Oats: the properties that you should know now

In the Mediterranean, the cereal par excellence has always been wheat. To such an extent that the ancient Romans mocked the Germans by calling them “oat-eating barbarians”, for to them it was nothing more than a weed used as fodder for horses.

But oats have made their way into the southern countries. Today they take it from vegetarians or people who want to lose weight to athletes, bodybuilders and patients of many different kinds.

His cultivation began around the Caspian Sea and the plains of the Caucasus. From there it spread east to the Far East, China and India, and with the Greeks and Romans it spread to the west and north of Europe, where it found its best habitat.

In Europe, its biggest fans are undoubtedly the Scots. Their national dish, the porridge, continues to spark heated debates about the most authentic way to make it.

When thousands of Scots immigrated to the New World in the 17th century, oats traveled with them. In North America it adapted well and it was there that the company The Quaker Mill first produced rolled oats in 1876, in Ohio.

Oats properties

Nutritionally, oatmeal is not only very complete, but it far exceeds other more popular cereals, both for its protein content and healthy fats. It also provides good amounts of vitamins and minerals. If you still do not know them, take note of the following properties of oats:

healthy energy

The carbohydrate content of oats is similar to that of other seeds, around 60%. It is mostly about slow absorption polysaccharides, that provide a greater feeling of satiety after eating, and provide energy in a moderate but constant way.

Its richness in fiber (6.7%) contributes to this effect. This prevents weakness, tiredness and anxiety that lead to eating between meals and unbalancing the diet.

The cereal with the most protein

Its protein intake (13.8%) is the highest among cereals. Consuming it with a legume, cooked for example with soy milk or with lentils or beans, allows you to obtain more complete proteins.

Rich in minerals and B vitamins

A serving of 50 grams of whole oat flakes provides 25% of daily phosphorus, 20% of magnesium, 15% of iron, 50% of manganese and 22% of vitamin B1.

It also provides some potassium, calcium, selenium, silicon, copper, zinc and vitamins E, B2 and B3, as well as numerous antioxidants and anti-inflammatories such as avenanthramides.

This is how you improve your health

Everything that is known today confirms or extends some of the knowledge of popular medicine, and allows us to affirm that oats are an effective food to preserve health or help to recover it.

lower cholesterol

oats contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan. Consuming 3 g a day of it (or 75 g of flakes or 40 g of bran) lowers cholesterol in a few weeks.

It contains other beneficial substances, such as lecithin, or phytosterols such as avenasterol or betasitosterol, with proven effects on the control of LDL or “bad” cholesterol.

In addition, another benefit of oats for health is that stimulates the thyroid gland, It participates in the metabolism of fats.

Control the sugar

It stimulates the activity of the pancreas, and is a source of slow assimilation energy, and fiber. That’s why it’s recommended for non-insulin-dependent diabetics by helping to stabilize blood sugar: taking it at breakfast, for example, helps to keep this level more stable.

Protects from cancer

It is protective against some types of cancer, such as colon, breast or prostate.

Strengthens the muscles

The oatmeal are other substances that have given rise to a flourishing business. These are anabolic steroids and are chemical variants of the testosterone hormone.

To consolidate the muscles achieved with training, athletes need a certain amount of testosterone circulating in the blood. The effort makes it decrease, but the avenacosides help to recover it.

Balances the nervous system

Vitamin B1, calcium and alkaloids (indole, trigoneline or avenin) strengthen the nervous system while promote the ability to relax, concentrate and prevent mental exhaustion.

It is very digestive

many people with digestive ulcer they take porridge daily to relieve their symptoms. It is also useful in case of heartburn, gastritis, constipation (in whole grain decoction) or diarrhea (in shelled grain decoction) and flatulence.

oatmeal in the kitchen

Today it is easier to incorporate oats into the diet, since the offer of products that include it has grown a lot. In addition, oats are a very versatile ingredient, which means that we can prepare many recipes with oats.

He peeled grain It can be prepared like any other cereal. It needs pre-soaking between 2 and 3 times its volume of water. It then takes 30-40 minutes to cook.

Sautéed with a little oil and garlic until golden brown, and then cooked, it will be ready to be sautéed with vegetables, in the oriental style. Gomasio, soy sauce, tofu or some humble chickpeas go well with those improvised woks.

Once cooked and cold can be added to salads to make them more complete. To get used to its taste, it can be mixed with rice, quinoa or couscous.

The risotto, brothy and creamy, It is another highly recommended recipe. It can be cooked with soy milk and water. At the end, to thicken it more, you can add oat cream.

Oat flakes, the most practical option

Oat flakes adapt to almost any recipe, such as the most classic of the muesli for breakfast.

If you don’t want to cook them, just leave them in the fridge the night before, soaked with milk or yogurt. This way their digestion will be even easier and they will fill you up until mealtime.

You can also prepare hamburgers, Russian steaks, croquettes, batters, stuffed with vegetables or lasagna, and of course sweet recipes: pastries, pasta, creams, puddings, custards or crunchy granolas.

He instant flake It is even easier to use, but its nutritional value is much lower.

oat flour and bran

Flour does not bake as well as wheat, so it is usually used together with it in masses, for empanadas, pizza, bread, crepes, batters, fritters, as well as pastries or cookies.

The bran is used as a source of fiber and is added to fruit juices, yoghurts, mueslis, refined flour doughs, sauces or soups.

cholesterol-free milk

The milk is a ready-to-drink product, with a mildly sweet flavor, cholesterol-free and lactose-free, and with the same culinary behavior as cow’s milk, except for making yoghurt.

With it you can prepare vichyssoise, surprising croquettes and breaded to the Villeroy, lighter.

The custard, flan, fried milk or oat milk fritters are also surprising.