Benefits of Oatmeal

I love oatmeal, I look forward to it every morning. I tend to cook it the Scottish way – using about one cup of whole plain (organic) oats with a little bit of salt, water and milk. To serve, I then top the oats with honey and fruit – like a chopped banana and blackberries and a splash more cold milk. Some people add flax seed oil or chopped whole nuts. Apart from being delicious, it is a hearty base to top with two of your recommended ‘five a day’ or get some extra calcium or protein. Oatmeal offers many other health benefits:

Oatmeal is a rich source of vitamins and minerals: Vitamin E, zinc, selenium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese and protein.

Oats are also a source of soluble and non-soluble fibre: Evidence suggests that soluble fibre is more effective at lowering cholesterol, but both types of fiber are important for your health. Oats are naturally rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre attributed with giving oats much of their cholesterol lowering properties, reducing LDL (the ‘bad’) cholesterol without lowering HDL (the ‘good’) cholesterol. Research has shown that increasing soluble fibre by 5 to 10 g a day reduces LDL cholesterol by about five percent. It has also been shown that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease.

The other benefit of soluble fibre, apart from promoting regularity, is that it slows the digestion of starch, which avoids the sharp blood sugar level that can occur after a meal. Oatmeal allows for a longer sustained release of energy, this being especially beneficial for diabetics. Oatmeal helps you feel fuller for longer, keeps mid morning sugar cravings at bay and gives you a nice warm comforting way to start a cold day.

Written by Vanessa