Did You Know That Oatmeal Can Help Control Your Cholesterol?
While oatmeal itself is definitely good for you, you can maximize its ability to lower your cholesterol by combining it with a healthy diet and exercise. Did you know that oatmeal can help get your cholesterol under control? Learn more in this article!
Oatmeal can help!
Eating oatmeal for breakfast gives you the energy and nutrients your body needs to meet the day. It is also good for controlling levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and improving the health of your heart.
In this article, we will tell you why you should add it to your diet if you have an elevated triglyceride level.
Oatmeal and cholesterol
This delicious grain – which goes well with milk, juice and in baked goods – contains a large amount of soluble fiber that reduces “bad cholesterol”.
While fiber is found in other foods such as apples, beans or apricots, the highest concentration is found in oats.
Therefore , it reduces the levels of cholesterol in your blood by daily intake. Additionally, it comes with other benefits: it supports your heart and improves your circulatory system.
It also contains other nutrients:
- Saponin helps fibers get rid of cholesterol.
- Avenanthramide does a lot for the health of your heart and prevents free radicals from accumulating (the main cause of arteriosclerosis) thanks to its antioxidant powers.
But how does oatmeal affect cholesterol?
- The process is as follows: The soluble fiber (beta-glucan) inhibits the rate of absorption of fat in the intestinal tract.
- This way it does not reach your blood and stays in your body.
Should you eat oats alone or as an ingredient?
This is a common question posed by many people who want to use oats to lower their cholesterol.
It is important to know that not all products that contain this grain will help you reach your goal.
- For example, oatmeal cookies that you find in the store also contain sugar and fat, which can aggravate your situation.
- The same goes for pre-packaged oatmeal that you find marketed to children. Be careful because these often have a very high sugar content.
Other products with oatmeal or oats are recommended as long as they do not contain other ingredients that are harmful to your health as they can help keep cholesterol levels balanced.
These include:
- Breakfast bars with oats, honey and fruit are becoming popular and can be useful. Eating one in the middle of the morning or as a snack gives you the fuel you need to get through your day.
It also helps balance blood sugar levels and helps keep your appetite under control so you do not end up just eating something.
- The best solution for many people is oatmeal. You can also get finely rolled or coarsely rolled oatmeal. The right amount is in both cases half a cup for breakfast.
To increase its effectiveness, we recommend adding a tablespoon of flaxseed. If you want to enhance the taste and avoid getting tired of it, you can also add strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.
- An oat smoothie for breakfast is also a great source of nutrients and helps reduce your cholesterol levels. You can make it with water or milk (reducing fat is best).
It is quite refreshing and filling.
Oatmeal as part of a balanced diet
No matter how you eat it, oats are a very tasty whole grain that goes well with a wide variety of other foods. Try it with yogurt or orange juice in the morning.
After being harvested and cleaned, they are boiled without removing the outer shell. This process means that the nutrients and fibers are preserved.
But we can not expect the oats to create a miracle of their own.
It is important to eat a balanced diet and reduce your consumption of fat and sugar if you want to keep track of your cholesterol.
You should know that the fat content of your blood depends on many factors.
In addition to your diet, they can accumulate due to lack of exercise, stress and sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast is not enough, although it can actually help a lot.
Oatmeal water to reduce cholesterol
This tasty cereal is suitable for many kinds of recipes. You can use it for bread, meat or vegetables, in soups, spread on salads or in sauces, etc.
And best of all, if you choose to cook it, you can also use the water after cooking!
Drinking oatmeal several times a week is an effective method to not only reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, but also blood sugar.
As if that were not enough, it is also good for weight loss and prevention of heart disease.
The boiling water from oats is rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that is great for improving bowel movement.
If you want to lose weight, this drink is very good for preventing “snack hunger” between meals, because it satiates and regulates your metabolism.
Thanks to its minerals, antioxidants and vitamins , it prevents premature cell formation, improves physical performance and keeps your body in order.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oatmeal (105 g)
- 3 cups water (750 ml)
Preparation
Always use a ratio of 1: 3 oats to water.
- Heat the water and add the oatmeal when it boils.
- Cook for a few minutes until tender.
- Drain the water and set the liquid aside.
- Once cooled, you can sweeten it with vanilla or stevia and drink it like you would drink water all day.
Now you know that oatmeal can help get your cholesterol under control. So try adding a little more of it to your diet.
