Factual Notes about Oats

Let me tell ya a few things I know about oats...

Oats are brown and not too pretty.

Might make you frown a little bitty.

But wait a tick, they're fabulous!

They're versatile! And nutritious!

With fiber, vitamins, and protein

you'll fuel just right; here's what I mean...

Fiber helps your cholesterol, helps you poop,

and that's not all...!

With protein's help, you will feel,

hunger's not part of this deal.

Toss in biotin, thiamin and manganese,

these nutrients can prevent disease!

I did not stutter, you heard me right:

Your blood sugars? They'll keep 'em tight.

"But mushy, tasteless oats are gross,

who cares if they help my blood glucose?"

Forget those mushy, tasteless oats!

I ne'er feign excitement! Allow me to gloat...

Want to make your taste buds sing?

Add a few delightful things,

like fruits and nuts and seeds and spices.

There really are just countless choices!

Grind them into flour and turn them into bread,

Pancakes, cookies, or muffins instead.

Old fashioned rolled are best for these.

Save more for later: wrap up and freeze.

Soak steel cut oats with milk at night.

Breakfast is ready - too easy, right?!

Don't forget the fruits and nuts

for pleasure in your mouth and guts.

Have for breakfast a really groovy

Chocolate Peanut Banana Smoothie!

Blend dry oats into this drink,

give your brain the fuel to think.

Here's a final tasty snack:

Addictive just like cheese and crack's.

Be conscious of how much you eat,

this snack can get a little sweet!

Crunchy, chewy, either-or,

this oaty snack is adored

by men and women, girls and boys,

perhaps it is the tastiest choice!

Have you solved this little riddle?

Tummy rumbled yet a little?

Here's one more clue to keep you guessing...

With your patience, I am messing...

Zhanola's what it does rhyme with.

"Bad for you": that is a myth.

Far better than some fizzy cola.

Yup, you guessed it! It's granola!

Now with appetite stimulated,

you see this food's been underrated?!

Tasteless oats?! Don't be beguiled!

Eat more things that make you smile!

As the poem claims, oats truly may be underrated.

There are many ways to tastefully incorporate oats into our healthy lifestyle with granola, smoothies, breads and even treats!

And why so much elation over oats, besides these various applications? Because oats are a whole grain food that contain nutrients supporting normal blood sugar, increased energy, healthy cardiovascular system, and good digestion.

Over the years, whole grains have received some interesting attention. They've been equally glorified, and criticized. From the glorified standpoint, whole grain flours have replaced the traditional "enriched wheat flour" (also known as, all purpose or white flour) in baked goods from cookies to bread. From the critical standpoint, some folks have sworn off whole grains entirely for the sake of better health.

Fabulous Nutrition's mission is to provide you with the knowledge to make an informed decision. The position of this article is not to suggest you start eating oats despite your wishes not to. The best way to support you with including healthy food into your life is to provide you with some facts about oats, and from there, you are free to make a decision whether or not you will include them in your diet!

That's not the final step, however. The final step is where you notice how this particular food impacts your health or makes you feel.

Does the combination of fiber and protein in oats lead you toward fullness? Are your blood sugars stable after consuming oats in your meal? Do you feel energized, or do you actually feel tired?

Remember that nutrition guidelines are never a one-size-fits-all matter. Establishing healthy eating patterns does require an element of awareness towards the impact different foods have on your body.

Here is a simple look at the nutrient profile provided by ⅓ cup of dry oats, equal to a weight of 40 grams (g).

Macronutrients

Fat 2.5 g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.8 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g

Total Carbohydrate 27.0 g

Total Sugar 0.4 g

Dietary Fiber 4.0 g

Protein 5.0 g

Micronutrients

Sodium 2 mg

Potassium 146 mg

Magnesium 55 mg

Manganese 2 mg

Calcium 20 mg

Iron 2 mg

The carbohydrate content present in oats is the primary macronutrient responsible for the provision of energy, though note, fat and protein provide energy too.

Protein and fat, by nature, slow down digestion and play a role in signaling to your body and brain that you're no longer hungry. However, 2.5 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein are not quite a substantial quantity to achieve that feeling. Adding a few more protein-rich and fat-containing foods will add to the feeling of fullness. Eggs, nuts, seeds, and yogurt are a few complimentary, real foods that contain protein and fat to substantiate your feeling of fullness.

Fiber, a type of carbohydrate, also adds to the feeling of fullness we seek. In particular, it's soluble fiber that does this, as it is a water-loving molecule. Simply consider what happens to oats after they've sat in a liquid for a few minutes - they absorb that liquid! Consuming oats, and other foods containing soluble fiber, will add to your feeling of fullness by fiber's absorption of water, creating a viscous environment that takes up space and slows digestion.

Slower digestion causes a gradual release of the stomach's contents into the small intestine. This slows absorption of glucose and is one mechanism by which your body's blood sugars are better regulated! Note, however, blood sugar regulation is not achieved by one mechanism alone. Oats contain other nutrients that play roles with blood sugar regulation, including B-vitamins (biotin and thiamin), chromium, manganese, and magnesium.

An additional, notable health benefit available to us from the soluble fiber in oats is their serum cholesterol-lowering effect. Again, linked to soluble fiber's water-loving characteristic, the viscous environment increases the need for bile acids to aid digestion. Bile acids are produced from cholesterol. Therefore, the intestinal tract uses the body's cholesterol, and thus, reduces serum cholesterol, particularly, LDL-Cholesterol.

Want to help your body achieve fabulous health by including oats in your meals and snacks? Fabulous Nutrition has an OAT LOAD of recipes to get you started.

Submit a request to get your free copy to alyssa@fabulous-nutrition.com

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References:

Deepak Mudgil. (2017). Dietary Fiber for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. Retrieved January 2021 from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/beta-glucan

The George Mateljan Foundation. Oats. Retrieved December 2020 from http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=54