Health Benefits of Oatmeal

In our world of “instant” foods and sedentary lifestyles, being overweight is becoming an alarming trend when it comes to health. Oatmeal may look like a simple food, but don’t underestimate this fiber rich crop for it can improve your health, as much as your life! If you are wondering what secrets lie on a grain of oatmeal, you just have to read about the health benefits of oatmeal. So brace yourself and discover the hidden powers of oatmeal, which you may find lying on your cupboard.

The cereal grain is rich in fiber, which aids in good digestion. It also slows down digestion giving an effect of feeling “full”, which can help someone who is reducing their weight. For meat lovers, if you think that fiber rich foods cannot provide your body with the protein it needs, you need to know that oatmeal has a considerable amount of protein, almost the same level as soy. So, if you are trying to cut your meat consumption, you really don’t have to compromise your protein intake, because aside from eggs and milk, you can get legume-like proteins from oatmeal.

Not only that, it can help lower cholesterol levels, which can prevent heart disease when combined with proper diet and exercise. People afflicted with diabetes can also benefit from oatmeal’s glucose lowering properties. Another significant benefit of oatmeal is its contribution to maintaining a normal blood pressure, since as mentioned earlier, it lowers “bad cholesterol” which can adversely affect your blood pressure.

The health benefits do not end there, for it also contains vitamins and minerals as well as iron (for healthy blood cells) and carbohydrates (for energy) which can supply the body with its dietary requirements for a day along with other healthy foods. It contains B Vitamins like pantothenic acid and folate, and a considerable amount of calcium and magnesium for healthier teeth and bones.

Compared to other cereal grains such as wheat and corn, oatmeal has more soluble fiber and has better health benefits. The health claims attributed to oatmeal has sound proof and is verified by the Food and Drug Administration. So, we can safely say that oatmeal lowers the risk of the top lifestyle diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Other benefits of oatmeal include improvement of memory and prevention of anemia, reduction of risk against digestive disorders such as hemorrhoids, colon cancer, constipation, loose bowel movement and diarrhea.

More benefits are yet to be discovered, and the fun part is you can combine oatmeal with other healthy foods for a balanced diet. You can add milk or chocolate to your oatmeal, not just to improve the flavor but to add more nutritional value to it. You can also throw in some fruits like banana and berries to vary the taste and texture of your healthy diet. You can also try adding some nuts, jams, and other add-ons to your liking as long as it offers health benefits as good as oatmeal.

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