Oats are a type of cereal.
As one of the healthiest cereals in the world, oats are represented in every type of diet, from babies and small children to adults.
In the last few years, it has become very popular and the “number one” food in the world.
It gained popularity due to the numerous health benefits it has for our bodies.
Oats nutrients
Oats contain numerous essential nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, thiamin, manganese, selenium and iron.
Each of these nutrients has its role in maintaining our health.
Magnesium affects the whole organism, and when it is not enough, everything suffers, from blood pressure to immunity.
Magnesium deficiency can cause calcification of the arteries, muscle spasms and stiffness, depression, anxiety, hypertension, hormonal imbalance, insomnia, bone problems, and feelings of fatigue and lack of energy.
Zinc is necessary for good immunity and helps us to recover faster from infections, flu and wounds.
Affects insulin balance, protects the prostate, normal testosterone levels and a good spermogram in men, as well as normal fertility in women, and in children, it enables normal growth and development.
Phosphorus strengthens our bones and prevents osteoporosis, strengthens muscles and gives us energy, affects digestion and metabolism, balances hormones and nourishes the brain.
Thiamin or B1 is a vitamin that is necessary for normal carbohydrate metabolism, functioning of the nervous system and normal digestion.
It can be taken exclusively through carbohydrates, and it is especially important for pregnant and lactating women.
Thiamine deficiency is reflected in reduced brain function, mental disorders and difficulties in memory and learning.
In people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, thiamine levels in the blood are usually below normal.
Thiamine protects our nerves and prevents peripheral neuropathy, but also reduces the feeling of pain, from herpes, through joint pain to migraine headaches.
Manganese is a trace element necessary for healthy fat metabolism, healthy bones, connective tissues and good energy.
In addition to whole grains, it is also found in berries.
Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that protects us from premature aging, protects the skin and muscles.
Nourishes the brain, too. It is essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, protects our immunity and the cardiovascular system.
Seniors have a greater need for selenium, as do smokers and those recovering from illnesses and infections.
Iron is most important for preventing anemia, which women are especially prone to during the reproductive period.
When the level of iron in our blood is low, vital organs, the heart, brain and liver do not get enough oxygen. Then we feel tired, faint, short of breath easily, our hands and feet are cold, our legs tingle and we are listless.
When to consume your oats
There is no particular time when you should consume oats. It can be consumed at any time of the day.
However, this cereal is most often consumed for breakfast or dinner.
The reason for this is that it gives the best results in periods of weight loss precisely when it is consumed in one of these two meals.
Oats for breakfast
Oatmeal for breakfast is an ideal meal for a healthy start to the day.
Usually, we all rush in the morning and don’t have time to dedicate ourselves to making a healthy breakfast. We usually take what’s on hand, but that’s not the smartest choice and it certainly won’t keep us full for long enough.
Oats for breakfast contain all the necessary nutrients, it is prepared very quickly and, most importantly, they will keep you full for a long time.
Most people, when they want to lose weight, first eliminate carbohydrates from their diet.
Carbohydrates are necessary for the normal functioning of the body and energy during the day. You can reduce carbohydrates, but not eliminate them.
Oats contain complex carbohydrates that release energy slowly and do not cause sudden jumps and drops in blood sugar.
It is precisely these complex carbohydrates that are responsible for not getting hungry quickly after consuming this breakfast.
In this way, it helps to lose weight because you will not need to snack between meals and reach for unhealthy food.
For lunch
If you didn’t know, you can eat oats for lunch. Most people are very busy and usually use their lunch break to eat something unhealthy.
Instead, why not use your lunchtime, whether you are employed or not, to prepare a healthy lunch that will satisfy all your nutrient needs and have energy for the rest of the day?
For dinner
Instead of eating less for dinner and going to bed hungry, we suggest eating smarter and healthier.
Oats for dinner are an excellent choice. Maybe some of you will not agree because you think you should not consume cereals for dinner, but we will dissuade you.
Oatmeal is a healthy cereal, whole grain and contains enough fiber, protein and most importantly, complex carbohydrates.
A portion of 100 g has only about 380 calories, which is less than a few slices of bread.
You can prepare your oatmeal in countless different ways. You can prepare them as a savory or sweet meal. The basis is oatmeal, and you can add different ingredients to them as you wish.
For dinner, we suggest another source of protein, say mushrooms.
Your dinner is ready in less than half an hour.
We guarantee that you will be full after this meal.
For weight loss
One of the most important characteristics of oatmeal is that it is very good to combine and there are endless ways to make your meal delicious.
However, it is a good ally in losing weight. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the type of flakes and the method of preparation.
