Oats: 9 Amazing Health Benefits Everyone Should Know About.

Oats are one of the best grains for you.

Naturally gluten-free, rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers, antioxidants ...

In fact, several studies have shown that eating oatmeal has many health benefits.

In particular, oats can aid weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

So, without further ado, here is the 9 scientifically proven health benefits of oatmeal. Watch the easy guide:

The 9 health benefits of oats in one guide.

Click here to easily print this guide in PDF.

1. Excellent source of vitamins and nutrients

Crispy oatmeal in a glass bowl with a spoon in it and red and green lids

Oatmeal has a high nutrient content, which makes it a particularly balanced food.

They're also a good source of carbohydrates and fiber - including beta-glucan, a powerful soluble fiber (Studies 1, 2, 3).

Oats also contain more protein and fat than most other grains (Study 4).

Oats are rich in vitamins, minerals and plant compounds with strong antioxidant properties. For example, a 75 g serving of oatmeal contains (study 5):

- Manganese : 191% of the recommended daily allowance (RDI)

- Phosphorus : 41% of the RDA

- Magnesium : 34% of the RDI

- Copper : 24% of the RDA

- Iron : 20% of the RDI

- Zinc : 20% of the RDI

- Folic acid : 11% of the RDI

- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) : 39% of the RDA

- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) : 10% of the RDI

- In smaller amounts: calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin B3 (niacin)

And that's not counting 51g of carbohydrates, 13g of protein, 5g of fat and 8g of fiber, for just 303 calories!

Simply put, this means that oats are one of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat.

To summarize : Oats are high in carbohydrates and fiber, but they are also higher in protein and fat than most other grains. It has an impressive content of vitamins and minerals.

2. Very rich in antioxidants

Hands holding a bowl of yogurt and oatmeal.

Whole oats are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, plant compounds with beneficial properties.

In particular, it has a high content of avenanthramides, a particularly rare group of antioxidants found almost exclusively in oats (Study 6).

Many researchers have shown that avenanthramides help lower blood pressure by increasing the body's nitric oxide levels (Studies 7, 8, 9).

This is because nitric oxide is a gas molecule that helps dilate blood vessels and improves blood circulation.

In addition, researchers have also shown that avenanthramides have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects (study 9).

Oats are also high in ferulic acid, an organic acid with antioxidant properties (study 10).

To summarize : Oats contain a number of powerful antioxidants, including avenanthramides. These compounds help lower blood pressure and have many benefits.

3. Rich in soluble fiber (beta-glucan)

Hands holding oatmeal above a bowl.

Oats have a high content of beta-glucan, a very special soluble fiber.

In fact, on contact with water, beta-glucan forms a thick, viscous gel in the intestine.

Thus, beta-glucan works by trapping triglycerides (responsible for cholesterol) to bring them directly into the intestine and eliminate them through the stool.

Soluble beta-glucan fiber has many health benefits, all of which have been proven by researchers:

- Reduces the levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and total cholesterol (study 1)

- Regulates blood sugar and limits insulin secretion (study 11)

- Promotes the feeling of satiety (study 12)

- Stimulates the growth of intestinal flora (study 13)

To summarize : Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber with many health benefits. Beta-glucan helps in particular to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels, to stimulate the intestinal flora and to increase the feeling of satiety.

4. Reduces cholesterol levels and protects "bad" cholesterol from oxidation

A bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and yogurt.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world.

And one of their main risk factors is high cholesterol.

However, many studies have shown that oat beta-glucan reduces total cholesterol and LDL levels (studies 1, 14).

Beta-glucan increases the excretion of the bile, which is high in cholesterol, thereby reducing all cholesterol levels in the blood.

Oxidation of LDL (also called "bad" cholesterol) occurs when it is attacked and weakened by free radicals.

This phenomenon is one of the main signs of the onset of heart disease.

This is because oxidation can cause inflammation of the arteries, damage tissue and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

However, researchers have found that the antioxidants in oats interact with vitamin C to inhibit the oxidation of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) (Study 15).

