Is Oat Good For Weight Loss? - Dietitian Ayesha Nasir

Oats are among the yummiest grains on earth, with surprising health benefits. They are gluten-free whole grains and a perfect source of antioxidants, minerals, fibers, and vitamins but is oat good for weight loss? According to a 2021 review published in Foods, oat-beta gluten positively affects hypoglycemia, which helps in reducing blood lipid levels and weight.

Oat-based meals are popular breakfast options around the globe, including in the U.S., Finland, and Switzerland. The healthy mixture of fiber, protein, and complex carbs makes it a fantastic diet for weight loss. Besides, oats are rich in nutrients, including zinc, fiber, and magnesium. All such nutrients control cholesterol levels in the body and lead to better gut health.

Oatmeal has many health benefits, as it can help lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels, and promote digestive health.

So, oatmeal is a healthy diet as it makes people feel full by decreasing sugar spikes and insulin. All these properties and health benefits make oats a nutritious diet, especially if you want to lose weight and maintain blood glucose levels.

Key Takeaways

Eating oatmeal regularly can help in weight loss as oats contain soluble fiber, keeping you full for a longer time.
There are several types of oats, but rolled oats and steel-cut oats are the most nutritious and healthy for your diet.
Avoid instant oatmeal or processed oatmeal as they contain too much sugar and have few health benefits.
You must eat oatmeal more often to control your insulin level and blood sugar levels stable.
Oats contain dietary fiber and may boost your immune system.

If you are still wondering if oat flour is good for weight loss, then here’s good news for you; yes, oats are a healthy breakfast option as they contain fewer calories. You can eat plain oatmeal, rolled oats, or cooked oatmeal, as oat is a healthy food and must be a significant part of your diet.

However, if you want a proper diet plan to lose weight, you should visit the nutritionist in lahore for weight loss to get a personalized diet plan according to your body’s needs.

What are Oats and Oatmeal?

The scientific name of this wholegrain meal is Avena Sativa.

Oat groats are a whole, intact form of oats and take considerable time to cook. That’s why; rolled oats, steel-cut oats, and crushed oats are famous among people. Overnight oats are advantageous, but instant (quick) oats are considered highly processed. They are instant to cook with a mushy texture.

If you want to know if oat and milk are good for weight loss, then yes, because you can cook oats in milk or water, as it all depends on you. You can add fresh fruit, chia seeds, nut butter, maple syrup, and brown sugar to double the taste of oatmeal and make it wholegrain cereal. Oats are also included in cookies, muffins, granola bars, and other baked items.

9 Health Benefits of Eating Oats and Oatmeal

The healthy mixture of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates makes oats a healthy breakfast choice globally. If you want to know if Quaker white oats are good for weight loss, then let us inform you that half a cup of old-fashioned Quaker oats contains 150 calories, 3 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of proteins, and 1 gram of naturally occurring sugar to control your blood sugar level.

Here are some health benefits of eating oatmeal you all should know.

1- Provide a Steller Source of Fiber

You can consume a recommended amount of fiber by eating oatmeal daily. According to research findings from the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, men under 50 should eat 38grams oats a day, especially when trying to lose weight. Whereas women under the age of 50 should aim at consuming 25 grams of oats a day to maintain a healthy life.

Moreover, eating a diet that contains multiple sources of fiber and whole grains protects against cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer.

2- Blank Canvas of Healthy Topping

Your healthy morning should start with a well-balanced diet. Hence, adding healthy toppings, including dried fruits, nuts (like walnuts and almonds), chia seed, flax seed, nut butter, peanut butter, and fresh fruits in oats enhance the taste and make it more health-giving. You can be creative with your toppings but ensure they don’t contain excess sugar.

3- Support Digestive Health

The fiber in oats is advantageous for your overall health and contributes to a well-functioning digestive system. Amazingly, oats are the best source of insoluble fiber and contain soluble fiber to promote regularity. The soluble fiber fills you up immediately by interacting with the fluids available in your digestive tract.

