When you hear the word ‘superfood’, you often think of exotic ingredients such as chia seeds, goji berries or similar. But we have one of the healthiest and most digestible superfoods right on our doorstep: oats!
Admittedly, oat flakes do not look like the new super ingredient in international recipes at first glance, but if you take a closer look at the effects of oat flakes, you will quickly realise that they are a real miracle cure for the body and a healthy food.
What's more, oats have a proven positive effect on hair and nail growth.
Oat flakes – find out more now!
Origin of oat flakes
Flakes made from oats are produced from oat grains and ground to a finer or coarser consistency depending on the variety. During the oat harvest, only the inedible parts are removed, which is why the flakes are considered whole grain.
Ingredients & nutrients of oat flakes
The ingredients of oat flakes are
- carbohydrates,
- soluble fibre,
- unsaturated fatty acids and
- protein.
In addition, oats contain the healthy nutrients
- vitamin B1,
- vitamin B6 and
- vitamin E,
- as well as magnesium,
- phosphorus,
- iron and
- calcium.
The extremely healthy beta-glucans lower cholesterol levels and help to prevent cardiovascular diseases. In addition, beta-glucans prevent a sharp increase in blood sugar levels. Oats are therefore also beneficial for people with type 1 diabetes.
What different types of oats are there?
There are tender flakes that swell more quickly when heated. This makes them ideal for porridge, muesli, overnight oats, and porridge. The tender oat flakes are made from the finely chopped oat grain.
The granular variety is ground from the whole oat grain. This makes the granular oats much chewier and slower to swell than the delicate flakes. The granular flakes are very suitable for Bircher muesli and other types of preparation when you want the flakes to be a little chewier. The granular flakes can also be excellently processed in muesli and porridge.
The so-called instant oats dissolve almost completely when heated. Instant oats are very suitable for porridge, oat bran and other baby food from the fifth month onwards. Instant oats are also popular for use in light diets.
All types of oats are ideal for a healthy breakfast with porridge, Bircher muesli, etc.
What is oat bran and how does it differ from oat flakes?
If oat flakes are already superfoods, then oat bran is the ultimate superfood!
Unlike normal oat flakes, oat bran is not made from the whole grain, but consists of the outer layers of the grain and its seedling.
That is why the taste is reminiscent of a nutty flour, while the taste of flakes made from whole oats is much finer. However, oat bran has a lot more healthy protein, while the proportion of carbohydrates is much lower. So you take in more nutrients, but have consumed fewer carbohydrates.
Oat bran – find out all the benefits now!
What are the health benefits of oats?
The flakes made from oat grains contain the extremely healthy nutrients beta glucan. These lower cholesterol levels, prevent cardiovascular diseases and strengthen hair and nails.
In addition, they are an excellent food for people with type 1 diabetes and complement this diet perfectly. The health benefits of this superfood are therefore very important for humans.
Dr Max Bircher-Benner, the inventor of today's Bircher muesli, was aware of the importance of whole foods and the benefits of oats even back then. Bircher-Benner served his patients Bircher muesli every day. It was clear that their health improved and their intestinal flora benefited.
Healthy oats – find out more now!
Why are oats such a good source of energy?
Oats keep you full for a long time and provide plenty of energy. Since the body digests oats slowly, more energy can be drawn from them. In addition, the pleasant feeling of satiety lasts an entire morning. Cravings are a thing of the past.
100 grams of oat flakes provide 370 calories. The long-chain carbohydrates are a very healthy source of energy and contribute to a balanced diet.
Oats for losing weight – the oat diet
The aim of the oat diet is to lose weight without going hungry and without missing out on important nutrients. If you want to lose weight with the oat diet, you should eat 250 grams of oats throughout the day, which will cover all your essential nutrients and optimally distribute your calorie needs.
The oat flakes can be combined in many different ways. Both savoury and sweet preparations are extremely popular. You can add as many fruits or vegetables as you like to porridge, Bircher muesli and overnight oats.
How long can you store oat flakes for?
Like all types of grain, oats have a very long shelf life when stored correctly and are usually still edible even after their best-before date.
Flakes made from oat grains must be stored in a dry place, then they can be kept for 12 months or more without any issues. Even after their best-before date, neither their taste nor their effect changes.
Conclusion: why oats are a superfood
To sum up, it can be said that oats are a true superfood. Oats provide the body with numerous important nutrients, keep us feeling fuller for longer and give us plenty of energy in the morning.
What's more, oats can be used in many different ways. Combining them with a variety of fruits, seeds and nuts makes a unique power breakfast. Oats, a local superfood!
