We sat down for breakfast the other morning & Curt attempted to eat oatmeal for the first time in years....he took out the familiar Quaker Oats container, and dumped in a LITTLE (I mean, a little) brown sugar. Then shook his head as he tried to choke down the "nasty mash" and repeatedly said "yuck" and asked the question "Why is oatmeal even good for you?, Why do people eat it?"
The first thought I had...cholesterol. And then the fact it's high in fiber. But I started thinking more & created a blog challenge for myself. The days of oatmeal- Day 1- top 10 reasons to eat Oatmeal, Day 2- 10 ways to use oats/meal, Day 3- A recipe using oats. Well, that's all I have, but 3 days is a good start.
So today I present....
Top 10 Reasons to Eat Oatmeal
1. Oatmeal lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, and can increase HDL (good cholesterol). And lowering cholesterol can help prevent heart disease (amongst preventing other health disorders). In fact, back in 1997, the FDA approved that oatmeal can carry a label claiming it "may reduce the risk of heart disease when combined with a low fat diet". Awesome!
2. Oatmeal is a great source of soluble fiber- in fact, it contains more fiber than whole wheat, rice, and corn. Soluble fiber is the stuff that, especially when you keep hydrated, forms a sort of "gel" with water, than in turn slows digestion & keeps you feeling fuller longer- aka you may not be reaching into the fridge for a snack within an hour of eating breakfast. So indirectly, adding oatmeal may help you start on the track of losing weight!
3. Oatmeal slows digestion- as mentioned above- WHICH is good for people with diabetes. The slower digestion of starches helps stabilize blood sugars and can help you avoid the blood sugar spikes associated with eating (or high post-prandial blood glucoses for those who are all technical). Overall, this can improve insulin sensitivity- good for diabetics & non-diabetics alike
4. Oatmeal is typically gluten-free. Many proteins found in gluten are not found in oats, so if you've found your gluten-sensitive or are trying to be more aware of gluten in your diet, oatmeal can be a good addition to your breakfast repertoire. However, if you're unfortunate enough to have celiac disease, take caution because not ALL oatmeal is completely gluten-free
5. Oatmeal is low calorie and low fat. In fact, just 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal is roughly 150 calories. Even looking at my "souped up" oatmeal (Quaker Apple & Cinnamon packets), one packet is only 130 calories. Not too shabby.
6. Oatmeal is a quick breakfast! I put my oatmeal in the microwave for a minute 42 (because I am oddly OCD...don't judge, that is what I have always done w/ oatmeal!)- and at that point it's a little hot so I have to wait to eat it, but point is, even cooking oatmeal via stove-top you could have cooked & eaten in 15 minutes.
7. Oatmeal (or oats) is versatile! See tomorrow's post on "ways to use oats" :)
8. Oatmeal is warm & comforting. Especially now that the fall is upon us, I do enjoy having a nice bowl of oatmeal while getting ready for the day.
9. Oatmeal is relatively inexpensive. One container of rolled oats- mayyyyybe $3, or a box of flavored packets can be found on sale at times 2/$3,$4 (getting you 12 packets!). Compare to other breakfast options (like...McDonalds drive-thru?), and compare a container's price per serving- not bad for the college student & budget minded alike.
10. Oatmeal is a great source of vitamins & minerals. Oats are particularly high in Vitamin B(s). Thiamine can help with carb metabolism & muscle function, niacin is also good for cholesterol, folate can help with body functioning-technically cell division & growth. Oats also contain iron, calcium, vitamin A, and other vitamins that make it a healthy option.
And...there you have it! I'll edit tomorrow/freshen it up a bit & add post number 2- ways to use oats! other than just eating "nasty mash". Time for bed....gotta rest up for another day in paradise aka the pharmacy :)
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