The Ageless Benefits of the Amazing Oat (2019 Research Update)

The Ageless Benefits of Oats

 NOTE: For the Gluten-Free diet make sure to choose Purity Protocol Oats so you can get this healthy staple into your diet without worrying about cross-contamination.

  • Are Oats baby’s perfect first cereal?

Oats are a wonderfully healthy grain and they also may be baby’s perfect first cereal, replacing rice as the go-to in generations past. Easy to digest and less binding than rice, oatmeal brings fiber, calcium, protein and even some B vitamins to a baby’s growing body and brain (see below) Creamy oats can be easily prepared using oat flour. Oats are also a wonderful treatment for baby eczema and/ or dry skin.

In 2012 the FDA launched a formal investigation into arsenic levels in rice. Consumer Reports discusses arsenic in rice   “The results of our tests were even more troubling in some ways than our findings for juice. In virtually every product tested, we found measurable amounts of total arsenic in its two forms.”

Concentrations of arsenic were twice as high in the urine of infants who ate white or brown rice than those who ate no rice, according to research, Arsenic levels were highest in babies who ate rice cereal, often given several times a day to introduce babies to solids.)

  • Are oats the perfect breakfast for GROWING MINDS?

Oatmeal is low-glycemic. This slow-digesting, high-fiber option leads to better focus and mental performance throughout the day. Oats are also high in complex carbohydrates and soluble fiber, which means they release energy slowly. That morning bowl of oatmeal could provide all the energy a child needs until lunchtime.

 

  • Are oats a perfect choice for ATHLETES of all ages?

Oats are becoming the go-to breakfast choice for all types of athletes. Oats are rich in oxygen-carrying iron and energy-releasing B vitamins, nutrients essential to peak athletic performance. Plus, they’re packed with soluble fiber, which is paramount to managing cholesterol levels and a healthy weight.

  • More great news about the benefits of oats for athletes:

B vitamins – important for a healthy metabolism – improve your energy, brain health, and muscle function. Oats offer an immediate hit of B vitamins; one half cup of oats will provide you with quality B vitamins that will leave you energized for hours.

Magnesium- Magnesium is an important mineral for the everyday person, but especially for athletes who are looking to recover properly after a workout. Magnesium helps relieve sore muscles, encourages repair and regrowth of muscle cells, and lowers cortisol in the body, the stress hormone that’s elevated during exercise. While cortisol is helpful when you’re working out and in need of speed and adrenaline, you don’t want it elevated for a long period of time after you work out. Magnesium can help you relax, promotes a positive outlook, encourages healthy nervous system function, and stimulates neurotransmitters in the brain that fuel focus. A lack of magnesium can cause fatigue that no athlete (or anyone else) wants, can lead to insomnia, and can cause inflammation that impairs future workouts.  Oats contain 275 milligrams of magnesium in just 1/2 cup dry rolled oats (1 cup cooked), which is more than a cup of spinach or kale coming in between 24-56 milligrams.

 Protein – One serving of oats contains as much protein as one egg. Oats contain 7 grams of protein in 1/2 cup. Choose 1/2 cup of whole, raw oat groats and get 8-9 grams of protein. Oats are an easy way to sneak protein into your smoothie without a powder.

Iron – Oats contain around 4 milligrams of iron per 1/2 cup. That’s nearly 1/3 of the daily recommended amounts (18%)!

What about  oats in the Keto and Paleo Diet:

  • Check out my posts HERE with the latest research regarding how Oats can be Keto and Paleo friendly

 

  • What about CHILDHOOD OBESITY?

A study of 10 000 children by researchers at New York’s Columbia University found that among those who regularly ate whole-oat product, the proportion of overweight children was almost cut in half. Researchers at Oxford Brookes University also found that those eating foods with a low glycemic index (GI), such as oats were less likely to binge on sugary snacks. Foods with low GI rating release glucose into the body more slowly and evenly, leaving you feeling full longer.

 

  • Are Oats a perfect choice for EVERY AGE?

Mayo Clinic lists Oats as #1 in the top 5 foods to lower cholesterol.

Oatmeal contains beta-glucan – soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad,” cholesterol. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber.

 

  • What are Avenanthramides?

The benefits of beta glucans in oats is making mainstream news now, but somehow no one is talking about Avenanthramides (maybe because it’s so hard to say). Oats are the only grain to contain this potent antioxidant – which multiple studies report suppress the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), lower blood pressure and help prevent colon cancer.  Pretty exciting news about this humble little grain. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics of Avenanthramides seem to help protect against atherosclerosis and may provide additional cardio-protective benefits. In particular, the researchers noted that Avenanthramides interfere with the production of substances (cytokines) that are involved with the formation of fatty streaks, which are the first visible (without magnification) signs of atherosclerosis in the arteries More than two dozen avenanthramides have been found in oat seed.

 

  • What about PREBIOTICS?

Prebiotics are nondigestible fiber compounds that pass (undigested) through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract – nourishing advantageous bacteria along the way. Prebiotics are to probiotics what fertilizer is to a garden. Foods with prebiotics nourish healthy gut bacteria that thrive in the GI tract. 80% of your immune system lives in the intestinal tract!  Oats are listed #1 as the top food containing Prebiotics

8)      Beta Glucans

Beta glucans are soluble fibers found in oats that benefit the body in many ways. First, they keep you full, aid in regularity, assist with removing cholesterol from the bloodstream, and provide a leaner waistline. This is helpful for athletes looking to stay energized, healthy, and keep a toned, lean look to go along with their plant-powered muscles. Oats have been said one of the best foods to reduce excess abdominal weight and are one of the most prized foods for withstanding athletes through long, grueling workouts.

  • Other important benefits of oats
  • Reduce the risk of colon cancer. Avenanthramides once again are credited with helping reduce the risk of colon cancer, along with the high fiber content of oats, by reducing proliferation of colon cancer cells.
  • Celiac Disease: Also, once thought to be on the avoid list – most people who have celiac disease can eat pure, Gluten-Free Purity Protocol Oats without experiencing problems.
  • Immune system booster. The beta-glucan in oats is credited with enhancing immune system function by stimulating the activity of white blood cells to fight pathogens.
  • Skin treatment. A combination of ground oatmeal and enough water to make a paste can help treat acne and sunburn. The avenanthramides are at work here, too, providing anti-inflammatory and anti-itch benefits

 

Final Oat Notes:

If you’ve skipped out on oats until now, we hope you will give this healthy grain a bit more attention in your diet from now on. We also hope you will choose our Gluten-Free Prairie Purity Protocol  (not prepackaged or instant), oats or Gluten-Free Prairie Oat Groats (the whole seed of the oat plant) as an even healthier, whole grain option.

Gluten-Free Prairie OatmealGluten-Free Prairie Oat Groats

 

 

 

Please note: The “Ageless Benefits of Oats” has been prepared by Deb Wheaton, Founder Gluten-Free Prairie LLC for informational purposes only. Deb is not a doctor, lawyer, rocket scientist or astronaut. The information provided is not intended to treat or diagnose any health issues.

Learn more about our GFP family and life on the Gluten-Free Prairie, and our products HERE on our Amazon Brand Store 

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Thanks for stopping by today.

Deb on combine

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