Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Gluten Free Oats

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Gluten Free Oats

The New Year has arrived, and with the cooler winter months comes the desire for something warm and filling – how about some oats? Gluten free oats make for a healthy snack or meal and offer a ton of health benefits to keep your energy levels up. Check it out:

Fuels your Body

Oats provide 66 grams of carbs per 100 gram serving, which means you are getting a lot of fuel for your day. Before discounting oats due to the high carb content, consider the dietary fiber it also offers – which helps ensure cardiovascular health.

Controls Blood Sugar

Gluten free oats contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which helps you maintain a blood sugar level by slowing down the body’s absorption of sugars while digesting – especially important for avoiding the development of, or improve the management of Type II Diabetes. Beta-glucan can also boost your immune system by helping it find the source of infection more quickly.

Helps Your Heart & Circulatory System

Soluble fiber, found in oats, helps lower total cholesterol levels, leading to a healthier heart and circulatory system. Meanwhile, the antioxidants limit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which prevents it from penetrating the blood vessel walls to cut down on plaque build-up. Drinking some orange juice or taking a Vitamin C supplement with your oats can help to boost this benefit.,/p>

Keeps You Full

By slowing digestion and ensuring a regular amount of the appetite control hormone Peptide Y-Y, gluten free oats can help you feel fuller, longer. Studies have shown that oatmeal is one of the highest-rated foods for “satiety” – the feeling of being full. If you are looking to start your day with energy and a full feeling to last you until lunch, look no further. Buying gluten free oats, as opposed to any type of oats, ensures that it is a gluten-free variety, which is easier to digest – particularly if you have a gluten intolerance or allergy. You can find the same varieties of gluten free oats as regular oats, such as quick oats, rolled oats, or steel-cut oats. Ground oat flour can also be used as a substitute for regular flour in some recipes.