To summarize : eatOatmeal reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering total and LDL cholesterol levels, and by protecting "bad" LDL cholesterol from oxidation.

5. Lowers blood sugar levels

A bowl of oatmeal with its lid on a white tablecloth with apples in the background

Type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects a large number of people, is characterized by having too high blood sugar levels.

Usually, this condition results from reduced sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that lowers blood glucose levels.

Researchers have shown in several studies that eating oatmeal helps lower blood sugar levels.

This is particularly the case in people who are overweight or have type 2 diabetes (studies 16, 17, 18).

In addition, oatmeal has also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity (Study 19).

These benefits are mainly related to beta-glucan.

By forming a thick gel in the intestine, soluble fiber slows the flow of food from the stomach and delays the absorption of glucose into the blood (Study 20).

To summarize : Thanks to soluble beta-glucan fiber, eating oatmeal helps increase insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels.

6. An “appetite suppressant” food that helps you lose weight

A hand pouring honey into a bowl of oatmeal.

Eating oatmeal porridge for breakfast is not only delicious ...

... but it is also a food that makes you feel particularly full (study 21).

And eating satisfying foods helps you consume fewer calories and lose weight.

By slowing the flow of food from the stomach, the beta-glucan in oatmeal also helps increase feelings of fullness (studies 12, 22).

Beta-glucan helps increase levels of peptide YY (PYY), a hormone secreted by the gastrointestinal wall that makes you feel full after a meal.

Researchers have shown that PPY also leads to reduced calorie intake and lowers the risk of being overweight (studies 23, 24).

To summarize : eating oatmeal helps with weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness. It works by slowing the flow of food from the stomach and increasing the production of the satiety hormone PYY.

7. Oatmeal powder has virtues for the skin

A white bowl of oatmeal with yogurt and wooden strawberries and a spoon lying on a wooden table

If oats are an ingredient in many skin care products, it is certainly no accident!

Cosmetics manufacturers refer to this form of fine powdered oatmeal as "colloidal oatmeal powder".

The FDA has long approved the use of colloidal oatmeal as a skin protection substance.

In addition, researchers have shown that oats are an effective treatment for relieving itching and irritation associated with skin conditions (studies 25, 26, 27).

For example, oatmeal care helps improve the unpleasant symptoms of eczema (Study 28).

Note that these skin benefits only apply to oatmeal skin care products applied externally, and not the oatmeal that we eat.

To summarize : Colloidal oatmeal powder (fine powdered oats) has long been used to treat dry skin and relieve itchy skin. It also helps soothe the symptoms of many skin conditions, including eczema.

To discover : Craving Deliciously Soft Skin? Do an Oatmeal Scrub.

8. May reduce the risk of asthma in children

Small bowls of oatmeal and baby butternut.

Not many people know that asthma is the most common chronic disease in children (Study 29).

It is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, the ducts that allow air to pass between the outside and the lungs.

Symptoms can vary, but asthma shows up in most children with recurrent coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Many researchers believe that early introduction of solid foods to children's diets increases the risk of asthma and other allergic diseases (Study 30).

However, many studies indicate that this risk does not apply to all foods.

Thus, the early introduction of oats helps protect children from allergic diseases (studies 31, 32).

According to researchers, giving oatmeal to children as young as 12 months may decrease the risk of asthma (Study 33).

To summarize : several research indicates that eating oatmeal helps reduce the risk of asthma in young children.

9. Fight against constipation

Oatmeal poured into a saucepan.

Constipation is a common problem among older people.

To relieve constipation, many people therefore resort to drug treatments: laxatives.

Even though laxatives are proven to be effective, researchers have also found that these substances are linked to weight loss and decreased quality of life (study 34).

Researchers have shown that oat bran, the high-fiber husk in the oat grain, helps relieve constipation in older people (Studies 35, 36).

Researchers at the University of Vienna studied the benefits of adding oat bran to the diet of older people daily, every day for 12 weeks

Researchers first found increased levels of well-being in older people (Study 37).

They also found that after just 3 months of eating a diet that contains oat bran, 59% of these elderly people no longer need their laxatives.

