Oats & Health
Oats are one of the most natural, healthiest foods around. Porridge Oats and Oatmeal are 100% natural with no added sugar, salt or additives. They are naturally low in calories too - an average bowl of porridge made with water is only 171 calories.
Oatmeal
and porridge oats are two of the few whole-grain foods that come
out of the package as 100 percent whole grain. 'Wholegrain' refers to
the entire edible part of the grain, which includes the germ, endosperm
and nutrient-rich bran. Refined grains are lower in fibre and other nutrients
because the bran and germ are typically removed.
Health experts have shown oats to have many benefits including:
prolonged
energy release - Oats have a high content of complex carbohydrates
and soluble fibre, so they release their energy slowly. A bowl of porridge
for breakfast should provide you with all the energy your body needs until
lunch time.
oats can
help to lower cholesterol, and may help to reduce the risk of heart
disease, when taken as part of a low fat diet. Cholesterol is a fatty
substance produced by the liver and other cells in the body, which is
used to breakdown and digest fat. Cholesterol also comes from dairy products,
beef, poultry and seafood. When the body has more cholesterol than it
needs, cholesterol levels in the blood can rise, and over time, may damage
or clog the arteries. Oats act like tiny sponges, actually soaking up
cholesterol and carrying it out of the bloodstream.
oats contain
one of the highest levels of soluble fibre found in any cereal,
which is essential for healthy digestion. Scientists have also
shown that soluble fibre can help to maintain a healthy heart, when eaten
as part of a low fat diet.
oats contain
folic acid which is essential for healthy foetal development.
oats can
help to reduce the risk of diabetes.
Hamlyns
Scottish Oatmeal contains around 65% starch, an incredibly important
and easily digestible form of nourishment, particularly for small children.
besides
containing around 13% protein, oats and oatmeal contain a large
number of the necessary vitamins and minerals for healthy growth
including calcium, zinc, iron, manganese, thiamine and vitamins B1 and
E. All that in an oat!
And on a final note, the longest living British man on record, David Henderson from Montrose in Scotland, who died in 1998 at the age of 109, attributed his age and good health to hard work and a daily bowl of porridge!