When you hear the keyword "superfood", you often think of exotic ingredients such as chia seeds, goji berries, or the like. We have one of the healthiest and most digestible superfoods right on your doorstep: oatmeal!
Admittedly, the oatmeal flakes may not seem like the new super ingredient in international recipes at first glance, but if you take a closer look at the effects of oatmeal, you will quickly realize that they are a true miracle cure for the body and a healthy diet.
In addition, oats have a proven beneficial effect on the growth of hair and nails.
Formation of oatmeal
Oat flakes are made from oat grains and ground finer or coarser depending on the variety. During the oat harvest, only the non-consumable parts are removed, which is why the flakes are part of the whole grain.
Oatmeal Flakes Ingredients & Nutrients
The ingredients of oatmeal are:
- Carbohydrates,
- soluble fiber,
- unsaturated fatty acids, and
- Protein.
In addition, oatmeal contains 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 are beneficial for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, beta-glucans prevent a sharp rise in blood sugar levels. Oats are therefore also digestible for type 1 diabetes.
What are the different types of oatmeal?
There are delicate flakes that swell faster when heated. This makes them ideal for oatmeal, muesli , overnight oats and porridge. The tender oatmeal is made from the finely chopped oatmeal.
The granular variant is ground from the whole oat grain. As a result, the grainy oats are much more bite-resistant and swell more slowly than the delicate flakes. The granular flakes are very suitable for Bircher muesli and other types of preparation if you want the flakes to be a little more bite-resistant. The granular flakes can also be processed excellently in muesli and porridge.
The so-called melting flakes dissolve almost completely when heated. The melted flakes are very suitable for porridge, oat bran and other baby food from the fifth month. Melted flakes are also often used in light diets.
For a healthy breakfast with porridge ,Bircher muesli , etc., all variants of the flakes can be used optimally.
What is oat bran and how is it different from oatmeal?
If oatmeal is already a superfood, then oat bran is the absolute top model of superfoods!
In contrast to normal oatmeal, oat bran is not crushed from the whole grain, but consists of the marginal layers of the grain and its seedling.
Therefore, the taste is reminiscent of nutty flour, while the flavor of oatmeal flakes is much finer. However, oat bran has a lot more healthy protein, while the proportion of carbohydrates is much lower. So you consume more nutrients but fewer carbohydrates.
What are the health benefits of oatmeal?
The oatmeal flakes contain the extremely healthy nutrients beta-glucan. These lower cholesterol levels, prevent cardiovascular diseases, and strengthen the growth of hair and nails.
In addition, they are ideal for the diet of type 1 diabetes and complement this diet optimally. The health benefits of the superfood are therefore very important for humans.
Dr. Max Bircher-Benner, the inventor of today's Bircher muesli , was already aware of the importance of whole foods and the increase in oats. Bircher-Benner served his patients Bircher Muesli daily. An increase in health and improvement of the intestinal flora was clearly visible.
Why is oatmeal such a good source of energy?
Oatmeal fills you up for a long time and provides a lot of energy. Since the oats are slowly digested by the body, more energy can be drawn from them. In addition, the pleasant satiety lasts all morning. Food cravings are thus history.
100 grams of oatmeal flakes provide 370 calories. The long-chain carbohydrates are a very healthy energy source and contribute to a balanced diet.
Oatmeal for weight loss – the oat diet
The aim of the oat diet is to lose weight without starvation and without sacrificing important nutrients. If you want to lose weight with the oat diet, you should consume 250 grams of oatmeal throughout the day; then all important nutrients are covered and the calorie requirement is optimally distributed.
The oatmeal can be combined in many different ways. Both savory and sweet preparations are extremely popular. An array of fruits or vegetables can be used in porridge, Bircher muesli, and overnight oats.
How long can oatmeal last?
Like all cereals, oats have a very long shelf life when stored correctly and are usually still edible even after the expiry date.
Oatmeal flakes must be stored dry; then they can be stored for 12 months or longer without any problems. Even after the expiry date, neither taste nor effect changes.
Conclusion: Why oatmeal is a superfood
In conclusion, oatmeal is a true superfood. The oats provide the body with numerous important nutrients, keep us full for longer, and give us plenty of energy in the morning.
In addition, oats can be used in a variety of ways. If you combine your oat breakfast with various fruits, seeds, and nuts, you get a unique power breakfast . Oatmeal, a local superfood!
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