By comparison, the overall use of laxatives increased by 8% in the control group.

To summarize : studies have shown that oat bran helps relieve constipation in the elderly, significantly reducing the use of laxative medications.

By the way, what are oats?

A hand holding grains of oats in a field.

To put it simply, oats are a cereal in which the grain is transformed into flakes and the envelope his.

Cultivated oats are a whole grain grass, scientifically known asAvena sativa.

Its most complete form is oatmeal : These are whole grains, peeled and stripped of their husks.

The downside is that oatmeal takes a long time to cook.

For this reason, most people prefer to eat oats in the form of flakes:

- instant oatmeal: steamed and cut into small pieces, this is the variety of oats that cooks the fastest. It gives a soft texture and a sweet aroma.

- Irish oatmeal: the whole grains are passed through a steel blade mill. This variety resembles rice seeds, and has a slower cooking and a chewy texture.

- rolled oatmeal: the oat kernels are steamed and flattened. This produces large caliber round and flat flakes. Rolled oats are often used in baked goods and for making porridge.

Many people eat oatmeal for breakfast, as a porridge, by boiling it in milk or water.

In fact, many people use the name Porridge to talk about oatmeal.

Finally, we can also consume the Oat bran. High in fiber, bran is the husk of the oat kernel, which is obtained after crushing and sieving small oatmeal flakes.

To summarize : oats are a whole grain that are often eaten for breakfast as porridge.

The easy porridge recipe

A plate with cooked porridge, nuts and a few blueberries on top on a French joural

In oatmeal, in flakes or in baking recipes, oats can be cooked in different forms.

It is especially appreciated in the form of porridge for breakfast, and garnished with fresh fruit.

In addition, the preparation of the porridge is super-simple, see:

Ingredients

- 50 g of oatmeal

- 50 ml of milk, vegetable milk or water

- to sweeten: a little honey or maple syrup

- for a gourmet porridge: fresh fruit, dried fruit or chocolate shavings

How to do

1. Heat the milk (or water) in a saucepan.

2. Pour the oatmeal into the pot.

3. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

4. The porridge is ready when you get a creamy texture.

To diversify the flavors and even more nutrients, add fruits (banana, apricot, pineapple, grapes, apple, dates, raspberries, etc.), nuts, seeds and yogurt.

Finally, enjoy your steaming porridge: it's just delicious!

If you like to cook, you should know that oats also find their place in cookies, muesli, energy snacks and bread.

Warning : Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they are systematically "contaminated" by the presence of residues of cereals containing gluten (wheat, barley, etc.) during harvest, storage or transport (study 38).

So, if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, choose only certified gluten-free oats.

To summarize : oats are great for a healthy diet. It's perfect for starting the day off right as a breakfast porridge, or by adding oatmeal to breads, pastries and other recipes.

Conclusion: oats are an exceptional health ally

Hands holding a bowl of porridge with raspberries: oats, an exceptional health ally.

Rich in important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, oats are an incredibly nutritious food.

In addition, it contains more fiber and protein than other grains.

Oats are also characterized by their unique nutrients, including soluble beta-glucan fiber and the antioxidants avenanthramides.

Oats have many health benefits, including lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels, protecting the skin from itching and irritation, and relieving constipation.

In addition, eating oatmeal brings a strong feeling of fullness, and its many beneficial properties make it an ideal food for weight loss.

In the end, oats are arguably one of the healthiest foods you can eat!

Where to buy oatmeal?

A glass jar filled with oatmeal.

Avoid cereal packets bought in supermarkets, as they often contain salt, glucose syrup, oil, milk, flavors and other questionable ingredients.

For your health and that of your family, buy only organic oatmeal, like here for only 1.55 €!

Your turn…

Have you tried oatmeal for your health? Tell us in the comments if it worked for you. We can't wait to hear from you!

Do you like this trick ? Share it with your friends on Facebook.

Also to discover:

The 9 Benefits of Oats You Should Know.

Do You Know The Health Benefits of Oats?


$config[zx-auto] not found$config[zx-overlay] not found