Health Benefits of Oatmeal

Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Oatmeal is a perfect way to start a new day with highly rich food, full of fiber, antioxidants, minerals and other beneficial nutrients. It can easily combine with fruits and dairy. By eating this type of breakfast, we can jump in a new day feeling refreshed and energized. But, what gives the oatmeal status of superfood? According to numerous studies, oatmeal has shown the powerful effect on bad cholesterol. Namely, people who eat oatmeal on a daily basis lowered their total cholesterol level between 8 and 23% and decreased LDL cholesterol by 7%. Moreover, medical experts revealed that oatmeal prevents LDL cholesterol from oxidation, thus minimizing the risk of atherosclerosis. They have also found that people who are diagnosed with some form of heart disease have managed to decrease the risk of heart failure by 29% by simply eating oatmeal as usual breakfast. On the other hand, medical experts have discovered that oatmeal has not only diminished the risk of heart diseases and heart failure but also helps in preventing some forms of cancer. Namely, oatmeal has shown the most beneficial effects in the prevention of colon cancer. Generally speaking, high-fiber diet proves as extremely effective in removing the risk of colon cancer. For oatmeal, experts believe, that its health benefits are not reflected through the fact that oatmeal contains a lot of fiber. Its health benefits are based on its quantity of phenolics that surpass 80 percent. To find out more about types of oatmeal’s, the article “Health Benefits of Oatmeal” gives us the following explanation.

Types of Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a ground porridge made from oats. Steel-cut oats still contain the whole oat grain, including the oat bran. They are passed through steel cutters, which chop them into pieces.

Rolled oats are de-hulled then steamed, which partially cooks the oat, and then flattened between two rollers. They are sometimes referred to as old fashioned oats.

Instant oats are produced the same way as rolled oats, but they are steamed for a longer period of time to completely cook them before the drying process. Instant oats often have sweeteners or flavors added to them.

As a general rule, the less processed the oats are, the more fiber they contain and the more health benefits can be gained from eating them.

Apart from the mentioned health benefits, oatmeal has proved its positive influence in the regulation of blood sugar, prevention of Diabetes 2, lowering high blood pressure, improve the immune system, minimize the risk of infection and reduce weight. Because of the high concentration of fiber, oatmeal makes us feel full longer and provides healthy nutrients for our body. Even though many health trends come and go, this incredible food became classic.