Oats contain beta-glucan, and their consumption can lead to a reduction in body mass index, body fat, and waist and hip circumference.
In order not to turn a portion of your oatmeal into a high-calorie meal, be careful about what you add to it.
Although they are very healthy, by adding some high-calorie ingredients, you can take in more calories than you need.
For example, by adding honey or maple syrup, you add unnecessary sugar to the flakes.
Moreover, it is not recommended to add dried fruit to them. Instead of dry, add fresh fruit to your cereal.
Instead of water, add milk, nuts and frozen berries.
Thus, you increase the proportion of protein, calcium, vitamins, antioxidants and healthy fats and turn a simple bowl of oatmeal into a complete meal.
For muscle gain
Building muscle mass involves much more than going to the gym.
To make your body look muscular and toned, you need to take care of the correct exercise, weights and, most importantly, eating properly
In addition to this, enough sleep plays a very important role in muscle recovery.
Oats are one of the basic foods for building muscle mass. That is why athletes and bodybuilders use it regularly in their diet.
Oats give you the energy you need during your workout. It contains complex carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index.
In this way, they ensure a long-term energy supply.
Oats as a muscle-building food have very little fat and plenty of fiber and minerals that provide your muscles with the nutrition they need.
Post-workout
The more muscles you have, the more calories your body will burn.
Oatmeal is a type of carbohydrate that is recommended for consumption after training. They are very tasty in different varieties and most people digest them quite well.
They are a good source of fiber so they can satisfy your hunger after training. They are rich in all important nutrients and help to repair muscles after hard training.
Whichever way you prepare them will have a very big impact on building and maintaining your muscle mass.
Every morning oats
You can freely consume oatmeal for breakfast every day.
In some diets, it is recommended that you eat as simple meals as possible and stick to this menu for a certain period. That way you will understand what your body needs.
The high percentage of fiber in oatmeal can benefit your body in many ways.
If oatmeal becomes part of your daily menu, it can potentially reduce the risk of some diseases and keep your intestines healthy.
Moreover, they help you feel fuller for longer, as we have already mentioned.
Every day oats
If you consume oatmeal every day, it will first create a healthy habit that can prevent weight gain and excess weight.
Oatmeal is full of antioxidants including vitamin E, tocotrienols, selenium, phenolic acid and phytic acid.
It contains other nutrients such as vitamin B1, biotin, molybdenum, phosphorus, copper and magnesium among other phytonutrients.
Because of all these ingredients, your insulin will keep within normal limits, you won’t have sudden hunger pangs and you didn’t want to eat everything you can get your hands on.
Regular consumption of oatmeal can also help control glucose and insulin response, especially in people with diabetes.
Overnight oats
Overnight oats are essentially fresh, uncooked oats soaked in water, milk or yogurt and left overnight.
In the morning, you can add fruit, nuts, avocado or ingredients of your choice.
That way, you will have an already prepared breakfast without a lot of trouble and time to prepare it.
Prepared like this, you can take it to work or training and have a prepared meal or snack.
What we can guarantee with certainty is that it will keep you full for a very long time.
Oatmeal
Oats is a cereal with a rich history, and it marked one nation in particular – the Scots.
In Scotland, oatmeal has been eaten since the Middle Ages, and thanks to it, the nation survived.
The Scottish peasant drew strength from oats, which thrived on land where little else grew.
Oatmeal was cooked ‘in bulk’ in a battered kettle with water and a little salt. It was occasionally mixed with a special thin whisk until it thickened.
Interestingly, it was believed that oatmeal should only be stirred with the right hand, counter-clockwise, to ward off evil spirits.
The oatmeal prepared in this way was poured into a wooden box and eaten for several days. Cold, it was thick enough to cut with a knife and take to the field.
Today’s recipe for oatmeal is quite different from this old one. Oatmeal is made from flakes that are quickly cooked, usually with the addition of sugar, butter, milk or cream.
Is it good to eat oats at night?
Of course. Eating oatmeal will help you balance many hormones in the body that cause stress and nervousness.
Oatmeal will increase the level of cortisol in your body, and due to the high proportion of B vitamins in its composition, it will positively affect your nervous system.
These flakes promote liver health and good digestion. All this will help you have a night of healthy and peaceful sleep.
Is it good to eat oatmeal at night?
Yes. Oatmeal is a recommended meal before going to bed. Oats are packed with melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Oatmeal has a neutral taste, so it’s great for adding foods that will improve your sleep, such as bananas or almond butter.
Oatmeal contains both adenine and trigonelline. These are two vegetable proteins that help you get rid of nervousness and tension.
Moreover it will help with anxiety.
