This popular breakfast meal goes a lot further than just filling tummies for the day ahead., The secrets behind this magic ingredient are worth uncovering! Full of nutrients and fiber, oats is one of the most nutritious whole-grain foods on offer, it also has many other benefits when using it in alternative ways.
Each serving can also provide plenty of vitamins and minerals while being low in calories. These include:
- Magnesium needed for supporting muscle and nerve function.
- Iron needed to boost gastrointestinal processes, the immune system, and the regulation of body temperature.
- Phosphorus which is needed for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues.
- Zinc for wound healing, blood clotting, thyroid function, it also plays a key role in maintaining vision.
- Folate (vitamin B-9) which is important in red blood cell formation and for healthy cell growth and function.
- Copper for healthy bones, blood vessels, nerves, and immune function, and it contributes to iron absorption.
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) & B5(pantothenic acid), which aid in the conversion of food into energy and are essential for healthy skin, muscles, brain, and nerve functionality.
Oats contains high levels of antioxidants which specifically aid in the lowering of blood pressure, improved blood flow, and reducing inflammation, and itching for allergy sufferers.
The beta-glucan in oats forms a gel-like substance when it mixes with water which feeds good bacteria in the gut. These same beta-glucan fibers attract water and increases the volume of food in the gut, thus slowing digestion and increasing satiety.
Most simple of all, the high fibre content of oats helps us have regular and healthy bowel movements. As well as helping to remove toxins and wastes efficiently from the body.
Asthma is a common condition that often develops during childhood. There is some evidence to suggest that whole grain foods such as oats can be a reducing factor for developing asthma. Oats is also sometimes used to soothe inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, and is a popular ingredient in facial masks.
Whole oats have moved beyond the breakfast bowl. Try some of these recipes:
Banana Oats Cookie Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoons of all-spice
- ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
- 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
- 4 tablespoons of warm water
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Optional extras: chopped pecans, golden raisins, chocolate chips, sliced bananas, and blueberries
Steps:
1. Mix dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl and set aside. Mix ground flaxseed with the warm water in a small bowl to thicken.
2. Mash bananas with a fork in a smaller bowl until you get a fairly smooth consistency. Add the rest of the wet ingredients, including the flax mixture.
3. Heat skillet over medium-low heat. Use a nonstick pan so you don’t have to use any oil when cooking the pancakes. While the pan is heating, add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until well combined.
4. Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan per pancake. Sprinkle your choice of extras onto each. Cook until the edges get dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
5. Serve with maple syrup and butter, if desired. Makes 12 small pancakes.
Chai-Spiced Oat Shake
Swap out your coffee for this perfect-for-fall, flu-fighting smoothie.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ½ banana
- 1 cup nondairy milk, tea, or coffee
- ¼ teaspoon stevia + 1 teaspoon agave nectar (or sweetener of choice)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
- 1⁄16 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch all-spice
- Pinch cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ to 1 cup of crushed ice
Steps:
1. Add oats, milk, sweeteners, and spices to a blender and blend well.
2. Add xanthan gum or pectin and blend for about a minute to incorporate. This is what will help hold everything together, so don’t leave it out!
3. Add ice and blend. If you don’t have a powerful blender, add it a little at a time.
If you’re totally over eating oats, take heart, you can still benefit out of this understated superfood.
Put an open bowl of oats in your fridge to help eliminate unpleasant odors, mix rolled oats with flour and add a bit of water and food colouring to create molding clay for your kids to play with; indulge in a do-it-yourself oats bath which could relieve itchy skin or make yourself artisanal soap. If all else fails wake up to an oats latte and make your doggie some wholesome.
It is important to note that there are many different types of oats, including instant, bran, rolled, and steel cut oats. They all taste quite different, and also have different nutritional value and cooking times. Often, steel cut oats are the most recommend for health benefits because they are loaded with more protein, iron, and fiber, thus taking longer to digest—hence making you feel full for longer. It is best to choose varieties that are less processed - to limit added sugars.
Date Published: 30 November 2022
