Oats are one of the healthiest grains on Earth. It is a gluten-free whole grain and an excellent source of important vitamins, minerals, fibers and antioxidants.
Oats and oatmeal have many health benefits. Here are just a few of them - weight loss, lowering blood sugar and lowering the risk of heart disease. Here are some evidence of the health benefits of eating oats and oatmeal.
What are oats and oatmeal?
Oats are a whole-grain food known scientifically as Avena Sativa. Oatmeal, the most intact and whole form of oats, takes a long time to cook. For this reason, most people prefer rolled, chopped oats.
Instant oatmeal is the most processed variety. While they take little time to cook, the texture may be soft.
Oats are usually eaten for breakfast like oatmeal. Oatmeal is also often included in muffins, granola, cookies and other baked goods.
Oats are incredibly nutritious
The nutritional composition of oats is well balanced. Oatmeal is a good source of carbohydrates and fiber, including potent beta-glucan. They also contain more protein and fat than most grains. Oats are loaded with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidant plant compounds. Half a cup (78 g) of dry oats contains:
- Manganese: 191% RDI.
- Phosphorus: 41% RDI.
- Magnesium: 34% RDI.
- Copper: 24% RDI.
- Iron: 20% RDI.
- Zinc: 20% of RDI.
- Folate: 11% of RDI.
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): 39% RDI.
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 10% RDI.
Smaller amounts of calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin B3 (niacin). This is when it contains 51 g of carbohydrates, 13 g of protein, 5 g of fat and 8 g of fiber, but only 303 calories. This means that oats are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.
Whole oats are rich in antioxidants, including aventaramides
Whole oats are high in antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols. Most notable is the unique group of antioxidants called avenantramides, which are almost exclusively found in oats. Avenanthramides can help lower your blood pressure by increasing nitric oxide production. This gas molecule helps dilate blood vessels and leads to better blood flow. Ferulic acid is also found in large quantities in oats. This is another antioxidant.
Oats May Improve Blood Sugar Control
Type 2 diabetes is a common disease characterized by significantly high blood sugar. This is usually a consequence of a decrease in sensitivity to hormonal insulin. Using oats can lower blood sugar, especially in overweight people or type 2 diabetes.
Oatmeal is very satiating and can help you lose weight.
Oatmeal is not only a delicious breakfast meal. It is also very satisfying. Such foods can help you eat fewer calories and lose weight. By delaying the time during which the stomach is emptied, beta-glucan in oatmeal can increase the feeling of fullness. Beta glucan can also promote the release of the peptide YY (PYY), a hormone produced in the intestines in response to food intake. It has been proven that this serum hormone provokes less calorie intake and can lower the chance of obesity. Oats can be a great addition to a healthy diet. It can be eaten like oatmeal (porridge) for breakfast, added to pastries and much more.
Oats are incredibly good
Oat is an incredibly nutritious food filled with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In addition, they are high in fiber and protein compared to other grains. Oats contain some unique ingredients, in particular, soluble beta-glucan protein and antioxidants called avenantramides. Benefits include lowering blood sugar and cholesterol, protecting against skin irritation and reducing constipation. In addition, oatmeal is very satiating and has many properties that should make it a convenient slimming product.
At the end of the day, oats are one of the healthiest foods you can eat. The oatmeal diet includes replacing oats with one or two dishes per day.
Pros of Oatmeal
This is a good choice, as oatmeal has a number of health benefits, including:
- healthy weight management
- lower cholesterol
- potentially reducing the risk of certain types of cancer.
Some took this further without eating anything other than oatmeal. This approach is extreme, but most people follow the version below.
It works?
If the goal is to start a journey with weight loss and go on to a solid healthy lifestyle, then that might work. However, if a person does not like oatmeal or can not eat oats, then the diet is definitely not suitable.
Supporters of the diet note that oatmeal saturates, but ignores that the oatmeal diet limits the variety of foods that can be eaten. By limiting the food you can eat, cutting back on the calories you consume and reducing the amount of nutrients. The body needs a lot of nutritious food in order to keep fit.
Who is the best diet for?
Oatmeal diet is suitable for people who want to come to a healthy lifestyle and lose a few pounds. If you are looking for a way to quickly lose weight and not strive for long-term obligations, this is not a plan for you.
The first week of the diet can be difficult if you adhere to it strictly. However, she may like it. If you want quick results, such an oat diet for weight loss of 10 kg is suitable. But do not forget that the result depends on the source data and physical activity. The response of an organism in a person weighing under 100 kg will be greater than in a person weighing 60-70 kg.
The last phase of the oat diet may appeal to those who want to make this stage a permanent way of life. The third month of the diet is just a healthy diet with an emphasis on a lower selection of fats and more oatmeal.
When deciding whether you want to follow an oat diet, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons. Changing your diet is a serious decision and requires a lot of effort.
Diet benefits
- Diet offers some nutritional value.
- The last 2 phases of the diet can teach you to live a more proper and healthy lifestyle.
- Oatmeal is good for your health, including lowering your cholesterol and cancer risk.
