Benefits Of Oatmeal

Benefits Of Oatmeal

Benefits Of Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an excellent source for omega-3 fatty acids, iron, minerals and nutrients. Oatmeal has lot of health benefits. Oatmeal is rich source for soluble fibre which absorbs bad cholesterol in your body. Oatmeal is of different types they are ground oats, crushed oats and rolled oats. Oatmeal is preferred as breakfast to maintain healthy body and to reduce cholesterol levels.

Health benefits of oatmeal:

Immune system: Oatmeal contains beta-gluten which promotes the healthy functioning of immune system. Oatmeal fights with the bacterial infection and improves the body functioning effectively.

Diabetes: Oatmeal contain high amount of minerals which help to reduce the risk of developing the type 2 diabetes. It helps body to properly use glucose and decrease the risk.

Cancer: Oatmeal contain high amount of fibre that fight against breast cancer. Fibre that is consumed from grains has less risk of developing cancer cells.

Heart: Oatmeal plays a major role in reducing the cholesterol level. It contains anti-oxidants that prevent the formation of free radicals that effect heart. It also prevents the risk of effecting cardiovascular system.

Reduce Cholesterol: Oatmeal contain high amount of fibre called beta-glucan which reduces the bad cholesterol. High cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease whereas lower cholesterol reduces the risk.

Blood pressure: Oatmeal contain high amount of fibre that reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Women at the time of postmenopausal have tendency to increase the high blood pressure at such cases oatmeal plays a major role in reducing the risk of blood pressure.

Beauty Benefits Of Oatmeal:

Hair care: Oatmeal contains high amount of magnesium, zinc, potassium and iron. These help to strengthen the hair follicles and reduce hair fall. Nutrients present in oat promote healthy hair growth.

Skin care: Oatmeal has properties that are beneficial to skin. Oatmeal protects your skin from dryness, itchy sensation. It is used as scrub for skin and makes your skin soft and glow.

Best Benefits Of Oatmeal

Oatmeal breakfast is very healthy for your health. A bowl of oatmeal has numerous health benefits both on your body, skin and hair. The grain comes in many forms namely steel cut oats, oat groats and Scottish oats to name a few which are vary in texture and taste but are filled with health benefits.

Oatmeal is most commonly consumed in the form of a sweet or salty porridge in the houses but after many researches nutritional and health benefits of oatmeal has made people have it for breakfast on a regular basis. Lets have a look at the health benefits of oatmeal.

High fiber content makes oatmeals make it a fiber food meal. The soluble fiber of oatmeals balances cholesterol levels. It helps reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and maintains HDL (good cholesterol) levels in the body therefore reducing chances of heart diseases.

The insoluble fiber content of oatmeal is an anti- cancer agent. Cancer fighting properties are due its ability to reduce toxicity by attacking bile acids in the body. Bowel related cancers are also prevented as the insoluble fiber of oatmeal absorbs water which increases the transit of food to the bowels.

Vitamins: Iron, vitamin B and E, selenium and zinc provides nutrition to the body and increases memory. Beta glucan is a bio-defense modifier i.e, it boosts the immune system.

Phytochemicals: In oats help fight hormonal diseases like breast, prostate and ovarian cancer among women.

Fiber in oatmeal helps prevent constipation, digestive problems and is healthy for diabetic patients as the soluble fiber controls the blood glucose levels of diabetic patients. It also helps in weight loss.

The lubricating fats in oats acts as a great moisturizer and makes a protective layer over the skin to fight UV rays.

Health benefits of oatmeal is not just limited to body. Oat face pack is good to clear acne problems and keep the skin clean form blemishes and pimples. Oatmeal bath is found effective to cure neurodermatitis, a skin disease which makes the skin itchy and inflamed.

As oats are good for dry skin, it is also good hair care. Applying oatmeal on hair clears the scalp, cleans dandruff problems and makes the hair soft and strong. A natural moisturizer for hair. This grain is found in every house kitchen worldwide and is good for all ages due to the nutritional and health benefits of oatmeal. 

In addition to its benefits, the grain is sugar- free, low in calories and sodium which makes it a must have fiber food meal for heart patients and diet conscious people. Prefer buying whole grains and not refined/ processed ones to enjoy all the health benefits of oatmeal.

