Oatmeal is one of the healthiest grains out there. They are nutrient dense little grains that are easy to grow and perfect for keeping your diet healthy. Two nutrients that oatmeal has in spades, are dietary fiber and protein, both nutrients vital for your overall health. Keep reading to learn why you want to include fiber and nutrients in your diet.
Dietary Fiber
Fiber is one of the key ingredients to keeping your bodily systems running well, especially your digestive system. It normalizes your bowel movements, lowers your LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, regulates your blood sugar levels, and even helps you to lose weight. Fiber comes in two forms, soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber
Soluble fiber is dissolvable in warm water. When it dissolves it transforms into a gel like material. Soluble fiber is good at controlling your blood glucose levels and your blood cholesterol. This is the type of fiber contained in oats.
Insoluble fiber
Insoluble fiber helps food move through your digestive system. It also helps to increase the bulk of your stool which can be great for people suffering from constipation. You can find this type of fiber typically in whole wheat flour, nuts, vegetables, beans, and wheat bran.
Protein
Protein is essential for the body’s upkeep and health. It is the building block of cells, and plays a vital role in tissue damage control. This makes protein essential for any person with an active lifestyle – which is most people. Eating protein can also help you lose weight. It has the ability to boost your metabolism and increase your levels of satiety. This will reduce your hunger cravings and help you stop from overeating.
This is why eating oatmeal is one of the best things to do for your health.
