including this superfood in your diet.
What is oatmeal?
Oatsare a type ofwhole grain thatgrows mainly in North America and Europe. It is veryrich in soluble fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and stands out for being the only source of avenanthramides, a class of antioxidants exclusive to oats.
Note: Oatmealcan be consumed in the form of cream (a kind of porridge made with oatmeal), ground, flakes or as an ingredient in various products: baked goods, bread, cereal bars or granola.
On the other hand, peeled oats (whole grains) are used to make oat flakes and lightly toasted to produce oatmeal.
Likewise, oat bran, the most that contains soluble fiber, is the outer shell of the grain, rich in fiber, and is usually consumed as a separate cereal in cereal bars or bread.
Finally,children’s oatmeal creamis made with oat grains transformed into flour that is mixed with water.
Nutritional properties of oats
Oatmeal is a completecereal and has abalanced nutritional contribution. According to data provided bySelf(1) magazine, 100 grams of oats contain:
- Manganese: 246% of the RDA (recommended daily allowance).
- Phosphorus: 52% of the RDA.
- Vitamin B1: 51% of the RDA.
- Magnesium: 44% of the RDA.
- Iron: 26% of the RDA.
- Omega 3 fatty acids: 111 mg.
- Omega 6 fatty acids: 2424 mg.
- Folic acid: 60 mg.
- Protein: 16.9 g.
- Fiber: 10.6 g.
- Carbohydrates: 66.2 gr (raw oats)
What are the benefits of consuming oatmeal?
Thanks to its high amount of nutrients, the benefits of oats are multiple and very important if you want to improve health conditions naturally.
A portion of oats can give you so many properties that you will want to integrate it into your daily diet. Therefore, below, we will detail the 10 benefits of oatmeal for your health:
1. Supports heart health
The beta-glucans (compound that regulates bad cholesterol in the body) present in oats along with the great contribution of vitamins of group B, help improve cardiovascular function, blood transport from the heart to the different systems of the body and regulates in turn cardiac activity.
Important: According to studies conducted by theEuropean Food Safety Authority(2), daily consumption of foods with a minimum contentof 3 grams of beta-glucan leads to a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Oatmeal also helps reduce the risk of heart attacks, reduces the amount of fat lodged in this organ and is a verygood option in the diet in people suffering from high blood pressure.
2. Gluten-free
Oatmeal is an ideal foodforpeople who are intolerant (celiac) or sensitive to gluten, as it does not contain this substance.
You should know: Clinical studies published in the journalGut(3) have confirmed thatmost celiac people can tolerate a moderate, and even high, consumption of pure oats.
However, be sure to buy “pure” or “gluten-free” oats, as they are often processed in the same facilities as other cereals andcan be contaminated with traces ofwheat.
3. Reduces cholesterol levels
Usually, people claim theeffectiveness of oats and oat flakes inlowering cholesterol.
This is possiblethanks to its high content of beta-glucan, which:
- It slows the absorption of fats and cholesterolby increasing the viscosity of the digestive contents.
- It binds in the intestine to cholesterol-rich bile acids, made by the liver to facilitate digestion, and lowers them along the digestive systemto expel them out of the body.
Note: Normally, the body reabsorbs these bile acids, but beta-glucan prevents this process and, with it, lowers the body’s cholesterol levels.
4. Improves diabetes symptoms
Diabetes is an increasingly common disease among the world’s population. It consists of animbalance of blood sugar levelsmainly dueto increased resistance to the hormone insulin.
Beta-glucans present in oats can regulate glucose and decrease insulin responses after consuming a carbohydrate-rich meal
You should know: In a study conducted by theExperimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes(4) of patients with type 2 diabetes, it was found that the daily intake of oatmeal for a period of 4 weeksreduced by 40% the dose of insulin needed to stabilize sugar levels.
Cooked oat grains also reduce glucoseand insulin resistance, but the latter increases when the grains ground into flour are consumed before cooking.
5. Decreases appetite
Feeling satiated and satisfied decreases appetite and curbs the desire to eat. In fact, an alteration of satiety is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
You should know: In a study published by theEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition(5), in which38 foods were classified according to their satiety index, oatmeal (cooked oatmeal) ranked third in the overall rankingand first place in the breakfast food category.
This influence on appetite is due to its amount ofbeta-glucan, a type of water-soluble fiber that increases satiety and improves the health of the body through 3 mechanisms:
- Delays emptying of the stomach.
- Increases distention of the stomach.
- It stimulates the release of satiety hormones.
Also, when comparing oatmeal withready-to-eat breakfast cereals and other types of dietary fiber, it decreases appetite, increases satiety and promotes weight loss.
Note: Cooked oatmeal, or cream of oatmeal, is low in calories and rich in fiber, so oatmeal helps reduce body fat, and is also an excellent food for those who are following adiet to lose weight.
6. Mejora el sistema digestivo
This cereal, beingrich in soluble fiber, proteins, different substances and properties that benefit the body in general, also helps regulate digestion and intestinal transit, avoiding constipation, constipation and in certain cases, colitis.
Note: Oatmeal contains a large amount of fiber, therefore it isrecommended that, to improve conditions associated with the stomach, it is consumed in the morning or fasting, thus improving the bacterial flora of the intestines and benefiting the gastric system.
7. It is rich in antioxidants
One of the most present essential nutrients in oats are antioxidants. Theseare responsible for fighting free radicalsthat lodge in cells and cause tissue damage.
In addition, they favor the conditions associated with the central nervous system, neurodegenerative and liver diseases, which will directly benefit your lifestyle.
Likewise, whole oatsare also rich inantioxidants, some of them exclusive to this cereal:
- Avenanthramides: group of antioxidantstypical of oats; It reduces inflammation of the arteries and regulates blood pressure.
- Ferulic acid: polyphenol antioxidant.
- Phytic acid: predominant in oat bran, it can affect the absorption of certain minerals.
8. Promotes skin health
Oatmeal helps improve skin conditions, this is because it has, as mentioned above, a large amount ofantioxidants and B vitamins, these compounds are ideal for maintaining healthy and acne-free skin.
Tip: Prepare amask of milk, oatmeal and honey, stir a little and apply it on your face and neck for at least 15 minutes. After the time, remove the mixture with plenty of water and you will notice how soft your skin will feel.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.