Eat a handful of oats every day to lower cholesterol. Here are 7 benefits of eating oats!

Workers, students, fairies who love beauty, and muscular men who want to gain muscle, in the kitchens of these groups, oats are indispensable. It is easy to cook, nutritious and healthy, and cost-effective. It is really a good deal.

How nutritious is this popular food? What are the differences between oatmeal, oatmeal, steel-cut oats, etc.? In this article, let's talk about oats.

01

How nutritious are oats?

In the Greek and Roman eras, oats were considered weeds, and people thought they were diseased wheat. It was not until 1600 that oats became an important crop in Northern Europe [1]. Currently, oats are one of my country’s important specialty crops and the sixth largest food crop in the world and my country.

The endosperm, germ and bran of oats are not easy to fall off, so most oats are only hulled even if they are processed, and the rest of the oats are well preserved. Compared with the polished white rice that we often eat, oats have more advantages in nutrition.

①Dietary fiber: Oats are rich in dietary fiber, with an insoluble dietary fiber content of up to 6 grams per 100 grams, 10 times that of rice. [2] According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutrient database, the total dietary fiber content of oats is 10.6 grams. [3]

According to the recommendations in the "2013 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", Chinese adults should consume 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber every day. Eating 50 grams of oats can meet 21% of the daily dietary fiber requirement, which is a significant contribution.

The insoluble dietary fiber in oats can stimulate the mechanical movement of the gastrointestinal tract and promote defecation, while the soluble dietary fiber can absorb water and swell, increase satiety, and soften stool to prevent constipation. Rich dietary fiber can also prevent colorectal cancer and is beneficial to intestinal health.

②Protein: According to the data in the "Sixth Edition of Chinese Food Composition Table", the protein content of oats is 10.1 grams/100 grams, which is 1.3 times that of rice.

In addition, most cereal foods have a relatively low lysine content, which is the first limiting amino acid in cereals. This results in low protein absorption efficiency in most cereals. However, oats have a unique advantage in this regard. Not only is their protein content higher, they also contain a relatively rich amount of lysine, which is more than twice that of wheat and rice.[4] This results in a better protein absorption rate.

③Mineral potassium: Oats are rich in potassium, 3.1 times that of rice. Regular consumption of foods rich in potassium is very helpful in controlling blood pressure.

02

The magical effect of oats

When it comes to the benefits of oats, the biggest credit goes to the β-glucan in oats, which is an important biologically active ingredient in oats. It becomes viscous after absorbing water and is a water-soluble dietary fiber.

The β-glucan content of oats grown in different regions varies, with most being around 3% and some even exceeding 8%. [5] It is precisely because of this that oats have many “magical” effects that are beneficial to health.
① Control blood sugar: The β-glucan in oats can not only enhance insulin sensitivity, but also has a higher viscosity after absorbing water. It can slow down the emptying of food in the stomach, reduce the hydrolysis of carbohydrates by digestive enzymes, and inhibit the diffusion and absorption of glucose in the small intestine, thereby slowing down the absorption of glucose into the blood, slowing down the rise in blood sugar after meals, and helping to maintain stable blood sugar.

If β-glucan is added to other foods, the GI value of the food can be reduced by 4 units per gram of β-glucan on average.[6] This is of great significance for the development of low GI foods.

② Control blood lipids: Eating more oats can lower the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the body, which is what we call "bad cholesterol", which is beneficial to lowering total cholesterol and thus reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have indicated that eating 3 grams of oat or barley beta-glucan per day can help lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.[7]
Studies have shown that 3 grams of oat β-glucan can reduce the plasma total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in patients with normal or high cholesterol by 5% to 10%. [7] 3 grams of oat β-glucan is equivalent to consuming about 100 grams of oats.

③Weight control: Oat beta-glucan is very helpful for weight loss and can reduce abdominal fat. It has a significant effect on reducing weight, body mass index, body fat and waist-to-hip ratio.

In addition, β-glucan has the function of absorbing water and swelling, which can occupy more stomach volume, enhance satiety, help control appetite and avoid overeating, which is also helpful for weight loss.

④Intestinal health: Oat β-glucan can improve the intestinal flora environment. After being fermented by microorganisms in the large intestine, it will be fermented by lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria in the cecum, thereby producing bifidobacteria that are beneficial to human health.
Not only that, beta-glucan is also a kind of prebiotic, which can promote the proliferation of beneficial intestinal bacteria. In terms of protecting gastrointestinal health, oats are also super powerful!

⑤ Enhance immunity: β-glucan can bind to the surface receptors of immune cells, activate and regulate immune cells, stimulate immune response, and enhance the body's immunity. It can also regulate the activity of lymphocytes and natural killer cells, activate macrophages to attack tumor cells, and also play an important role in anti-cancer. [6]

⑥ Regulate mood: The vitamin B1 content in oats is three times that of rice. Insufficient intake of vitamin B1 can make people depressed, nervous and anxious. Eating 100 grams of oats can meet 33% of the daily vitamin B1 requirement of the human body, which is helpful to improve mood.

Some studies have also shown that oatmeal can help you sleep. It can induce the production of sleep hormones - serotonin and melatonin, relax tense muscles, stabilize tense emotions, and relieve insomnia symptoms. [6]

⑦ Anti-fatigue: Regular consumption of oats can enhance athletic endurance. Animal experiments have shown that consuming oat β-glucan and oat protein can significantly increase the running and swimming time of animals. [6]

From this perspective, oatmeal has quite a lot of health benefits. As a foodie, you deserve it!