Acne: If you are a acne-addled teenager and you’d rather eat a Pop-Tart, don’t toss out the oatmeal mom tries to make you eat for breakfast. Instead, let it cool, then spread it over your problem skin. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then rinse. This folk remedy has some sound logic, according to the Livestrong Foundation. Oatmeal can absorb and remove oil and bacteria from skin, and exfoliates dead skin cells, all of which can combat acne. Honey and tea tree oil are also helpful additives.

General skin problems: You can also make oatmeal soap or an oatmeal scrub (and, of course, pricey commercial oatmeal skin products are also available) for tackling other skin problems. One option is to grind two tablespoons of oatmeal into a powder in a blender. Then add one teaspoon of baking soda and enough water to make a thick paste. Spread on a clean, dry face and rinse off after 10 minutes. We recommend doing a patch test first, as your skin could be sensitive to the baking soda.

Exhaustion: Oatmeal isn’t just good for ailing skin. You can make a soothing and rejuvenating facial mask right in your own kitchen. The Reader’s Digest book “Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things” offers the following recipe: Mix 1/2 cup hot water with 1/3 cup oatmeal for two or three minutes, then add two tablespoons each plain yogurt and honey, plus one egg white. Spread thinly on the face, then relax for 10 minutes and rinse with warm water.

Stress: You don’t need to get chicken pox to have an excuse for an oatmeal bath. The Daily Green suggests adding a cup of milk, two cups of oats and a tablespoon of honey to the bath to moisturize the skin and relax the body. You could also use scented oils in a ground oatmeal pouch, as described in the chicken pox remedy above.

Natural Cleanser:

Oats contain natural cleansers called saponins that can remove dirt and oil from the pores without causing irritation, thus leaving behind soft and silky skin as well as reducing pore size. Instead of facial scrubs, oatmeal can form part of your skincare regimen as it is effective in getting rid of dead skin cells that build up in the pores. 

Oats can be soaked in water to prepare oat milk which is a natural toner and cleanser. You can store this milk in a bottle in your fridge and apply it on your face with a cotton pad after face wash to smoothen and soften your  skin. Oat bran bath is also effective in cleansing your skin and pores. Place ½ cup of oat groans or rolled oats in some cloth and tie it to make a small bag. Place it in your bath tub and press the bag until the oatmeal milk comes out. This can be used on your body or face instead of soap for mild scrubbing.

Skin Protection:

The proteins in oatmeal help in maintaining the skin’s natural barrier function and protect your skin from harsh chemicals as well as skin conditions like eczema, rosacea and rashes. The lubricating fats in oats are a great moisturizer that makes a protective layer over the skin to fight UV rays. In this way oatmeal helps in relieving symptoms of ageing skin.

Skin Protection Tips

Oats: Hair Benefits

Oats are good for hair as well. When applied topically, they can make your hair soft and strong. Some of the ways in which oats can be beneficial for your hair are as follows.

Treatment of Dry and Itchy Scalp:

As stated earlier, oats are beneficial for dry skin and the same goes for hair care as well. Being a natural moisturizer, it can be applied on hair to get rid of dryness and itchiness and make your hair soft and shiny. It is often used as an ingredient in shampoos.

Treatment of Dandruff:

Oatmeal can be combined with other ingredients and applied on your hair before shampooing to get rid of dandruff.

Dirty Hair: Oatmeal can cleanse hair as well as skin.

The Livestrong Foundation also recommends making an oatmeal-based dry shampoo, ideal for bedridden patients or anyone running too late for a proper shower. Again, commercial options are available, but the homemade version costs pennies. Just grind oatmeal into a powder and mix with an equal amount of baking soda. Rub into the hair and let it soak up oils and odors, then brush out.

Excess Weight: Health magazine says there is nutritional science behind that feeling of fullness after a bowl of oatmeal. Oat flour has more fiber than wheat and other flours, so cooking with oat flour delivers more “fullness” with fewer calories.

Low Endurance: Studies have shown that oats can help fuel muscles during a workout. So eat some oatmeal about three hours before your next run or bike ride and enjoy the time-release benefits of this fiber-rich complex carbohydrate.

