Hearts get healthy on National Oatmeal Day! Not only is oatmeal one of America’s favorite breakfast foods, but we also celebrate it annually on October 29th. It’s a perfect day to enjoy one of America’s favorite breakfast foods.
A warm bowl of oatmeal starts a day off right. Add spices, fruit, nuts, or nut butters to add flavor. It’s also a versatile ingredient. Add oatmeal to baked goods to create a delicious crumble. You can use it use it to make granola, cookies, and bars. Sometimes, recipes for soups call for oatmeal, adding thicker texture and nutty flavor.
Here’s a little history.
Ancient Romans saw oats as an unfortunate and diseased wheat and used them as cheap horse food. They scoffed in disgust at societies who ate oats in their meals, such as the Germanic tribes who conquered the West Roman Empire as well as the Scottish whom the Romans were never able to conquer. Huh, almost sounds like the Romans should have eaten their oats after all.
Though oats are still used in horse food today, there is a portion set aside specifically for human consumption. And for good reason! The fiber within oats is more soluble than any other grain. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and turns into a thick, viscous gel, which moves slowly through the body. This means it keeps you full for long periods of time. Soluble fiber also slows down the body’s process of glucose absorption and inhibits re-absorption of bile into the system, meaning you avoid sugar highs and lows while your liver gets its needed cholesterol from your blood. So apparently, eating oatmeal makes you stronger than a Roman. Who knew?
Oatmeal is one of the healthiest grains on earth. They’re gluten free, rich in antioxidants, and help you lose weight, lower your blood sugar, and reduce risks of heart disease. Steel-cut oats are coarsely cut oats. They’re the nuttiest and most flavorful oats available.
Oatmeal offers many health benefits.
- A bowl of oatmeal daily can lower cholesterol.
- It may reduce the risk of heart disease.
- It may reduce your risk of cancer. (According to the American Cancer Society, eating a diet high in fiber may help reduce your risk for cancer.)
- The grain is low in fat.
- Oatmeal is low in calories.
- Add oatmeal to your diet as a good source of iron and fiber.
What type of oats should you eat?
Always choose organic steel cut oats.
Fewer pesticides. Organic certification ensures the oats were grown without synthetic pesticides like glyphosate. Some studies have found traces of this chemical in over 95% of popular oat-based foods made with conventional oats.
Reduced chemical exposure: For those concerned about the potential health effects of ingesting synthetic chemicals, choosing organic is a way to reduce exposure to these substances.
Low glycemic index: Steel-cut oats have a low glycemic index (GI) of 55, meaning they digest slowly and prevent blood sugar spikes. This can help with weight management and is especially beneficial for people with diabetes or those who are pre-diabetic.