If You’re Not Having Oatmeal For Breakfast Every Day, This Might Convince You to Start
Although we tend to take this staple for granted, oatmeal packs a serious nutritional punch.
The Surprising Benefits of Oatmeal
Oatmeal can help control weight
A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that oats help stave off hunger. Study participants experienced longer periods of fullness compared to a breakfast of ready-to-eat cereal with the same calories.
Oatmeal is good for your gut
Oats can act as prebiotics, which help feed the growth of helpful bacteria in our gut. These healthy bacteria can help boost the immune system and promote gastrointestinal health, especially in people with GI disorders.
Find out 10 more easy ways to improve gut health.
Oatmeal keeps you moving
The soluble fibre in oats creates a gel when it comes in contact with water, which helps guard against constipation and diarrhea. To help relieve constipation, increase fibre intake slowly so that you will avoid bloating, gas and diarrhea.
Oatmeal controls blood sugar
The high fibre in oats helps slow down the rate that carbs are absorbed into the blood. That’s good new for people with diabetes, since this high-carb food won’t cause blood sugar to spike the same way refined carbs can.
Learn how to beat diabetes.
It’s a rich source of antioxidants
A study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis found that oat-based cereals are rich in polyphenols—antioxidants that protect the body from oxidative stress. These have been associated with a reduced risk for everything from cancer to coronary heart disease.
Don’t miss this expert advice on how to reverse heart disease.
It can help lower blood pressure
As a whole grain, oatmeal can help reduce hypertension, a condition that’s more commonly known as high blood pressure. High blood pressure makes your heart work harder, thereby increasing your risk for a heart attack.
Discover more foods that can lower blood pressure.
Oatmeal decreases cholesterol
Studies have shown that the soluble fibre in oats can help to lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), and may also boost levels of HDL cholesterol (the good, protective kind). If this is something you’re monitoring, make sure you avoid the 10 worst foods for cholesterol.
When it comes down to it, don’t let the hype around “new” ancient grains keep you from good old oats. That humble bowl of oatmeal that our grandparents ate for breakfast every day was a superfood long before superfoods were a thing!
Now that you’re familiar with the benefits of oatmeal, find out what happens to your body when you skip breakfast.
