Oats

Oats are my thing. I eat them nearly every morning for breakfast, loaded will all sorts of goodies, fruits, seeds, and nuts. Oats give you a slow and steady release of energy and are packed with fiber, to keep you full all morning long. Oats are very versatile in breakfast foods, baked goods, desserts, and ground up to use as a flour.

  • Oats contain the fiber beta-glucan, which has been shown to lower cholesterol.
  • In a study reported in Surgery, beta-glucan helped to enhance a human’s immune system response to a bacterial infection; helping to prevent illness and disease.
  • The insoluble and soluble fiber in oats is essential for a healthy digestive system. This fiber is not broken down in your digestive track. Instead it adds some substance to your #2’s to encourage regular bowel movements. Yay!
  • Eating foods with both insoluble and soluble fiber, a study in Nutrition Reviews finds, may help to prevent obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
  • Unique antioxidants in oats have been found to help prevent nasty free radical harm to ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, reducing risk of heart disease.
  • Oats are very blood sugar stabilizing, and help to keep blood levels in control throughout the day.
  • If you are gluten sensitive, oats can be ground into flour as a great alternative for wheat and other gluten flours.

Vegukate Tips:

Store rolled oats in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Gluten free or not? Oats are naturally gluten-free, but some are specifically marked as such because they are processed in a factory free from gluten. Those extremely sensitive to gluten, or those with Celiac disease, should always look for gluten-free oats to prevent exposure.