Did you know about the importance of choosing the right type of oats? These small but mighty grains have been associated with numerous health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, improving blood sugar levels and reducing blood pressure.
However, not all oats are made equal, and some ultra-processed varieties found in supermarkets may lack these beneficial nutrients. Epidemiologist and co-founder of the health app Zoe, Professor Tim Spector, took to Instagram to answer a question he frequently gets asked: are oats healthy?
Oats are a whole grain - also known avena sativa - and are amongst the healthiest grains you can find. But choosing the wrong one could mean you're missing out on a bunch of nutrients.
Professor Spector clarified: "Are oats healthy or not? It's a question I often get asked, and it depends on your own body, how you respond to sugars, and it also depends on which ones you pick. So you've got sachets of highly refined ground-up 'instant' oats that you can make just in a few minutes. And you've got the bran with a huge difference in fibre, which means they have a different effect on your body."
According to the doctor who penned the Food For Life cookbook, research indicates that consuming enough oats can lower your blood cholesterol, reported the Express. However, he cautioned: "You do have to eat a lot of oats to do that. It's because they contain beta glucan, which ends up lining your intestines to stop those lipids, those blood fats, getting into the system rapidly."
In an Instagram post, he further stressed that the type of oats you select can significantly influence their impact on your health: "For gut health, I would recommend higher fibre options such as oat bran (approximately 16g of fibre per 100g), or whole rolled oats (10g fibre per 100g)."
He argued that these are superior to refined 'instant' oats, which contain less fibre (3g fibre per 100g) and are absorbed more quickly, potentially leading to a larger blood sugar response. Tim further explained: "Of course, you can always add extra fat, fibre and protein via your porridge toppings to help mitigate this and slow your blood sugar response, like adding a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a mix of different seeds to your porridge during cooking (which also provides some plant points towards your 30 [plants] a week).
"Beta glucan in oats can help reduce blood cholesterol but again, the type of oats you choose matters. While instant oats only contain around 4g of beta glucan per 100g, oat bran contains up to 10g/100g."
The health expert wrapped up by saying: "The final note on this is if you eat oats regularly and it's accessible to you, I would recommend choosing organic oats as studies have found oats contain five to 10 times more glyphosate [a pesticide] than other grains."
Whole oats are high in antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols. Most notable is a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, which are almost solely found in oats. These can help dilate blood vessels with the production of nitric oxide, according to Healthline.
Avenanthramides also have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects. Oats are also rich in prebiotic fibres which can help stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial gut bacteria, while slowing down the growth of less desirable strains of bacteria. In turn, the production of good gut bacteria can help the gut function properly.
Registered nutrition Nicola Shubrook explained for BBC Good Food that oats may help with a range of health concerns, including may help with weight management, minimise belly fat, support digestive function, and even help to fight against cancer.
