Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There is no better way to start your day than with a steaming bowl of freshly cooked oatmeal to gain the strength and energy to carry you through a hectic morning schedule. Oatmeal keeps you full for long in the morning and provides essential nutrients to meet your nutritional needs. Oats, known scientifically as Avena sativa, is a cereal food that is generally considered to be very soothing for the nerves. A species of cereal grain grown for its seed, they are mainly consumed in the form of oatmeal and rolled oats.

Oats are packed with magnesium, selenium, Vitamin E, zinc, potassium, iron and protein. Oatmeal and oat bran are significant sources of dietary fiber which contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. Soluble and insoluble fibers are the two types of dietary fibers important for good health. Soluble fiber found in oats is beta-glucans, which has proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol. Only oats have a high amount of fiber beta glucan compared to whole wheat or rice. The beneficial health effects of oats are best if half to one cup (1½-3 ounces) of oats is eaten every day. One study found that the 1/10th ounce (3 grams) of soluble fiber from this amount of oatmeal decreased total cholesterol by approximately 2%. New research has also discovered that the antioxidants called avenanthramides, found in oats reduce cholesterol by reducing the ability of blood cells to stick to the inside of artery walls, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fiber is also necessary in keeping bowel movements regular. Insoluble fiber in oats helps in relieving constipation.

Studies also show that beta-glucan has beneficial effects in diabetes as well. Type 2 diabetes patients given foods high in this type of oat fiber or given oatmeal or oat bran rich foods experienced much lower rise in blood sugar compared to those who were given white rice or bread. Starting out your day with a blood sugar stabilizing food such as oats makes easier to keep blood sugar levels under control for rest of the day, especially when the rest of your day is also supported with nourishing fiber-rich foods.

Eating a serving of whole grains, such as oats, at least 6 times a week is also good for postmenopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Oats and other whole grains are a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor in enzymes, involved in the body’s use of glucose and insulin secretion.

In addition to its fiber benefits, oats are also a very good source of selenium. A necessary cofactor of the important antioxidant, glutathione peroxidase, selenium works with vitamin E in numerous vital antioxidant systems throughout the body. In addition, selenium is involved in DNA repair and is associated with a reduced risk for cancer, especially colon cancer.

It is recommended that all adults eat half their grains as whole grains – that is at least 3 servings of whole grains such as oats and whole wheat a day. To increase intake of oat products, try the following:

Have a bowl of oatmeal in milk with nuts as breakfast
Add oat flour or whole oats when you make breads and muffins and idlis.
Sprinkle oat bran on cereals or salads