Whether you used to eat oats or never got into oats in the first place, you’re missing out! And with gut health becoming more and more of a health concern lately, there’s even more reason why you should be including oats in your diet. Oats are nutritional powerhouses. They contain healthy unsaturated fats, protein, dietary fibers, disease-fighting phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals. However, the one nutrient that really makes oats stand out is fiber. Because 𝛽-glucan is a soluble fiber, it also helps to get things moving in your digestive system and add bulk to your stools. Basically, eating oatmeal is a great way to fight constipation or “keep you regular.” Not to mention, oats have also been shown to potentially have anti-cancer properties2, thanks to 𝛽-glucan, particularly for colon cancer. In other gut studies, patients with ulcerative colitis who consumed oat bran daily (60 g/day) experienced a significant decrease in abdominal pain or reflux over the course of 12 weeks. Oats have also consistently shown to be well-tolerated in patients with celiac disease5 or other inflammatory bowel disorders (up to 100 g/day). One question remains: Can eating oats reduce gut inflammation? Despite the clear connection between oats and gut health, the jury is still out on whether oats have an impact on decreasing gut inflammation6. So far, researchers have not been able to find a definitive connection between oat consumption and inflammation. Research shows that oats may improve immunity, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, improve insulin sensitivity, and they’re definitely good for your waistline7—out of 38 different foods in a study on satiety, participants ranked oats No. 3 overall in terms of satiety and fullness, and No. 1 in the breakfast food category. In addition to the ones already mentioned, here’s an outline of some additional benefits of oats: Just like with the numerous benefits, there are endless ways to enjoy oats. There are many food products that are oat-based, so check the labels and just be sure that they don’t contain too much added sugars (which can happen with processed foods, particularly the breakfast products). Oats don’t have to be just for breakfast! You can enjoy oat-based products as a lunch or dinner. Don’t be afraid to get creative in the kitchen either. Here are some ideas to get you started: Her research achievements have been honored by awards from several groups including the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Psychological Association, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Eating Disorders Association. She also maintains a blog, Food Junkie, with Psychology Today.
