Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 55, February 2014 | Page 28

Nutrition

Let’s put it
‘oat’ there!
Nothing says “Good Morning” quite like a warm bowl of oatmeal.
Whether slowly cooked and creamy or used in a fresh fruit and
yoghurt smoothie, oats benefit your body, giving you a fibre and
nutrient boost to kick-start your day. There are also diverse ways
you can bring them into your diet.
– BY SALOMÉ SCHOLTZ, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

O

ats date back over two thousand years, cultivated in regions all over the world.
Before humans used them as part of a nutritious breakfast, oats were used for medicinal
purposes, a use for which they are still honoured today. High in phosphorus, selenium
and manganese, oats are also the go-to for soluble dietary fibre, iron, magnesium and
vitamin B.
Oats gain part of their distinctive flavour from the roasting process after being harvested
and cleaned. Although oats are then hulled, this process does not strip away their
bran and their germ, allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fibre and
nutrients. Different processes are used to produce various forms of oat products, which
are generally used to make breakfast cereals, baked goods, soups and stews:

•

Oat Groats:

•

•

Steel-cut oats: Featuring a

A groat is another
name for a grain kernel. Oat groats
are the result of simply harvesting
oats, cleaning them, and removing
their inedible hulls. They take the
longest to cook.

dense and chewy texture, they are
produced by running oat groats
through steel blades that thinly
slices them into smaller pieces.

•

•

Old-fashioned (rolled)
oats: Have a flatter shape that is

Quick-cooking oats:
Processed like old-fashioned oats,
except they are cut finely before
rolling.

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Produced by
partially cooking the grains and then
rolling them very thin to decrease
the cooking time. They are lower in
fibre than rolled oats. Oftentimes,
sugar, salt and other ingredients are
added to make the finished product.
Try to avoid flavoured instant
oatmeal!

Oat bran: The outer layer of the
grain that resides under the hull.
While oat bran is found in rolled oats
and steel-cut oats, it may also be
purchased as a separate product that
can be added to recipes or cooked to
make a hot cereal. This is your best
option, as it is very high in fibre.

the result of their being steamed
and then rolled into flakes.

•

Instant oatmeal:

•

Oat flour:

Finer than oatmeal,
this is made by grinding and sieving
oats. It can be used in baking, or for
thickening soups and stews.

ISSUE 55 FEBRUARY 2014 / www.modernathlete.co.za

HEALTH BENEFITS

Here are three great reasons to add oats to your daily eating plan:

1. Improved lipid profile
Eating oatmeal can lower your cholesterol, especially your low-density lipoproteins
(LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol. If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol, consider
adding oatmeal to your daily menu. Oatmeal is full of soluble fibre, which we know
lowers LDL levels. When you digest fibre, it becomes goo-like. Researchers have
determined that when it’s in your intestines, it ‘sticks’ to cholesterol, stopping it
from being absorbed. So instead of getting that cholesterol into your system –