Health benefits
Oatmeal has many health benefits. Some of them are:
It reduces the level of bad cholesterol
Cholesterol is a natural substance in the body, created by the liver. The body needs it at certain levels, for nerves, cells and hormones to function properly.
If the cholesterol balance is unbalanced, it is not good for the body. It is not good to have too much or too little.
In the beginning, it doesn’t show any symptoms, and when the first ones appear, it’s already quite late to start prevention.
If there is too much of it, it can clog your arteries and prevent blood flow to vital organs.
And that can have fatal consequences.
One of the ways to protect yourself is a healthy diet. Oatmeal can help you greatly in reducing or preventing cholesterol build-up.
Consuming it once a day will protect your body
Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world.
We have just mentioned that the accumulation of cholesterol can cause some heart diseases.
Most often, these are heart attacks or strokes, which in a large number of cases lead to death.
The sooner you introduce healthy habits and the consumption of healthy food, you can prevent the occurrence of some of the mentioned diseases.
Boosts immunity
Eating oatmeal in any form improves immunity and helps the body fight free radicals. In this way, it helps to keep your body healthy and you get sick as rarely as possible.
Regulates sugar level
Regular consumption of oatmeal prevents sudden changes in blood sugar. In this way, it reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Protects against breast cancer
Oats are an excellent source of natural fibers that can largely prevent breast cancer in women.
Protect children from asthma
Whole grain cereals protect children from various chronic diseases. Oats are a healthy cereal and consist of whole grains. The less it is processed, the healthier it is.
If children consume it from an early age it will prevent the onset of asthma and alleviate the resulting symptoms.
Celiac disease
Oats are a very healthy alternative for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Oats are a cereal that does not contain gluten, so they can be used in different forms.
It can be used as flour from which you can bake bread, make healthy pancakes, add to cooked dishes, and make salty or sweet oatmeal.
As we have already mentioned, the possibilities are huge.
Extends life span
Consuming prolongs life span is precisely all that we have mentioned before that affects your body to be healthy and strong.
This will extend your lifespan.
Processing of oats
This cereal exists in different forms. It all depends on the level of its processing.
Some of the oat products are:
– Oat groats are unflattened seeds that are extremely good for breakfast. This breakfast will keep you full for a very long time.
– Steel-cut oats are rolled oats that are made by cutting the grain with steel blades into thin slices, which gives them a dense texture. That way you get the full flavor of your flakes.
– Old Fashioned Oats – These grains have a flatter surface than steel-cut oats because they are steamed and then flattened.
– Quick-Cooking Oats – These oats are often processed just like old-fashioned oats, except they are thinly sliced before being flattened.
– Instant Oatmeal – This product is made by partially cooking the grains and then flattening them to be very thin.
Oat bran is only the outer layer of the oat grain, which is located under the shell of the seed. They are good for bread and pastries or to add to cooked dishes.
Homemade or purchased oatmeal
You should know that you can use all these types of oats and that they are all healthy. However, as we all know, when it comes to food, less processing generally means healthier food.
Be careful when buying oatmeal at the store. Oatmeal produced in this way can often have too much sugar, which is not exactly the healthiest choice for a meal.
It is best to make your oatmeal. They represent the basis of your oatmeal, and then you can add ingredients to them as you wish.
Your oatmeal can be salty or sweet. Of course, when adding ingredients, choose the healthier ones so that they don’t overdo it with calories.
Side effects
Oatmeal is very healthy, but like all foods, it can cause discomfort in some people.
Allergies
First of all, let’s mention celiac disease. To avoid confusion, we have already mentioned that people with celiac disease should eat oatmeal because they do not contain gluten.
However, some people avoid it because it can be contaminated with other grains that contain gluten, such as wheat or rye. However, if the symptoms have not occurred for more than six months, it should be safe to consume them.
Allergies can occur in the form of redness, burning throat, vomiting, and swelling of the throat. They can be mild and very serious.
Gases
For some people with sensitive intestines, oatmeal can cause bloating and gases. It is necessary to start with smaller amounts until the body gets used to them.
After that, you shouldn’t have any problems with these symptoms.
Gout
Gout is a type of arthritis and can occur in different joints. In some cases, too much oatmeal can worsen the condition, so you should consult your doctor.
Some diets for gout even recommend the use of oatmeal in the diet, so an individual diet plan is the best.
Final thoughts
There are many more recipes in which you can use oats.
You can add it to your favorite protein shake or yogurt. Make very tasty cookies or cakes.
Add these to regular recipes for pastries, pancakes or biscuits.
We advise you to look for creative ways to include this food in your diet because this superfood is a real treasure for your body.
Read also: Best Time to Eat Chia Seeds / Best Time to Drink Kefir
