Oats (Avena sativa) are a member of the grass family and have been maintaining human beings for thousands of years in view of their exceptional nourishment, capacity to grow well in poor soil, shelf-stability and versatility make them an optimal foodstuff. They’re delicious, readily available year round and have a number of profound health advantages.
Weight Loss
Oats are a whole grain which contains large quantities of fiber, more than 80 different nutrients and are very low in calories. This alone makes them a good choice for those trying to lose weight. However, they further assist the process by acting to stabilize blood sugar. If your blood sugar is constantly going up and down, you’re more likely to eat excessively and indulge in sugary foods. Furthermore, elevated blood sugar shifts your body into fat storage mode, shuttling a far greater portion of your total caloric intake into fat cells instead of energy.
Oats’ fiber content provides another mode of attack against your waistline in the form of appetite control. Because it is capable of soaking up so much fluid, fiber expands in your stomach. This makes it take longer to digest and takes up space, which helps you eat less and keeps you full longer.
Powerful Antioxidants
Besides being high in health-promoting fiber and excellent for weight loss, oats are also high in an essential mineral called selenium. Selenium works with vitamin E and glutathione, which are also antioxidants, to ward off oxidative damage in the body. Selenium is useful for aiding asthma and preventing heart disease. It is also has a critical part in repairing your DNA, which reduces your overall risk of cancer and having children with birth defects.
Cholesterol Control
Oats, in all their fibrous glory, may be exactly what’s needed if you suffer from high cholesterol. Fiber acts like a sponge in the digestive system, soaking things up and removing them from the body. Most of the cholesterol in the body comes from food, so including fiber with all of your meals will considerably reduce the amount that you absorb and the rest is carried away harmlessly.
Bowel Health
Starting the day with a big, steaming bowl of oatmeal makes your body perform better by enhancing digestion. Oat-based fiber makes digesting food easier. When fiber absorbs water, it forms a jelly-like substance that lubricates the digestive tract and reduces the occurrence of constipation and hemorrhoids.
Testosterone
Anyone who wants to have more muscles, a faster metabolism, accelerated fat loss, improved energy and stamina and a higher libido is advised to eat oats for their testosterone-boosting effects. The increase can be so large that it can be felt within an hour of ingestion. Not all forms of oat will have the same amount of effect. Steel cut or Irish oatmeal, because it is so minimally processed, gives the best results.
Cooking Tips
There are many ways to cook your oats. Some people cook them in a crock pot, microwave or on the stove. You are advised to soak your oats overnight to neutralize the phytic acid that can bind the nutrients and make them unavailable to the body. Afterward, slow cook them on a low temperature to help them obtain an appealing consistency while preserving the maximum amount of nutrients. Avoid microwaving them, as these devices have been shown to alter and destroy nutrients in food
Not so enthused about eating oats or adding them to your diet? It does not have to be boring, there are even chocolate oatmeal cookies that can be baked, now that got you interested !