Introduction
Oats are a well – known food item. With the development of the times and the diversification of diets, many office workers, who are often in a rush in the morning and lack time to prepare a proper breakfast, have chosen oats. Oats are high – dietary and low – fat raw fiber foods. They not only help improve satiety but also have other health benefits.
Benefits of Long – term Oat Consumption
1. **Moisten the Intestinal Tract and Promote Excretion**
Many people have experienced constipation. Although it may not seem serious at first, long – term constipation can increase the burden on the intestines and damage overall health over time. Oats, which are rich in nutrients and fiber, can accelerate intestinal peristalsis, helping stools pass more smoothly. So, if you want to protect your intestinal health and avoid constipation, consuming an appropriate amount of oats is a good choice.
2. **Enhance Physical Fitness**
When we eat oats, we absorb rich vegetable protein, a large amount of fiber, and many minerals beneficial to the human body. These substances can promote body metabolism, improve the function of body organs, relieve physical deficiencies, and enhance the quality of the human body.
3. **Aid in Weight Loss**
With the diversification of nutrition and some young people’s lack of control in food choices, obesity has become a common problem. Some women take the initiative to lose weight. If the weight – loss effect is not obvious, trying oats for a period of time may be helpful. Oats are low in calories and rich in nutrition, which can help control the intake of other high – calorie foods and contribute to weight loss.
4. **Build Muscle Tissue**
Strong muscle tissue is not only beneficial for a good physical shape but also helps maintain the body’s bones and joints. Muscle tissue mainly needs protein as a nutrient element, and oats contain 15% protein. For many sports and fitness enthusiasts who usually consume protein powder, in a healthy situation, they may not need to rely solely on protein powder to supplement protein if they eat oats. Consuming oats can provide the body with enough protein, increasing resistance and preventing excessive muscle tissue loss.
5. **Improve Digestive System Diseases**
As a type of coarse grain, oats are rich in fiber, which can promote digestion and absorption after entering the body. Indigestion is easy to occur if one does not pay attention to diet. Therefore, adding a moderate amount of oats to the daily diet can reduce the burden of digestion and absorption and is beneficial for digestive health.
Two Types of Oats to Avoid
1. **Fruit Oats**
Fruit oats are popular among young people as they contain fruit, dried fruit, oats, and nuts. However, the addition of fat is mainly to attract consumers. Although the oats are not baked, they are not a low – fat food. After being gently pressed with toilet paper or blotting paper, oil stains will be left on the paper. Fruit oats have a fat content of about 20%, and their calorie content may increase with the addition of fruits or other ingredients. So, they are not suitable for people on a diet.
2. **Punch Oats**
Oat grain in punch oats contains a large amount of trans – fatty acid syrup with vegetable fat powder. When brewed in hot water, a very sticky fine paste will appear, and it will break down when exposed to high temperatures. Some bulk oat traders may substitute wheat for oats to make huge profits, resulting in people brewing wheat flour or starch, which is not good for health and has a less satisfying taste and texture despite the same satiety.
Points to Note When Choosing Oats
There are various oat products on the market. To avoid buying poor – quality oats, when purchasing, you can check the ingredients list. It is best to choose oats with simple ingredients. If the ingredients list contains white sugar, cooking oil, etc., such oats are not suitable for people with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipid. In addition to looking at the ingredients list, also pay attention to the outer packaging. It is recommended to choose opaque packaging to avoid transparent packaging that is prone to moisture. Also, pay attention to the shape of the oats. Generally, flat and complete particles indicate relatively good – quality oats. When eating oats for breakfast, pay attention to the appropriate amount and add some other ingredients to promote digestion and avoid digestive disorders.