Preventative Medicine: To be sure, we’re not suggesting oatmeal is the cure for cancer. However, a study in the International Journal of Epidemiology suggested that premenopausal women can reduce their risk of breast cancer up to 41 percent by focusing on diets rich in oatmeal and other whole grains.

Oats: Skin Benefits

Apart from consumption, wild oats have an important role to play in skincare. They were used as early as 2000 BC by the Egyptians and Arabians to beautify their skins. Oat baths were largely used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for healing skin ailments. Some of the benefits of oats for skin are as follows.

Treatment of Acne:

Cooked oatmeal is a great natural remedy for treating acne. For this purpose, boil some oatmeal till it softens and let it cool for 15 minutes. Apply it on the affected area and rinse off after 10 minutes. This will absorb and remove excess oil and bacteria from your skin and exfoliate dead skin cells, thus helping to combat acne.

Removes Dryness:

Oats are effective in fighting dull, flaky dryness as they contain polisaccharides, which become gelatinous in water, thus forming a fine protective film when applied on skin. Besides, this cereal is effective in addressing dry skin symptoms like itchiness, rashes, scales, peeling etc. To get rid of dryness you can make a facial mask by mixing a smashed banana with a cup of ground oatmeal and adding some lukewarm milk. Stir it properly to make it smooth and apply it all over your face for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with cold water. This will help in replenishing the skin moisture, thus keeping it soft and hydrated.

Skin Moisturizer:

It acts as a natural moisturizer by removing the dead skin cells. It contains beta-glucan that forms a fine film on your skin as well as penetrates deep into the skin to provide much needed deep moisturizing to your skin. Besides, it enhances wound healing and shallow abrasions and improves collagen deposition and activation of immune cells within the skin. You can add a cup of milk, two cups of oats and a tablespoon of honey to moisturize your skin as well as relax your body.

Relieves Itchiness:

Oats have anti-inflammatory properties and are suitable for all skin types. They are clinically effective in healing dry and itchy skin. Oats ground into powder are known as colloidal oatmeal. This powder can be mixed with warm water to form a thick paste and applied over itchy skin to get immediate relief form intense itching. An oatmeal bath is also effective in healing a number of skin conditions including dry itchy skin. Thus, oatmeal can be used in curing neurodermatitis, a skin disease characterized by itchy or inflamed skin.

Skin Lightening:

Oats are known for their skin lightening effects as well as improving the skin tone and texture and smoothing out blotchy areas. It is increasingly used in cosmetology in various skin care products such as body scrubs, soaps, exfoliation creams and general body lotions of reputed brands.

Treatment of Poison Ivy or Chicken Pox:

Oatmeal has been used for thousands of years for treating eczema, poison ivy, insect bites and skin infections due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-itch properties. For relieving the itchiness caused by poison ivy or chicken pox or even sunburn, grind oats or oat flour into a fine powder and pour it into a cheese cloth. Tie it around the bath tub faucet and squeeze out water periodically to have a tepid bath. You can also rub the pouch on the itchy skin.

Thicken soups, stews and dips: Runny dips are not exactly a health crisis, but they can be a party foul. Solve the problem with some ground oats or oat flour.

Fix crumbling meatloaf or veggie burgers: Similarly, oats are a healthier and heartier alternative to bread crumbs for binding burgers, meatloaf, meatballs and more.

Stinky fridge: Just as it absorbs skin oils and hair odors, oatmeal can absorb odors in fridges or bathrooms. Just leave an open container of oats in the fridge or other smelly spot.

Smelly ashtrays: Another odor-neutralizing trick is to line ashtrays with oats and absorb some cigarette smells.

Bored children: Finally, anyone who has left oatmeal in a bowl overnight can attest that it becomes hard and crusty, not unlike clay. Users on CafeMom, a parenting clearinghouse, recommend mixing two parts oatmeal with one part flour and one part water, and a few drops of food coloring, if desired. The resulting substitute for Play-Doh can be molded into virtually any shape, and painted once dry.

