If oatmeal seems comforting to you right now, you’re not alone. The benefits of oatmeal were studied, and the results support the idea that it should be a regular part of your diet.
Oatmeal is not only warm and comforting, but also extremely beneficial to your health and useful in many other ways. Here are five benefits of eating oatmeal and some healthy suggestions for eating it throughout the day.
About what you should expect to find in a half cup of quick-cooking, dried oats:
150 vitality
5 grams of plant-based protein
With only 27 g of carbs,
Filling fiber content of 4 grams
minimal fatty content
Oats include a variety of vitamins and minerals, including iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and the B vitamins, but in lower concentrations than other foods.
Sodium and magnesium.1 For a dish with so little calories, it packs quite a nutritional punch. Because of all of these factors, oatmeal is a nutrient-rich food.
Oats contain polyphenol antioxidants, which are both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Polyphenols have been demonstrated to help prevent cellular aging and illness by lowering oxidative stress.
(Oxidative stress refers to a state in which there is an excessive amount of free radicals in the body relative to the body’s ability to neutralize them.
Polyphenols have been shown to have protective benefits against several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
If you’ve been avoiding oatmeal because of its high glucose content, you may be relieved to learn that this healthful carbohydrate can help you maintain a healthy weight. Oatmeal eaters have been shown to have a higher Healthy Eating Index (a rating of dietary health developed by the USDA) scores.