9 Health Benefits of Eating Oats and Oatmeal
Oats are among the
healthiest grains on earth.
They're a gluten-free
whole grain and a great source of important vitamins, minerals, fiber and
antioxidants.
Studies show that oats
and oatmeal have many health benefits.
These include weight
loss, lower blood sugar levels and a reduced risk of heart disease.
Here are 9
evidence-based health benefits of eating oats and oatmeal.
Oat groats, the most
intact and whole form of oats, take a long time to cook. For this reason, most
people prefer rolled, crushed or steel-cut oats.
Instant (quick) oats
are the most highly processed variety. While they take the shortest time to
cook, the texture may be mushy.
Oats are commonly
eaten for breakfast as oatmeal, which is made by boiling oats in water or milk.
Oatmeal is often referred to as porridge.
They're also often
included in muffins, granola bars, cookies and other baked goods.
BOTTOM LINE: Oats are
a whole grain that is commonly eaten for breakfast as oatmeal (porridge).
Oats are loaded with
important vitamins, minerals and antioxidant plant compounds. Half a cup (78
grams) of dry oats contains (5):
·
Manganese: 191% of the RDI
·
Phosphorus: 41% of the RDI
·
Magnesium: 34% of the RDI
·
Copper: 24% of the RDI
·
Iron: 20% of the RDI
·
Zinc: 20% of the RDI
·
Folate: 11% of the RDI
·
Vitamin
B1 (thiamin): 39% of the RDI
·
Vitamin
B5 (pantothenic acid): 10%
of the RDI
·
Smaller amounts of
calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin B3 (niacin)
This is coming with 51
grams of carbs, 13 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat and 8 grams of fiber, but
only 303 calories.
BOTTOM LINE:Oats are rich in carbs and fiber, but also
higher in protein and fat than most other grains. They are very high in many
vitamins and minerals.
Whole oats
are high in antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols.
Most notable is a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, which
are almost solely found in oats (6).
Avenanthramides may help
lower blood pressure levels by increasing the production of nitric oxide. This
gas molecule helps dilate blood vessels and leads to better blood flow (7, 8, 9).
Ferulic acid is also
found in large amounts in oats. This is another antioxidant (10).
BOTTOM LINE:Oats contain many powerful antioxidants,
including avenanthramides. These compounds may help reduce blood pressure and
provide other benefits.
Oats contain large
amounts of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber.
Beta-glucan partially
dissolves in water and forms a thick, gel-like solution in the gut.
The health benefits of
beta-glucan fiber include:
BOTTOM LINE:Oats are high in the soluble fiber
beta-glucan, which has numerous benefits. It helps reduce cholesterol and blood
sugar levels, promotes healthy gut bacteria and increases feelings of fullness.
Heart disease is the
leading cause of death globally. One major risk factor is high blood
cholesterol.
Many studies have
shown that the beta-glucan fiber in oats is effective at reducing both total
and LDL
cholesterol levels (1, 14).
Beta-glucan may
increase the excretion of cholesterol-rich bile, thereby reducing circulating
levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Oxidation of LDL (the
"bad") cholesterol, which occurs when LDL reacts with free radicals,
is another crucial step in the progression of heart disease.
It produces
inflammation in arteries, damages tissues and can raise the risk of heart
attacks and strokes.
One study reports that
antioxidants in oats work together with vitamin C to prevent LDL oxidation (15).
BOTTOM LINE:Oats may lower the risk of heart disease by
reducing both total and LDL cholesterol and protecting LDL cholesterol from
oxidation.
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Type 2 diabetes is a
common disease, characterized by significantly elevated blood sugars. It
usually results from decreased sensitivity to the hormone insulin.
Oats may help lower blood
sugar levels, especially in people
who are overweight or have type 2 diabetes (16, 17, 18).
These effects are
mainly attributed to beta-glucan's ability to form a thick gel that delays
emptying of the stomach and absorption of glucose into the blood (20).
BOTTOM LINE:Due to the soluble fiber beta-glucan, oats may
improve insulin sensitivity and help lower blood sugar levels.
Eating filling foods
may help you eat fewer calories and lose weight.
By delaying the time
it takes your stomach to empty of food, the beta-glucan in oatmeal may increase
your feeling of
fullness (12, 22).
Beta-glucan may also
promote the release of peptide YY (PYY), a hormone produced in the gut in
response to eating. This satiety
hormone has been shown to lead
to reduced calorie intake and may decrease your risk of obesity (23, 24).
BOTTOM LINE:Oatmeal may help you lose weight by making you
feel more full. It does this by slowing down the emptying of the stomach and
increasing production of the satiety hormone PYY.
7. Finely Ground Oats May Help With Skin Care
It's no coincidence
that oats can be found in numerous skin care products. Makers of these products
often list finely ground oats as "colloidal oatmeal."
The FDA approved
colloidal oatmeal as a skin-protective substance back in 2003. But in fact,
oats have a long history of use in treatment of itch and irritation in various
skin conditions (25, 26, 27).
For example, oat-based
skin products may improve uncomfortable symptoms of eczema (28).
Note that skin care
benefits pertain only to oats applied to the skin, not those that are eaten.
BOTTOM LINE:Colloidal oatmeal (finely ground oats) has
long been used to help treat dry and itchy skin. It may help relieve symptoms
of various skin conditions, including eczema.
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Asthma is the most
common chronic disease in kids (29).
It's an inflammatory disorder of the airways — the tubes that
carry air to and from a person's lungs.
Although not all
children have the same symptoms, many experience recurrent coughing, wheezing
and shortness of breath.
Many researchers
believe early introduction of solid foods may increase a child's risk of
developing asthma and other allergic diseases (30).
However, studies
suggest that this doesn't apply to all foods. Early introduction of oats, for
example, may actually be protective (31, 32).
One study reports that
feeding oats to infants before the age of 6 months is linked to a decreased
risk of childhood asthma (33)
BOTTOM LINE:Some research suggests that oats may help
prevent asthma in children when fed to young infants.
Elderly people often
experience constipation, with infrequent, irregular bowel movements that are
difficult to pass.
Laxatives are often
used to relieve
constipation in the elderly.
However, while they're effective, they're also associated with weight loss and
reduced quality of life (34).
Studies indicate that
oat bran, the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain, may help relieve
constipation in older people (35, 36).
One trial found that
well-being improved for 30 elderly patients who consumed a soup or dessert
containing oat bran daily for 12 weeks (37).
What's more, 59% of
those patients were able to stop using laxatives after the 3-month study, while
overall laxative use increased by 8% in the control group
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