Oats are a type of cereal native to Central Asia and began to be cultivated in Europe around 3000 BC, during the Bronze Age. It is a cereal and as such, it contains complex carbohydrates that help our body to have enough energy to take advantage of the rest of the nutrients. In addition, oatmeal is famous for being a great source of fiber, as is the case with whole grains.
Have you ever wondered if oats make you fat or lose weight? Many people include oatmeal in their diets to lose weight. For that reason, this time we tell you everything about the properties, benefits, nutritional value and calories of oatmeal, so that you can incorporate all the benefits of its flakes into your diet in an intelligent way. Read on and find out everything you need to know about this cereal!
Nutritional value and calories of oatmeal
First of all, it is necessary to talk about the nutritional value of oats, as well as their calories, to understand how much of the daily portions of nutrients that we need we can take advantage of the consumption of this whole grain. In this sense, every 100 grams of oats contain:
- 361 calories
- 2 grams of carbohydrates
- 6 grams of protein
- 1 grams of fat
- 6 gr in fibers
- 4mg sodium
- 355mg potassium
Keep in mind that the recommended daily calorie intake will be different for each individual. If, for example, a person exercises 4 times a week, he will need more calories than a person who only exercises once a week. Depending on how many calories and carbohydrates you want to consume according to your diet, you will know the amount of oatmeal that you can incorporate into it.
Later I will talk about the benefits of oatmeal, so you can discover all the properties of oatmeal that can help you have healthy digestion and lose weight.
Does oatmeal lose weight?
All cereals, more if they are whole grains, contain essential vitamins and minerals for the body. Foods like oatmeal are called whole grains because they retain much of their bran and germ, while refined grains lose it. Thanks to this, when you consume oatmeal or other whole grains, gastric emptying is delayed and they generate greater satiety. This means that you will need to consume less of them to feel full, helping you lose weight.
On the other hand, oatmeal is used in diets to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) because it has the ability to produce mucilage in the stomach that “drags” fat with it. Thanks to this, the intestine does not absorb all the fats and they are eliminated, instead, by fecal matter.
In addition, this mucilage will stay longer in the stomach, helping the oats provide a greater feeling of satiety. Now, does oatmeal lose weight? If we consume it correctly, yes. Especially if we choose to prepare oat bran, instead of rolled oats, since the former contains more fiber. Keep in mind that eating too much oatmeal can cause stomach upset, so it is important to take care of the recommended daily dose.
On the other hand, oatmeal is a better choice for breakfast than dinner. As we have seen, the nutritional value of oatmeal tells us that it contains rich protein content, so the body will digest it better in the morning than at night.
Is eating oatmeal fattening?
As we have seen, oatmeal is very nutritious and generates satiety. For this reason, it is better not to consume it at night, since it requires more digestion time and can be heavy when sleeping. It would be advisable to go to bed without having a stomach that is too full. If digestion does not take place before going to sleep, it is likely that the calories consumed are stored as reserves, transforming into fat. In this way, eating oatmeal makes you fat, or can make you fat, because of the carbohydrates it contains, since they have the potential to stay in the stomach without being burned overnight. The same applies if you wonder if, instead, eating oatmeal with milk makes you fat.
Instead, eating oatmeal in the morning will make us burn carbohydrates throughout the day. Oatmeal is one of those foods that make us feel full of energy, so if you want to improve your performance in the morning and throughout the day, having oatmeal for breakfast is an excellent option.
Is oat bran fattening?
Oatmeal, being a whole grain, retains much of its bran. It is there where most of its nutrients are stored, so if you want to take advantage of them, oat bran will benefit you. However, it is also true that oat bran contains more carbohydrates, so in excessive amounts, oat bran can make you fat.
The most important thing is to take care of the quantities and ensure that we are consuming a healthy diet, beyond oatmeal. The daily diet must be balanced throughout the day.
What is oatmeal for?
The benefits of oats, as well as the properties of oats, are many and varied. They are an excellent antioxidant and help us prevent diseases such as colon cancer. Some of them are:
- Its fiber content helps reduce the absorption of carbohydrates. This helps people with diabetes control their blood glucose level.
- Fiber also helps people who suffer from constipation, as it speeds up intestinal transit. This increased transit is also very good because it helps fight colon cancer.
- By forming mucilage in the stomach, oatmeal helps reduce the absorption of LDL or “bad” cholesterol as it is commonly known. Therefore, it is also very good for the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- It is a source of manganese, an element that is concentrated in the bones, liver, pancreas and brain, helping to activate enzymes so that the body can function properly.
- Contains avenanthramides, a type of antioxidant. Antioxidants are good because they fight free radicals, which slow down the oxidation of cells. Thanks to this, including oats in the diet can help prevent cancer.
Oatmeal water for weight loss
Much is heard about oatmeal water to lose weight and many people wonder if it works or not more than other ways of consuming oatmeal. First, we need to clarify what oat water really is.
Oat water is prepared by soaking raw oats in water overnight. Then, that water must be discarded and the oats washed twice in distilled water, in order to remove traces of physic acid (harmful to health). The oats are then blended with water in a blender. The result is the drink known as oat water.
This recipe can give us the benefits of oatmeal that we have mentioned above, including weight loss benefits. Some people think that oat water is prepared by soaking the oats and drinking the resulting water. The nutrients in the oatmeal won’t leach out into the water when you do this. Instead, people could be consuming physic acid, a substance that can block the absorption of important minerals for the body, as well as cause bone loss.
The most important thing is not to try to replace the consumption of other foods necessary for the body with oatmeal water. Healthy eating and a balanced diet will always be the key to bringing the body to an ideal and healthy weight.
