Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That’s why Desi moms never let you out of the house without having breakfast. It gives you the energy for the whole day and helps your brain in completing tasks of everyday life.
But the important thing is, what to eat in breakfast that gives you a boost of power and energy for the day?
I have an answer for you. Oats.
Oats are known as the ‘Healthiest Grains on Earth’. It is an extremely healthy breakfast cereal. Cooking oats in water or milk makes an ‘Oatmeal’ for your breakfast. You can top your oatmeal with fruits and crunchy nuts. The nutritious values for 100g (3.5 ounces) of oats are as:
- Calories 390
- Proteins 5g
- Carbohydrates 27g
- Fibers 4g
- Fat 6.9g
Oatmeal is high in several vitamins and minerals, including manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, copper, biotin and Vitamin B1.
Oats benefits for your health and general well-being are incredible. Let’s get to know more about this power food.
Table of Contents
Types of Oats
First, you should know about the types of oats. Oats are available in many different forms:
- Rolled or Old-fashioned Oats
- Groat Oats
- Oat Bran
- Steel-cut or Irish Oats
- Scottish Oats
- Quick or Instant Oats
- Oats Flour
These are many. You must be wondering which form of oats is the best and easy to use?
The answer to your query is: Steel Cut or Irish Oats. They are the least processed and have maximum nutrition. They have a nutty flavor and chewy texture, and they are the best to make a creamy porridge for your breakfast.
Benefits of Oats with Milk
Milk is rich in Vitamin D, fats and calcium. Benefits of oats with milk are that they both complement each other. You will have a rich breakfast if you cook your oats in milk. It will add an amazing flavor to your meal, make it creamy, as well as provide rich benefits.
Health Benefits of Oats
If you are not eating oats everyday, here are some of the reasons why you should add this amazing food in your daily diet:
Energy Booster
Oats are rich in carbohydrates, that’s why they are an ideal breakfast choice. They boost the energy levels in the body to the maximum.
You can work all day without feeling your energy drained. Eating oats benefits your overall health, and gives you a power boost.
Boosts Immunity
Oats have alot of soluble fibers and beta-glucan. Beta-glucan is important in stimulating the white blood cells (WBCs) to fight the foreign invaders in your body and prevent you from infections.
In this way, Oats are a great source to boost your immunity.
Oats also help fight respiratory infections. Research shows that babies who eat oats in early life get protected against childhood asthma.
Amazing for a Good Night’s Sleep
If you are stressed about lack of sleep, try adding oats in your diet.
Eating oats helps your brain in the smooth release of a hormone in your body ‘Melatonin’. This hormone is essential for a good night’s sleep. It improves the quality of your sleep.
Lowers Blood Sugar Level
If you have diabetes, you must be happy to know that oats can help you in maintaining your blood sugar levels. The oats are rich in fibers, which improves insulin sensitivity. They help prevent the sharp rises in blood sugar.
Before adding oats in your diet, make sure to consult a well-known Diabetologist, to help you in making wise dietary choices.
Keeps the Heart Healthy
Oats are best at keeping your heart healthy, because they are rich in antioxidants and fibers. These nutrients keep the heart in good condition by fighting off the free radicals.
You can say that when it comes to your heart, oats act as blotting papers. They absorb the cholesterol lying in the walls of the heart, and prevent heart attacks.
Good for Your Stomach
Oats are good for your digestive system. The fibers in oats make the food in your stomach churn easily and digest well. It cleans the digestive canal as it travels through it. It is also helpful in maintaining the health of your intestine.
Reduces Risk of Cancer
The antioxidants in oats help to fight the free radicals that cause cancer. Oats prevent the risk of many types of cancers e.g. ovarian, breast, prostate cancer.
The anticancer compounds in oats prevent the inflammation, and stop the extreme growth of cancer cells. These make sure to avoid the harm on healthy cells.
Takes Away Stress
If you are stressed everyday due to workload or other reasons, you must add oats in your food.
Oats are called a comforting food.
It reduces your risk of developing hypertension. It cleans up the arteries and veins and promotes a healthy blood circulation. Oats benefits can be seen much for those people who already have hypertension.
Oats reduce the number of stress hormones. They help speed up the release of Serotonin which ensures your happiness and well-being.
If you are stressed at your workplace, you should read about mental health management in workspace and how you can keep a healthy mind at work.
Improves Bone Health
Oats really are the healthiest grains. They contain silica, calcium, phosphorus and manganese, which are beneficial in maintaining your skeletal health.
Those women, who have started the symptoms of menopause, can benfit a lot from oats by eating an oatmeal regularly.
Oats for Weight Loss
Oats have benefits for weight loss as well. They are rich in fibers that can fill your stomach faster than other foods.
If you are afraid of weight gain, and you have a habit of binge-eating as well, add oats in your daily diet.
They are amazing at releasing Glucose slowly in your blood, which keeps you energized for a long time. It prevents you from overeating, and keeps you healthy at the same time.
Oats Benefits for Skin
Oats are amazing at giving benefits to your skin. I mean, how can they not be? They are a perfect food. Here are some of the prominent oats benefits for your skin:
Oats are rich in Zinc. Zinc is a mineral which fights off the pimples that form on your skin.
If you have oily skin, oats will absorb the excess oil from your face, and help you get rid of acne scars as well.
They also help to treat dry and itchy skin, because they have an amazing moisturizing effect.
Oats also help lighten the skin tone, giving you a fair and glowy complexion.
Oats Benefits for Hair
If you have an itchy scalp, oats will help you. They absorb the extra oil from your scalp, and give you relief from dandruff.
If you are experiencing hair loss, you can apply an oatmeal recipe to the affected area. Oats will help you in strengthening your hair follicles and preventing hair loss. Your hair will look shiny and silky.
The Bottom Line!
Many different food trends come and go. Oatmeal is here to stay.
You will have your taste-buds tingling, if you add oats to your breakfast.
Choose a bowl of oatmeals, add some fruits or nuts in it, and enjoy innumerable oats benefits. You can make an oatmeal banana smoothie, or an oat-apple pie. It’s delicious and healthy in all the ways you eat.