Removes Excess Oil and Dirt:

Being a natural cleanser, it clears the scalp by removing excess sebum, oil and dirt accumulated in the scalp.

Combats Hair Loss:

Hair loss can occur due to a number of reasons such as alopecia, harsh chemical treatments, hormonal imbalance or unhealthy lifestyle. Malnutrition, that is deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals, is the most common cause of hair loss. Oats contain high amounts of zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium that promote hair growth.  A meal comprising of oats, berries and pumpkin is a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin A as well as other nutrients. Vitamin C prevents scurvy, a disease that can also cause hair loss. Vitamin A, on the other hand, promotes hair development and maintenance.

Great for Blond Hair:

Ground oats can be an excellent dry shampoo for blond haired beauties. All you need to do is rub some ground oats over your scalp and brush out excess oats with a boar bristle brush.

Tips for Usage (Eating/Cooking):

Oats are quite versatile and can be eaten both in cooked or raw form. Uncooked oats are rather difficult to chew and cooking softens them. Alternatively, you can achieve a softer texture by soaking a cup of raw oatmeal in two cups of water and leaving it for 2 hours. This raw oatmeal can be blended in a blender along with water and consumed. Given below are other tips for eating and cooking oats.

Steel-cut Oats: Considered most suitable for breakfast, these are basically whole oat groans that have been steamed and cut into pieces. These non-flattened, steel cut oats are coarse and so they can be soaked overnight in hot water and cooked in the morning to make a pearly, chewy whole-grain breakfast. They can also be blended in a blender and are the most nutritious of oats.

Rolled Oats or Muesli: Muesli is basically rolled oats that have been soaked in milk whole night. These are quite easy to prepare and are extremely nutritious and delicious.

Instant Oats: These are widely available in stores in small packets and are considered the least nutritious due to sugar and additives. They have a flour-like consistency and have been heavily processed, steamed, rolled, dehydrated and toasted. Being easy to blend, they can be cooked in a minute or two. Always prefer plain instant oats as the flavored ones have a high content of sugar. Moreover, plain oats have added nutrients as they have been stripped of their original nutrients.

Oatmeal Bread: Prepared form oat flour, oatmeal bread is extremely nutritious and as good as regular toast. You can try making oatmeal bread at home.

Oatmeal Cookies: These yummy cookies are a perfect combination of taste and nutrition. They can be consumed with peanut butter or chocolate bits and make for a filling snack. They are a favorite of kids.

Oatbran: This is basically ground oats with the husk still attached. It is difficult to digest and should be soaked before use. These are generally added to smoothies and are very fibrous and nutritious.

Cooking: Cooked oats are relatively sweeter than the uncooked ones. Different varieties of oats require different cooking methods and take different duration to cook. Rolled oats take approximately 15 minutes whereas steel cut oats can be cooked in about 30 minutes. Oat groats, being harder, require more time and water and can be cooked in 50 minutes. The best way is to add oats to cold water and simmer. Moreover, they can form part of many dishes.

Filling Meal or Snack: Oats can be added to your smoothies or green smoothie to make a filling meal or snack.

Nutritious Breakfast: A piping hot bowl of oatmeal with fruits and nuts can be a tasty and nutritious breakfast.

As a Soup Thickening Agent: Oat flour can be used instead of corn flour to thicken sauces and soups. It can be added while the soup is being heated so that it becomes thick. Breadcrumbs can be replaced with oats.

Coating for Tofu: It can be used as a coating for tofu. Tofu can be dipped in milk and then in oatmeal and fried to make it more crispy.

Making of Pancakes or Porridge: Oatmeal can be used to make pancakes or porridge. For this purpose, you can soak your porridge oats in the fridge overnight and eat your porridge the next day straightaway.

As a Sprinkling Agent on Cereals: Oat bran can be sprinkled on your hot or cold cereal.

Making of Bread, Pastas or Muffins: You can use whole oats or oat flour to make bread or muffins. Being extremely flexible, oats can replace fast and processed food and can be easily used in making pastas, muffins and croissants.

Hence, oatmeal is a super food and can be a nutritious choice for all meals as well as snacks. Moreover, due to its nutty taste it can even be eaten raw without any adverse effects.