Choosing healthy breakfast is important thing we should do to cover all the activities and maintain brain function whole day. Having oatmeal on breakfast is one of best option that you may take. Oats are known as cereal grain or the seed of grass plant family. Oats plant belong to Poaceae, or Germinae family. Sometimes people mistaken oats wit wheat and rye but they are totally different. Unlike those plants, oats has a husk which covering the seeds.
Oats Characteristic
The husk of oats used to be removed from oats before it can be consumed. Sometime the husk also added to the oats product or instant oats to higher the fiber contents. Oats has such a nutty flavor and pale white brownish color. Traditional oats which we found today contains whole grain of oats that is rich in fiber, vitamin, minerals and other phytonutrients. Below are the list of oats nutrients.
|
Potential Value |
Gram/% Daily Value |
|
Calories |
607 |
|
Total Fat |
11 g/ |
|
Saturated fat |
1.9 g/9% |
|
Polyunsaturated fat |
4 g |
|
Monounsaturated fat |
3.4 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
3 g |
|
Potassium |
669 mg / |
|
Total Carbohydrate |
103 g/ |
|
Dietary fiber |
17 g/ |
|
Protein |
26 g/53% |
|
Vitamin A |
0% |
|
Calcium |
8% |
|
Vitamin D |
0% |
|
Vitamin B-12 |
0% |
|
Vitamin C |
0% |
|
Iron |
41% |
|
Vitamin B-6 |
10% |
|
Magnesium |
69% |
Why Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats means oats which is soaked overnight usually in a liquid such as milk or yogurt. Having overnight oats will give you many health benefits of oats and other advantage such as :
- Save your time in the morning. Overnight oats is ready to serve so you don’t need to take more time to
- prepare breakfast in the morning before go to work or doing other activities.
- Easier to digest. Overnight oats make it easier to digest because the protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients has been broken down
- You can add or modify it into many other dish such as making muffin, bread or other. They are easy to process
- It is more tastier then instant oatmeal and the taste just like lovely dessert.
Health Benefits of Overnight Oats
Overnight oats is easier to consume and process. They also give many benefits to healts. Below are the list of health benefits of overnight oats :
1. Prevent coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in United State. Dietary fiber or known as beta-glucan in oats can lower the risk of coronary heart disease by keeping healthy cardiovascular function and lowering bad fat which may promotes heart disease
2. Reduce the risk of atherosclerosis
Soluble fiber in oats also prevent the development of atherosclerosis. It block cholesterol and LDl to enter the blood vessel wall and causing thickening of arteries. Consuming overnight oats regularly is the best option to keep your health arteries and other cardiovascular organs.
3. Help to lose weight
This is one of the most wanted benefits that people want to achieve. Obese and overweight people are suggested to consume overnight oats to prevent hunger and make them feel full during the day. A study reported that consuming 5-30 g of soluble or insoluble fiber per day can effectively reduce hunger and pro- weight losses that last for up to 52 weeks. Another study show that individuals who ate less than 6 grams dietary fiber/1000 kcal weighed 8 lbs. more than those who consumed more than 11g dietary fiber/1000 kcal. Overnight oats contains both soluble fiber and insoluble fiber in high level.
4. Reduce cholesterol
LDL or Low density lipoprotein contains the highest concentration of cholesterol which can damages blood vessels because of its tendency to infiltrate and accumulate within arterial walls.S tudies reported that overnight oats consumption can reduce LDL level without affecting HDL or High Density lipoprotein which is known as good fat.
5. Prevent diabetes
Health Benefits of Overnight Oats could prevent diabetes problems. According to some studies, soluble fibers contained in oats can enhance insulin sensitivity and has protective effect against diabetes. Overnight oats can reduce the risk of diabetes and delay diabetes onset.
6. Maintain healthy blood pressure
Hypertension or high blood pressure caused by the increasing of LDL level in blood and the thickening of blood arteries. Overnight oats can reduce the LDL level and lower the blood pressure into its normal level. Avenanthramides in soaked oats can help to maintain healthy endothelial function that play important role in the vasodilation process or widening of blood vessel which result in lower blood pressure
7. Provide energy
Overnight oats is high in carbohydrate and protein which is enough to keep your energy level during the day and it improves your stamina along the morning.
