The Benefits of Oatmeal

There are few foods as complete and versatile as oatmeal. Add the benefits of oatmeal to your diet and use different preparation methods so you won't get bored of it.

The many benefits of oatmeal are easy to incorporate into your day-to-day routine. We’ll explore how oatmeal is crucial to staying healthy, by analyzing the main benefits of oatmeal.

Rich in B vitamins

One of the many benefits of oatmeal is that it’s packed with B vitamins. More specifically, it contains vitamins B1, B2, B5, and B6. Below are the benefits of each type of vitamin that we have listed and their main characteristics:

• B1. Also known as thiamine, vitamin B1 plays an instrumental role in the function of the musculoskeletal system. What’s more, it’s also responsible for your body’s glucose metabolism.
• B2. Vitamin B2’s main function is to break down fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It also provides your body with energy.
• B5. Vitamin B5 keeps your hair healthy and helps keep your stress levels under control. It’s common for people with arthritis or arthrosis to take vitamin B5 supplements, since they also help to relieve pain.
• B6. Vitamin B6 prevents heart disease and helps to preserve your memory. It also regulates hormones and reduces menstrual cramps.

Contains essential amino acids

Amino acids are crucial to anyone’s diet. This is because your body doesn’t produce them naturally, meaning that food is the only way to absorb them. There are 10 different essential amino acids. The most common ones you might have heard about are: leucine, lysine, and threonine.

You should eat small amounts of foods containing essential amino acids, such as oatmeal–daily. Doing so is important; otherwise, you can experience fatigue, muscle weakness, and be prone to illness. Along with oatmeal, eggs and dairy products, legumes are also rich in essential amino acids.

Rich in fiber

One of the main benefits of oatmeal is that it’s packed with fiber. There are 10 grams of this powerful nutrient in every 100 grams of oatmeal. Fiber is essential for your body’s proper functioning and specifically, your digestive system.

It’s also good for those who experience occasional constipation. It’s a natural and simple way to address this issue. What’s more, fiber is key to maintaining your gut flora and aiding your digestion.

Benefits of oatmeal: iron and calcium

Did you know that a cup of oatmeal contains 36 per cent of your daily recommended amount of calcium? Best of all, oat milk doesn’t contain lactose, making it ideal for those who are lactose intolerant. Calcium should be instrumental in your diet, since it helps maintain your skeletal system.

In addition, oatmeal is rich in iron and therefore helps to prevent conditions such as, anemia. Foods high in iron are also important for your circulatory system. Without iron, your body can’t produce hemoglobin. This means it wouldn’t be able to carry oxygen and distribute it throughout your body.

Rich in unsaturated fat

Unsaturated fat is also known as, the good fat. To follow a healthy diet, you should replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats, whenever possible. Doing so will decrease your cholesterol levels while increasing your so-called, good cholesterol.

In addition to oatmeal, there are other food groups that are rich in unsaturated fat. Some examples include: dried fruit, fish, and sunflower oil. All of these foods show that not all fat is bad and that your body needs them to function properly.