Oatmeal has been in fashion for some time, mainly because it has important health benefits. It is said to lower cholesterol and blood sugar or protect against cancer. We can find it in many supermarket products, but is it really as good as we are told?
So far, research results do not show that oats are better than other cereals. Nor that it is a superfood (these do not exist), nor that by taking it we avoid diseases.
Oats, like other cereals, provide a large amount of nutrients, and hence they are highly recommended foods. Its main component is complex carbohydrates (starch), which are the basis of a balanced diet. The amount of sugars is, on the contrary, small and, furthermore, they are of the type that does not put our health at risk.
Oat grains are also rich in fiber – only legumes surpass cereals in this – and contain vitamins B1, B8 and folic acid. Unlike other cereals, it falls short of B3 and B6. As for minerals, cereals are almost complete and with them oats. In general they contain iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
Much of the fiber, vitamins and minerals are lost when grains are refined. In this process, the bran and germ are eliminated, components where these nutrients are concentrated. For this reason we must make sure that, next to the name of the cereal, the words “integral”, “whole grain” or “whole” appear.
Although in principle oats do not contain the proteins that cause celiac disease, they usually contain traces of cereals that do have gluten. Therefore, it is only recommended that people with celiac disease consume it if it bears the “barred spike” seal.
When talking about health, and although it may seem dramatic, the most important thing is to know if eating a food affects our risk of getting sick or even dying. In this sense, a low consumption of whole grains, including oats, is the second dietary factor responsible for the most deaths in the world. In fact, studies show that eating more whole grains decreases the risk of mortality. It is important to know that this benefit is lost when cereals are refined.
One of the main causes of mortality is cardiovascular disease and whole grains can help reduce the risk. Studies suggest they may also help protect against colorectal cancer. In addition, both oats and other whole grains as a whole are associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (the most common).
The nutrient in oats that has received the most attention is fiber. The intestinal microbiota ferments part of this fiber and as a result maintains itself and produces compounds with interesting functions. The microbiota itself participates in the function of the immune or endocrine system, among others.
Another effect of fiber is to promote defecation by increasing fecal mass and reducing the consistency of feces. This causes distention of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract and stimulation of reflexes that cause bowel movements.
These fiber functions are not exclusive to oats, but also to other whole grain cereals. However, the benefits of fiber go much further.
A low-fiber diet causes almost one million deaths worldwide each year and significantly affects people’s quality of life. In addition, taking the recommended fiber reduces the risk of mortality, cardiovascular mortality, coronary heart disease, heart attack, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer.
Contrary to what you may think, fiber is actually a family of compounds that have in common that we cannot digest them. One of its components that has demonstrated health benefits is beta-glucan, which is found in significant amounts in barley and oats.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has long recognized that the beta-glucans in these two cereals help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels and even reduce them. In addition, they also help reduce the rise in blood glucose that occurs after eating.
To have these effects you have to take a minimum amount of beta-glucans, which is not trivial. According to the limited information available, it would be necessary to take more than 75 grams of oats a day to have the benefits on cholesterol. Regarding its effects on blood glucose, we did not find any food that meets the requirements.
After all this, can we say that oats are a better option than other cereals? With the evidence in hand, the answer is a resounding no. Research continues and this may change, but eating oatmeal right now trusting that it is a panacea would be a mistake.
The truth is that our diet is low in whole grains and we could greatly benefit from increasing their consumption. Oatmeal is one of them and is an alternative that adds variety to our diet.
Of course, the presence of whole grains in a product cannot make us forget that we must read the nutritional labeling carefully. The goal is always to choose foods with the lowest amount of sugar, saturated fat and salt.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Ana Belén Ropero Lara is a professor of Nutrition and Bromatology at the Miguel Hernández University and Director of the BADALI project.
