"Super Foods": Oats and Oat Bran

The biggest benefit of the Super Foods Oats is obviously the high level of soluble fibre found in rolled oats or steel-cut oats.  The more processed the oats, obviously the lower the health effects of the fibre.  Another great benefit of oats is that they are low in calories.  On top of that, this is one natural whole food that is chock full of vitamins and nutrients, including manganese, zinc, thiamine, magnesium, selenium, copper and potassium.

There are many different health benefits you can get from eating oats, oat bran or oat flour ... the following is just a short list:

• 1/2 cup of oats has a total of 9 grams of fibre, which is about a 1/3 of your recommended daily fibre intake (approximately 20 to 35 grams of fibre per day)

• Oats are rich in plant lignans, which decrease risk of breast cancer

• Oats has a high satiety factor, so eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast means you will go longer without feeling hungry

• Oats have been found to lower cholesterol levels, especially bad LDL cholesterol

• Oats are rich in phytonutrients such as phytoestrogens, polyphenols, protease inhibitors and Vitamin E.  Phytonutrients plays an important part in reducing menopausal symptoms.

• Oats are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates (low GI) as well as protein

• Oats are also an excellent source of tryptophan, which is a precursor of serotonin.  Low levels of serotonin have been implicated in food cravings, various addictions, insomnia, depression and even myofascial pain caused by fibromyalgia

• Because oats are a low GI carbohydrate, they have a very beneficial effect on blood sugar levels and are therefore important in managing Type 2 diabetes

• Research has found that the phytonutrients of caffeic acid and ferulic acid found in the bran and germ of oats has reduced the risk of colon cancer in animals.

• Ferulic acid has also been found to be a potent antioxidant, which plays an important role in eradicating free radical damage (which in turn reduces the risk of many lifestyle diseases including cancer)

• Laboratory studies have found that oats have enhanced immune system function regarding fighting infections

• Research has shown that the Super Foods Oats reduce the risk of many lifestyle diseases including:

  • heart disease,

  • diabetes,

  • diverticulosis,

  • high blood pressure,

  • strokes (including ischemic strokes),

  • obesity,

  • and some cancers (especially stomach, intestinal and colon cancer)

This is a pretty impressive list of benefits derived from this humble food.  I think it may be time for us to rethink adding these Super Foods to our daily diet and to find fun and interesting recipes to jazz up our taste buds, like the following delicious recipe for Apple Crisp...

Next...