It's a good thing medical experts recommend oatmeal as a healthy breakfast—there's so much you can do with a container of oats. You can enjoy them warm, soak them overnight, bake them into bars or muffins, or even blend them into a waffle batter. Yet besides such delicious versatility, why exactly do health experts recommend oatmeal as a go-to morning meal? How does a simple bowl of oats affect your long-term health? Here's what the science says about consuming oatmeal on a regular basis.
Oats are a great source of fiber, a carbohydrate that the body cannot digest. Because fiber slows down digestion, you won't feel as hungry for a longer period, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eating fiber-rich foods helps avoid spikes and dips in your blood sugar levels while reducing feelings of hunger. "Having oats for breakfast or incorporated into different foods as meals and snacks is a great way to give the meal more staying power and help you feel fuller for longer," says Maggie Michalczyk, RDN. According to the USDA's FoodData Central, 1 cup of cooked oatmeal contains 4 grams of fiber, which is 16% of the recommended daily value.
You'll Have an Easier Time in the Bathroom
"Oats contain a special type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan," says Michalczyk. "Beta-glucan forms a gel-like consistency in the gut and helps to keep things moving in your digestive tract and keep you regular." This helps with bulking up your stool, making it easier for your bowel movement later. Plus, pairing your oatmeal with sources of insoluble fiber—like unpeeled sliced apples, nuts or blackberries—can also help keep things moving in your digestive tract and make things easier in the bathroom later.
Starting your morning with a bowl of oats can benefit your heart health in more ways than one. Because of the fiber content, oatmeal can help lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels and even lower high blood pressure—all of which play a significant role in minimizing risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Your Gut Bacteria Will Thrive
Oatmeal is also a prebiotic food, which feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Maintaining healthy gut bacteria—also known as your gut microbiome—will benefit your body's immune system, improve your mood and digestion, and help to ward off diseases. A 2021 systematic review published in the Journal of Nutrition found a link between oat consumption and increasing beneficial bacterial groups within one's gut, making it a gut-friendly and heart-healthy breakfast. "Incorporating a wide variety of plant foods like oats is also beneficial for gut diversity, which is another important aspect of gut health," says Michalczyk.
You'll Manage Your Weight Easier
Along with these positive benefits, research shows this popular breakfast can even support weight-loss and weight-management efforts. According to a 2021 review published in Foods, oat beta-glucan has positive effects on hyperglycemia, lowering blood lipid levels and reducing weight. "The fiber content of oatmeal is filling and satiating, which in turn can help with eating fewer calories throughout the day and managing your weight," says Michalczyk. "Beta-glucan may also promote the release of peptide YY, a hormone produced in the gut that helps with satiety."
The Bottom Line
Oatmeal's high fiber content and prebiotic qualities may benefit your body in more ways than one. Making oatmeal a regular part of your menu can potentially lower your disease risk, help your gut health thrive, make bowel movements easier and keep you feeling fuller for longer. If you're ready to start your morning with a bowl of oats, try our Cinnamon-Roll Overnight Oats.
Because of the fiber content, oatmeal can help lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels and even lower high blood pressure—all of which play a significant role in minimizing risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Studies show that oats and oatmeal have many health benefits. These include weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and a reduced risk of heart disease. Oats are among the healthiest grains on earth. They're a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of important vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
This amounts to about one cup of cooked oatmeal. Eating a serving of oatmeal regularly is one way to help increase your fiber intake. Fiber has been linked to better digestion, heart health, and weight management. While it's OK to eat a serving of oatmeal every day, it is best to stick to rolled or steel-cut oats.
Oatmeal is a great breakfast choice if you have high blood pressure, but oat bran can provide even more health benefits, since it's higher in fiber, which can help to lower blood pressure and improve digestive health. Oatmeal also contains soluble fiber, which has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.
Oats can cause gas and bloating. To minimize side effects, start with a low dose and increase slowly to the desired amount. Your body will get used to oat bran and the side effects will likely go away.
Foods with a high glycemic index cause more rapid spikes in blood sugar, while foods lower on the glycemic index provide a slower release of energy and can help stabilize blood sugar ( 11 ). For this reason, steel-cut or rolled oats may be the best choice to support better blood sugar control.
Rather, the science overwhelmingly shows that oats can be beneficial for your health in many ways. One line of reasoning used to argue oats aren't healthy is that eating them can lead to spikes in blood sugar (glucose). This seems to be linked to the rising use of glucose monitors by people who don't have diabetes.
Oats are a prebiotic food and the beta-glucan fiber helps feed the good bacteria. The fiber helps to keep you full for hours by slowing down digestion AND contributes to keeping bowel movements regular. A healthy gut decreases the risk for disease and inflammation.
Whatever you do, steer clear of the worst offenders: dried fruit with added sugars, like Craisins or dried pineapple. "These are almost always made with added sugar, if not also an artificial sweetener, says Pennsylvania-based RD Gina Consalvo. "Always choose a fresh fruit instead." Need hard proof?
To follow this 7-day diet, people start off with eating just oatmeal for all three meals of the day for the first two days, followed by eating oatmeal for at least two meals of the day for the next two days. Finally, dieters consume oatmeal for just one meal of the day for the remaining three days.
Just like rolled oats and steel cut oats, instant oatmeal is a nutrient-dense whole grain with many health benefits. Instant oats are a good source of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They also deliver a good amount of protein and fat.
The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include bananas, apples, pears, apricots, grapes, raisins, kiwis, mangoes, watermelon, pomegranate, plums, prunes, avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, tomatoes, citrus fruit, berries, and more.
Oatmeal contains a soluble fiber called beta-glucan that can help improve insulin response and possibly reduce blood sugar too. People with type 2 diabetes may find that incorporating oatmeal into their diet helps them manage their blood sugar levels, as long as they do not add extra sugar to the dish.
Ground oatmeal can work as an exfoliant, sloughing away dirt, oil, and dead skin cells. It can moisturize, and reduce inflammation, meaning people often use it as a home remedy for dry, itchy, or irritated skin. Doctors typically recommend that people use colloidal oatmeal for their skin.
For a 2,000-calorie diet, you can have up to 6 ounces of oatmeal to meet your daily recommended grain requirements. Some people prefer to skip breakfast, but a warm bowl of oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon can be a wonderful start to the day. Oats nutrition is generally balanced.
There is no particular time to eat oats. You can consume the oats at lunch and dinner too. This cereal, however, is consumed in breakfast mostly. It contains fiber, magnesium, complex carbohydrates, etc, which help in keeping your tummy full for a longer time, thus, reducing overeating.
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