The Health Benefits of Oats
When most people hear the word oat, they usually picture a cow, sheep, or horse eating the oblong shaped grain out of a manger. What they don’t think about is something they, a human, would eat. The truth is that not only should people eat more oats; the oats actually provide many health benefits.
Oat bread is an excellent source of oats. When baking oat bread the bakers substitute the wheat with oats. Many diets recommend eating oat and whole grain bread when you are trying to lose weight.
A second excellent source of oats is oatmeal.
Improved Colon Health
Eating oats is an excellent way to improve the health of your digestive system, especially your bowels. Not only does eating oats help relieve constipation, many oncologist have noticed that people that eat one or two servings of oats every single day are less likely to develop bowel cancer than people who shun oats.
Improved Mental State
If you are high strung person or someone who is prone to long bouts of depression, you should really consider eating a bowl of oatmeal every single morning. After people start to eat large quantities of oats they noticed that their moods didn’t fluctuate as much and they were able to look at the world in a more optimistic light.
Lower Your Cholesterol
The biggest health benefit you will get from eating oats is that your cholesterol will be lower. The liver is responsible both for the production of cholesterol and also for releasing it into your bloodstream where it creates havoc with your heart and arteries. Eating oats is like turning a bunch of little sponges lose into your bloodstream. The beta glucan contained in oats absorb the harmful cholesterol, holding it hostage until it can be expelled from your body.
The Importance of Inositol
Oats are one of the world’s best sources of something called inositol. Inositol is important for occular and cardiovascular health. Men who eat large amounts of inositol have noticed that they are less prone to balding. Another function of inositol is maintaining the health of your cell membranes. When woman are going through menopause eating an increased amount of inositol helps maintain their estrogen level.
