All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.

Avocados

Banana

Barley

Bean Sprouts

Beans And Legumes

OATS

Typical serving size:

½ cup, cooked with water (4.2 oz or 117g)

HOW THEY HARM

Blood sugar spikes

WHAT THEY HEAL

Heart disease High cholesterol High blood pressure Diabetes Constipation Weight gain Oatmeal and other whole grain oat products such as oat bran and oat flakes are tasty, convenient, versatile, and economical sources of nutrients and phytochemicals
Commonly used as a breakfast cereal and in baking, oats can be added to many dishes, including meat loaf, burgers, and fish cakes, and can be used to thicken soups and sauces or as a topping for fruit crisps
They have beneficial effects on cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, satiety, and gastrointestinal health
On a weight-for-weight basis, oats contain a higher concentration of protein, fat, calcium, iron, manganese, thiamin, folacin, and vitamin E than other unfortified whole grains
Oats also contain polyphenols and saponins, powerful antioxidants with disease-fighting properties

Health Benefits

Reduces risk of heart disease
In 1997, the US Food and Drug Administration granted the first food-specific health claim for use on oatmeal labels, stating, “Soluble fiber from oatmeal, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease
” Manages cholesterol levels
Oat bran is high in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that can help lower blood cholesterol levels, thus possibly reducing the risk of heart attacks
Eating 3 g of beat-glucan a day (which is about the amount in one cup of cooked oat bran) can reduce blood cholesterol by about 5% and lower heart attack risk by about 10%
Some studies have shown that oats not only lower LDL cholesterol but may also boost levels of the protective HDL cholesterol
Oats contain a unique blend of antioxidants, including the avenanthramides that prevent LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) from being converted to the oxidized form that damages arteries
Lowers blood pressure
A study in Minnesota looked at a group of people who were taking medication for high blood pressure
Half of them were asked to consume about 5 g of soluble fiber per day in the form of 1 ½ cups of oatmeal and an oat-based snack, while the other half ate cereals and snacks with little soluble fiber
The people who were consuming the oats showed a significant reduction in blood pressure
And Yale researchers have found that eating a large bowl of oatmeal may improve the harmful reduction in blood flow that may happen after eating a high-fat meal

QUICK TIP:

Use oats instead of bread crumbs Add rolled oats instead of bread crumbs in meat loaf, or use it to coat chicken or fish patties before cooking
Prevents diabetes
Oats also have been shown to reduce both blood sugar and insulin levels, an important asset in controlling diabetes
Human studies confirm that oat-soluble fiber reduces after- meal blood sugar and insulin in both healthy people, and those with diabetes
Helps bowel regularity
As mentioned, oats also contain some insoluble fiber, which prevents constipation
Aids weight loss
Oats have a high satiety value, meaning they take a long time to digest and therefore keep you feeling full longer
It is thought that both the protein and fiber in oats contribute to this effect
In one study comparing oatmeal to a sugared flaked cereal for breakfast, researchers found that subjects who ate oatmeal at breakfast consumed one-third fewer calories for lunch, thus helping with weight management
Health Risk Blood sugar spike
Unlike steel-cut or whole oat products, instant oatmeal ranks high on the glycemic load and can cause blood sugar to spike
Instant oatmeal can also contain higher levels of sodium, compared to the steel-cut version

Allergies

Make a savory pilaf with steel-cut oats

Fry skillet cakes from cold leftover cooked oatmeal

Replace one-quarter of the flour with rolled oats in banana bread

Buying Tip

s

Avoid preflavored or instant oatmeal
Instead, buy plain oatmeal and sweeten and flavor it yourself during or after cooking

Storing Tips

Store oats in an airtight container and place in a cool, dry place

For best results, use within the recommended storage time, which is usually within a year
If it smells rancid, toss

Alternatively, oats can be frozen in a plastic bag with the air squeezed out for up to 3 months