03

What are the differences between different types of oats?

①Whole oats

Whole oats are oats that have only the outer shell removed and the rest of the oats have not been processed. The nutrients are relatively complete and the dietary fiber content is relatively high.

This type of oat is also commonly known as naked oats. The fruit is exposed and can peel off by itself, making it easy to process. It has no hard shell on the outside. It is the main cultivated variety in my country, accounting for more than 90%. It is called "naked oats" in the Shanxi, Hebei and Inner Mongolia production areas. The remaining 10% is skinned oats, which is the main cultivated variety abroad. The fruit is tightly wrapped in the skin, not easy to peel off, and has a hard shell. [6]

In terms of nutritional value, the starch content of braised oats is significantly higher than that of naked oats, the protein content of naked oats is significantly higher than that of braised oats, and the β-glucan content of naked oats is higher than that of braised oats. [8]

The texture of whole oats is relatively hard and they need to be properly soaked before cooking. You can seal and soak them in water in the refrigerator the night before, and then mix them with rice the next day in a ratio of 1:3 to make oatmeal rice.

②Oat germ rice

After further processing and removing the outer skin of the whole oatmeal, it becomes oat germ rice, also called oat kernel. The appearance becomes "frosted" and not as shiny as oatmeal rice. The dietary fiber content will also decrease as the skin is removed.

Moreover, this kind of oatmeal is not easy to preserve and is easily oxidized and deteriorated, so you need to buy small amounts at a time and eat them as soon as possible.

③Steel-cut oats

Steel cut oats are oats that are cut into 2-4 pieces using a steel knife. Compared with whole oats, steel cut oats are easier to cook faster.

④ Raw oatmeal

Raw oatmeal is made by washing, drying and flaking whole oats, which need further cooking before they can be eaten.

⑤Quick-cooking oatmeal

Raw oatmeal is further processed into semi-cooked oatmeal, which is quick-cooking oatmeal, also known as fast-cooking oatmeal. It takes less time to cook than raw oatmeal, usually only two or three minutes, and it is easy to cook.

⑥Instant oatmeal

Most office workers or students eat instant oatmeal, which is convenient and saves time. It only needs to be brewed with hot water or hot milk for about 5 minutes and can be eaten directly.

Instant oatmeal is oats that have been treated with steam at a higher temperature to partially gelatinize the starch. The oats are then cut into sections and passed through a double-roll mill with a smaller gap. This causes significant damage to the natural structure of the oats. The oats can quickly absorb water and swell in boiling water, are more easily hydrolyzed by enzymes, and have a greater impact on blood sugar. The GI value is relatively high at 75,[9] making it a high GI food.

Therefore, if you want to better stabilize your blood sugar after meals, don’t just eat instant oatmeal, but also pair it with some vegetables and protein foods, such as eggs/milk, fruits cucumbers/cherry tomatoes.

In addition, there are many fancy oatmeal on the market. In addition to oats, the ingredients list also contains vegetable oil, white sugar, non-dairy creamer and other ingredients. Although the taste is very attractive, the nutrition is greatly reduced. It is not recommended to eat it often. When choosing instant oatmeal, it is recommended to choose the one with only oats in the ingredient list.

Summarize:

Oats are a healthy staple food choice, suitable for both rice and porridge. They have a chewy texture, are filling and nutritious. So let's talk about it in the comments section. What kind of oats do you like to eat?

References:

[1] Harold Mackey, author. Translated by Cai Chengzhi. Food and Cooking. Vegetables, Fruits, Spices, and Grains. Beijing Fine Arts Photography Publishing House. August 2013.

[2] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[3]https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169705/nutrients

[4] Liu Ying, Dong Li. Nutritional components and health benefits of oats[J]. Chinese Food and Nutrition, 2009(03):55-57.

[5] Zhang Meijun, Yang Wude, Wang Chao, Lu Hua, Yang Fu, Yan Weikai. Research progress on oat β-glucan content and its detection method[J]. Shanxi Agricultural Science, 2019, 47(04): 690-694.

[6] Ren Changzhong, Yan Jinting, Dong Rui, Hu Xinzhong. Research progress on nutritional components, functional properties and products of oats[J]. Food Industry Science and Technology, 2022, 43(12): 438-446. DOI: 10.13386/j.issn1002-0306.2021060196.

[7] Yang Chengjun, Chen Mingshun, Dai Taotao, Chen Jun. Research progress on the function and application of oat β-glucan[J]. Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, 2021, 21(06): 301-311. DOI: 10.16429/j.1009-7848.2021.06.036.

[8] Che Tiantian. Comparative study on the nutritional, gelatinization and flavor characteristics of skinned oatmeal and naked oatmeal[D]. Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, 2015.

[9] Ye Ting, Fan Zhihong, Li Guojing. Glycemic index of oat products[J]. Journal of the Chinese Cereals and Oils Association, 2018, 33(08): 141-146.
Author: Xue Qingxin Member of Chinese Nutrition Society Registered Nutritionist Health Manager Public Nutritionist

Review | Gao Chao, Associate Researcher, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention