When it comes to oatmeal, most of my friends know that choosing pure oatmeal is healthier, that is, the word “oatmeal” in the Ingredients list is absolutely right. .
But there are several types of plain oatmeal, raw oatmeal, quick-cooking oatmeal, instant oatmeal, and even instant oatmeal isn’t all the same. Wrong choice and wrong food, blood sugar soaring and fat people, this is the truth that most people don’t know, this article systematically discusses this topic.
One, oatmeal nutrition is better than other cereals
Oatmeal has much higher beta-glucans than other cereals, such as wheat and rye. β-glucan can absorb water and swell, delay gastric emptying, increase satiety, promote intestinal peristalsis and the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, slow down the absorption of glucose and cholesterol into the blood, and help control blood sugar and blood lipids .
The European Union Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recognized as early as 2011 that “oat beta-glucan can reduce postprandial blood glucose response”, as long as 30 grams of carbohydrates are consumed per meal This effect can be achieved by ingesting 4 grams of oat beta-glucan. [1]
Blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, so the US FDA approved the health claim of “Oat beta-glucan reduces the risk of coronary heart disease”,< strong>When the beta-glucan of oatmeal is ≥4% and the total dietary fiber content is ≥10%, this claim can be used on the product packaging. [2]
To achieve the corresponding health goals, it is enough to consume ≥3 grams of beta-glucan per day, that is, if the beta-glucan content of the oatmeal you buy is exactly 4% , then you must eat at least 75 grams a day to reduce blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
In addition, oatmeal is rich in lysine that other oatmeal lacks, which makes it an excellent protein among common grains, so it is recommended to choose pure oatmeal.
Second, instant oatmeal is least recommended
▲Photo: Source Photo Network
Instant oatmeal, also known as no-cook oatmeal, is steamed and baked in the pre-processing process, and it is almost cooked, and it is squeezed very thin , First cut the oatmeal into several sections and then press the oatmeal, it will still be very finely crushed or even have fine powder, so that the exposed starch has a large contact area with the water, so it will be cooked immediately after boiling water or wait two or three minutes. It is very convenient to eat.
Convenience is convenient, but nutrition is almost meaningless, because:
Shearing and squeezing will cut the macromolecular β-glucan into small size, and the viscosity of oatmeal will be low[3], which not only makes the stomach empty quickly, but also has weak satiety. The ability to block the absorption of cholesterol and glucose into the blood is also weak.
In addition, finely ground oatmeal has a large contact area with digestive enzymes, which can be digested quickly and blood sugar rises quickly, so Instant oatmeal porridge has a glycemic index (GI) of 79 [4] This is higher than rice porridge (GI of 69), and it is a proper high GI food.
Instant oatmeal has so much sugar, you didn’t expect it. Blood sugar rises and falls quickly, and it is easy to eat too much energy from hunger, which is not conducive to weight control.
Compared to instant oatmeal, Quick-cooking oats are thicker and more compact, boil in a pot of water for 3-5 minutes Or microwave on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, which is also more convenient.
The porridge it cooks has a slightly lower GI (72)[5], and it is still a high GI food, so it is not the best recommendation.
▲Photo: Instant oatmeal on the left, quick-cooking oatmeal on the right
I recommend raw oatmeal over instant oatmeal and quick-cooking oatmeal.
The oats are washed, dried, and flaked to obtain raw oatmeal, which contains intact germ, bran and endosperm. It is cooked in about 20 minutes and has a GI of only 50-55. It is a low GI food, which is most suitable for friends who want to control blood sugar and lipids and have time.
▲Picture: Raw oatmeal on the left, quick-cooked oatmeal on the right
▲Picture: Raw oatmeal on the left, raw black oatmeal on the right
However, it needs to be frozen after unpacking, because lipase is not heat inactivated and easily oxidized.
Third, choose the right instant oatmeal to eat right, convenient and healthy
▲Photo: Source Photo Network
Although I know that raw oatmeal is the healthiest, but time does not allow it, what should I do? Doing the following 3 points will be able to “have both your fish and bear’s paw”, which is convenient and healthy.
1. Choose a more complete tablet
I compared 5 types of instant oatmeal, Quaker and West Wheat are all crushed, while Suige, Zhizhi and Hema are all smooth, as shown in the picture.
▲Picture: Comparison of 5 Instant Oatmeal Tablets
2. Imported oats are better
This is because the raw material of imported oatmeal is husk oatmeal, and the raw material of domestic oatmeal is naked oatmeal, and the study found that the beta-glucan of hulled oatmeal is significantly higher than that of naked oatmeal Flakes[6], Hema is naked oatmeal, and sago and Quaker are too finely chopped. After such a comprehensive analysis, Suige and Intelligence are more worthy of recommendation.
3. Pair with foods rich in protein and dietary fiber
Although instant oatmeal has a high GI, it is matched with vegetables rich in protein, meat, eggs, milk, beans, and dietary fiber, which can make the blood sugar after meals more stable, so if you are used to eating it for breakfast Oatmeal, It is recommended that you make it with milk, and add 1 egg and 1 handful of cherry tomatoes, so you can eat it with confidence.
Today’s interaction: Share the delicious way to eat oatmeal, and leave a message if you have any doubts about oatmeal.
References:
[1] EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to beta-glucans from oats and barley and maintenance of normal blood LDL- cholesterol concentrations (ID 1236, 1299), increase in satiety leading to a reduction in energy intake (ID 851, 852), reduction of post-prandial glycaemic responses (ID 821, 824), and “digestive function” (ID 850) pursuant to to Article 13 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA J. 2011, 9, 2207. https:https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2207
[2] Gong Yuyuan, Feng Yuan, Wang Xiaolong, et al. Effects of processing methods on nutritional components and functional properties of oat products [J]. Chinese Journal of Cereals and Oils, 2020, 35(9):7 .
[3]MathewsR, Kamil A, Chu Y. Global review of heart health claims for oat beta-glucan products. Nutr Rev. 2020 Aug 1;78(Suppl 1):78-97. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz069. PMID: 32728751.
[4] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Vol. 1 [M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018:324
[5] Tosh, S., & Chu, Y. (2015). Systematic review of the effect of processing of whole-grain oat cereals on glycaemic response. British Journal of Nutrition, 114 (8), 1256-1262. doi:10.1017/S0007114515002895
[6] Che Tiantian. Comparative study on nutrition, gelatinization and flavor properties of peeled oat flakes and naked oat flakes. Northwest A&F University.