Oatmeal has been used as a dietary staple for a very long time. Various cultures have devised ways of incorporating the cereal into their cuisine. Originally, oats were used as medicine and later on it became a bona fide food for the British, Germans, Scots and Scandinavians. Oatmeal has a number of health enhancing giving properties, especially when eaten raw. Oats are packed with manganese, selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B1 and soluble fiber. What’s more, people who are allergic to gluten can obtain complete nutrition by adding oatmeal to their daily diet.
Astounding Health Benefits of Oatmeal
An overwhelming majority of studies show that oats exert significant beneficial effects on serum cholesterol level as well as blood sugar level. The following are the main benefits of the grain:
- Nutritionists world-over state that raw oatmeal forms an integral part of a weight-loss diet plan. It helps shed unwanted and superfluous fat, boosts metabolism and helps in body contouring.
- Oats help lower bad cholesterol. Beta glucan found in oats binds to the bile acids and removes them from the body via feces, thereby maintaining normal cholesterol levels. Raw oatmeal also helps increase the level of good cholesterol in the body.
- Oatmeal has a high content of complex carbohydrates: Stabilize blood glucose levels.
- An excellent source of B vitamins and promotes a healthy nervous system.
- Another noteworthy benefit of the cereal is healthy functioning of the GI tract. oats add bulk to the feces, thus making their transit easy and quick. Oats battle the most chronic forms of constipation and regulate bowel movement, thus warding off a host of gastro-intestinal illnesses.
- Enzymes present in raw oatmeal fuse with oils in the digestive tract and flush them out of the body.
- Oatmeal is a good source of protein, whether consumed raw or cooked.
- Oats also act as a natural anti-depressant.
- Eating raw oatmeal regularly helps relieve fatigue.
Medical Benefits of Eating Raw Oats
- Oats contain inositol, which is an essential component for stabilizing blood cholesterol levels. It is important to note that whilst individuals having high levels of cholesterol will witness a drop in the serum cholesterol level, those having normal or low cholesterol will see little change.
- Oats are prescribed for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.
- Beta-glucan present in raw oats helps prevent the thickening of the heart muscles, thus minimizing the risk of heart attack. also, eating raw oats lowers the risk of developing hypertension.
- Raw oats are known to have antifungal properties, making them an excellent dietary supplement to combat fungal infections.
- Raw oats reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Adults who were given foods high in oat fiber experienced a much lower rise in the blood sugar than those individuals who were given white rice or bread.
- Most significantly, consuming raw oats is not fraught with the undesirable effects of medications that lower blood pressure and diminish sugar levels.
- Its high fiber content is known to prevent cancer of the bowels.