Your breakfast called Oats!!

Oats and humans have a long history together, with oats having been a part of the human diet since the Bronze Age in Europe. Oats are one of the healthiest grains you can choose, so they can be a healthy choice.

They are high in fiber, which can reduce bad cholesterol and help you stay full longer. They also enhance the body’s immune response and stabilize blood sugar; plus, they’re gluten free.

But consuming oats comes with some problems, too. When most people eat oatmeal, they aren’t eating it plain, especially not the instant kind. People add sugar, milk (or dairy-free milk) and other add-ins, which make oats more like a dessert. The evolution of oatmeal is a prime example of how an inherently healthy food can become adulterated almost beyond recognition.

Oatmeal is a modern prototype breakfast food which is perceived to be  as natural and healthy. Actual oatmeal is the polar opposite of prepared / processed foods. Real oatmeal does not contain ingredients or additives: it is simply a grain. However, if you think all oats are created equal, think again. There are definitely some oats which should not grace your breakfast table. Ever.

Oats- How it works

If we are to  make better breakfast choices, it’s important to understand exactly how oats are processed. oat kernels are first removed of their hulls. This can  then be used to make porridge, however cooking them takes a long time. So for your convenience manufactures usually stock up instant oats or oats flakes, buy there are also steel-cut, rolled, whole oats too.

Its very rare to find the whole form of oats, Steel-cut oats are chopped whole oats.They both take longer to cook, contain more of their original nutrients, and taste nuttier than regular oats.Rolled oats as the name suggests are steamed oats that have been rolled out and flattened.This is usually grade two variety of the steel oats.

Instant oats are rolled, steamed, and precooked oats. These will often have sweet flavorings added, and are the least healthy option.These instant oats are nothing more than a mixture of artificial colors and flavors, along with too much sugar and salt, and in some cases, high fructose corn syrup, disguised as something that is good for you by extremely clever marketing.
Also, the glycemic index of old fashioned oats is 55, while the GI of instant oats is 83, so instant or quick-cooking oats push up your blood sugar — something of particular concern to diabetics and people with other blood sugar issues.

Oat meal Vs Diabetes

Because oats are higher in fiber, they are promoted as releasing their energy more slowly than some other breakfast choices. However, oatmeal is actually quite rapidly converted to sugar, and even if you leave off the added sugar, dried or fresh fruit, you will still experience high blood sugars. If you’re diabetic, or have access to a blood glucose monitor, here’s a little test for you to try out.Eat your usual serving of instant oat meal and then test your blood sugar after 1 hour. Try eating a hard boiled egg or two and test your blood glucose, compare both the reading it will give you your choice for breakfast.

How to make your Oatmeal healthier

Soak your oats for at least 8 hours before being served.
Add yoghurt to it for better protein balance. If you want to sweeten it, try adding a fresh seasonal fruit.
Combine it with some chopped nuts that will lower the glycemic index and help you stay full for a longer period.

TRIVIA

• Instant Oatmeal have medium level of Purine and is not good for gout.
• “Instant oats” is fast cooking processed oatmeal.
• “Whole gain oats” is slow cooked oatmeal which could be good for gout.
• The oats as a plant is easy to cultivate from the whole oats and can be grown in virtually any temperate climate.

Oatmeal is a healthy food, as long you pick the right kind. The problem with instant oatmeal is that it has been processed, so it’s broken down more quickly in your body,
when looking for oat, we need to look for “whole gain oats”.

Bewell,
Vivek