Oats: Nutritional Properties

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slow digestion, rich in fiber and therefore able to provide long-term energy without causing insulin peaks.

In our country, the dietary applications of oats are relatively recent, despite the fact that this cereal has very ancient traditions behind it.

The Germanic and Scottish peoples, for example, based their diet on oats, since this annual plant manages to overcome even the harsh climates of the northern regions. In these areas the consumption of oats is still widely spread, especially for preparation. of tasty traditional dishes such as porridge.

In Italy, until a few years ago, oats were mainly used for feeding thoroughbreds, four-legged (horses) and two-legged (high-level sportsmen and "maniacs" of physical fitness).

Today, the benefits of oats have now reached the ears of the general public and its diffusion in food products is increasingly widespread.Traditional ingredient of muesli, it is now added to almost all diet foods for breakfast.

In human nutrition, the kernels are used, generally deprived of their fibrous envelopes (hulled) and reduced to flour (grinding) or flakes (by pressing the grains, fresh or pre-cooked with steam).

Oats and human health: a precious ally against diabetes and cholesterol

The excellent nutritional characteristics of oats can be guessed from the simple observation of the food tables.

Among all cereals, it holds the primacy of food richest in proteins (12.6-14.9%) and in fatty substances, including the essential linoleic acid.

The soluble fiber content is also excellent, making oats an ideal food to appease the appetite, regulate intestinal function and normalize body weight.

It is therefore no coincidence that popular medicine describes oat flour as a nourishing and strengthening food, especially suitable for children and convalescents.

ENERGY [100 grams of oats]

389 Kcal

1628.0 Kjoule

Carbohydrates

66.27 g

Fat

6.90 g

Proteins

16.89 g Fibers 10.6 Cholesterol 0 mg Thiamine 0.8 mg (51%) Folate 56.0 mcg (14%) Pantothenic acid 1.3 mg (13%) Manganese 4.9 mg (246%) Phosphorus 523 mg (52%) Magnesium 177 mg (44%) Copper 0.6 mg (31%) Iron 4.7 mg (26%) Zinc 4.0 mg (26%)

The benefits of oats are so obvious that they have prompted the US Food and Drug Administration to authorize the claim that oats help lower cholesterol levels.

To accentuate its cholesterol-lowering effect, we recommend the consumption of oat bran (40 grams per day, equal to about 6-8 g of fiber). This food, thanks to its very high capacity to attract water and the presence of many trace elements useful, lowers "bad" cholesterol (LDL) in a short time, without affecting the "good" (HDL). Eating oats regularly is therefore a great way to protect our arteries from atherosclerosis.

An interesting note concerns the excellent biological value of its proteins. In particular, oats have a good content of lysine, much higher than other cereals. In wheat this nutrient represents the limiting amino acid, that is the essential amino acid which, being contained in reduced quantities compared to the others, becomes limiting for protein synthesis. Oats are therefore an excellent nutritional and rebalancing food, even for vegetarians.

The Β-glucans present in soluble fiber also act positively against other dysmetabolic pathologies typical of industrialized societies. The low glycemic index, for example, makes it a valuable food for diabetics, who can benefit from its stabilizing effect on glycemic levels. This characteristic is also important in the fight against excess kg, as it helps to control the intake of food by prolonging the sense of satiety after a meal.

Also noteworthy is the presence of avenin, an alkaloid concentrated in the bran and endowed with a toning, energetic and rebalancing effect. Oats also have diuretic and laxative properties (stimulates the lazy bowel), which help make it a healthy choice at any time of the day.

, while several studies paint it as relatively safe.

In particular, if introduced pure, ie not contaminated by wheat, barley or rye proteins during processing, oats would not be harmful to most (99.4%) of celiacs.

Can oats be taken in a gluten-free diet? A systematic review. Scand. J. Gastroenterol. Vol. 42, No. 2, pages 171-178.

with your own hands? Nothing could be simpler, thanks to the advice of Alice, the personalcooker of MypersonaltrainerTv. Follow the video recipe:



Soft bread with oats

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