- May give visible results.
- No cooking skills required.
Cons of diet
- The first stage (oat diet for a week) is dangerously low in calories.
- Eating a lot of oatmeal can become boring.
- You have to do a calorie count.
- Eating large amounts of fiber can lead to some disaster.
Diet basics
One method of cooking oatmeal is to vary the amount of oatmeal eaten during the three phases.
First step
There is only oatmeal during the first week - the oatmeal diet begins this way. You can eat ½ cup oatmeal for each meal, which can be combined with ½ cup skim milk, if necessary. Only whole oatmeal is allowed, not instant porridge. Calorie intake during the first seven days should be between 900 and 1200 calories per day. In principle, one can limit oneself only to this stage, it can be called the "oat diet of 10 kg per week." To achieve such a weight loss in a week is quite realistic, if you add fitness classes.
Second phase
Over the next 30 days, continue to take ½ cup oatmeal three times a day in addition to regular meals. Now allowed "quick" oatmeal. Calories in this period can be slightly increased to 1000-1300 per day. A morning snack ½ cup of fruit and an afternoon snack ½ cup of raw vegetables are allowed.
Third stage
After 30 days, the oat diet allows you to return to your usual diet, while continuing to eat oatmeal as a main dish or snack daily.
Followers of the diet are advised to limit fat and sweet when returning to normal food. In the third stage of the diet, oatmeal cookies are allowed in small quantities.
Featured Products
Oatmeal, skim milk, berries, bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, carrots, red peppers, celery, lettuce, spinach, chicken breast, fish, coffee, tea, pudding.
6-Day Example Diet Nutrition Plan for Phase 2
Feel free to make replacements to suit your preferences and tastes. Just make sure that the number of calories remains approximately the same (1000-1200 kcal).
1 day.
Breakfast:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup skim milk
- 1 tablespoon of raisins
- hot drink of your choice (coffee or tea).
Morning snack:
Dinner:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup low fat yogurt
- 1 banana
Dinner:
- grilled chicken breast ,
- big green salad
- ½ cup oatmeal.
Evening snack:
Day 2
Breakfast:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup skim milk
- 1 tablespoon of raisins
- hot drink of your choice (coffee or tea).
Morning snack:
Dinner:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- 1/2 cup low fat yogurt
- 1 banana
Dinner:
- grilled chicken breast,
- big green salad
- ½ cup oatmeal.
Evening snack:
Day 3
Breakfast:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup skim milk or milk replacer,
- 1 tablespoon dried cranberries,
- hot drink of your choice (coffee or tea).
Dinner:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup low fat yogurt
- 1 cup strawberries.
Dinner:
- baked fish fillet,
- 1 cup broccoli,
- 1 cup of brown (wild) rice.
Evening snack:
Day 4
Breakfast:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup skim milk or milk replacer,
- 1 banana
- hot drink of your choice (coffee or tea).
Dinner:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup skim milk or milk replacer,
- a quarter cup of walnuts,
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Snack:
Dinner:
- steamed or boiled meat
- 1 whole wheat bun
- 1 cup baked zucchini.
Day 5
Breakfast:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup low fat yogurt
- 1 cup blueberries
- hot drink of your choice (coffee or tea).
Morning snack:
Dinner:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup skim milk or milk replacer,
- ½ cup dried cranberries,
- 1 tsp cinnamon.
Snack:
Dinner:
- steamed or baked meat,
- green salad.
Evening snack:
Day 6
Breakfast:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup skim milk or milk replacer,
- ½ cup raisins or ½ cup dried plums,
- hot drink of your choice (coffee or tea).
Morning snack :.
Dinner:
- ½ cup oatmeal,
- ½ cup vanilla fat-free yogurt,
- a quarter cup of walnuts.
Snack:
- 1 tbsp. peanut butter
- 4 sticks of celery.
Dinner:
- can chicken soup
- 2 cups mixed vegetables.
Diet results
Oat diet can give serious results. Within 2 months according to the diet plan, users report a loss of as much as 18 kg. In the first week, dieters reported losses of up to 8-10 kg.
Results will depend on the person. Some people find the monotony of the oat diet very difficult, and end the diet. Others have a slight problem with a monotonous diet, but they hold on and even add exercise. These people will get better results than those who “cheat”.
Do I need to go in for sports on this diet?
Although exercises are not officially part of the oatmeal diet, simple exercises are always a good idea when trying to lose weight or become healthy. Try adding 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 days a week. This will help burn excess fat and build muscle while improving oatmeal diet results. Plus exercises have many other benefits that support a healthy body and life.
The diet is boring. Can this be fixed?
Try adding various spices or flavors to oatmeal. Cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract are excellent flavor enhancers. You can also try replacing the various fruits listed above. Just make sure the replacement is roughly equal in calorie count.
Do I need to count calories on a diet?
Yes and no. If you follow the appropriate steps outlined in the meal plan above, then the recommended calories should not be reviewed. However, if you intend to make many replacements or follow the phases longer, at your discretion, then calorie counting is mandatory. The oat diet limits calories to no more than 1300 per day.