Seniors are required to have some nutritional food. Some seniors tend to face difficulty in choosing the best food for breakfast or even for lunch and dinner.
They have several reasons, such as difficulty in chewing and swallowing certain type of food. As a result, these conditions put the seniors at a higher risk of having poor quality of life.
One of the example of drink suitable for seniors is cashew milk. Check all the 6 Important Health Benefits of Cashew Milk for Seniors.
Choosing the best food for seniors is very essential to maintain their life quality. One of the best food choices is oatmeal. It is easy to prepare and it does not cost a lot of money.
Besides, it has tons of health benefits, especially for seniors. Oatmeal also has 5 Potential Health Benefits of Oatmeal for Toddlers, that’s why oatmeal is suitable for everyone. Let’s see the benefits of consuming oatmeal for seniors.
- Reducing Blood Pressure
Seniors tend to have high blood pressure, and it might lead to something serious, such as stroke and heart attack. Nobody wants to get that, including the seniors. Oatmeal is one of the food seniors can consume to reduce the blood pressure.
Consuming oatmeal is reported as effective as taking anti-hypertensive medication to lower the blood pressure. This result is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
You can also consider consuming garlic for lowering blood pressure as elaborated in Health Benefits of Garlic for High Blood Pressure That Should be Known.
- Controlling Weight
Oatmeal will be able to assist the weight loss program. It helps to control your weight. A research study published in the October 2009’s “Molecular Nutrition and Food Research” showed that oatmeal is known as beta-glucan which helps reduce appetite by increasing the hormone cholecystokinin, the hunger-fighting hormone.
Banana is also a good fruit aiding weight loss and it is safe for everyone, including the seniors. Find more about it in 5 Wonderful Health Benefits of Banana for Weight Loss with Tips.
- Stabilizing Blood Sugar
People tend to have “sugar crash” after having a big meal or sugary breakfast. However, when seniors have oatmeal, they won’t have that anymore.
Oatmeal has high soluble fiber content and as a result, the sugar is released more slowly into the blood stream. Seniors can consider consuming steel cut oats as it has more effect on stabilizing your blood sugar than the instant ones.
They are less processed and also have more soluble fiber. As it takes longer to digest, then the seniors will feel full longer!
By having the blood sugar stabilized, people will also be able to avoid the risk of getting diabetes. Read more about 5 Important Health Benefits of Beetroot for Diabetes. This fruit is amazing!
- Reducing Cholesterol
As stated before, oatmeal has soluble fiber. Being compared to other grains, oatmeal has the highest portion of soluble fiber. High soluble fiber helps the seniors’ intestinal tract to trap more substances associated with blood cholesterol. There are some studies showing that only by eating 3 g of soluble fiber per day will be able to reduce the total cholesterol by 8% to 23%.
If you’re diagnosed having high cholesterol, you can consider eating beet too. Let these 4 Health Benefits of Beet for Cholesterol with Cautions tell you more!
- Lowering the Risk of Colon Cancer
Cancer is one of the most chronic diseases and it may possibly attack seniors too. Colon cancer is an example of the most common cancers experienced by people. It is very painful and horrible! Get to know the 16 Symptoms of Colon Cancer in Men and Women too!
There is a study conducted by researchers in British and the Netherlands, showing that there was a link between people who ate a high fiber diet (such as whole grains and cereals like oats) to the lower risk of getting colon cancer.
- Rich in Antioxidants
Oats, specifically whole oats, are high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which are beneficial plant compounds. The most famous compound is called avenanthramides, which are found solely in oats.
Avenanthramides are helpful to lower the blood pressure levels by increasing the nitric oxide production. This gas is in charge in dilating blood vessels and as a result, it will lead to better blood flow. Besides, avenanthramides are also rich in anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects.
You have seen all the 6 incredible health benefits of consuming oatmeal for seniors. You can also see these 7 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Oatmeal for Breakfast with Tips.
Then, you can start considering to give your mom, dad, or grandma, grandpa and even yourself oatmeal as their breakfast! They are incredibly healthy!