It takes up space in your stomach, which satisfies your hunger for longer. Besides, they help feed healthy gut bacteria for a healthful microbiome.

4- Control Cholesterol Levels

The availability of soluble fiber in oats controls cholesterol levels in the body. That’s why; eating one, or half a bowl of oats can lower your cholesterol level by 5% to 8%. Hence, oats must be a crucial part of your daily meal plan.

Eating them in the morning is preferable for the surprising weight loss benefits. Generally, oats are considered one of the main parts of diet plans, but most people consider it a complete meal.

5- Reduce Belly Fat

No doubt, every other person wants to know whether wheat oat is good for weight loss. So, another win for oatmeal is that it reduces visceral fat and decreases the risk of heart disease by protecting blood vessels.

If you have type-2 diabetes, you should also eat oats as they decrease blood sugar and lipid. Oats also contain zinc and are imperative for a healthy immune system. Soluble fats are a fantastic source of clearing out fats stored in your body.

Thus, if you want to eliminate stubborn belly fat or lose weight for a long time, consider including oatmeal in your diet, as they contain healthy fats.

6- Boost Your Immunity

When you eat oats in the morning, they serve you vitamin B and minerals, including zinc, iron, manganese, and magnesium. Most research findings have confirmed that oats improve your immune system’s response to infection and diseases.

Oatmeal contains unique beta-glucan fiber that helps neutrophils to travel to the infection’s site faster and increases their potential to eradicate bacteria they find there.

7- Help You Sleep Better

Do you know oats are the best pre-bed snack? They contain complex carbohydrates and melatonin that make it easier for more tryptophan to get into the brain and help you sleep quickly and peacefully.

Additionally, the availability of several vitamins aids serotonin production in the body. If you are struggling for sleep or have insomnia, why don’t you eat instant oats as a pre-bed snack?

But we also suggest seeing a professional dietitian and discussing the most suitable time to eat oats.

8- Improve Athletics Performance

Oats are an ideal source of proteins, calories, and energy. Oats can improve metabolism, especially when athletes consume them an hour before moderate-intensity exercise.

If you are a sports-enthusiastic or athlete, why don’t you add oats to your routine diet plan?

Indeed, you will see positive outcomes within a few weeks.

9- Help You Stay Full for Quite Long

Oats are a delicious breakfast and make you feel full quickly. It gives strength to your body and makes it easier to enjoy your weight loss journey. The availability of beta-glucan speeds up your feeling of fullness by delaying the time your stomach needs to empty the food.

Beta-glucan also stimulates the release of peptide YY (PYY), a hormone produced in the gut in response to food intake. It may be associated with minimum calorie intake and controls of obesity.

Which Oat is Good for Your Health?

As you know, most processed oats contain excess sugar and are not recommended for your diet. Therefore, when choosing oats, ensure they are the least processed and contain extra vitamins and minerals. You can eat steel-cut oats, rolled oats, or wholegrain oats.

Don’t forget to check the ingredients mentioned on the box and buy the box that contains all the healthy nutrients your body needs for weight loss.

Refresh Your Morning and Take a Bowl of Healthy Oatmeal

The discussion mentioned above has made it evident that oats have endless health benefits as they control your weight, protect you from heart disease, help your high cholesterol level, and keep you healthy.

So, why don’t you take a bowl of this delicious and full-nutrition meal in the morning? Because fitness comes first.

Nevertheless, avoiding fatty and sugary toppings is recommended to speed up your weight loss journey. Also, processed and flavored oats are too sugary so avoid their intake.

You can visit a certified nutritionist near you. Gladly, Dr. Ayesha Nasir is the best nutritionist in Lahore. You can see her for your easy-to-follow diet plan. The expert nutritionist will choose a customized diet plan for you according to your body’s needs and desired goals.

Don’t wait; start your fitness journey today.