8. Promotes healthy digestion
Consuming overnight oats means you add some more worthy fiber into your digestion tract which can help the bowel movement and increase the intestine function in absorb the nutrients.
9. Fight inflammation
Oats especially which is soaked overnight contain anti-inflammation properties called avenanthramides that can suppress histamin production. Histamin is a protein which induce certain inflammation process and trigger pain in the body.
10. Prevent cancer
High level antioxidant is the answer why overnight oats can prevent cancer. Cancer is a nightmare for most people since there is no effective cure until today. Cancer happen caused by free radical effect which damage DNA and it causing the cell growth abnormally. Overnight oats is abundant it antioxidant which can protect your body from free radical damage.
11. Maintain healthy skin
Not only contains high fiber, overnight oats also contain many great nutrients such as Vitamin E or tocopherol that can keep healthy and beautiful skin. Vitamin E is also a strong antioxidant which can protect cell from aging and dullness. You can also use overnight oats as face mask cause it has purify effect and can help to clean the face skin.
12. Promotes hair growth
By promotes absorption on digestion tract especially intestine, oats also help the body to transfer more nutrients in all part of the body such as hair. If hair roots gain more nutrients they can grow well and strong
13. Protect digestion system
Soaked oats can passes digestion tract easily and help to add bulk into your stool. Insoluble fiber in overnight oats also improve bowel movement through large intestines. By improving the digestion tract function it also protect the digestion tract lining from infection.
14. Prevent constipation
Overnight oats rich in soluble fiber can protect the intestines lines and guard the defecation process. The fiber also help the bowel move into large intestine easier so it can prevent you from constipation.
15. Relieve diarrhea
Diarrhea happen when the stool contains more water due to the disturbed function of large intestines. Eating overnight oats can help large intestine to absorb the water from stool and the fiber can add more bulk to the stool.
16. Prevent anemia
Not only high in fiber, overnight oats also contains amounts of iron which can help to prevent anemia (a condition where the body lack of red blood cell). Anemia occur when the body lack of iron since iron play important role in the formation of red blood cells.
17. Strengthen bones
Calcium is mineral which used to composed bones and teeth. Overnight oats contains calcium which can protect bones from losing their mass and prevent osteoporosis.
18. Improve immune system
High antioxidant content of soaked oats can help the function of immune system in preventing many disease. Antioxidant is known as one best factor to fight inflammation and damage of body organ. It also strengthen the effect of certain cells in reduce the infection of bacteria and other pathogenic substance
19. Reduce the risk of hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids or bleeding which occur by the damage of blood vessel around anus. Fiber in overnight oats can lower the risk of hemorrhoids because it can soften the stool texture and make it easier to be wasted from the body
21. Prevent irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is common digestive disorder that happen in large intestine. Overnight oats can improve the large intestine function and protect it from disorder or other pathogen which may cause damage.
22. Protect kidney
Health Benefits of Overnight Oats could protect kidney problems. Oatmeal is good for kidney disease patient. It can lower blood pressure which effecting the kidney health and function. Study reported that soaked oatmeal can reduce the toxic that accumulated in the kidney and prevent gallstone development.
23. Maintain muscle function
Overnight oats is very high in protein and contain amino acid which are the main building block of muscle. Consuming overnight oats in the morning can enhance your muscle strength and fitness
24. Keeping healthy brain function
Protein and antioxidant contained in overnight oats can help to maintain healthy brain cells and improve concentration. If you are a student or worker that need more concentration in the morning, soaked oats is best choice.
Health Risk of Overnigt Oatmeal
Even allergy to oats is rare, some people may develop allergic reaction after consuming oatmeal. Oatmeal contains protein such as albumin, prolamins and glutenin that may trigger allergy in some people. The liquid which is used to soak the oats also can induce reaction or intolerance especially milk.
How to Make Overnight Oats
If you want to try consuming overnight oats, you can try this recipe :
Ingredients :
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1 cup milk (it can be sweetened or non-sweetened)
- cinnamon (optional)
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- Other ingredients such as berry, vanilla extract, banana or other
Directions :
- Place all ingredients in a container ( jar or bowl ), stir and cover it
- Put it in fridge for a night long and consume it in the morning. You can add more toppings such as banana slice, berry, nut, apple and anything you like.
Just try to make the recipe and soak your oatmeal with your favorite ingredients and get the benefits.