Oats as a “fitness meal”; today’s need

Oats are supremely beneficial to those who follow fitness regime or have physically demanding work. Oats are overwhelmingly nutritious food filled with important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are extremely rich in fiber and protein compared to other cereal products. Oats contain some unique components-specifically, the soluble fiber beta-glucan and antioxidants called avenanthramides. Since oats can feel heavy and take a while to digest, it’s best to reserve this snack for when we have more than an hour for digestion before a workout.

What is an oat meal?

Oatmeal refers to a preparation of oats that have been de-husked, steamed and flattened, or else a coarse flour made of hulled oat grains.

What is the difference between oats and oatmeal?

Oats refer to whole grain oats which are cylindrical in shape and are in raw and unprocessed form. Oatmeal is typically rolled oats and is cut thinly so that they can be cooked within a few minutes.

Any type of oats — like steel-cut or whole — can provide a good pre-workout meal. The low in calorie in food, oats are a good combination of carbs, fiber, proteins, minerals and vitamins. Oats can be consumed in various forms: with milk or water, cooked in the form of roti or included in your salads. 40 grams of oats offers around 7 grams of protein. Adding oats to our diet is a great way to easily boost our protein intake. Oat requires lesser nutrients (N-Sodium, P-Phosphorus and K-Potassium) to cultivate than that required for wheat or maize. Since oat requires more moisture to produce a given unit of dry matter than all other cereals except rice, it grows well in cool and moist climate. Oat is predominantly grown in American and European countries, mainly Russia, Canada and United States of America. It is used mostly for animal feeding and to some extent as human food. The use of oat as animal feed has declined steadily owing to emerging use and interest in oats as human health food.

Nutritional value of oats over other cereal crops

Which oat to eat?

There are 8 main forms of oats:

Whole Oat Groats
Steel Cut / Irish Oats
Scottish Oats
Rolled / Old-Fashioned Oats
Quick Oats
Instant Oats
Oat Bran
Oat Flour

Steel cut or whole oats are most preferred as fitness diets out of other oats.

Advantages of “Steel cut oats” on fitness and health:

Steel cut oats contain β-glucan, a viscous, soluble fiber that slows the movement of food through the digestive tract and helps you feel fuller after eating. Foods that help people feel fuller longer may benefit people who are trying to lose weight and help them avoid overeating.
The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in steel cut oats can provide important health benefits. For example, the fiber in them helps to lower cholesterol and move food efficiently through the digestive tract. Fiber may also enhance immune function.
Steel cut oats are also rich in iron and B vitamins, both of which improve energy levels. Also, it can provide other health benefits such as controls diabetes.

Advantages of “whole oats” on fitness and health:

Whole grain helps in improving bowel movements and intestinal tract cleansing due to its dietary fiber. This process is facilitated by the bran in the whole grain kernel.
It may reduce asthma development.
Chances are of improving the immune system.
Reduce bad cholesterol.

Oats every day?

The benefits of eating oats every day is that it will lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels in our body. Also protects the skin against the irritation. Reduces constipation. Oats are very filling to the body and contains properties that help in weight loss.

Possible side effects of oats on health:

Oats is most likely to cause bloating and intestinal gas if consumed a lot at once.
Chances of constipation.
Causes weight gain if not careful enough, such as adding toppings like chocolate chips, sugar and sweet items for a pleasing taste might cause weight gain.

How to overcome these possible side effects?

one should start with a low dose and increase slowly to the desired amount, the body gets used to the oats this way and possibly the side effect is prevented.
Also, it is most preferred to increase the fluid by 8 ounces per 5 grams of fiber. This way the bloating can be reduced as well as the chances of constipation.
Toppings that do not cause weight gain should be used such as walnuts, flaxseeds, raisins and chia seeds.

Writer: Anu Pathak (Student, Bsc. Ag IAAS Paklihawa Campus)