The Humble Oat: Why Oatmeal Should Have A Place In Your Diet

I was talking to a new client last week about her nutrition, particularly her breakfast choices.

She said, "Well, I know I shouldn't eat oatmeal....." 😲😲😲

I may have made her day when I said, "Oatmeal is a great choice!"

Assuming she's eating whole oats and not that instant or "quick" stuff.

One of this client's goals is weight loss. There are lots of fat-fighting mechanisms that come into play when you eat oatmeal. Much of it has to do with the beta glucan it contains.

Beta Glucan Strengthens Your Immune System. It's a prebiotic, which stimulates the growth and activity of "good" intestinal microbiota, while inhibiting the growth of the bad guys. It plays an important role in optimal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and preventing inflammation as well as colon cancer.

Beta Glucan Is Good For Your Gut Microbiota – Microbes play a big part in obesity. Gut microbiota are a key component of energy regulation and whether calories are more likely to be stored as fat.

Beta Glucan Improves Insulin Sensitivity – Slowing digestion slows the absorption of glucose, keeping blood sugar levels steady, leading to fewer cravings and easier fat loss in general.

Beta Glucan Makes You Feel Full – Oatmeal takes a long time to empty from your gut. The longer it lingers in your gut, the longer before you feel hungry again. The slow absorption releases appetite-regulating hormones.

Beta Glucan Can Reduce Cholesterol--LDL cholesterol goes down without affecting HDL cholesterol!

Oats have a unique group of antioxidants-- Avenanthramides, almost solely found in oats, increase the production of nitric oxide gas, whichhelps dilate blood vessels, leading to better blood flow. They also have anti-inflammatory properties.

How to incorporate more oats into your diet

🥣 I make overnight oats. The oats go in a bowl with just enough water to cover. Refrigerating them makes them a resistant starch--even better for your gut. The next morning I dump in my protein powder, collagen, and fresh blueberries and I'm good to go.

🥣 If you prefer hot oats, put your whole oats in a bowl and add just enough water to cover them--like you can swish them around, but it's not a lot. Microwave for 1 minute, watching to make sure it doesn't boil over, and then let stand for a minute or so. The mixture should be almost so thick you could cut it into squares. I like thick, not drippy oats, with plenty of "chew."

🥣 Or go the European route and make muesli. I used to make it for the kids--essentially it's dry oats stirred together with an assortment of nuts and fruits. It's like granola without all the fat and sugar.

🥣 Savory oats are great. Try stirring cottage cheese into a hot bowl of oats. Any cheese would work. You can find savory recipes here and hereand here.

🥣 It's not just for breakfast--you can substitute oats for any starch like rice or barley.

🥣 Oats can replace breadcrumbs in recipes like meatballs and meatloaf.

Oats are the main ingredient in yummy snacks, too!