34
&
FOOD
February 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
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GET YOUR FIBER,
LOWER YOUR
CHOLESTEROL,
SOOTHE YOUR SKIN
By Tanya Tyler,
Editor/Writer
Are you feeling
your oats? If you’re
starting your day
with a big bowl of
oatmeal, you certainly should be –
and it’s all good. Whether they’re
rolled, crushed or ground, oats are
higher in protein and healthy fats
and lower in carbohydrates than
most other whole grains.
Oats, oat bran and oatmeal
contain a type of fiber known as
beta-glucan. Laboratory research
has demonstrated beta-glucan
can enhance the immune system’s
response to bacterial infections. It
helps neutrophils move to the site
of an infection more quickly and
enhances their ability to eliminate
the bacteria.
Beta-glucan helps stabilize blood
sugar and is also very beneficial for
lowering cholesterol. Studies have
shown people with high cholesterol
who ate just 3 grams of soluble oat
fiber every day – the amount in one
bowl of oatmeal – can lower their
total cholesterol by 8 percent to 23
Oats
percent. Every 1-percent drop in
serum cholesterol results in a 2-percent decrease in heart disease risk.
In one study, people who ate about
21 grams of fiber per day had 12
percent less coronary heart disease
and 11 percent less cardiovascular
disease compared to those who ate
5 grams of fiber daily. Basically, oats
help remove cholesterol from the
digestive system that would otherwise end up in the bloodstream, saving hearts and lives.
The World’s Healthiest Foods
Web site says another study shows
antioxidant compounds unique to
Discover how good oats are for
your body – inside and out.
oats, called avenanthramides, help
prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, thus reducing
the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers at Tufts University
exposed human arterial wall cells to
purified avenenthramides from oats
for 24 hours. They found these oat
phenols significantly suppressed the
production of several types of molecules involved in the attachment
of monocytes (immune cells in the
bloodstream) to the arterial wall,
which is the first step in the development of atherosclerosis.
Postmenopausal women with high
cholesterol, high blood pressure or
other signs of cardiovascular disease
get some cardiovascular benefits
from eating oatmeal. In a study,
women who ate at least six servings
of whole grains each week showed a
slower progression of atherosclerosis
(plaque build up in the blood vessels). A diet rich in fiber from whole
grains such as oats gives significant
protection against breast cancer for
pre-menopausal women as well.
If you literally want to feel your
oats, try using them as a skin soother
and softener. Grind about a half
cup of uncooked rolled oats into
a powder with a food processor.
Place them directly into hot bath
water or wrap them in cheesecloth
and drop it into your bath. You can
make an oatmeal-based face mask to
ease irritation and moisturize your
skin. Put one-third cup of oatmeal
in a bowl and pour half a cup of hot
water on top. Mix, then add a tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons
of plain yogurt. Apply the mixture
to your face, avoiding the eyes, and
leave on for 20 minutes. Remove
with a damp cloth. Discover how
good oats are for your body – inside
and out.