Top 10 Reasons why Oats is the Best Breakfast

With the people facing so many health risks due to bad food habits and unhealthy lifestyle, it becomes more than necessary to be health conscious these days. So the road to being healthy can be taken up best by eating healthy and breakfast comprises an important part of healthy food habits. Most of us begin our day by having paranthas, idlis, sandwiches, butter jam toasts or sheeras in breakfast which is not very healthy. A non-oily nutritious dish is the best to be eaten up for breakfast and nothing says “good morning” like a warm bowl of oatmeal. It’s quick and easy to prepare, so you don’t have to worry the time it will take to be cooked. You can add fruits like mangoes, berries, coconut, sliced banana or grapes: else you can combine it with nuts, roasted cashews or pistachios or walnuts. In addition you can add creaminess to your dishes by putting in some yoghurt or mollases or peanut butter or you can season it with hint of paprika or oregano. You can add a twist to your oatmeal, top it with fried egg and chopped tomatoes and onions and a hint of chat masala over it. Or if you are really short of time you can do what I usually prefer i.e., you can add half cup of oats to your glass of sweetened steaming milk. Trust me it’s yummy. Here we bring you some benefits to have oats in your breakfast:

 

1. The big things that seem small

The big things that seem small

a. There are compounds in oats that can help calm the nervous system and reduce the carving of nicotine. Hence they will be a great help if you want to quit smoking.

b. Oats porridge is a good source of manganese, which is essential in allowing the body to produce energy as well as helping to build bones and connective tissues.

c. Lack of calcium can lead to oesteoporosis, Oats blended with milk make an excellent source of calcium.

d. A recent research conducted in Germany shows that addition of oats in diet help in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and improve insulin sensitivity.

e. Oats meet most of the daily requirement of folic acids, especially in pregnant women, lack of which increases the chances of having a baby with a spina bifida.

f. The low levels of sodium in oats, reduces the risk of contracting high blood pressure and hypertension.

 

2. Helps in fighting cancer

fighting cancer
Oats are rich in anti-oxidant vitamin E, which protects the body from damaging free radicals that can cause cancer. A diet containing oats, which supply anti-oxidants and soluble fibres can help in reducing the chances of contracting breast cancer, bowel cancer and colon cancer.

 

3. Improves immune system

immune system

In addition to reduce bad cholesterol blunting glycemic and insulin response, beta glucan boosts defense of immune system against bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. It helps immune cells seek out and repair areas or the body that is dealing with any sort of infections. In addition to this, of all the cereals, porridge oats has the best proportion of proteins needed for the growth and the repair in the body.

 

4. Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases

cardiovascular diseases

Oats, via there high fibre content, are already known to help remove cholesterol from the digestive system that would otherwise end up in the stream. High cholesterol correlate with the building up of plaques in the blood vessels walls. If these plaques become damage or simply grow too large, they can rupture, blocking a blood vessel and causing a heart attack, stroke or blockage elsewhere in the body. Eating a serving of oats atleast 6 times a week is a good idea for post-menopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease. Isn’t your heart worth protecting, especially when the prescription – a morning bowl of hearty oats is so delicious?

 

5. Lowers cholesterol levels

cholesterol levels

If you are currently dealing with diabetes or heart disease, then oats are very good for you to start off the day. A study has revealed that beta glucan in oats has beneficial effects on cholesterol levels. This soluble fibre, beta glucan, is known to help in reducing cholesterol by blocking the re-absorption of cholesterol when it passes through the digestive system. Anti-oxidant compounds unique to oats, called avenanthramides, help in reducing the rate of oxidation of LDL, or low density lipoprotein, which is bad cholesterol. Also, avenanthramides fight off free radicals that attack high density lipoprotein, or HDL, which is known as the good cholesterol. One and a half cups of oatmeal contains more than five grams of fibre, which is enough to reduce your cholesterol level.

 

6. For the functioning of brain

functioning of brain

Oatmeal influences the way our brain functions. The slow releasing complex carbohydrates in the oats sustain energy levels, allowing full concentration to be made. Oats are also helpful in beating depression as they are rich in vitamins B6 and hence promote serotonin, a chemical in brain which is associated with feelings of well-being and also aid relaxation and restful sleep. Oats also contain ferulic acid which protects the brain cell keeping them supple and and responsive by nullifying toxins that stiffen them with age and possibly even reversing some of the cognitive decline of ageing. The anti-oxidant, bilirubin, in oats protects the brain from oxidative damage. Oats are known to boost brain power especially in older adults.

 

7. Beneficial in slimming down

slimming down

If you are planning to shed some kilos, then nothing can be better than having oats in breakfast. Oatmeal may keep you full for longer than any other breakfast foods. In a study, when compared to breakfast foods such as domets, croissants, eggs, whole grains and high bran cereals, oats had the highest satiety index. The soluble fibre present in oats tends to slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, thereby reducing the spikes in the blood sugar levels, which in turn do not lead to unwanted urges to eat. A research proved that a higher levels of Peptide Y-Y, hormone associated with appetite control. Moreover, adding oats to a gluten-free diet will not only enhance its nutritional value, particular vitamins and minerals, but also increase the anti-oxidant levels although oats themselves contains small amount of gluten. So losing weight got hell lot easier with oats in breakfast.

 

8. Reduce asthma risk in children

asthma

For many kids, there can’t be a breakfast worse than oats. They would prefer eating anything over oats. But what these kids and many adults don’t know is that children who eat a bowl of oats each day are less likely to develop persistent asthma, as proposed after a Finnish study. Adding oats to breakfast also cuts childhood obesity.

 

9. Hair benefits

Hair benefits

You must not have thought that oats can work wonders in improving your hair health. Apart from making your hair soft and strong, being a natural cleanser, it clears the scalp by removing excess serum, oil and dirt. As stated earlier, being a natural moisturiser, it will help hair to get rid of dryness and itchiness making the hair soft and shiny. Moreover, it can help you in treating problems like dandruff. Since oats contains high amount of zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium that promotes hair growth and development, oats are good to treat the problem of hair loss.

 

10. For beautiful and glowing skin

glowing skin

The proteins in oatmeal help in maintaining the skin’s natural barrier function and protects the skin from harsh chemicals as well as skin conditions like eczema, rosacea and rashes. The lubricating fats in oats are great moisturisers that makes a protective layer over the skin to fight UV rays. In this way oatmeal helps in relieving symptoms of ageing skin. Oats contains natural cleansers called saponins that can remove dirt and oil from the pores without causing irritation, thus leaving behind soft and silky skin. Due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-itch properties, oats have been used for years to treat skin infections, insert bites and sunburn. Oats are also beneficial in improving skin texture as well as lightening skin tone. Nowadays, oats are increasingly used in various skin care products. Oats also act as a natural moisturiser by removing the dead skin cells and relieving the improves collagen disposition and activation of immune cells within the skin. Oats are a great remedy for treating acne since it removes excess oil and bacteria from the skin and ex-foliate the dead skin cells.

 

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