Cheap superfood; oats and oatmeal

Oatmeal porridge used to be eaten a lot. It is made from oats. It nourished well and it contains many good substances. Nowadays oatmeal is no longer so trendy. Which is strange, because oats do not contain gluten, which is very good for people who suffer from celiac disease. Oats also have a very good effect on the immune system.

Oats: the good properties and cholesterol lowering

Oats have many beneficial properties that have great health benefits. Oats, for example, contain unique soluble dietary fibers that lower cholesterol. These beta-glucans are soluble fibers that absorb a lot of moisture in the intestines. In passing they also bind cholesterol, bile salts and fatty acids. Due to this binding of cholesterol, the cholesterol level in the blood falls, and in particular the unfavorable LDL cholesterol level. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has also confirmed that this is really the case. These unique soluble dietary fibers also ensure that food digestion and the functioning of the immune system are promoted. Oats also contain a relatively large number of oils. These are mainly unsaturated fatty acids that reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Oats also contain proteins and starch that are digested slowly and completely. This ensures that someone is not hungry for a long time after eating oats

Of course there are still people who eat oatmeal porridge. You can also make porridge from the raw oatmeal with, for example, yogurt, milk or almond or soy milk. That is a very good and healthy breakfast that also gives someone energy for a long time. But oatmeal can be used in more ways. You can use oatmeal in:

Oats can also be used as a full-fledged main ingredient of a meal. For example, it is an important part of the Scottish Haggis. This is a sheep's stomach filled with pieces of heart, lung, liver, suet, oatmeal and herbs. The skirlie, a hearty porridge with onions, herbs and meatballs ties it all together.

Oatmeal is very high in protein, so it also fits very well in a vegetarian diet.

Oats belong to the grass family. It has been cultivated for nearly 10,000 years. Oats were an important crop on Dutch sandy soils until the late Middle Ages. At that time, oats were eaten by people and made oatcakes, gruel and oat soup. It was also used for animal feed back then. It was also used to brew beer at that time. In 2014, approximately 1,700 hectares of oats are still cultivated in the Netherlands per hectare. This yields approximately 4,700 kilos of oats per hectare.

The oat grain is in a non-digestible oat shell or oat husk. The oat grains are removed in a hulling mill. This is followed by oat bran, the endosperm that consists of 60 percent starch, 15 percent protein and 5 to 15 percent oil. This also leaves the germ that contains many vitamins, minerals and proteins.

Gluten are proteins that occur naturally in many grains. This protein contains proteins that provide elasticity in products made from flour such as bread. When baking bread, the gluten is responsible for retaining the carbon dioxide released in the dough. This can cause it to rise. Pure oats do not contain gluten. Therefore it is not possible to make bread from oats only.

Celiac disease is a disease in which people can tolerate gluten. They show a violent reaction to the gliadin present in gluten. They always have stomach pains, diarrhea or constipation.

You can not only make breakfast from oatmeal, you can also make balls with spinach, lentils, eggs and grated cheese, for example. Tuna burgers can also be made from 2 cans of tuna with 50 grams of oatmeal, chopped parsley, lemon juice, mayonnaise, capers and oatmeal for breading. Mix well, then wallow in the oatmeal and bake or grill.

Oatmeal has a lot of soluble fiber. They swell up in the stomach and that means that you feel full for a long time. Those who start with an oatmeal breakfast can count on a morning without hunger. In addition, the carbohydrates are absorbed very slowly. This means that there is no rapid change in your blood sugar level. The energy is slowly released into the blood. It would also improve insulin sensitivity.

Oats are gluten free. So people who want to consume as little gluten as possible can safely take oats. But someone with true celiac disease still has to be careful with the grain. This is because oats are almost always processed in mills and factories that also process other gluten-containing grains. Or they are stored in depots where other grains are also stored. Only if it says on the packaging that it is truly gluten-free, can someone with celiac disease take oats.

A bowl of oatmeal, made from 6 tablespoons (30 grams) of oatmeal with 250 ml of water, provides only 115 kcal. If you take milk instead of water, you should count 230 Kcal for the same bowl of oatmeal. Two sandwiches with butter and ham and a glass of orange juice are good for 360 Kcal.

Oatmeal contains antioxidants in the form of polyphenols. These are antioxidants that are also found in red wine, onions and tea. They protect against external influences.

Oatmeal is not really very special in taste. But you can add anything to make it even healthier and tastier. For example, use;

Making a quick bowl of oatmeal is a piece of cake. Boil milk or water and then add a few tablespoons of oatmeal. Let it boil for a few minutes and then let it stand for a while and it is ready. It will be on the table within 5 minutes. If you want to add something, then do that afterwards and eat.