BENEFITS OF OATMEAL Cooked Hot Oatmeal for Breakfast or Baked Oats into Muffins, Oats are Good for You! You may think a steaming hot bowl of oatmeal is just breakfast for kids or Grandma, but oatmeal is one of the healthiest foods you can eat, just packed with health benefits including lowering your cholesterol and reducing your risk of heart disease.

Oatmeal is made from ground oat groats—oat grains that have been hulled and steamed—and there are several different types of oatmeal:

• Steel-cut oats are usually roasted and cut into small pieces by large steel blades, and more traditional, quicker-cooking rolled oats are first steamed then flattened to make whole oat flakes.

• Instant oatmeal is pre-cooked and dried, and often contains sweeteners and other flavor additives.

• European porridge, or Scotch Oats, is made from steel-cut and has a nuttier, chewier taste and texture than standard oatmeal.

• Rolled oats are often used as an ingredient in various cereals such as granola and muesli as well as in oatmeal cookies.

Researchers believe that the fiber in whole grains such as oatmeal is what makes it so healthy.  Fiber comes in two forms, soluble and insoluble.  Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material, while insoluble fiber absorbs water; both kinds are food in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  The American Dietetic Association recommends that adults consume 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day.  According to The American Cancer Society here are some more reasons why oatmeal is good for you:

• Insoluble fiber’s cancer-fighting properties are due to the fact that it attaches bile acids, making them less toxic.
• Soluble fiber may reduce LDL, or bad, cholesterol without lowering HDL, or good cholesterol.
• Research shows that people who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease.
• The phytochemicals in oats and oatmeal may also help reduce the risk of developing cancer.
• Oats are a good source of nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese, and magnesium.  And oatmeal is also a good source of protein.

Cooking rolled and steel-cut oats, which are much better for you than instant oatmeal as they contain more fiber and nutrients, is simple.  Just add one part oats to two parts water and boil.  Steel-cut oats can take up to 30 minutes to cook, while rolled oats are done in 15 minutes (quick oats cook even faster and are still better for you than instant oatmeal).

Many people add milk or soymilk to oatmeal, a good way to get more calcium into your diet along with fiber, and sweet toppings such as brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup are also popular.  Dried fruit including currants, raisins, and dried cranberries, blueberries, and cherries as well as chopped nuts or pumpkin seeds also make delicious oatmeal toppings.  Adding flavorings such as cinnamon and even a touch of cocoa will also spice up your breakfast!

If you really don’t like oatmeal, you can still get its many health benefits.  Just add rolled oats to your favorite chocolate chip cookie or bar recipe, or try oatmeal or oat bran muffins, oatmeal pancakes, or eat cold cereal made with oats.  And if you just don’t have time to cook oatmeal on busy weekday mornings, try cooking it overnight in a rice or slow cooker.  There are plenty of oatmeal recipes out there to make you an oatmeal lover, and you’ll be that much healthier to boot.

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Article Written By: Julie Mitchell; Julie is an accomplished writer from San Francisco who loves ballet, yoga, walking, cooking and reading. Her experience as a wife and mother of two lend to her articles and blogs for DivaVillage.com and VillageMAMA.com in the areas of wellness, fitness, beauty, parenting and food.